I'm Goin' to Praiseland

"Hello, Gas Company. How poisonous is your gas?... Wow!... But I'm talking, you know, about outdoors with plenty of ventilation... How could that be worst?... Okay. Permanent brain damage or temporary... I see..."
- Ned Flanders
"I'm Goin' to Praiseland" is the nineteenth episode of Season 12.
==Synopsis==
Still not over the death of his wife, Maude, Ned Flanders tries to get in good with Rachel Jordan, but when his behavior creeps her out, Flanders enlists the Simpsons' help to get rid of anything that could remind him of Maude. However, Flanders discovers a sketchbook his wife had with plans for a Christian theme park called "Praiseland", which Flanders decides to build in her memory.
==Full Story==
At an ice cream social at the church, Ned Flanders bumps into Rachel Jordan (from the episode "Alone Again, Natura-Diddily"). He invites her to spend the night at his place (with him sleeping on the couch), claiming to have gotten over Maude's death. Once there, she notices that he has a lot of photos of Maude, and he insists that she must not sleep on Maude's indentation in the bed. During the night, he changes Rachel’s hair to look like Maude's; after she becomes horrified at this tell Ned she is calling a cab and leaves, Ned realizes that he hasn't gotten over Maude at all.
The next day, the Simpsons volunteer to sort all of Maude's things while Ned is at the eye doctor. Homer brings over a shredder to help "sort" things faster. When Ned returns, they have sorted everything of Maude's, and her face on their wedding photo has been replaced with Homer's face. Bart then finds Maude's sketchbook that apparently didn't get "sorted." Ned flips through and finds a sketch of an amusement park, Praiseland, that was Maude's last wish. Ned decides to fulfill Maude’s dream, and so he buys the old Storytown Village from the Rich Texan.
After weeks of work, it's finally time for the grand opening of Praiseland. The park features a ride that reads you all of the psalms of David, a Noah's Ark Gummi (flavored plain), and a statue of Maude with the phrase "She taught us the joy of shame and the shame of joy." Sadly (yet unsurprisingly), the amusement park is a flop.
Just as everyone is about to leave, a Maude mask floats up in front of the face of the statue. After this phenomenon ends, Principal Skinner tries to argue it away, only to fall on the floor and speak in tongues. He then stands up to say that he had a vision of heaven. Praiseland becomes immensely popular as people pay to see "Miracle Maude." Ned then finds out that there is a leak in the gas line and that instead of miracles, people are just getting goofy off the gas. He contacts a gas supplier about the leak, hearing that it is poisonous and permanent. He worries that someone could get hurt by it although Homer denies it as the park had rich people mingle with poor, bullies sharing bread with nerds and orphans putting lit candles near the statue. The latter alarms them: The lit candles would ignite the leak and cause a gas explosion that would kill them all. Homer and Ned stop the orphans (Patches and Poor Violet) by lunging on them. Although the leak had not been ignited and the visitors are unaware of it, the visitors are outraged by the two supposedly attacking the orphans and leave. This propels Ned to close down Praiseland permanently.
Ned again runs into Rachel, who is wearing a wig after the hair incident. They go back to his house, where they make the bed, erasing Maude's indentation.
== Citations ==
fr:Le Miracle de Maude
pl:I'm Goin' to Praiseland
pt:Eu vou à Rezalândia
Category:Religion-themed episodes
Category:Ned Flanders Episodes
Category:Homer episodes
Category:Episodes featuring guest stars
Category:Superintendent Chalmers Episodes
Category:Episodes with a alternative Gracie Films logo
Category:Sequels
Category:Episodes with alternate end credits
Category:Written by Julie Thacker
Category:Directed by Chuck Sheetz
Category:Principal Skinner episodes
Category:Summer episodes
Category:Agnes Skinner episodes
Category:Moe episodes
Category:Todd and Rod Episodes
Category:Dramatic episodes
Category:Sad episodes