This is the second episode, well more than the second time, but the second episode where the main episode theme was the rivalry between Homer and Flanders ("Damn Flanders!"). A saying commonly under Homer's breath but also funnily under Reverand Lovejoy's breath too in this ep. This is also the second episode where Ned does one of his frantic emergency calls too Lovejoy with Lovejoy murmering under his breath about how Ned won't stop bothering him about stupid little things (the background to this issue between them is explored more deeply in further down the road season 7 episode "In Marge we trust" when Reverand explains to Marge, the church's new "listen lady", about how Ned has been hounding him for years. We get a background montage of Ned's nonstop calls to Lovejoy over nonstop trivial matters, one funny one being "I swallowed a toothpick!" and one even funnier one being "I was talked into doing this dance called the bump, and then my butt accidentally touched the butt of another man!").
In this ep, where Homer so badly wants to avoid Ned that he avoids going to Ned's backyard BBQ, and going to a BBQ is something very hard for Homer to resist, especially when the smells from the cooking burgers almost literally carry him over to Ned's backyard and Homer finally walks over there and grabs a plateful of burgers without any interest whatsoever in socialising and starts stuffing himself. Then Ned presents a roast chicken, his new job opening his Leftorium (the first time and far from the last time of that place being mentioned or showed in Simpson episodes), and the wishbone pull between Ned and Homer. Homer pulls off the biggest half much to his delight and secretly wishes for Ned's " stupid" Leftorium to close as we see in Homer's wish bubble. Then his wish bubble of Ned losing his home, and then for a moment Ned's tombstone but Homer quickly decides "no, too far". That's something I liked about the Simpsons, they had their limits on how mean they were to make their characters, and wishing death on someone was a step too far. More recent 21st century shows like " Family guy" probably would've showed someone's tombstone wish bubble then had him enjoy that thought and stay with it.
As the ep continues, Bart decides to take karate, and while Homer takes Bart to his class at the mall, he relishes in Ned's empty Leftorium store, laughs about it at home, and refuses to tell other left-handed people he knows about Ned's store, including Moe who longs for a left handed cork screw, and Mr. Burns who longs for a left handed can opener. I liked the dinner table scene where Homer laughs about Ned's store being deserted, and Lisa, referring to Homer, uses the German term "schadenfreude" meaning one taking pleasure in the misfortune of others (then Lisa saying "sour grapes" was the opposite of "schadenfreude" and Homer responding "boy, those Germans have a word for everything"). Later though, when Ned's store really gets its business threatened, Homer stops laughing and is hit with guilt. Homer gathers other Springfieldians to chip in to help Ned. The ending had a good homage from the great 1940's film "It's a wonderful life".
In this ep, where Homer so badly wants to avoid Ned that he avoids going to Ned's backyard BBQ, and going to a BBQ is something very hard for Homer to resist, especially when the smells from the cooking burgers almost literally carry him over to Ned's backyard and Homer finally walks over there and grabs a plateful of burgers without any interest whatsoever in socialising and starts stuffing himself. Then Ned presents a roast chicken, his new job opening his Leftorium (the first time and far from the last time of that place being mentioned or showed in Simpson episodes), and the wishbone pull between Ned and Homer. Homer pulls off the biggest half much to his delight and secretly wishes for Ned's " stupid" Leftorium to close as we see in Homer's wish bubble. Then his wish bubble of Ned losing his home, and then for a moment Ned's tombstone but Homer quickly decides "no, too far". That's something I liked about the Simpsons, they had their limits on how mean they were to make their characters, and wishing death on someone was a step too far. More recent 21st century shows like " Family guy" probably would've showed someone's tombstone wish bubble then had him enjoy that thought and stay with it.
As the ep continues, Bart decides to take karate, and while Homer takes Bart to his class at the mall, he relishes in Ned's empty Leftorium store, laughs about it at home, and refuses to tell other left-handed people he knows about Ned's store, including Moe who longs for a left handed cork screw, and Mr. Burns who longs for a left handed can opener. I liked the dinner table scene where Homer laughs about Ned's store being deserted, and Lisa, referring to Homer, uses the German term "schadenfreude" meaning one taking pleasure in the misfortune of others (then Lisa saying "sour grapes" was the opposite of "schadenfreude" and Homer responding "boy, those Germans have a word for everything"). Later though, when Ned's store really gets its business threatened, Homer stops laughing and is hit with guilt. Homer gathers other Springfieldians to chip in to help Ned. The ending had a good homage from the great 1940's film "It's a wonderful life".
