I have watched this episode several times, and while I think that it is a decent episode and well-acted I dislike the message that dreaming of bigger and better things is inherently bad and should get you punished. Rob the apprentice is always dreaming of fame and fortune and easy street, and the lesson is that for simply dreaming of such things he deserves death? I mean, DEATH?!!? This episode seems especially cruel--Rob otherwise seems like a decent guy. He shows up for work on time (even after being out late the night before), is nice to his fiancé, and seems like a fairly okay person. So he's a young guy uncertain about his future and curious about his boss's magical shoes... I don't think for these minor infractions he deserves punishment, let alone DEATH.
There's also the problem of Anthony, the magical shoemaker and apparently the dictator of morality and success for this episode. Sure, people like the actress were successful because she worked hard, but I'm sure the magical shoes did not hurt. In fact, once you start thinking about it, the whole concept of the magical shoes contradicts the bootstraps-theory that Anthony constantly tells Rob. Can someone really say they made it big *solely* on hard work when you have magical shoes that helped?
Also, who made Anthony God? Why does he get to decide who deserves success, love, and good fortune? I don't know, the more I think about this episode the worse the "moral" becomes. Probably overthinking it, obviously, but that is the beauty of TFTD...they are as silly or as deep as you want them to be, which is the sign of good entertainment.
There's also the problem of Anthony, the magical shoemaker and apparently the dictator of morality and success for this episode. Sure, people like the actress were successful because she worked hard, but I'm sure the magical shoes did not hurt. In fact, once you start thinking about it, the whole concept of the magical shoes contradicts the bootstraps-theory that Anthony constantly tells Rob. Can someone really say they made it big *solely* on hard work when you have magical shoes that helped?
Also, who made Anthony God? Why does he get to decide who deserves success, love, and good fortune? I don't know, the more I think about this episode the worse the "moral" becomes. Probably overthinking it, obviously, but that is the beauty of TFTD...they are as silly or as deep as you want them to be, which is the sign of good entertainment.