I'm Goin' to Praiseland

"I'm Goin' to Praiseland" is the nineteenth episode of the twelfth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 6, 2001. In the episode, Ned Flanders builds a Christian-themed amusement park to commemorate his dead wife, Maude Flanders. The episode marked the return of the character Rachel Jordan (voiced by Shawn Colvin), who had previously appeared in the season eleven episode "Alone Again, Natura-Diddily". Since airing, "I'm Goin' to Praiseland" has received mixed reviews from critics. Plot During an ice cream social at church, Ned Flanders reunites with Rachel Jordan, a woman he met after hearing her and her Christian rock band sing at church after suffering the loss of his wife Maude. Rachel decides to stay with Ned for the night, but leaves after waking up to find Ned, who she notices has not gotten over Maude's death, cutting her hair to resemble Maude's. Ned asks the Simpson family to help him forget about Maude by throwing away everything in the house that reminds him of her except for a sketchbook. Ned looks through her many sketches until he finds designs for a Christian theme park, called Praiseland. With the encouragement of his sons and the Simpsons, he decides to fulfill Maude's dream by building a Christian theme park in her honor. When Praiseland first opens, the locals are turned off by its overly wholesomeness and depart until a mask of Maude's face appears in front of a statue honoring her. Believing they are witnessing a miracle, the townspeople gather to watch the mask float around briefly until Principal Skinner collapses near the statue, writhes and experiences a vision of Heaven. The park-goers then immediately decide to experience their own visions of Heaven from the statue; with the Simpsons encouraging Ned to donate the extra money from these proceedings to the local orphanage.