"The Parent Rap" is the second episode and official premiere of the thirteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons.
Eventually, Homer's wife, Marge, is fed up with the punishment and cuts the rope, which instead leads to Judge Harm sentencing them to have their heads and hands locked up in wooden stocks.
The writers based the story on “a couple of incidents” in real life in which troublesome children, through alternative sentencing, were tethered to their parents.
The episode marks the first appearance of the infamous and notoriously cruel Judge Constance Harm, who is voiced by actress Jane Kaczmarek.
Upon learning that Homer deliberately ditched Bart for the radio station prize, Judge Harm angrily sentences both of them to be tethered together.
Fed up with the punishment, Marge then finally cuts the tether, only for her and Homer to be brought back before Harm and have their heads and hands locked up in old-fashioned wooden pillories, as well as being slapped on the buttocks from passing cars.
Unable to bear the punishment any longer, they break free using Ned Flanders's power tools and decide to get back at the judge by hanging an insulting banner from her houseboat.
[1] "The Parent Rap" was co-written by George Meyer and Mike Scully, and Mark Kirkland served as the director for the episode.
[4] In its original American broadcast on November 11, 2001, "The Parent Rap" was seen by approximately 14.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research.
[8] Following the episode's broadcast, as well as the home video release of thirteenth season of The Simpsons, "The Parent Rap" received generally mixed reviews from critics.