Tonight The Simpson’s had Lisa enter a convent to get Maggie back in a parody of the Da Vinci Code. The back history was St. Teresa of Avia on her deathbed talking about some gem that was to be found.
The Da Vinci Code has plenty to parody, though the Simpson episode didn’t really tap that rich vein. Instead a rather stupid plot was persued where her nuns went to the new world to seek a gem from a vision and then running into Masons also seeking it. Episode wasn’t really anti-Catholic – just stupid and I am not sure why they picked on St. Teresa of Avila. Bad enough that they couldn’t even get the color of the Carmelite habit, but history-wise they had her death a the time of the founding of the U.S. which didn’t happen to well over a hundred years later. Though then again it was just a Simpson episode.
17 comments
Hardly the worst episode ever.
I like the Jester’s assessment. Most of the plot was stupid, but it was the kind of episode meant to be. It started as one of their ‘descent into absurdity’ plots, shifted into a ‘controversial’ episode, and then ended as one of their ‘meaningful’ ones.
Overall, in treatment of religion, it is actually a positive episode, if a bit weird in the middle. Loved Marge’s line, “Surely God wouldn’t want a woman to give up her child just to save the world–“
I don’t think St. Teresa was meant to have been contemporary to our nation’s founding. They just suggested that nuns settled modern-day Philly before the British got here. I was impressed they knew that St. Teresa of Avila lived in the 16th century.
They probably could’ve picked a better saint for the “job,” but we’ll give them that one.
Overall, I give it a B+. Not nearly so good as their early mockeries of *liberal* Catholicism that inexplicably ticked off Bill Donohue.
Well, it is really no surprise that the simpsons are still turning out stupid episodes. I think it is time for them to call it quits. They were funny when the average family could relate to them. Now they are just a bunch of agenda driven nuts-o’s.
That wasn’t so much of a Da Vinci Code parody – it’s quite inconsistent with the Homer and Bart turn Catholic episode.
That show is still on?
Using St. Theresa to parody the Da Vinci Code? Odd, my guess is one of the writers heard of St. Theresa and simply used her name. But isn’t that exactly what they do, just use someone’s name and attribute all sorts of weird tabloid Da Vinci type stories to them. The worst part though, is that most people who don’t know anything about the Catholic faith–except what they hear in these tabloid tales–believe these fabricated stories–as truth.
Using St. Theresa to parody the Da Vinci Code? Odd, my guess is one of the writers heard of St. Theresa and simply used her name. But isn’t that exactly what they do, just use someone’s name and attribute all sorts of weird tabloid Da Vinci type stories to them. The worst part though, is that most people who don’t know anything about the Catholic faith–except what they hear in these tabloid tales–believe these fabricated stories–as truth.
Using St. Theresa to parody the Da Vinci Code? Odd, my guess is one of the writers heard of St. Theresa and simply used her name. But isn’t that exactly what they do, just use someone’s name and attribute all sorts of weird tabloid Da Vinci type stories to them. The worst part though, is that most people who don’t know anything about the Catholic faith–except what they hear in these tabloid tales–believe these fabricated stories–as truth.
“hough the Simpson episode didn’t really tap that rich vain.”
I think you mean “vein”…
The Simpsons should have called it quits around season 12. It’s just not the same anymore 🙁
Those classics… Bart vs. Australia, the Stonecutters, Mr. Plow… and then this modern Simpsons trash. The show has fallen so much.
As an Australian I found the ‘Australian’ episode insulting. I was offended that Bart bared his bum to the Prime Minister.
Worst Simpson’s episode ever!
psh dont diss on the simpsons theyre the best thing created on earth family guy is who you should revolt against
psh dont diss on the simpsons theyre the best thing created on earth family guy is who you should revolt against
Where is the gem now?
Oh shut up peolple! That episode was really funny! I know the simpsons a are not the same as they used to be, but actually I think that this particular episode was pretty cool.
This was a triple wammy. I love The Simpsons. I’m a Catholic, AND I’m from Philly. That being said, it would have been nice if the writers if my favorite show did a little research before they tried to delve into Catholic History. The robes… I can forgive that. It’s an animated series and to the writers, nuns still have that stereotypical old fashion/flying nun look. St. Teresa… That I can’t forgive. The timing of her death was all wrong, and a gem? Please. And coming to America… To my home no less? Uhhhhhh… No. Granted, seeing my old coworker The Philly Phanatic was cool. (FYI: The Simpsons Capital City Goofball was inspired by our Phanatic.). If they really needed to use the Da Vinci Code plot, they could have used the Ecstasy statue. But, they didn’t. Was it gut busting funny… MATI???? No. It wasn’t. It was okay at most. Again, research helps. Especially when the writers have the whole internet at their disposal. There’s just no forgiving that. Step your game up guys.
This was a triple wammy. I love The Simpsons. I’m a Catholic, AND I’m from Philly. That being said, it would have been nice if the writers if my favorite show did a little research before they tried to delve into Catholic History. The robes… I can forgive that. It’s an animated series and to the writers, (and to viewers in general), nuns still have that stereotypical old fashioned long black habit/flying nun look. St. Teresa… That I can’t forgive. The timing of her death was all wrong, and a gem? Please. And coming to America… To my home no less? Uhhhhhh… No. Granted, seeing my old coworker The Philly Phanatic was cool. (FYI: The Simpsons Capital City Goofball was inspired by our Phanatic.). If they really needed to use the Da Vinci Code plot, they could have used the Ecstasy statue. But, they didn’t. Was it gut busting funny… MATI???? No. It wasn’t. It was okay at most. Again, research helps. Especially when the writers have the whole internet at their disposal. There’s just no forgiving that. Step your game up guys.