O Karma, Where Art Thou? is the twelfth episode of Season 1 of My Name Is Earl. When Earl and Randy try to return a stolen wallet, they find out taking the money had cost two newlyweds their honeymoon. In an attempt to make things right, Earl takes over for the groom at his fast food restaurant.
Episode guide[]
Earl finds a wallet that he stole from a man at a gas station, #202 on the List. The wallet had $1000 in, and Earl, Randy and Joy had spent the money quickly. Earl realised that he had to return everything that was bought with the money as it had bad karma all over it.
However, when he went to Joy and Darnell's trailer, he found that the margarita mixer that had been bought with the money was being used by Darnell as a home for his turtle, Mr. Turtle. Darnell agreed to let Earl have the mixer, and allowed Mr. Turtle out on the carpet. Earl and Randy took the items back to Jasper, where they bought them from in the first place, and he re-embursed them, as well as showing them his Russian wife he bought on the internet, Tatiana.
Earl and Randy tracked down Jeff Muskin, the owner of the wallet, who at first was worried when he saw Earl and heard his story. However, Earl calmed him down and explained to him and his wife, Jesse that he did not want to hurt them, and wanted to make up for what he had done. Jeff explained that the money Earl stole was supposed to go towards their honeymoon, and Earl suggested that they had a do-over with the money he gave him. Unfortunately, Jeff said that he did not think his boss would let him have a week off, and he could not miss a week's pay. Earl offered to do his job for him for the week, and then give him the paycheck at the end.
Earl was given a quick interview by Mr. Patrick, the boss of the fast food restaurant that Jeff worked at, and was soon hired. However, he did not get along well with Mr. Patrick, who tried to assert his authority over him. Although Earl had always ending up punching his bosses (since he hated being told what to do), this time he knows that if he does then not only will it be bad karma but Jeff will end up getting fired, Earl manages to restrain himself. Earl although finds himself to be the object of affection of his teenaged co-worker, Xena, who wants him to be her 'first'.
Earl continued to take Mr. Patrick's bad attitude, even after he made Earl wear a hair and moustache net when Joy pretending his hairs had fallen in her food. Earl tries to reassure himself that karma would not just let Mr. Patrick get away with being such a horrible boss; either Mr. Patrick is a nice guy outside work or has a lousy personal life. In the back rooms, Mr. Patrick knocked some toilet rolls from a rack, then told Earl to take them to his house as they were "unfit for the customers". Earl did so, but was upset to find that Patrick had a beautiful house and a gorgeous young wife, Charmaine, that he did not deserve. He was confused as to why karma had not punished him, and became even more confused as he saw that Mr. Patrick was even worse than he thought; stealing money from the fast food restaurant, shoving his car door into another vehicle and leaving a note laughing at them, and cheating on his wife with another beautiful woman (and is even very well endowed, as a sneaky look in the bathroom proves). Moreover, Earl could not understand why karma was punishing him, forcing him to work in a horrible place and be humiliated in front of people he knew.
Mr. Patrick then humiliates Earl in front of kids on a field trip. Eventually losing his cool, Earl angrily punched Mr. Patrick, to the enjoyment of the kids and an angry Xena takes the time to kick him in the groin. Earl's act ends up sending Patrick to the hospital. Whilst in the emergency room, both his wife and his mistress arrived, and his unfaithfulness was revealed to them. Charmaine kicks him out of their house, and as she was doing so found the money he stole from the restaurant, and Mr. Patrick ended up in prison.
At the end, Earl felt terrible about Mr. Patrick's fate, he just wanted to punch him, not ruin his life and wants to put him on the list. However, Randy pointed out that karma doesn't have fists, and Earl inferred that karma used him to do its dirty work. Feeling better, Earl realized that Mr. Patrick got what he deserved. Moreover, Charmaine took over ownership of the restaurant and hired Jeff as the manager. Jeff loves his new job and immediately gives everyone a raise and health insurance and satisfied that everyone has got what they deserve (good or bad), Earl crosses #202 off the List.
Amigos de Garcia Productions Vanity Cards[]
Notes[]
- Jasper has a security tag pinned to the back of his shirt during the scene in which he introduces Earl and Randy to his Russian bride.
- Earl's guitar is a Fender Stratocaster, the most popular electric guitar in the world.
- This is the first appearance of Mr. Turtle.
Flashbacks[]
- Earl steals Jeff's wallet whilst in the men's room at a gas station. Earl, Randy and Joy spend the $1000 they find there at Jasper's shop.
- Earl punches three former who try to assert more authority over him than he's willing to allow, as he's not good at taking orders.
List[]
- Introduced and crossed off in this episode
- - #202 Stole a wallet from a guy at a gas station
Featured music[]
- "All Right Now" by Free
- "Take This Job and Shove It" by Johnny Paycheck
- "Hair of the Dog" by Nazareth
- "Bastard" by Supagroup
- "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstandt
- "Takin' Care of Business" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive
Memorable quotes[]
- Xena: You're taking all those rolls to Mr. Patrick's house? He goes through a lot of toilet paper because he is so full of crap! Ee-yesss!
- Earl Hickey: (voiceover) It's amazing how humiliated you can feel, dressed as a hamburger being poked by a balloon.
- Randy Hickey: But karma doesn't have fists.
- Earl Hickey: You know what, you're right. Karma doesn't have fists.
- Randy Hickey: Karma doesn't have hands at all. Or feet. Does karma have feet?
- Earl Hickey: Maybe karma's behind this whole thing, Randy. I mean the guy finally got what he deserved. Maybe karma just borrowed my fist to give it to him.
- Randy Hickey: ...Because karma doesn't have fists!
- Earl Hickey: Wow, karma used me to do it's dirty work. Nice move, karma, nice move!
- Randy Hickey: I never understood how Bill is short for William. If anything Bill should be short for Billiam.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Jason Lee as Earl Hickey
- Ethan Suplee as Randy Hickey
- Jaime Pressly as Joy Turner
- Nadine Velazquez as Catalina
- Eddie Steeples as Darnell Turner
Recurring[]
Guest starring[]
- Jon Favreau as Mr. Patrick
- Jeremy Howard as Jeff Muskin
- Lindsay Hollister as Xena
- Tyler Kain as Charmaine
- Adria Dawn as Jesse Muskin
- Jessica Cauffiel as Tatiana
- Nate as Kid
My Name is Earl Season 1 | Season 2 > | |||||||
#00 Bad Karma | ||||||||
#01 | Pilot | #07 | Stole Beer from a Golfer | #13 | Stole P's HD Cart | #19 | Y2K | |
#02 | Quit Smoking | #08 | Joy's Wedding | #14 | Monkeys in Space | #20 | Boogeyman | |
#03 | Randy's Touchdown | #09 | Cost Dad the Election | #15 | Something to Live For | #21 | The Bounty Hunter | |
#04 | Faked My Own Death | #10 | White Lie Christmas | #16 | The Professor | #22 | Stole a Badge | |
#05 | Teacher Earl | #11 | Barn Burner | #17 | Didn't Pay Taxes | #23 | BB | |
#06 | Broke Joy's Fancy Figurine | #12 | O Karma, Where Art Thou? | #18 | Dad's Car | #24 | Number One |