Really well done episode for a pilot(I know it wasn't planned to be the pilot shut up nerds) and is far more consistent in terms of plot than most series pilots. This episode is the prototype for early Simpsons a lot of emotion mixed with comedy. Although it is in no way the strongest in terms of hilarity it makes up for it with its biting satire of the holiday season as a whole.
The conflict in this episode is one I find relatable and I am sure many other families/people do as well. The family's budget is extra tight around the holidays and are relying solely of Homer's bonus. Of course he doesn't get the bonus and is forced to make some tough decisions. Homer is characterized perfectly in this episode because rather than just let his family suffer he takes up a job as a mall santa which is later taken advantage of by Bart. The brilliance in this episode is based on Homer's look at the holiday season. He is forced to steal a tree because he needs one to look good to his family. The figure of happiness that is Santa has been changed to for him to represent the only way to gain extra money and the fact that he spends Christmas with his son not sitting around a tree being jolly and watching Frosty but instead is at a dog racing track with his son trying desperately to save his family's Christmas.
This episode really sets the bar for where the series was to go with it's use of subtle satire of the holiday season. The satire is everywhere from the opening scene with a children's play being reviewed. To the scenes in the mall(the santa lessons/Homer as santa etc. The satire is done so nicely it is sometimes hard to detect. But the end of the episode is really the most biting it terms of its satirical value. With Homer and Bart placing all their money on a dog aptly named Santa's Little Helper and it true Simpsonian form the dog of course loses despite the families claim that the dog was going to be their Christmas miracle. The episode then does a great job off subverting other sitcoms by Bart stating TV has betrayed him because of their lack of a Christmas miracle. The ending is rather touching with SLH joining the family of mediocrity because he himself is a dog of mediocrity. "He's a Simpson."
Grade:B+ This review is one of my more lackluster ones but whatever
Also i will actually be keeping up with this blog reviewing the series in order. Blah blah blah
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