"G.I. (Annoyed Grunt)", or "G.I.D'oh" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons' eighteenth season and first aired November 12, 2006. It was written by Daniel Chun and directed by Nancy Kruse, while Kiefer Sutherland makes his first of two guest appearances this season. Maurice LaMarche does additional voices.[1] In its original run, the episode received 11.43 million viewers.[2]
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Plot
At the Springfield Mall, two United States Army recruiters fail to tempt Jimbo, Dolph and Kearney. Realizing that even the dumbest teenagers in the dumbest city don't want to join the army, they decide to start targeting children. During a surprise assembly at Springfield Elementary, the recruiters show a short movie depicting the army as some sort of high-tech adventure. According to the film, soldiers fly around in helicopters destroying evildoers by day and rocking out in front of thousands of screaming fans by night. The students are easily swayed and quickly line up to enlist.
An excited Bart comes home from school and shows Homer and Marge his DEP form. Marge is appalled at the idea of Bart joining the army when he turns 18; this prompts her to send Homer down to the recruitment center to get Bart out of his contract. At the center, Homer forces the two recruiters to tear up Bart's paperwork but in the process, the recruiters prey upon Homer's gullibility and convince him to enlist instead. At the post Homer infuriates his new hard-nosed colonel (Kiefer Sutherland). While the majority of recruits are assigned to the infantry, Homer, and a group of stupid recruits, are assigned to a rehabilitation platoon. During field training exercises, Homer and the other stupid recruits are given the role of the opposing force. Upon learning that it is a live fire exercise, with the weapons to be tested on them, the unit tries to hide. Homer, mistaking gunfire for Chinese New Year, accidentally exposes his unit's location by launching a flare. The flare blinds the colonel and his men, who were all wearing night vision goggles. Homer and his unit soon escape into Springfield while the Army gives chase.
As the colonel and his troops patrol Springfield searching for him, Homer sneaks back home. Marge and Homer are surprised by a camera equipped toy helicopter and (in a scene reminiscent of the Looney Tunes chases) Homer attempts to avoid it, running through the entire house, eventually leading the helicopter into a downstairs closet full of TNT and dynamite. He locks the door behind the UAV and the closet explodes. To avoid the army, Homer reluctantly hides out at the Retirement Castle. Marge rallies the Springfield community to coordinated resistance to the occupiers through a word of mouth campaign. The citizens spike the town reservoir with alcohol, intoxicating the occupying forces. The colonel's resulting hangover is so great he reluctantly surrenders to the townsfolk, stipulating only that Homer finish his enlistment. Homer does so by becoming a recruiter.
During the closing credits, a martial scoring of The Simpsons theme plays and the colonel voices "frontline infantry" assignments to the cast and crew (excepting Kiefer Sutherland, who is assigned to the United States Coast Guard), as the credits roll over the usual black background.[1]
Reception
In its original run, the episode received 11.43 million viewers,[2] and garnered mixed reviews.[3][4] Adam Finley of TV Squad praised that the episode was entirely random, and enjoyed the parody of Looney Tunes.[4] Dan Iverson of IGN however, hated the episode, calling it "painfully unfunny", and "the show's attempt to satirize the state of the U.S. military simply crossed the line of good taste". He concluded that it was "by far" the worst episode of the season, and "quite possibly" the worst episode in the entire of The Simpsons history. He did, however, enjoy the Looney Tunes parody and Sutherland's guest voice.
Cultural Refenreces
A little bit of the episode is a insult to Looney Tunes because of the TNT and the thats all folks on the camera when it blows up.[5] Conservative commentator Michelle Malkin criticized the episode, writing, "the mockery of Army recruiters and enlistees is absolutely disgusting."[6]
References
- ^ a b c d "HOMER BECOMES A JARHEAD ON "THE SIMPSONS" SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7, ON FOX". The Futon Critic. http://www.thefutoncritic.com/listings.aspx?id=20070924fox02. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
- ^ a b Ratings
- ^ Community reviews
- ^ a b TVSQUAD Review
- ^ Robert Canning (2007-06-14). "The Simpsons: Season 18 Review". IGN.com. http://uk.tv.ign.com/articles/796/796072p1.html. Retrieved 2007-06-15.
- ^ "The Simpsons pull a John Kerry", Michelle Malkin, November 13, 2006, MichelleMalkin.com
External links
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