Difference between revisions of "Alone Again, Natura-Diddily"
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|Written By=[[Ian Maxtone-Graham]] | |Written By=[[Ian Maxtone-Graham]] | ||
|Directed By=[[Jim Reardon]] | |Directed By=[[Jim Reardon]] | ||
| − | }} {{Template:Quote | + | }} |
| − | + | {{Template:Quote | |
|''"In many ways Maude Flanders was a supporting player in our lives. She didn't grab our attention with memorable catch phrases or comical accents! But, whether you noticed her or not, Maude was always there... and we thought she always would be. "'' | |''"In many ways Maude Flanders was a supporting player in our lives. She didn't grab our attention with memorable catch phrases or comical accents! But, whether you noticed her or not, Maude was always there... and we thought she always would be. "'' | ||
|[[Reverend Lovejoy]] at [[Maude Flanders|Maude]]'s funeral | |[[Reverend Lovejoy]] at [[Maude Flanders|Maude]]'s funeral | ||
}} | }} | ||
| − | + | After Maude's surprising accidental death, Homer feels compelled to help a saddened, grieving Ned move forward and get back into the dating scene. | |
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== Plot == | == Plot == | ||
On a trip to the bird sanctuary, the family sees that a new speedway has been built and is opening that day. The family goes to the racetrack and are surprised to meet the [[Flanders family]]. They've come not to see the race, but because [[Ned]] admires the safety equipment the racers use and [[Maude]] likes the fresh air and looking at the poor people in the infield. Not long after the two families sit down, a squad of cheerleaders is giving out free T-shirts by firing them from a cannon into the crowd, and [[Homer]] demands one. He takes off his own T-shirt, and waves it around, shouting, which irritates Ned and Maude, who are seated right behind him. | On a trip to the bird sanctuary, the family sees that a new speedway has been built and is opening that day. The family goes to the racetrack and are surprised to meet the [[Flanders family]]. They've come not to see the race, but because [[Ned]] admires the safety equipment the racers use and [[Maude]] likes the fresh air and looking at the poor people in the infield. Not long after the two families sit down, a squad of cheerleaders is giving out free T-shirts by firing them from a cannon into the crowd, and [[Homer]] demands one. He takes off his own T-shirt, and waves it around, shouting, which irritates Ned and Maude, who are seated right behind him. | ||
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After the service, Ned helps Rachel load equipment into the band's van, and strikes up a conversation with her. It turns out that the attraction is mutual, and Rachel suggests that she and Ned get together after Kovenant gets back from touring with the Monsters of Christian Rock. Ned smiles and says, "Maybe we can. My name's Ned Flanders, and I'm here every week -- rain or shine!" | After the service, Ned helps Rachel load equipment into the band's van, and strikes up a conversation with her. It turns out that the attraction is mutual, and Rachel suggests that she and Ned get together after Kovenant gets back from touring with the Monsters of Christian Rock. Ned smiles and says, "Maybe we can. My name's Ned Flanders, and I'm here every week -- rain or shine!" | ||
| − | + | ==Additional Information== | |
| − | == Criticism == | + | ===Landmarks=== |
| + | *This episode marks the second time a recurring character has been killed off. The first was [['Round Springfield]], where [[Bleeding Gums Murphy]] dies. | ||
| + | ===Production=== | ||
| + | The episode was written by [[Ian Maxtone-Graham]] and directed by [[Jim Reardon]]. The writers decided to kill off Maude due to [[Maggie Roswell]] being involved in a pay dispute starting in 1999, and the staff decided to kill off her primary role while she left the show that year, being replaced by Marcia Mitzman Gaven. | ||
| + | ===Criticism=== | ||
[[wikipedia:Lowe's_Motor_Speedway|Lowe's Motor Speedway]] president [[wikipedia:Jerry_Gappens|Jerry Gappens]] expressed his concern over the episode, as it appeared to parody an actual incident. During the aborted Indy Racing League IndyCar Series Visionaire 500k event, on May 1, 1999, flying tires in a Lap 62 crash killed three spectators, forcing the track to abandon the race before the halfway point. [[wikipedia:WCCB|WCCB]], the Fox affiliate in Charlotte, North Carolina, home to Lowe's Motor Speedway, refused to show the promotional advertising for this episode.[http://www.snpp.com/episodes/BABF10] | [[wikipedia:Lowe's_Motor_Speedway|Lowe's Motor Speedway]] president [[wikipedia:Jerry_Gappens|Jerry Gappens]] expressed his concern over the episode, as it appeared to parody an actual incident. During the aborted Indy Racing League IndyCar Series Visionaire 500k event, on May 1, 1999, flying tires in a Lap 62 crash killed three spectators, forcing the track to abandon the race before the halfway point. [[wikipedia:WCCB|WCCB]], the Fox affiliate in Charlotte, North Carolina, home to Lowe's Motor Speedway, refused to show the promotional advertising for this episode.[http://www.snpp.com/episodes/BABF10] | ||
Many viewers criticised the show at the time for killing off a popular and beloved character.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} | Many viewers criticised the show at the time for killing off a popular and beloved character.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} | ||
| + | ===Video and DVD releases=== | ||
| + | The episode is included in [[The Complete Eleventh Season]], along with the rest of [[Season 11]]. | ||
| + | ==External Links== | ||
| + | *[http://www.thesimpsons.com/episode_guide/1114.htm] at The Simpsons.com | ||
| + | *[http://www.snpp.com/episodes/BABF10] at The Simpsons Archive | ||
| + | *[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701052/] at IMDB | ||
| + | *[http://www.tv.com/the-simpsons/alone-again-natura-diddily/episode/1525/summary.html?tag=episode_header;summary] at TV.com | ||
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{{Season 11}} | {{Season 11}} | ||
Revision as of 13:59, June 7, 2010
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"Alone Again, Natura-Diddily"
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Episode Information
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- "''"In many ways Maude Flanders was a supporting player in our lives. She didn't grab our attention with memorable catch phrases or comical accents! But, whether you noticed her or not, Maude was always there... and we thought she always would be. "
"
- ―Reverend Lovejoy at Maude's funeral
After Maude's surprising accidental death, Homer feels compelled to help a saddened, grieving Ned move forward and get back into the dating scene.
Contents
Plot
On a trip to the bird sanctuary, the family sees that a new speedway has been built and is opening that day. The family goes to the racetrack and are surprised to meet the Flanders family. They've come not to see the race, but because Ned admires the safety equipment the racers use and Maude likes the fresh air and looking at the poor people in the infield. Not long after the two families sit down, a squad of cheerleaders is giving out free T-shirts by firing them from a cannon into the crowd, and Homer demands one. He takes off his own T-shirt, and waves it around, shouting, which irritates Ned and Maude, who are seated right behind him.
Needing a break from Homer's antics, Maude goes to buy some hot dogs. Homer draws a target on his chest and finally gets the cheerleaders' attention. The cheerleaders send a full salvo of T-shirts in Homer's direction, but rather than catch them, Homer bends down at the last second to pick up a bobby pin. The T-shirts hit Maude instead, just as she's returning from the hot dog stand. The shirts knock her from the top of the bleachers, and she falls to the ground several stories below. Dr. Hibbert is fortuitiously at the race, but he's not able to do anything except pronounce Maude dead.
At Maude's funeral, Reverend Lovejoy eulogized her as follows: "In many ways, Maude Flanders was a supporting player in our lives. She didn't grab our attention with memorable catchphrases, or comical accents. But, whether you noticed her or not, Maude was always there... and we thought she always would be."
Everyone shows their condolences for Ned's loss, but Ned has to deal with being a widower and a single parent. Homer secretly makes a videotape of Ned to submit to a video dating service. Ned gets a few dates this way, but none of them go well.
One Sunday morning, Ned says he does not want to go to church, because he doubts the Lord for having taken Maude. Guilt-ridden, he later rushes to church (apologizing out loud to God the whole way) and arrives just in time to see Kovenant, a Christian rock band, starting to sing. Ned likes the song, and finds himself attracted (both physically and spiritually) to the lead singer, Rachel Jordan.
After the service, Ned helps Rachel load equipment into the band's van, and strikes up a conversation with her. It turns out that the attraction is mutual, and Rachel suggests that she and Ned get together after Kovenant gets back from touring with the Monsters of Christian Rock. Ned smiles and says, "Maybe we can. My name's Ned Flanders, and I'm here every week -- rain or shine!"
Additional Information
Landmarks
- This episode marks the second time a recurring character has been killed off. The first was 'Round Springfield, where Bleeding Gums Murphy dies.
Production
The episode was written by Ian Maxtone-Graham and directed by Jim Reardon. The writers decided to kill off Maude due to Maggie Roswell being involved in a pay dispute starting in 1999, and the staff decided to kill off her primary role while she left the show that year, being replaced by Marcia Mitzman Gaven.
Criticism
Lowe's Motor Speedway president Jerry Gappens expressed his concern over the episode, as it appeared to parody an actual incident. During the aborted Indy Racing League IndyCar Series Visionaire 500k event, on May 1, 1999, flying tires in a Lap 62 crash killed three spectators, forcing the track to abandon the race before the halfway point. WCCB, the Fox affiliate in Charlotte, North Carolina, home to Lowe's Motor Speedway, refused to show the promotional advertising for this episode.[1]
Many viewers criticised the show at the time for killing off a popular and beloved character.[citation needed]
Video and DVD releases
The episode is included in The Complete Eleventh Season, along with the rest of Season 11.
External Links
