As if they know this itself could bring calls in from mental health advocates who are trying to downplay this particular association, they offer CBD oil in the shape of every version of God. Though unexplored, this could prove to be so much better than what Homer can cop from Reverend Lovejoy. When Homer pours out his problems to the self-righteous minister, he gets “have you considered any other religions in return.” This is the same advice Lovejoy gave to Ned Flanders seasons ago, and truly encapsulates the inflexible, unimaginative man which brings the character his unique flavor of humor. Along with the guidance counselor, who’s always looking for angry, messed-up, young men, he shows there are no good alternatives.
The Simpsons truly captures the feel of convenience store psychotherapy, from the moment Homer has to prove he’s a human being to download the mind-hack. “Are you a robot?” the machine asks. “I wish,” Homer pines, and contemporary wellness is defined. The on-call therapists have been on a roll since the Patriots traded Tom Brady, and set motivational goals like getting a minute in the “Cash Tornado” for anyone who makes a client cry. Closure is out of the question. It’s a broad stroke, but works incisively.
While Homer is the center, basically stealing Mother’s Day from the mom in the house, Marge has her own problems, like finding space for Lisa’s annual school-made Mother’s Day mug. She’s already got three drawers full, and with Bart’s drawer of questionable constructions. This hints towards the psychological premise of the episode, but Marge’s obsessiveness has already been covered therapeutically.
Over the past decade, The Simpsons has cleaned up much of its animation. We lose the sloppy edges which give it the dangerous feel of recklessness. That we get in Abe tonight. Whether his highlighted alcoholism is a new revelation or just exposed by the new animators is open to interpretation, but he is the grit of the film stock. His biggest dream is making money selling grits to rural suckers.
Abe is awful. He tells Homer his mother is dead, rather than the truth, which is: She wrote a note on the liquor cabinet, where he would see it, saying she was wanted by the FBI, and leaving forever. By the time he got to the words strong Absolut Vodka, he was back on the sauce, and way over his head. His line about not giving Mona a funeral because there was too much going on with his wife dying is a classic Simpsons logic-turnaround, and Homer’s just the son to buy it.
The entire episode is loaded with prime setups and unexpected punchlines, but a tour de force of contradictory emotions. Homer is so angry at his mother for leaving him that seeing her again will be the best day of his life. He hopes she loves him as much as the day she left him, fully realizing what a low bar that is. Homer’s doubt about whether a significant event happened is confirmed by his father’s eye-witness affirmation. If his ever-forgetful father saw it too, Homer must have imagined it. Also, Abe says the one thing he could never give his wife is what she wanted, which was to leave him. Realizing this is all it takes to cure his alcoholism, just like it does always on TV.
