Hurricane Neddy

"Hurricane Neddy" is an episode from the eighth season of The Simpsons.

Synopsis:

Homer lazily enjoys his latest mid-afternoon nap when the winds begin to pick up. Lisa consults her weather instruments and a question-and-answer book and determines a hurricane may soon strike Springfield. Panicked residents quickly gather supplies and food at nearby stores, but Ned remains calm as the main storm approaches.

As various hurricane-related gags play out throughout Springfield, the Simpsons do their best at family bonding. The storm finally passes, and everyone is overjoyed that the storm caused no damage to their home. However, the Flanders family is not so lucky ... Ned's house has been destroyed.

Ned is relieved that his family escaped serious injury, but that's of little solace since he does not have homeowner's insurance (having considered insurance "gambling"). The Flanders family is forced to move to the church basement. There, he watches news accounts of the storm's aftermath, and is further discouraged when he is told that the Leftorium had been looted. Seeking answers from God, Maude and Rev. Lovejoy attempt to reassure Ned things will work out fine.

In an attempt to show their community spirit and friendship, Homer commissions everyone in Springfield to rebuild the Flanders' home. The job is completed in record time, and Ned is overjoyed ... that is, until he inspects their workmanship, which turns out to be (at best) shoddy; for example, the door to the main bedroom is only large enough to accommodate a cat at best, although the room itself is its normal size. The makeshift house soon crumbles, and Ned tries containing his anger ... but his temper explodes. He angrily speaks his mind about everyone's efforts, then rants on about specific residents, such as Krusty and Bart, ending his tirade by calling Homer "the worst human being I have ever met!"

Fearing he has lost his mind and on the verge of a mental breakdown, Ned checks himself into the Calmwood Mental Hospital to seek therapy. There, he is treated by his childhood psychiatrist, Dr. Foster, who reminds Ned that – because his parents didn't believe in childhood discipline – he was a rambunctious, out-of-control child in need of psychiatric counseling. That therapy involved eight months of continuous spanking, but instead of reforming Ned, it rendered him unable to express any anger at all and resulted in his trademark nonsencial jabbering at moments when he was particularly close to losing his temper.

Dr. Foster, now having seen that his earlier therapy was inappropriate, enlists Homer to help Ned learn to appropriately express his emotions, as Homer is the person Ned harbours particularly resentful feelings towards. After several flubbed tries, such as Homer claiming to have slept with Maude, Ned finally admits he resents his beatnik parents because of his upbringing, and suddenly he feels like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders.

Shortly thereafter, Ned is released from Calmwood, and tells everyone he'll try harder at expressing his feelings and letting them know when he is upset.

Quotes

Lisa: Dad! I think a hurricane's coming!
Homer: Relax. There's no record of a hurricane ever hitting Springfield.
Lisa: Yes, but the records only go back to 1978, when the Hall of Records was mysteriously blown away.
(At prison, a convict is about to get the chair. Suddenly, the roof is ripped off and the convict flies away.)
Convict: So long, suckers!
(Everyone in the execution room groans... Then the convict flies into the power lines and gets electrocuted. The people in the prison cheer.)
Ned's mother: Doc, you gotta help us, we've tried nothing and we're all out of ideas!
(At the church after consulting the Bible for guidance)
Ned: Why me, Lord? Where have I gone wrong? I've always been nice to people. I don't drink or dance or swear. I've even kept Kosher just to be on the safe side. I've done everything the bible says, even the stuff that contradicts the other stuff.
Dr. Foster (as Little Ned climbs on his bookshelf): Stop that! Many of those books haven't been discredited yet!
Little Ned: (barging in) Whee! I'm Dick Tracy!
(Little Ned hits the other kids)
Little Ned: Bang! Take that, Pruneface! Now I'm Pruneface, take that, Dick Tracy! Now I'm Prune Tracy, take that, D-
Dr. Foster: Hey! Stop it at once!
(It is quite obviously implied that the name that was cut off during this sequence would have been 'Dick Face'.)

Ned: I attacked all my friends and neighbors just for trying to help me. I'd like to commit myself.
:Nurse: Very well, shall I show you to your room, or would you prefer to be dragged off kicking and screaming?
:Ned: Ooh. Kicking and screaming, please.

'''(Homer is brought in to 'encourage' Ned to unleash his anger)

Homer: Ned Flanders, I mock your value system. You also appear foolish in the eyes of others.

Ned: Well howdy, Homer. (the partition slides up) Ooh, thanks for dropping by!

Dr. Foster: Hmm. He's not responding. Proceed to level two antagonism.

Homer: Past instances in which I professed to like you were fraudulent.

Ned: Ooh, well, I guess I'll just have to try harder then. (partition slides up again) Oh! Thanks for dropping by.

Dr. Foster: He's still repressing. Maximum hostility factor.

Homer: I engaged in intercourse with your spouse or significant other. Now that's psychiatry! Eh? Eh?

(Ned just laughs)

Homer Oh, that's it. You just can't insult this guy. You call him a moron and he just sits there grinning moronally.

Ned's rant

Ned: "Calm down, Neddly diddily-diddily-diddily, doodily. They did their best shodaiddily-iddily-iddily-diddily-diddily. Gotta be nice, hostidididildilidilly ... ah hell diddily-ding-dong crap! Can't you morons do anything right?!"

(everyone gasps)

Marge: "Ned! We meant well and everyone here tried their best!"
Ned: "Well, my family can't live on good intentions, Marge! Oh, your family is out of control, but we can't blame you because you've got good intentions!"
Bart: "Hey, back off, man!"
Ned: "Oh, OK du-u-u-de! I wouldn't want you to have a cow, ma-a-a-n! Here's a catchphrase you better learn for your adult years – 'Hey buddy, got a quarter'?!"

(everyone gasps)

Bart: "I am shocked and appalled!"
Lisa: "Mr. Flanders, with all due respect, Bart didn't do anything."
Ned: "Do I hear the sound of butting in? It's gotta be little Lisa Simpson! Springfield's answer to a question no one asked!"

(Chief Wiggum laughs)

Ned: "What do we have here? The long, flabby arm of the law! The last case you got to the bottom of was a case of Mallomars!!"
Krusty the Clown: (laughs, writes) "Mallomars! Oh, that's going in the act!"
Ned: "Oh, yeah! The clown! The only one of you buffoons who doesn't make me laugh!" (turns to Lenny) "And as for you, I don't know you, but I'm sure you're a jerk!"
Lenny: "Hey, I've only been here a few minutes! What's going on?"
Ned: (to Moe) "You ugly, hate-filled man!"
Moe: (defensively) "Hey, hey! I may be ugly and hate-filled, but I ... um, what was the third thing you said?"

(Ned turns to Homer, everyone else having held their breath)

Ned: "Homer! You are the worst human being I have ever met!"
Homer: (relieved) "Hey, I got off pretty easy."

Cultural references

"The Critic" – Jay Sherman makes a cameo appearance in the mental hospital scenes.
"Dick Tracy" - Ned's "Prune Tracy" remark is a pun on the comic strip detective.
Job — The plot of the episode is very similar to that of the Book of Job in the Bible.
"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" – Several scenes at Calmwood Mental Hospital are taken from the 1975 movie.
Swanson TV dinners – The Juvenile Aggression Study film is sponsored by Swanson Angry Man Dinners, a play on Swanson Hungry Man Dinners.

Trivia

The episode was barred from airing throughout September 2005 because of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita.
In the crowd scene at the end, outside the mental hospital, one of the signs reads "Free John Swartzwelder". John Swartzwelder is a long-time writer on the Simpsons.
Ms. Lucille Botzcowski (a.k.a. Botz - Babysitter Bandit.) from 7G01 - Some Enchanted Evening makes a cameo appearance pacing around in her cell.
The Critic Jay Sherman from 2F31 - A Star Is Burns makes a cameo appearance as well telling his doctor that, "EVERYTHING STINKS!"
Dr. Foster is later seen in It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge, this time sporting a toupee.

External Link