Rate/Review: Pray Anything (EABF06)

[Evan Conover]

How did this episode get green-lighted? This episode tonight was an example of a Mike Scully patented "overdone" episode where a plot involving one member of OFF goes so unnecessarily far, it ruins the episode. I'm not talking about the useless WNBA beginning, either. I thought these kinds of episodes were all done being made too! Yes, it was funny on some parts, but it plainly & simply flopped.

2/5

[whoismrbungle]

oh c'mon, who didn't know that it was going to be a small hole. It would have been better if it was no hole at all, and just homer laying on the ground screaming.

[Tomacco]

That screaming hole thing just confused me.
I was waiting for a thud, so I guess it tricked me. I didn't laugh though. I was just like "what the hell? Why'd he scream like that?".

[Kalbelgarion]

I liked it!

It seems that jokes on the Simpsons that revolve around God are usually hilarious. This one episode actually had a coherent plot, great gags, great characters, and a lesson! That all adds up to one great episode.

Now, for one to thoroughly enjoy this episode, one has to understand that there’s more to it than just the jokes. Homer’s transition and character-building are what truly make this episode great. If you would rather have an episode with jokes but no coherent plot filled with substance, watch “…Stummer Vacation”.

Act one started the episode out on a high note. Most of the WNBA jokes were okay (such as Lisa Leslie’s grammar, Homer’s fantasy, and the WNFL line). I loved how Flanders and Homer were perfectly in character. Now, a few rotten jokes (such as the Rick Texan’s dancing, and Bart’s growling) weren’t too pleasurable, but the good far outweighed the bad.—4/5

Act two was also filled with great material. The is where Homer learns Flanders' secret and transforms into a God-loving man. Homer’s reliance on God spoke volumes for his character. Homer is always looking for the easy way around a problem, and we’ve seen in the past that he has been willing to blame God for some of his problems. Homer’s dumb luck and his reliance on prayer supplied some great laughs, and really furthered the plot. I felt sorry for Ned and the entire town when Lovejoy left, and everyone lost faith in God and in Homer. It was the same feeling I got last week at the act break, when Marge was mugged. You could really see that Homer was corrupted, and even his own loving wife saw it. Homer’s faith and perception of God hurt the entire town, and his “absolute power” corrupted his absolutely. Also, Homer’s fall and scream at the Church is up there with “LM”’s “Batman” episode and “Strong Arms”’s “Tetris” scene as the best jokes of the season. –5/5

Act three was a slight letdown, but nonetheless was very good. Homer continued to wallow in sin, and took either his luck or God for granted. By the end of the act, it was really evident that Homer learned his lesson, much as he did in “Homer the Heretic”. I could feel for Homer, and I’m glad the ending included a moral. –4.5/5

Overall: 4.5/5. A very solid episode that could have been slightly better, if the jokes were written with a little more tact.

(Just for the record, I’m not a fundamental Christian, or anything. I’m not even a theist. But I still thoroughly enjoyed this episode)

This season:
Pray Anything-4.5/5
Special Edna -4.5/5
The Dad Who Knew Too Little-4/5
The Great Louse Detective-4/5
Strong Arms of the Ma -4/5
Bart vs. Lisa vs. 3rd Grade-3.5/5
Large Marge -3.5/5
Treehouse of Horror XIII-3/5
How I Spent My Strummer Vacation-3/5
Helter Shelter -1/5

[Stackhouse]

You people giving this episode 1s and 2s/5... watch it again when it re-airs at 10 o'clock or if you taped it. I just watched it again and found it funnier and better the second time.

[NoOneFamous]

About the hole gag... I see how they were trying to make it funny by making us think he fell in a huge hole, but it just didn't work. And how would him falling into a 1 foot hole cause him to break his ankle? Even more ridiculous, how would THAT result in him winning the deed to the church?? I hate to be nitpicky, but I get the feeling they didn't even proofread this episode at all.

[Tomacco]

Yeah, I find episodes that never had any real LOL jokes to begin with are the ones that really get better on repeats. I find the original LOL jokes are always such let-downs on repeat viewings (the Tetris joke doesn't hold up a second time).

[DotheBartman]

WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!

Okay, I've about had it. What were they thinking? Every joke was lame (save for maybe two or three chucklers at most) and often "gee-whizish". There was no intelligence or depth whatsoever, the characters had no likability to them and there was none of the thought that usually goes into a religiously themed episode. In fact, save for showing God eating popcorn chicken, and a few moments that seemed like they were ripped from an 8 year old trying to re-write "Homer the Heretic", there was nothing religously themed about it at all....just joke after joke after joke, and none of it was funny. It wasn't so much individual moments of shittiness (though there were plenty. Homer gets electrocuted on his tongue?), but rather a whole, unfunny, shoddily written package.

I have nothing positive to say about this episode, seriously.

Grade: F (if "Large Marge didn't exsist it would be the worst since "Homer the Moe", and considering some episodes this season, that's a feat).

[Kalbelgarion]

Originally posted by NoOneFamous
About the hole gag... I see how they were trying to make it funny by making us think he fell in a huge hole, but it just didn't work. And how would him falling into a 1 foot hole cause him to break his ankle? Even more ridiculous, how would THAT result in him winning the deed to the church?? I hate to be nitpicky, but I get the feeling they didn't even proofread this episode at all.

It's a standard tactic in comedy. Build your audience up to expect one thing, then have it turn out to be something completely different. That hole gag worked for me.

And people hurt themselves by unexpectedly falling short distances all the time. Nothing unusual about that.

Also, that lawyer was a spoof on all those other sleazy trial lawyers who advertise on television and specialize in injury cases. I'm sure you've seen their cheesy comercials in your area.

[Old Time Bike]

i agree with Kalbelgarion's review.

[Drayken II]

Originally posted by Kalbelgarion




And people hurt themselves by unexpectedly falling short distances all the time. Nothing usual about that.

Ever go down a flight of stairs and think you've just gotten down the last one, but there is another? It hurts.

[Kalbelgarion]

Sorry, sorry...I meant to type "unusual", not "usual"... ;-/

[skittlebrau]

No, sir, I didn't like it.

I'm not a religious person and I hate such vagrant religious tones being thrown in my face. That, and it just wasn't a good episode at all. I didn't laugh once, and I hated Homer for praying for every damn stupid thing.

2/5 Pathetic episode.

[or_smth]

Originally posted by Kalbelgarion


It's a standard tactic in comedy. Build your audience up to expect one thing, then have it turn out to be something completely different. That hole gag worked for me.

And people hurt themselves by unexpectedly falling short distances all the time. Nothing unusual about that.

Also, that lawyer was a spoof on all those other sleazy trial lawyers who advertise on television and specialize in injury cases. I'm sure you've seen their cheesy comercials in your area.

See, that's one of the things wrong with these new seasons. If you recall to the Stonecutters episode (sorry, the name eludes me at the moment) when Homer is getting whacked and going through torture in order to join he gets ready to take the "6-story Plummet" (or whatever they call it). He is made to believe he is going to fall (like any other sitcom), hits the ground, everyone laughs floor breaks and then he falls six stories.

Here he just falls in a pit (and in a metaphorical sense, the pit of mediocority )

[huh?]

I loved the chalkboard gag, I didn't see the couch gag, and there were alright, but I just thought the ending was somewhat stupid with the flood and then Lisa trying to explain it being feasible. I agree with the person who said that there can't be an anti-religion conclusion, as this would have been more interesting if it did that. 3/5.

[Bob Underdunk T]

2/5

Spounge Bob is not a contraceptive.

[Handsome Pete]

You know, Lisa's scientific explanation thing at the end of the episode really seemed out of place, mainly because she hadn't really acted that way previously. I suppose that the writer of this episode had put himself into a corner and needed something to escape.

Oh yeah, before I forget, the whole "God hates this episode" thing I posted wasn't serious. You know, it was just to fit in with the poll theme. I'm atheist, actually.

[Simpson Purist]

5.5/10, a better title for this episode would've been "Jerkass Homer the Heretic".

Pros
-The lightning gag actually worked well
-Arnie Pie
-"God: The Original Tony Soprano"
-The ending with God and Buddha talking popcorn chicken, very Homer the Heretic-ish
-The 24 promo, JACK IS GOING TO GO NUTS!!

Cons
-Moe has homosexual tendencies?
-Jerkass Homer annoyed me quite a bit during the 2nd act

Can't say I'm too excited about "Barting Over", I hope the meta-reference is not in the episode.

[ILikeTheSimpsons]

4/5 I liked a lot of the jokes, actually. I know it wasn't the greatest episode of the season, but I think people had their hopes far too high for this episode. The really good parts were Gil as the mascot, Cletus "Back to you, Bob Saget," fudge/bacon, Hibbert trying to get the cat stuffed animal, and I really liked Homer being lazy again (for the parts that he was anyway). "You'll be bunking with me, Reverend" was good too, I think people get too mad over that because it makes Flanders seem gay. I don't think it does, I just think the writers know viewers have dirty minds...I didn't find anything really wrong with this episode, but I'll admit a few jokes fell flat.

[Amelia]

I give it a 2/5, I hate to say it, but I thought it was a pretty lame episode......>___<

[YesMan]

Did anyone notice, Helen Lovejoy's voice sounded.. pretty normal..? Is Maggie Roswell back, or what..? ;-/

[Tomacco]

Maggie Roswell actually did voice Helen.

[Moleman...Hans]

Wasn't as good as I thought it would be, but it deserves a 3.5/5. had a lot of funny parts and either thought the ending was wacky, I liked it. Did you notice on the checks they gave Flanders said his name? How'd they know he would win? ;-/

This episode was average basically, but last season's 10th episode, "Half Decent Proposal" was much better. "Half Decent Proposal" was a 4.5/5 for me. Oh yeah, Flanders definately wasn't gay in this. He was just acting like he always does. Bunk with me doesn't mean anything.

P.S. My dad gave this episode a 2.5/5. He liked it but not as much as he thought he would. same thign with me.

[Cole]

Very, very disappointed in this episode. I just ... didn't find it funny. In fact, the funniest part was actually in the first seconds of the show: the "Spongebob is not a contraceptive" couchgag had me dying laughing for some reason. Other than that ... almost every joke fell flat. The WNBA player getting into the stupid grammar argument with Bart. Gil, who I usually love, just wasn't funny as the WNBA's mascot. Then, the church humor seemed to miss every time. It either came off as sacrilegious or preachy. The flood, albeit better used than in "Mom and Pop Art", was still unnecessary and was a very forced and cheap way for the writers to end the show. 1/5. Worst episode of the season to date. I really should have watched the NBA All Star game instead.


I'll be honest ... I find it harder and harder to sit through this season's episodes of The Simpsons. I never thought I'd see the day when I started considering watching other shows on Sundays.