Saddlesore Galactica (The Simpsons)

"Saddlesore Galactica"
The 2000s equivalent to "Schooled!"
Series: The Simpsons Part of Season: 11 Episode Number: 13 Air Date: February 6, 2000 Writer: Tim Long Director: Lance Kramer Previous episode: "The Mansion Family" Next episode: "Alone Again, Natura-Diddily"

Saddlesore Galactica is the 13th episode of Season 11 of The Simpsons. It was released on February 6, 2000.

Plot

Homer and Bart rescue a horse from a cruel sideshow attraction and train him to become a top racehorse, but Homer soon stumbles upon a sinister conspiracy involving a group of jockeys angered by their horse's success. Meanwhile, Lisa files a complaint to President Bill Clinton after Springfield Elementary gets cheated out of a win in a school band competition.

Why It Shouldn't Win

1. Much like most episodes from Seasons 11-12, it tries too hard to be outlandish, ridiculous, and make no sense whatsoever.
2. It has too many self-aware jokes in it, to the point where it actually insults viewers, such as one of the scenes involving Comic Book Guy wearing a "Worst Episode Ever" shirt.
   • In one infamous scene, Comic Book Guy brings up an earlier episode (Lisa's Pony), but nobody else on the show cares about how similar the premise is.
     • Comic Book Guy even says "Worst. Episode. Ever." at the Gracie Films logo, which despite being funny, can also be considered as another attack.
3. The plot constantly changes throughout the episode. It goes from Lisa's band competition to Homer and Bart getting a horse, then racing the horse, and then an evil race of elf jockeys declaring war on Homer and Bart.
   • In fact, the plot itself pretty much recycles everything from past episodes from start to finish:
     1. The Simpsons getting a horse - Lisa's Pony
     2. Bart getting an exotic pet - Bart Gets an Elephant
     3. Homer discovering a secret society - Homer the Great
     4. Marge having a gambling addiction - $pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)
4. Homer is a bit of a jerk at the beginning when he pretends to be a PTSD-Stricken Vietnam veteran to get free admission to the state fair.
5. Springfield Elementary loses the band competition to another school that cheats using visual aids.
   • Not only that, but Lisa was going to be given a "Good Sport" trophy, only for the judges to destroy it when she (rightfully) complains about the other school's cheating.
   • Either way, the subplot (which is the band competition loss) doesn't go anywhere until the end.
6. There is a random, out-of-place sequence set in the secret lair of the Elf Jockeys.
   • It only lasts for about a minute and is never mentioned again.
7. Though some think that "The Principal and the Pauper" started the series' downfall, this episode officially started the downfall, as the series wouldn't recover until Season 32.

Redeeming Qualities

1. The Elf Jockeys' song is admittedly quite catchy.
2. Bart saying "get bent!" never gets old.
3. Bill Clinton's appearance at the end was funny, as well as Homer deep-frying his shirt and fantasizing about pearls.
4. Despite being another attack at the viewer, the scene during the Gracie Films logo where Comic Book Guy says "Worst! Episode! Ever!" is funny.
5. Homer and Bart transforming Duncan into "Furious D" and having him win race after race by attacking the other horses is pretty enjoyable.

Reception

Along with Kill the Alligator and Run, Saddlesore Galactica is often considered to be one of the worst episodes of the show; much of the negativity against this episode comes from the frequent plot changes, the attacks against the fanbase, and the plot twist involving the Elf Jockeys. The episode currently sits at a 6.4/10 rating on IMDb. NoHomers originally ranked "Saddlesore Galactica" as the 2nd worst episode of the show in 2006, but now has it at the 17th worst.

References

1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnJnDd6sw4Q
2. ↑ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701203/
3. ↑ https://www.nohomers.net/showthread.php?115245-NHC-Worst-50-Episodes-30th-Anniversary-Edition

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