Original air date: 11/15/1990
Production code: 7F08
Homer is becoming increasingly annoyed by Ned Flanders inadvertently one-upping him in every possible way, what with having a better house, well behaved children, and a more attractive wife. Ned humbly tries to apologise for having things easier than Homer by sending him a letter, only to be met by ridicule. Things come to a head when Homer and Bart run into Ned and his sons at Sir Putt-A-Lot's Merrie Olde Fun Center, where Ned is quick to point out what a talented miniature golfer Todd is.
Todd and Bart are both interested in entering a miniature golf tournament, and Homer uses this as an excuse to try and show up Ned once and for all by goading him into making a bet where the father of the "boy-who-doesn't-win" has to mow the winner's lawn in his wife's Sunday dress. Ned agrees, and Homer begins to put Bart through his paces so that he'll easily beat Todd.
Until season 29, this was the last episode of The Simpsons with music composed by somebody other than Alf Clausen. This episode was composed by Ray Colcord,note in his one and only contribution to the show.
This episode contains examples of:
- Actually Pretty Funny:
- After the boys forfeit, Homer insists this means he and Ned both must commit to the penalty (believing it will be worth so long as Ned suffers as well). To Homer's aggravation however, Ned finds humour in the situation and begins waving at the laughing public. (Bart can also be seen quietly snickering while the rest of the family mourns the embarrassment.)
- Homer reads Flanders' sappy letter aloud at the breakfast table and laughs uproariously about it with the kids. Marge scolds them for receiving his kindness in that way but steps out of the room to giggle about it herself.
- A Day in the Limelight:
- For Todd, though most of the plot focused on Bart.
- This is the first episode to prominently feature the Flanders family, rather than their just being a one-shot gag.
- Artistic License – Sports: Upon their request to have the championship match declared a draw approved, Bart and Todd are each presented a check for $25, the $50 grand prize being evenly divided among them. In real life, when multiple players tie in a golf tournament, the prize money for that position plus the positions below involved in the tie are added together, and divided evenly among the players in the tienote . For example, if two players tie for third, and third pays $100,000, and fourth pays $50,000, then that money would be added together, and each player would get $75,000. So, the $50 grand prize should've been combined with the $25 runner-up prize, and Bart and Todd should've each gotten checks for $37.50.
- Characterisation Click Moment: Ned started off as merely an Always Someone Better foil for Homer, with few other characteristics besides his Verbal Tic. This episode not only fleshes out the rivalry between the two and introduces the other Flanders family members, but establishes most of Ned's God-fearing do-gooder personality (right down to his incessant bugging of Reverend Lovejoy).
- Couch Gag: The Simpsons, along with Snowball II and Santa's Little Helper, sit on the couch.
- Dragged into Drag: Because of how the bet was worded, both Homer and Flanders end up having to mow each other's lawns in their wives' Sunday dresses.
- Early-Installment Weirdness:
- Todd is depicted as a more self aware Adorably Precocious Child compared to the extremely influential Kiddie Kid he is in most later appearances.
- While Lisa's precocious personality is mostly established by this point, much like in "Bart the Genius" she still laughs unashamedly at Homer and Bart's heckling over Flanders' letter.
- Flanders is right-handed in this episode, when future episodes not only states he is left-handed, but make it plot point, including opening his left-handed store in the subsequent season.
- E = MC Hammer: The geometry Lisa used when preparing Bart for his match don’t really make a lot of sense.
- Exact Words: Homer and Ned's bet states that the father of the boy who "doesn't win" has to put on his wife's Sunday dress and mow the other father's lawn; it initially says "father of the loser," but Ned changes the terms to sound nicer. When Bart and Todd decide to call the match a tie, Homer points out that a draw isn't the same thing as a victory, meaning that both boys "didn't win." As such, Homer and Ned are both made to fulfill the bet and mow each other's lawns (unfortunately, Homer is denied seeing Flanders embarrassed because the latter thinks it's funny).
- Giant Novelty Check: After Bart and Todd decide to call it a draw, each one receives a giant check worth half the money prize.
- Gosh Dang It to Heck!:Ned: You have yourself a bet, you... jackaninny!
- Green-Eyed Monster: Homer's envy of Ned is the driving force in this episode.
- Heh Heh, You Said "X": Ned's apology letter is supposed to be taken seriously, but Homer and Bart and even Lisa just giggle that the letter contains the word "bosom".
- Hoist by His Own Petard:
- Had Ned allowed the contract to read "father of the loser" instead of insisting on "father of the boy who doesn't win", Homer wouldn't have been able to pull off his Exact Words ploy.
- Homer's attempt to have Ned humiliated by forcing both of them to go through the losing punishment blows up in his face as Ned finds the experience funny and isn't embarrassed at all while Homer is.
- I Call It "Vera": Homer tells Bart to give his putter a name. Bart says "Mr. Putter," so Homer specifies that it should be a girl's name. Bart selects "Mom," to which Homer snaps "Your putter's name is Charlene!"
- I Have No Son!:Homer: Remember what Vince Lombardi said: "If you lose, you're out of the family!".
- It's All About Me: Homer is basically a black hole in this episode, drawing in everyone he can in his crusade against Ned Flanders whether they want to or not. Even Ned himself has to be dragged into it kicking and screaming.
- Jerkass: With his petty antagonism towards Ned and the undeserved pressure he puts on Bart, this episode marked a really low point for Homer in the show's early years. As noted in the
DVD Commentary, Homer is very irritable and full of rage in this episode for no real reason. He starts out angry and gets angrier as the episode goes on. - Laser-Guided Karma: After all of his antagonism of Ned and unfair treatment of Bart, it's satisfying to see Homer get his comeuppance at the end of the episode.
- Not So Above It All:
- Marge scolds Homer and the kids for laughing at Ned's melodramatic apology letter, but she privately finds it amusing as well.
- Right after she regains composure, she objects again and notes she wished the family were as close as the Flanders were. She meekly shirks however when Homer suggests right off the bat they have a spontaneous family outing together.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Flanders becomes really ruthless to show how far he is taking his bet with Homer.Ned: Mercy is for the weak, Todd!
- Parental Obliviousness: Lampshaded by Lisa's comment:Lisa: It's times like this I'm grateful that Dad has little to no interest in almost everything I do.
- Pop-Culture Pun Episode Title: The title is a nod to Dead Poets Society.
- Rhetorical Question Blunder: Lisa asks Bart, "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" Bart demonstrates by swatting his fingers into his palm.
- Screw Your Ultimatum!: Bart and Todd decided to end their game in a draw instead or egging their fathers' egos on.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Only the game announcer and Ned seem sincerely touched by Bart and Todd's sportsmanship. The rest of the audience storm out unimpressed.
- Serious Business: The championship match between Bart and Todd is broadcast in its entirety on KBBL Radio, complete with I Am Very British announcers.
- Shout-Out:
- The scene where Homer makes Bart name his putter "Charlene" is a reference to Pvt. Pyle nicknaming his rifle in Full Metal Jacket.
- The scene where Bart is standing on a trash can doing the Crane Stance (pictured at the top of this page) is a reference to The Karate Kid (1984).
- Take a Third Option: Bart and Todd decide to forfeit and declare a tie.
- Taking You with Me: A non-fatal variant. Homer is so determined to see Ned face the losing penalty that he's willing to exploit Exact Words with the contract, fully knowing it would mean he'd have to do it as well.
- Tender Tears: When Bart and Todd decide to call it a draw, the British announcer is so moved by their sportsmanship that he starts crying.
- Tranquil Fury: After Homer bursts into a spiteful tirade about Ned rubbing his success in his face, Ned, in a blatantly angry but still calm and polite tone, firmly asks Homer to leave.
- Trophy Child: Bart and Todd become the "pawns" (Todd with extreme reluctance on Ned's part) in their fathers' competition.
- Unishment: Bart and Todd end up competing against each other in mini-golf and Homer, always looking for an opportunity to mess with Flanders, makes a side bet: The "father of the boy who doesn't win"note would have to mow the other's lawn in his wife's best Sunday dress. In the end Bart and Todd both forfeit because the game isn't fun anymore; Ned thinks it's over and is willing to let bygones be bygones, but Homer, determined to see Ned humiliated, points out that neither boy won, so they both have to go through with the bet. However, Ned actually ends up having fun since it reminds him of his college days, while Homer made an ass of himself for nothing.Homer: D'oh! Oh my god, he's enjoying it!
- Unknown Rival: For most of the episode, Ned doesn't deliberately antagonize Homer or try to outdo him—Homer just perceives Flanders's seeming "perfectness" as a personal affront.
- Worth It: Homer doesn't mind facing the losing penalty if that's what it takes to make Ned face it as well. He changes his mind once he sees Ned enjoying it.
- X Must Not Win: Homer is willing to accept both Ned and him facing the losing penalty so long at it means Ned suffers. Unfortunately for Homer, Ned enjoys it due to its reminding him of his fraternity days.
