R&R Pokey Mom

How good (bad) is this episode?

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    134
I don't get why people find this one so boring. Maybe it's because it's surrounded by super wacky goofball episodes of madness. Plot-wise, it didn't strike me as being that much more low-key than a typical Season 2 or Season 3 episode.

It is a pretty low-key episode, though. Not much really happens and the plot ambles along at a relaxed pace. The story itself isn't horrible either. In fact, it's got a nice commentary on artists who create corporate crap. The Homer subplot, which is considerably wackier, balances out the Marge main plot pretty well. It's pretty far-fetched (a garbage can? really?) but it's amusing enough as a diversion.

It's also one of the rare Scully episodes that improved in Act 3, instead of turning into a Tongue-In-Cheek Stupid Fest like other episodes sometimes do. I particularly like that last part where Jack tells Marge he burned the mural but not Skinner's car, with Marge yelling, "I JUST SAW YOU!" It's both funny and kinda pathetic that Jack would think he could get away with that final lie.

Overall, another decent episode from Disc 2 of the Season 12 DVD. 3.5/5.
 
I didn't think this was a terrible episode at all. There's nothing great about it but some of the jokes work and I didn't have particular issues with either story. 3/5
 
I used to hate this episode, but upon re-watching it, I found that it was actually pretty good. If you've never seen it, the plot twists can be pretty good and surprising. Marge does seem a bit out of character, but it was much better than I remember it being before.
 
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I actually liked the first act but after that the episode was just... bland. There were some kinda funny moments after the first act, but not many C-/C.
 
Jims said:
I don't get why people find this one so boring. Maybe it's because it's surrounded by super wacky goofball episodes of madness. Plot-wise, it didn't strike me as being that much more low-key than a typical Season 2 or Season 3 episode.
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It's one of the (if not THE) most boring episodes ever written and aired. But that's not because of The Computer Wore Menace Shoes or HOMR (which are shit on their way).

I think the main problem on this episode is that it has no merit at any stage. It deals not only with subpar characterizations (that overly kind -sort of stupidly kind- Marge; Jack being nothing but a dummy whose personality is written so gratuitously at any scene of the episode; a cheesy, dumb and not-serious-at-all parody of Skinner), but the storyline is absolutely uninspired and as it's been said it wastes a good chance to explore Marge's artistic facet. In the Scully era we had Marge reduced to boring subplots whose main purpose was showing how boring her life and brain were; then they come with this episode where it seems they are going to give some credit to the character, and the result is devoid of everything to keep the interest. Add to it the several plot holes ("¡PRISON RODEO!") that every S12 episode has and you get this: 22 minutes of fake story that manage to transmit nothing. It's not the worst of its season, but it sucks anyway. 4/10
 
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Homer's sub-plot is nowhere near as good or funny as I remember it. Aside from "I can't complain", all it had were a few people falling onto a trash can. Almost laugh free. Despite the episode's attempts to show otherwise, Jack had no personality whatsoever, simply doing a painting here and there, and torching Skinner's car. Skinner's character (as the dull academic guy) was ridiculously exaggerated just to make him seem annoying enough to create a conflict with Jack.

We've had "smell ya later" replace goodbye. Now "Pokey Mom" replaces bland.

2/10
 
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i just watched two cars in every garage, three eyes on every fish, which is stunning, and i come into this thread and see members rating this thing a 3/5. it boggles the mind.
 
I like this episode, it's not bad, the story is good, but it's boring at parts. 3/5
 
Prison rodeo and the sundae gags are the only ones I liked. VERY boring. 2/5.
 
Hmm... average episode. Homer's subplot was kind of funny, but didn't have that much substance. The main plot was okay. I don't understand how Marge was out of character here, as others have said. That aside, the plot wasn't that funny. I also didn't like Skinner in this one, I realize he had to be overly annoying for the ending to work, but I disliked it. Also, the "not til you finish your sundae" thing was just really odd, although slightly amusing, I guess. 3/5.
 
I don't really see what's so terrible about this episode. Is it bland? A bit. But it's miles ahead of the the current seasons, and at least provides a solid half hour of entertainment. It's certainly nothing special though... just "okay". C/C+ 3/5

One joke I really liked though (at least I hope it was a joke) was:
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yet later...
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It's just so stupid that it works.
 
I found it dull (most of the stuff before Jack is released), and found it to be largely devoid of very memorable jokes (the exception being Jack lying to Marge for a second time).

Not bad, but not that good either. A 3/5, but a low one.

Ooh my first review in yonks, can't be bothered to write long ones anymore.
 
Despite having a fairly humorous ending and a couple of good gags (ie. Marge and her sundaes), it was an overly blah episode. Not one I would voluntarily watch.
2/5
 
3/5 worthy, nothing special, but nothing bad. That said, one of the best of season 12, easily.
 
You know, contrary to everybody's opinion about this episode being mediocre in general, I actually thought it was surprisingly great...until it came to one of the WORST ENDINGS OF ANY SIMPSONS EPISODE EVER. I really enjoy the characterization of Jack and his relationship with Marge, as it provides for an engaging and interesting story. I also like the subplot involving Homer and his chiropractic trashcan. With Jack, the writers really had the potential to make something great out of an ex-convict with an artistic talent. His morality is questionable throughout the entire episode, but that's what makes it more suspenseful and real. His feud against Principal Skinner opens the possibility for an exciting climax, perhaps a full character arc. Disappointingly, however, he instead completely turns against Marge and menacingly arsons Skinner's car, leaving him with absolutely no development at all and abolishing any sympathy built for him up to that point. The ending conversation between Jack and Chief Wiggum just adds to the blasphemy of what should have been a heart-warming conclusion, but rather turned into a typical, out-of-place, cheap, story-ruining Scully gag that defies any emotional expectation. So...yeah, this is a bit hard for me to rate, since it's mostly a vastly underrated episode with a mind-blowingly horrible ending.

6.5/10
 
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the ending they had is far better than any "happy ending" they could have had. it's a great cheat on the audience, and it works really well ("marge, this is the god's truth: i burned the mural, but i did not burn skinner's car". "i just saw you!") what humour is there to be had out of jack having a happy ending, especially when he wasn't that interesting a character to begin with? and even if you did find him interesting, the current cynical ending is far funnier and superior to a sappy "heartwarming" ending that doesn't fit the plot that preceded it.
 
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