Dead Putting Society

This episode is the sixth in the second season of the Simpsons, and is the first where the Flanders family plays a predominant role. But the episode doesn’t just follow Ned and Homer, but also their influences on their sons Todd and Bart in a mini-golf competition.

The episode begins with Homer mowing his lawn and flapping his gums. His loud complaining attracts Ned’s attention, who invites him over for some “ice cold suds in the rumpus room.” Ned, up until this point, has always been Homer’s annoying neighbor who knows too much and always points things out (like crab grass). Finally, after eight years of being neighbors, Homer goes to Ned’s house for the first time. After seeing the kids and interacting with Maude and seeing Ned’s house – Homer explodes. “Your family is better than my family! Your wife’s butt is hotter than my wife’s butt! You make me sick!” Homer yells until Ned has to, rather politely, kick him out. This shows that Homer is upset about how Ned is different and has the life that he wishes he could have. What makes things worse is that Marge says “I’ve never seen him be anything but the perfect neighbor.” Homer gets incredibly upset that she used the word perfect to describe Ned, even if she didn’t mean it in the way he took it.

That night, Homer tosses in bed because of how upset he is about Ned. Similarly, Ned is tossing, too. He feels bad that he threw his own neighbor out of his house, feelings like he “violated Matthew 19:19.” He calls the reverend in the middle of the night for guidance, quoting Matthew to him. The Reverend tells him to try to apologize, possibly through a letter.

Ned indeed writes a letter. He leaves it for Homer who then reads it in front of his family. Ned calls Homer his “brother” and says that he loves him. He writes “I feel a great sadness in my bosom,” which then shows the main difference between the Flanders and Simpsons. The Flanders take that as a sincere statement, completely serious; the Simpsons burst out laughing at it, thinking it silly. All except for Marge, who yells “I wish this family was as close as the Flanders!” Just one more reason for Homer to be jealous.

Flanders kids, Rod and Todd, are just like him, pointing things out to Homer – even telling him how to putt correctly. Homer and Ned agree to have Todd and Bart compete in a mini-golf competition where the loser’s dad has to mow the lawn in his wife’s best dress. Well, I shouldn’t say loser. Ned asks: “Loser is such a harsh word, couldn’t we just say ‘the boy who doesn’t win?’”

The competition ensues, with Ned being his always nice self at the beginning, saying “Well, sir, may the best man win.” The two sons compete with their fathers influences, Homer being the more oppressive of the two, of course. They learn their lesson and teach it to their fathers – both of them decide to call the match a draw. Thus, both fathers have to wear the dresses to mow the lawn. But unlike Homer, Ned finds the best in anything and finds a way to have fun.