Kill Gil, Volumes I & II

"Kill Gil: Vols. 1 & 2" is the ninth episode of The Simpsons eighteenth season which originally aired on December 17, 2006. The title of this episode is a reference to Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2. It is the ninth Christmas-themed episode. This episode aired exactly 17 years after the very first episode ("Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire"); it was also the fifth episode to air on this date. Elvis Stojko guest stars as himself.

Plot
The Simpson family is enjoying “Krusty’s Kristmas on Ice” (an indoor ice rink), starring Elvis Stojko. The main act features a reindeer, a candy cane, and a snowman who are all fretting over a green monster named Grumple (a clear parody of Dr. Seuss’s Grinch character), who advances upon the other Christmas characters, threatening to steal their Holiday Cheer, the characters mistakenly stumble backward over a wooden basketball court setup crew lead by Wiseguy. All the Christmas characters are enraged that their show is being cut short and they begin brawling with the Utah Jazz as they try to warm up for a basketball game. Marge and the kids decide to get up and leave, and Homer is spotted down on the ice grappling with the Grumple and demanding back the Holiday Cheer. The Grumple is repeatedly seen through the episode.

On Christmas Eve, the Simpsons go to Costington’s department store where a sad Lisa sits on Santa’s lap and explains the one true present she wants is the Malibu Stacy Pony Beach Party Set, which is sold out everywhere. Santa Claus, who is really Gil Gunderson (this episode reveals his last name), pities Lisa and goes back to the stockroom and finds an extra play set he had seen earlier. An overjoyed Lisa thanks Gil as a cashier rings up the sale. As Marge and the kids exit the store, an angry Mr. Costington comes out of his office and berates and fires Gil for selling the Malibu Stacy play set that he had set aside for his daughter. Marge and the kids witness the scene and feeling sorry for Gil, Marge invites him over for Christmas Eve dinner.

After dinner at home, Gil and the rest of the Simpson family gather around the piano and sing songs. Finishing, Gil gets up to leave, however Marge insists he stay the night, citing its late and cold outside. Gil accepts Marge’s offer. On Christmas morning, Gil retrieves items from his bus locker, assuming he had a permanent spot in 742 Evergreen Terrace. Indeed, Gil’s weak demeanor and lack of job allows Marge to let him move in.

Gil begins to ruin their every holiday, however only out of guilt, Marge continually allows him to stay. Homer’s infuriating patience wears thin after Marge’s ability to say no causes Gil to brings his friends to sing and drink on St. Patricks Day, and walk in on Homer and Marge’s “snuggling” on Valentine’s Day. After eleven months, Marge says agrees to say no.

By this time, however, Gil had become a very successful realtor in Scottsdale, Arizona. Despite this, Marge wished to go to Scottsdale and finally get the pleasure of saying “no” to him. After Marge’s display of anger and Gil’s display of weakness, Gil’s boss charges out of his office and fires Gil on the spot. Marge is horrified when she realizes that she has just cost Gil his job. Finally, the Simpsons buy him a house in Scottsdale to let him keep a job. The episode ends with a family of Grumples arriving at the doorstep, Homer lets them in and Gil, the Simpsons and the Grumples continue happily sing their carols.

Opening sequence
The opening sequence is redesigned in a Christmas style for this episode. Not counting the "Treehouse of Horror" episodes, this is the second time that the title sequence is radically different from the norm, the first such time being "Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife." The theme change is that the whole town is covered in white snow. The only other changes aside from the theme is that in the garage, Homer runs to the right as opposed to the usual left, and Jasper is standing where the late Bleeding Gums Murphy stands normally. In the quick pan across Springfield, Maude Flanders can be seen alive. Bart's skateboard is replaced with a snowboard. Marge and Maggie's grocery and car scenes are cut out and everyone is in Christmas attire.

Reception
Dan Iverson of IGN gave the episode the headline of "Worst Simpsons Christmas episode ever!". He explains that though the story wasn't bad, it was merely told poorly, especially the area were Gil gets a new household had made no sense. He writes: "Gil's storyline wasn't the only thing that didn't make sense, as the ongoing joke of the Grumpo made less sense than most anything from this season." Though he explains that even though the episode wasn't "all bad", he felt there were a couple of comedic bits to keep the show afloat, such as the unique opening sequence.