"Todd, Todd, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?" is the ninth episode of Season 31.
Synopsis[]
Todd blames God for the death of his mother and rejects his faith - causing great distress for Ned, who sends him to live with the Simpsons in an attempt to scare him back into God's arms.
Full Story[]
Todd is having nightmares about his deceased mother Maude. He tries to talk to his father Ned about it but gets no answer. Ned does decide to show Todd's old home movies of Maude, but they get interrupted by Homer and Abe, leaving Todd with no answers. During the Sunday sermon, Reverend Lovejoy asks the kids one question about what they would like to say to God. Todd decides to tell the church that his faith in God has been shattered due to taking his mom away from him and he causes Ned to faint. Ned tells God to punish Todd for his lack of faith, but Todd doesn't budge so Ned decides to teach Todd that his lack of faith can send him to one place... HELL or the Simpsons' house. Todd is made to live with the Simpsons until he gets his faith back. Lisa uses this opportunity to try to teach Todd about being a Buddhist saying that the Buddha is slimmer and how reincarnation could work (even though David Bowie is now a housefly). Marge is upset with Ned refusing to let Marge read certain books due to different reasons and Homer is upset because Todd hears everything in the house--especially their lovemaking. Todd is paraded by Bart as a new friend and surprised that the bullies are upset at Todd's religious questioning. Todd talks to Homer (who inadvertently caused Maude's death) and Homer reminisces about his mom despite the turmoil of his childhood. Ned surprises everyone when he goes to Moe's Tavern and drinks himself silly with Homer. But both are hit by Hans Moleman's Uber ride. At the hospital there's a prayer vigil for Ned and a small one for Homer. Todd doesn't know what to do, but Marge tells him that his prayers are an internal dialogue, so Todd prays for Ned's safety and even carbon copy Buddha to the prayer. Homer and Ned are in Heaven until Ned learns that Todd is praying again so he's fine and allowed to go back to Earth. Homer sees his mom and wants to hug her but buoyed by Bart's prayer (of course he denies praying for Homer's safety), he goes back to Earth. In the last act, Todd has nightmares about Edna Krabappel who he lost as a mom as well. Meanwhile Buddha chastises Lisa for not getting Todd to Buddhism saying that it should've been easy as he would follow a butterfly. Lisa tries to appease Buddha by saying she got him Ralph Wiggum. Ralph blows the Buddha's mind by saying "Everything is Nothing!"
