"Judge Me Tender"
After heckling Judge Krusty at the "Ugliest Dog in Springfield" contest, Moe Szyzlak finds his true calling - becoming a judge for American Idol. But it's a judge-eat-judge world out there, and his new duties mean Homer must spend more time at home, a prospect which soon turns sour on Marge. It's "Judge Me Tender", the finale of The Simpsons' 21st season, and, it must be said, a pretty lackluster way to end the season after what had been a stellar run of episodes.
Moe makes a name for himself with his acid tongue, being called on to adjudicate a variety of competitions (one disappointed contestant hangs himself from his bonsai tree). The Uncreative Artist Agency wants Moe to work for them ("You're mean, you're funny, and you're not British!"), and after running through a list of reality shows (including "Old People Try To Figure Out Computers", "Somali Pirate Apprentice" and "Are You Fatter Than A Fifth Grader?"), offer him a position as a judge on American Idol (and not, as Moe initially hoped for, Armenian Idol (which does actually exist as part of the worldwide Idol franchise, believe it or not). Soon, Moe finds himself under the wing of Simon Cowell, who advises Moe not to become the "mean judge". On live television, Moe finds out why - the hard way.With Moe's Tavern closed ("for once by choice"), Homer has little else to do but spend time at home with Marge. She soon grows tired of him always around, and his attempts at helping out around the house ("I mixed all the spices together into one Super Spice!") force her to take the drastic step of introducing him to golf.
The lingering impression after the credits roll is that the whole episode was a setup to make fun of American Idol and the Fox Network. None of the gags are inherently funny on their own, and I can't help think that writers Dan Greaney and Allen Glazier's idea of finishing the season off was to have the judges of American Idol (Cowell, Randy Jackson, Ellen DeGeneres, and Kara DioGuardi) appear as their quirky selves; Cowell is vitriolic, Jackson speaks almost entirely in hip-hop lingo, and Ellen goes off on a tangent with an impromptu dance. While the idea of Moe being a judge of anything is good, the potential evaporates once it becomes clear that the focus is on American Idol (with Jay Leno also taking damage by Rupert Murdoch to add to the supposedly-impressive guest star list). Maybe it’s my simple disdain and disinterest in all things American Idol speaking (I hadn't even heard the name "Kara DioGuardi" before this episode), but "Judge Me Tender" offered some of the weakest pop culture riffing in recent memory.
The subplot is only marginally preferable. It has promise, but the whole thing feels like it was written as a setup for Homer's "I'm the Tiger Woods of sex!" line. Marge's strained "It's been such a… blessing having you around the house, making my life… 'easier', as you so put it" is one of the better offerings from the episode. Like Moe's story, it has potential, but nosedives in record time - Marge encourages Homer to take up golf, changes her mind when she worries that he will neglect his family, sleeps with him, and that's it.
There are a few redeeming touches in "Judge Me Tender": Ryan Seacrest's observation that with Moe, American Idol "has more judges than the Supreme Court"; Ralph Wiggum's regrettably bleeped swear-a-thon; and Homer throwing up a gallon of water on Ned Flanders, and nonchalantly closing the window afterwards. But when you can count the good gags on the fingers of one hand, you know you're in trouble, especially when it’s a season finale. So after such good episodes like "The Squirt and the Whale", "To Surveil With Love", "Moe Letter Blues" and "The Bob Next Door", the 21st season of The Simpsons sputters to its conclusion. The chalkboard gag about the Lost finale ("End of Lost: it was all the dog's dream. Watch us.") doesn't sit too well in the light of what was ultimately an uninspiring way to end the season.
