Show: “The Simpsons” Airs: Sundays, 8:00 p.m., FOX Critique/Summary: Generally acknowledged as the best satire on TV, with fresh writing still providing line after quotable line. Note that I said “satire.” If this is not kept in mind, the antics are sure to offend not only your mom and dad, but even you. As it is, anything is fair game—which is both a strength and a weakness. For example, religion is often a key component: the Simpson family assumes God’s existence, prays to him, and worships him every Sunday. However, the Church, Christians, and the ministry all receive their share of stinging critique. That said, this show is not for kids, and maybe not for teens either. After all, we should indeed test all things (1 Thess. 5:21), but we should not test our faith and its Giver, lest we fall (and others because of us). World-View: Marital fidelity. Unconditional love. Nothing is sacred. Rebelliousness. Humor in the absurdity of everyday life. In other words, it’s a mixed bag. Objectionable Material: Some profanities. Disrespect of authority figures (parents, police, teachers): see fourth commandment. A fairly recent episode,“Queer Eye for the Yellow Guy,” finds Homer and Marge separated. Though they eventually reconcile (as they always wonderfully do), in the meantime Homer shares an apartment with two sodomites/homosexuals. It is disturbing to see “The Simpsons” buy into the homosexual agenda in its attempts to normalize this sinful perversion. If this is a preview of things to come, I’ll stop watching this otherwise intelligent show, and I would hope you’d join me. Recommendation: Pending (see previous paragraph).
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Show: “King of the Hill” Airs: Sundays, 7:30 p.m., FOX Critique/Summary: The all-American Hills live in Arlen, Texas: Dad Hank Hill, Mom Peggy, Son Bobby. I haven’t watched it as much as “The Simpsons,” but one episode I caught was a pleasant surprise (“Reborn to be Wild”)! Hank forces Bobby to attend a Methodist youth group. Bobby protests that it’s going to be uncool. Hank responds:“You know what’s not cool. Hell is not cool.” But the members of this youth group exceed Bobby’s standards of cool: they skateboard, they have tattoos, piercings, long hair, and the coolest youth pastor yet (Pastor K). They play rock, all while shouting,“Praise Him,” and praying to God as if he were just one of the homies. Bobby loves and imitates all of this: he reads his “Extreme Teen Bible” and sports a “Satan Sucks” t-shirt. Hank’s plan backfired on him. Finally, when Bobby sneaks out of the house to rap at a Messiah Fest concert, Hank’s had enough and snatches Bobby off the fest-stage. (Says Hank:“You’re not making Christianity better; you’re just making rock worse.”) Though Pr. K protests Hank’s actions, the youth pastor’s dad (a roadie) reminds him of the fourth commandment in supporting Hank. The episode ends with Hank reminding Bobby of some of his previous, now discarded, hobbies: the physical remains are stored in a box in the garage. His closing point: “I don’t want the Lord to end up in this box” as another passing, lame fad. This is great! Obviously the depiction of youth group life
