# My Name is Earl 4/10
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-4-10/444841
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [April 11, 2008, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-4-10/444841 "2008-04-11T03:22:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 18
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2008, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-4-10/444841/1 "2008-04-11T03:22:56Z")
The episode was OK. I don’t think the sitcom within a sitcom conceit is quite working (the situation about the gynocologist would never have occurred back then), but it’s not horrible.
Loved tracking down the motorcycle, though.
Favorite bits: “I’ve been his brother for I don’t know how long.”
Also, the pair of panties being thrown up at the pantenna, missing it, and Joy’s voice saying “Oh, crap.”
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### Author:  [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2008, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-4-10/444841/2 "2008-04-11T03:40:12Z")
The M_A_S\*H reference, and the lengths they went to to make it excused any weaknesses of the last two episodes.
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### Author:  [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2008, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-4-10/444841/3 "2008-04-11T12:58:48Z")
I wasn’t really crazy about this episode, because it’s starting to look like Earl might be in a coma for as long as he was in prison, and I really wish they’d let things get back to normal. The sitcom-in-Earl’s-head thing was kind of cute for one episode, but I’m over it already. And there wasn’t enough Darnell.
I did laugh at the reference to Sharon Stone’s “undersmile”, though.
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### Author:  [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2008, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-4-10/444841/4 "2008-04-11T13:08:16Z")
[QUOTE=Menocchio]
The M_A_S\*H reference, and the lengths they went to to make it excused any weaknesses of the last two episodes.
[/QUOTE]
I was only paying attention half way. What was it?
-Joe
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### Author:  [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2008, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-4-10/444841/5 "2008-04-11T15:07:51Z")
[QUOTE=Merijeek]
I was only paying attention half way. What was it?
-Joe
[/QUOTE]
In the final episode of MASH Hawkeye represses the memory of a woman smothering her baby while trying to keep it quiet. His mind replaces the baby with a chicken in his memories.
In the episode of Earl: Randy forgets that he (nearly) smothered Earl to try and keep him quiet while dressed as a giant chicken.
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### Author:  [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2008, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-4-10/444841/6 "2008-04-11T16:09:58Z")
[QUOTE=Menocchio]
In the final episode of MASH Hawkeye represses the memory of a woman smothering her baby while trying to keep it quiet. His mind replaces the baby with a chicken in his memories.
In the episode of Earl: Randy forgets that he (nearly) smothered Earl to try and keep him quiet while dressed as a giant chicken.
[/QUOTE]
Dang, was that really subtle, or was I just REALLY not paying attention?
-Joe
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### Author:  [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2008, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-4-10/444841/7 "2008-04-11T17:18:44Z")
I think **Mennochio** was looking for a MASH reference. Or, that one sailed right by me too. 😉
Poor Billie. She gave birth to a six-month old baby in an elevator.
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### Author:  [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2008, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-4-10/444841/8 "2008-04-11T17:43:54Z")
Was Catalina in it at all? If she was, I missed her, and any episode that I don’t see her in doesn’t rate very highly.
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### Author:  [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2008, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-4-10/444841/9 "2008-04-11T18:18:05Z")
[QUOTE=ivylass]
I think **Mennochio** was looking for a MASH reference. Or, that one sailed right by me too. 😉
[/QUOTE]
I really don’t think you could put together
accidental smothering in an attempt to silence someone + lost memory/traumatic recovery of memory + chicken
and not be making a MASH reference. I mean, it’s not like they had Suicide is Painless on the soundtrack, but the joke’s there.
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### Author:  [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2008, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-4-10/444841/10 "2008-04-11T18:20:35Z")
[QUOTE=Menocchio]
In the final episode of MASH Hawkeye represses the memory of a woman smothering her baby while trying to keep it quiet. His mind replaces the baby with a chicken in his memories.
In the episode of Earl: Randy forgets that he (nearly) smothered Earl to try and keep him quiet while dressed as a giant chicken.
[/QUOTE]
Yeah, it was subtle. I was whooshed. I get it now that it’s been explained to me, though.
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### Author:  [@Meltdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meltdown)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2008, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-4-10/444841/11 "2008-04-11T23:25:27Z")
[QUOTE=cochrane]
Yeah, it was subtle. I was whooshed. I get it now that it’s been explained to me, though.
[/QUOTE]
They also used this plot point (although slightly different) in a recent storyline on “In Treatment.” I remember watching that and thinking – didn’t they do that in MASH?
So I was already thinking MASH, but didn’t make the chicken connection until reading this thread.
I’m quite possibly the only person who watches both In Treatment and Earl.
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### Author:  [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2008, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-4-10/444841/12 "2008-04-12T05:25:58Z")
Checking in to say that Earl needs to wake up real, real soon, and Billie needs to become a regular (for at least one more season). Oh, and Darnell continues to shine.
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### Author:  [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2008, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-4-10/444841/13 "2008-04-12T13:25:47Z")
Totally agree that Earl needs to wake up soon. I am glad he is out of prison, but I’m already bored with the new plot. The TV-show-in-his-mind thing was amusing the first time, I’m over it now. Also agree that they can add Billy to the show.
And lastly, totally agree that they need more Catalina.
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### Author:  [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2008, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-4-10/444841/14 "2008-04-14T17:51:13Z")
I just watched this episode yesterday afternoon (I was out Thursday and recorded it). It was fairly entertaining, but they do need to get Earl out of the coma very soon. The writing really lost a lot of steam during the excessively-long prison run, and they certainly don’t need to make the same mistake twice with “comatose Earl”!
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### Author:  [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-4-10/444841/15 "2008-04-14T19:01:29Z")
Jasper continues to be the biggest coward in thiefdom.
Has he ever bought anything?
He refused to buy the “caughtlery”, the stolen truck, and now the motorcycle.
How does he stay in business?
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### Author:  [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2008, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-4-10/444841/16 "2008-04-14T19:04:11Z")
PS.
I have a fever and the only prescription is more Catalina!
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2008, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-4-10/444841/17 "2008-04-14T19:25:55Z")
I missed this one, but it seems like the writers are riffing on the Sopranos with the coma and the dream sequences.
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### Author:  [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-name-is-earl-4-10/444841/18 "2008-04-14T19:36:53Z")
[QUOTE=gytalf2000]
. . . but they do need to get Earl out of the coma very soon. The writing really lost a lot of steam during the excessively-long prison run, and they certainly don’t need to make the same mistake twice with “comatose Earl”!
[/QUOTE]
Maybe it was wishful thinking but I thought the end of the episode stronlgy implied that Randy was “lifting” Earl out of his coma and therefore the coma was ended.