There's No Disgrace Like Home

After a bad experience meeting Mr Burns, Homer insists the family goes into therapy.

This is a strong early episode that satirises the dysfunctional side of families and the influence of the television upon life.

There are plenty of memorable moments such as the awkward day spent at the Burns residence with Homer trying to avoid embarrassment, plus the entire family spying through the windows of other houses, and of course the famous shock therapy scene.

I can identify with a lot (not all) of the aspects of family interactions portrayed in this episode as there are a lot of home truths still to be found in it. I think for the twenty first century the hold of the TV has given way to general screen time but it is equally as relevant as what we see here.

One thing my girlfriend and I insisted on doing when we became parents was to eat together at the table away from the television with no phones or tablets in reach. This came from our own experiences growing up eating from trays on our laps in the sofa.

The message here for me is that you cannot pretend you or your family are something you are not, you either accept who you are or make the effort to really change.