Ep 9. Grift of the Magi

In The Simpsons season 11 episode 9, titled "Grift of the Magi," the town of Springfield is excited for Christmas. To bring the spirit of the season into the Springfield Elementary School, Principal Skinner allows toy company executives to give a presentation about their newest toy line, Funzo. The toy is marketed as an adorable, interactive toy that can do anything a child could want - making it the perfect toy for the holidays.

However, when Lisa Simpson discovers that Funzo is actually a surveillance device that collects information on children for marketing purposes, she sets out to stop the company from distributing the toy. Meanwhile, when the school's army of young fundraisers are left without a product to sell, Homer devises a scheme to sell grease to the toy company.

As Lisa tries to rally support in her mission, the toy company unleashes a new weapon to stop her - a popular cartoon character named Gary Coleman. Coleman, who voices himself in the episode, is hired to promote Funzo and convince children that the toy is still worth buying. But when Coleman turns against the company and joins forces with Lisa, the two try to take down the corrupt organization.

Throughout the episode, the plot brings a number of other popular characters into the fold, including Moe the bartender, who believes he's turned into a Funzo due to a Christmas hallucination; and Bart and Milhouse, who team up to use a Funzo to destroy the Christmas decorations of their neighbors.

As usual, The Simpsons is filled with laughs and clever social commentary. The episode skewers the corporate greed behind the toy industry and pokes fun at the problematic issues with buying gifts just to seem generous. Additionally, the celebrity cameos of both Gary Coleman and Joe Mantegna, who voices the toy company executive, provide a hilarious boost to the episode.

Overall, "Grift of the Magi" is a standout episode in the eleventh season of the long-running sitcom. With its heartwarming holiday themes and satirical jabs at consumer culture, it's a must-watch episode for any fan of The Simpsons.