Homer becomes the most popular guy in town when he gets an illegal cable hook-up, but Lisa fears he will go to hell for violating the Eighth Commandment.

Homer becomes depressed when he sees that Ned Flanders seems to be better off than him. To remedy this, he begins to pray constantly. Meanwhile, the Simpsons discover that tree roots have clogged up their plumbing. The house becomes too run down to live in, and Homer prays for a solution. Homer is injured while attending church; he sues Reverend Lovejoy and is awarded the deed to the church. He throws a huge house-warming party, in which all of the partiers drink and engage in sinful activities. It suddenly starts raining and the town begins to flood. The townspeople flee to the roof of the church. Homer tries praying again but the flood keeps rising. Reverend Lovejoy returns in a helicopter and leads everyone in prayer, asking God to forgive them, and the rain stops.

When the police are called to diffuse a rowdy crowd at Mr. Burns' estate, one of the officers recognizes priceless stolen paintings on the walls, and the maniacal billionaire is taken downtown for questioning. With Mr. Burns gone, Smithers takes charge of the power plant. But when employees take advantage of his good nature, he exacts revenge by forcing the employees to work night and day. These unfair working conditions prompt Homer and his crew to devise a plan to bust out Mr. Burns.

Principal Skinner promises the students that the best-behaved among them can take a ride in a submarine. When Skinner gives all the kids a clean slate, Bart believes even his own past indiscretions will be forgotten if he doesn’t get into any more trouble. Meanwhile Lisa tries to help a cash-poor Krusty to turn things around by suggesting he sell the foreign rights to his shows.

When Retirement Castle is closed, Marge asks Grampa and two other octogenarians to move in; Nelson befriends Bart after Bart defends him.

Homer tries to reunite a mechanical band from his youth, but film and TV creator J.J. Abrams gets ahold of them first.

When Homer becomes Duffman's girl-dad hero, they go on a road trip with Lisa that threatens to expose Homer's terrible parenting.