R+R Blood Feud

Rate it

  • 10/10

    Votes: 48 28.6%
  • 9/10

    Votes: 51 30.4%
  • 8/10

    Votes: 46 27.4%
  • 7/10

    Votes: 13 7.7%
  • 6/10

    Votes: 5 3.0%
  • 5/10

    Votes: 2 1.2%
  • 4/10

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 3/10

    Votes: 2 1.2%
  • 2/10

    Votes: 1 0.6%
  • 1/10

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    168
With a great way to close season 2.

Indeed. The character of Mr. Burns was one of the driving forces behind season 2 with his many appearances and ending the season with a Burns-centred episode was the cherry on the pie.
 
I'm rather fond of this episode and its definitely one of the funnier episodes of S2 for me. I particularly love Homer's whole reaction to the 'heartfelt' thankyou card from Burns, and his attempts to retrieve the angry letter he wrote back. Marge also has a great reaction shot to Homer strangling Bart that I always giggle at when I see it. I love the Dr. Seuss reference with Burns' line "A frabulous, grabulous, zip-zoop-zabulous present..." and I think there was more. Homer's attempt to tell Bart the story of Androcles and the Lion and getting mixed up with Hercules was also rather amusing, as well as Bart's observational response "How did a Lion get rich?" and Homer's priceless response "It was the olden days!". As far as Burns-centric episodes go this one ranks high on my list but behind episodes like Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish, Rosebud, Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk and Last Exit to Springfield.

8/10
 
A heartfelt, very realistic episode, that is true to the characterisations that have been throughout season 2.

Without a doubt, one of season 2's gems - the scene with Burns reading Homer's letter is just priceless.

4/5
 
A random fact about this episode I found:

Silverman inserted a red herring into the episode in a scene where Mr. Burns says that he was rejuvenated. Silverman used a close-up of Burns when he says "blood of a young boy" in hopes of misleading viewers into thinking that the rest of episode would be about Burns seeking more of Bart's blood.

Now if this episode were done during the Scully era...
 
This episode was good but certainly not perfect. It has it's moments like the beginning, "Hello My Name Is Mr. Burns", but after Mr. Burns being saved, it just seem boring and kinda stupid like Mr. Burns writing a book which I think was called "Is There Every a Rainbow" or something like that. Then Smithers was just a wuss in this episode. I understand the beginning because Smithers thinks he's going to lose his friend/secret lover and that's pretty sad but after that, he was crying for little to no reason like the new Spongebob. I would give this episode a 6/10, but since the beginning was excellent and "Hello My Name is Mr. Burns", I will boast it up to a 8/10.
 
One of my favorite episodes of the series. 10/10.
 
Yet another underrated episode from the second season, probably the second most underrated season in the shows history. This episode has the classic, Homer pretending to be Mr Burns scene, also an big fan of the Olmec Head. There are other great stuff too. It does not quite reach the A+ mark, but its still an great episode. Grade:A
 
8/10: homer and Bart together put some great scenes. The insulting letter written to Mr. Burns was hilarious. Also when they went to the post office to try to retrieve it with homer pretending to be Mr. Burns was also memorable. perfect example of stupid Homer coming into full swing.
 
5/5
Emotional and thought provoking, yet still laugh out loud funny at times. This deserves to be held in the same regard as stuff like Last Exit to Springfield.
 
Easily a classic. Who could forget the giant ugly head? And the line "What's your first name, Mr. Burns?" "I don't know..."
 
I love a lot of things about this episode. Especially the fact that Mr. Burns decides the best present for a working family is a $32,000 giant stone head.
It's also a very visually pleasing episode, IMO.
9/10
 
Definitely one of my biggest favourites of season 2, this episode really can get hilarious at one moment and emotional at the next. Of course, "Hello, my name is Mr. Burns" could be one of those more memorable moments of this episode :D
10/10
 
I think the show has finally hit that gold-standard belly laugh comedy I've been so excited to reach. After finding the last episode hilarious, I can easily say that this is the funniest episode of the show thus far. This has so many classic moment, just in the montage of Homer and Bart trying to get the letter back. Bart posting the letter is a great example of him being a mischievous but ultimately innocent boy, easily influenced by his father. I much prefer it when the two of them are on the same side. The show is still nailed every day working class family stories with elegence and relatability, Homer is great in this episode, Burns is great, Smithers is great, I could go on and on. It's a classic. COME ON! I think it's also the start of the Smithers love Burns gag if I'm not mistaken. One more stray observation, it's the little character touches that make the show (well, any good show) feel alive, e.g. Marge knowing everything about her family, even their blood types.

Great. 9.5/10
 
Good episode.
Season 2 finished on enough high note.
However, after the solid start (Burns becomes deathly ill) it comes to ̶X̶t̶a̶p̶o̶l̶a̶p̶o̶c̶e̶t̶l not so promiced end with "not decided what is morality" (the last irony is good, but quite low for golden age).

plot 22/25
absurdity level (the possibility of what is happening) 21/25
comedy 19/25
originary (level of references and of unoriginality) 23/25

TOTAL 85/100. GOOD!
 
This is an episode carried by Mr. Burns. Everything he does is hilarious, especially the gift he gets the Simpsons. There are other good jokes too, but Burns always steals the spotlight.

I also really like how there's actual stakes to the story. It's not out of character for Mr. Burns to react harshly to being insulted, so there's a lot of tension in Homer going to send the letter and then Bart sending it. When Homer talks with Marge about how their lives will be ruined, it's genuinely effective. It's nice how even in more comedy centered episodes, there's still good emotion.

My only issue with the episode is Burns' change of heart near the end. I get that Smithers convinced him to not beat Homer up, but to get Homer a gift? That seems a bit too extreme of a change for how set in his ways Mr. Burns is. 9/10
 
Season two concludes with Blood Feud. Mr. Burns intercepts in the always volatile road to the happiness of The Simpsons. Chapter the fifth this season. I am really surprised about how repetitive were the earliest years of the show with this concept. The consolidation of Mr. Burns as the greatest villain was one of the most crucial aspects of the beginning of the show.
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At that moment Homer regretted to oblige Bart to help his boss.

Mr. Burns was already involved in some hostilities like run over Bart and never have remorse or sabotaging Homer's progress in his diet, among others. But this time he reached his evilest facet when he fires the man who saved his life and not satisfied with that, he orders a bouncer to beat him a purp. No matter how offensive that ridiculous letter Homer wrote in a sarcastic and aggressive tone can be; anyhow, Mr. Burns acted in his most malevolent style since he read Homer's mockery description about him, ignoring the context of the situation. But before that, we have two versions of the old man we still were not used to. Firstly, he is weak when he is suffering the consequences of a disease, the hypohemia... I wonder why the writers invented this one instead of using a real one. He is friendly with Smithers here, something improbable in normal conditions. Secondly, he is cheerful when he recovers his health. He tries to converse with his employers even when he does not know their names and when he is absolutely out of style, he exhibits the ability to play sports and he rewards Homer with a letter, acknowledging the bravery of the boy with a terse card. Now, here it is the breakpoint of the episode: was Burns obliged to give money, gold, or diamonds to The Simpsons? I don't think so. That might be morally preferable in such a billionaire person but overall this situation just talks worse about Homer than about Burns, who later would bring out high levels of intolerance, of resentment, of anger when he read that letter signed by Homer, becoming what he was created for: the antagonist, the insensible man that is plenty of wickedness, abuses of his privileged position, and mistreats Homer.
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Mr. Burns smiling no ironically...

Scenes such as Mr. Burns reading the letter in front of Homer, he abruptly ordering to thrash Homer, and he treating Smithers like Judas were excellent for the character, who finally brought out his nature over his fragile version. Topping it all off, it was enhanced by David Silverman's direction and Harry Shearer's voice acting, making of this passage of the episode the most enjoyable one. Smithers was between the hard and the rock when his boss decreed an unfair punishment against the man who saved him from the agony of losing the person about he cares the most and liberating him from the pressure of being incapable to help his boss. It's an intriguing dilemma for Smithers, who already has a profound appreciation for Burns but still was not a boot-licks (at least he is not in extreme situations). Smithers takes the correct decision and canceled the beat up, then confessed personally in his boss's office. And here is my gripe with this one: Mr. Burns suddenly forgives everyone, changes radically his mind, and forgets that letter that made him angry hysterically. I just felt it slightly rushed and kind of unpalatable. An excessively expressive and happy Mr. Burns shopping in the Springfield Mall, looking for a zip-zoop zabulous present. He rejects some easy choices and selects Ixtapolapoquetl, the God of war in the Olmec civilization–in others unexplainable change from the reality–or, how Bart baptized it: "A big, ugly head". Incidentally, I liked that Burns replied " It's a big, ugly Olmec head". Now, I get that Mr. Burns did an eccentric, unpredictable gift. But I have problems with this one: the relationship between its size and the house doesn't add up, and after all, they have a good to sell that is valued in $32,000. Why don't they put themselves in a campaign to get rid of it? It was just an odd ending.
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Smithers was too much likable here. One of the few good people in Springfield.

I've said above that I realized that Homer was portrayed worse than Burns, at least throughout the first and second acts. Homer showed himself as a greedy, self-indulgent man. It would have been all right in small doses, but I think he was too much obsessive here, and that aspect consumed his characterization. One-hundred percent of his thoughts were related to the money. He didn't care about Bart's viewpoint, he didn't care about Burns's health, he didn't care about the possibility of not being rewarded for doing the correct thing. Marge was here to keep balanced the situation, expressing a reasonable point of view for dissuading Homer from his impulses. I don't have anything to bring up about her, except that I found particularly adorable the scene when she proves she knows every little detail about her husband and her children, no matter how insignificant they are. That's typical for a mother and it's accurate for her. Bart was easily the funniest here and the one whose personality fits better in the role assigned to. It was funny to watch him taking the initiative and sending the card to Burns –although I found unnecessary that scene where Homer strangles him–. It was nice the near relationship he shares with his father her: Homer telling him a wrong story in the bed, Bart receiving the dictated from Homer describing Burns, both looking together for a quick solution for the inconvenience they have involved in. The father/son moments were actually funny. Oh, and in an off-topic plotline, Lisa teaches Maggie untold words that she didn't have the opportunity to learn. It comes from and goes nowhere, but it what nice to have Maggie starring some scenes, no matter how insignificant they were.
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Classic familiar reunions.

Something I always liked about this episode is the very last scene. The family sitting on the couch, contemplating that monstrosity of a gift and debating what the moral was in this situation. It was especially funny how Marge puts effort in find it out. A good deed is its own reward? No good deed goes unrewarded? Does the squeaky wheel get the grease? I frankly found it as a brilliant commentary on us, who looks for a moral lesson in a simply animated TV show. It's true they usually have one, but they looked and discovered a satirical alternative: just twenty-two minutes about a bunch of stuff that happened. However, I had an apprenticeship watching this, furnished by Barney, who left me the following philosophy of life: "You should always drink to enhance your social skills". Yup, it's a bit sad when a satirical observation makes you feel identified with. This episode also contains one of the funniest scenes of the entire season, refloated onto the pop-culture five years ago through season 7's clip show. That useless visit of Homer and Bart to the Post Office was funny because of its simplicity, and the outcome where Homer blames Bart was even better. And talking about funny scenes... Do you a fun fact about this one? In the Latin American dubbing, when Mr. Burns repeats the insults Homer wrote down in the letter, he cites one that Homer didn't express (as well as he did in the original version with 'Liver spots") and exclaims: "He didn't say it but he thought on it!" in such an expressive tone that makes me break up every time I hear it. It's one of the very few times were the adaptation enriches the original version.
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Another random note: Joey takes his job too seriously.

Blood Feud was kind of a forgettable season finale. The lack of impact of Mr. Burns, the grasping that absorbed Homer, and the letdown ending (yet memorable) were the negative points for what otherwise was a slightly funny story that involves smartly every member of the family, or at least gives screentime for those that didn't fit, and that continued to evidence some hints of a change of style where the humor becomes a priority, especially evidenced during the let's send/let's recover the letter.

3/5
 
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The season finale of the second season was a really good one to wrap it up with. I really like this one and consider it a little overlooked compared to many other beloved early episodes. It has a enjoyable story (with Mr. Burns falling ill with Hypothemia, a disease of which the body doesn't produce enough blood, and announces the search for a blood donor that has the same rare blood type he has & it turns out that Bart is a perfect match, which Homer is quick to take advantage of to get something of worth from the rich old man as a "thank you") with a lot of great little character moments, not just from the Simpson family (of which Homer & Bart takes the forefront) but from Burns and Smithers too (with their relationship getting a whole lot of great development here) and some great jokes and lines along the way. It was never as popular as some of the other well-regarded season 2 episodes but to me, it is a fun one.

The story starts nicely, with Burns having collapsed after getting out of bed & Dr. Hibbert giving the diagnosis (and Smithers is quick to offer to donate all the blood is necessary, tearing up his shirt and coat; gotta admire his dedication to his boss). Homer has the idea to exploit Burns' need to get a reward as soon as the search for a donor is announced (him being greedy maybe doesn't make him so likeable, but it is a good cause for the conflict, does create some fun situations). There's a nice side story with Lisa teaching Maggie new and complex words, Marge knowing the family members so well was a nice part and I also likedhow Homer convincing Bart to donate the blood (after hearing from Marge that the boy and Burns share the same type) by telling him the story of Hercules & the lion (which is really an half-assed combination of different stories). Otto being in charge of the Bloodmobile was kinda neat detail and there was a nice joke with the blood delivered and the elevator guy at the hospital forgetting to press the button, just standing in the open elevator and humming for several seconds before reacting.

The epitaph speech by Burns (which turns victorious as the blood restores his body) was a great moment (with great voice acting by Shearer) and I like him be so happy at the plant the next day and sends a letter to the family. Homer is disappointed and angered by the fact that its just a "thank you" letter made for a fun scene (with him hyping it up so much) and his hateful letter resulted in some nice moments: the writing itself is kinda amusing, Marge advices him not to post it and he agrees overnight I did like (as it proved Homer is not a jerkass here) & Homer trying to retrieve the letter from the mailbox, ruin all the mail & trying to posing as Mr. Burns at the postal office (classic moment) were all good moments. The letter reaching Burns the moment Homer tries to pick it out from the mail, reading it infront of Homer and reacting angrily to it was a well-done scene. Homer regretting the letter and lamenting his upcoming fate because of it was a good scene (that reassured the viewers that Homer had only reacted from temporary greed earlier and felt bad, redeeming himself of sorts). Bart & Lisa also got a good moment with a darkly funny little exchange.

Speaking if Burns, he get some good moments, such as him reading and reacting angrily to the letter & being so intent on ruining Homer (starting with an great monologue) and him trying to have an autobiography written about how he beat the Hypothemia was a nice side story (the ghost writer scene was a great one as was him writing the book on his own and actually finishing it). He is at top form here as a driving force, as is Smithers who gets a lot of good development (being torn on whether to have Homer beaten up and not, directly challenging his earlier portrayal of disliking HOmer pretty intensly). Pretty much all the scenes between the two were really good stuff here, but the final scene was the best, with Smithers confronting his boss during a stormy night at Burns' mansion (as Burns is finishing his autobiography) and admitting he had Homer spared since he (and Bart) save Burns' life the latter calming down and appreciating how Smithers is "the sober ying to his raging yang" (which was a nice quote).

Then we have Burns being excstatic over going to buy a very special gift for the Simpsons and it was a great little scene with his happy attitude and flailing around in joy at the Springfield Mall & he finally finds something worth $32,000 he delivers to the family that night in an large crate: an giant Olmec Indian head (Xt'Tapalatakettle). This is one of the best endings: the situation with the giant head (which Bart thinks is cool) is a funny one with some dialogue, such as Homer & Marge about what the head does ("Whatever it does its doing it now") & some other nice pieces (Bart and the crowbar, Homer getting an copy of Burns' autobiography & a final bit of Lisa teaching Maggie a new word with "Olmec"). The family sitting eating dinner infront of the head and debating the moral of the adventure/episode was practically perfect and their sorta meta dialogue with trying to understand, if they ever could (Lisa's "Perhaps there is no moral to this story" being met by Homer's "Exactly! It's just a bunch of stuff that happened" was great. I love Bart's "Don't badmouth the head" as well).

Yeah, so this was a solid one and and an very nice finale, as said. It's a colorful story (that might not have a moral at all) that involves the entire Simpson family and has Mr. Burns and Smithers driving much of it forward with some great scenes and character development for mainly the latter (even though Homer is the main focus of sorts in the first half) and has some really good writing, clever moments and jokes & gags (many of them surprisingly funny), all topped off with a great ending. It is maybe not the tightest or most well paced of stories compared to other episodes of the second season (such as classics like 'Two Cars' & Lisa's Substitute') but still very good stuff that delivers.

Giving it a strong 4/5 (8/10 on the poll) for now. All good and with some genious aspects but not perfectly excellent.
 
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The ending says it all:

"Well... The moral is, the squeaky wheel gets the grease

Perhaps there is no moral.

Exactly! Just stuff that happened.

But it was a memorable few days.

Amen to that!"

1/5
 
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