The List (My Name Is Earl)

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Earl's list
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Earl's list

The List is an item at the center of most plotlines in the American television series My Name Is Earl. It is a list of everything bad that protagonist Earl Hickey has done. Hickey spends each episode "fixing" one or more of these things by repaying those he wronged with kindness to fulfill his personal sense of karma.

[edit] Statistics

[edit] Season 1

In the pilot, the audience was told the list had 259 numbered items, but in episodes 1.03, 1.07, 1.16, 1.17 and 1.18, Earl added one item, in episode 1.08, he added two, and in episode 1.18 his father added one, bringing the count to 267. Onscreen, as of Episode 1.24 (the end of Season 1), Earl has so far completed 36 items, unsuccessfully attempted five, been absolved for three (#98 was "Told Dodge and Earl Jr. we would have a father-son day at Mystery Fun Land and didn't take them", which he was forgiven for rather than completing, and #141, "Ditched Jesse and married Joy," which Joy confessed was her fault rather than his), started work on two items, and intends to leave one (Neglected Randy) permanently unresolved as a reminder, leaving 221 items outstanding.

[edit] Season 2

As of episode 2.09, Earl has completed 45 items, unsuccessfully attempted five, been absolved for two, started work on two items, and intends to leave one permanently unresolved as a reminder, leaving 213 items outstanding.

[edit] Timeline

So far, 111 items have been revealed through the show, NBC.com or promotional materials.

Time Total number of items Completed Absolved Attempted Started Permanent Outstanding
Pilot 259 0 0 0 0 0 259
End of Season 1 267 36 3 5 2 1 221
As of Ep. 2.05 268 41 3 5 2 1 217

[edit] Organization

There were some continuity errors in the list between the pilot (episode 1) and subsequent episodes; for example, in the pilot #64 was that Earl had "picked on Kenny James" but on the list shown in the opening sequence of all subsequent episodes #64 is "Spray painted the bridge." Because of these inconsistencies, and the fact that a significant amount of items are unnumbered, the list is presented in alphabetical order. Items that moved show both numbers. Episode numbers in the list below should match those in the episode list.

It should be noted that the items appear to be numbered first by frequency (the ones Earl does on a regular basis are numbered lower), while individual events are ordered chronologically afterwards.

[edit] The List

[edit] Key

Items are color-coded by the following system:

Outstanding (not yet resolved) Has been completed Has been attempted, but not completed
Has been started: work-in-progess Has been crossed off the List for reasons other than a standard completion Meant to be permanent

[edit] List (alphabetical order)

Contents

Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

[edit] A

Item Number Source Status
Accidentally broke Tom's toe 111 1.13 Outstanding
Accidentally neutered Joy's breeding dog 148 1.13 Outstanding
Accidentally started a forest fire 73 1.11 Outstanding
Aimed and set off bottle rockets at Randy when he was on a date 157 1.4 Outstanding
Always ruined Joy's Christmas 74 1.11 Completed when Earl reveals various secrets Joy and her parents had kept from one another, allowing them to enjoy the holiday in peace (1.11)
Always took a penny, never left a penny 73 1.2 Completed when Earl put a pile of pennies into a "Take a penny, leave a penny" tray (1.2)

[edit] B

Item Number Source Status
Beat up Joy's nitpicking Internet friend 151 1.13, NBC.com Outstanding
Blew Dad's chance to be elected mayor 4 ad for Season 1 finale Attempted when Earl enters his father into the mayoral election four years later (1.9)
Blew up mailboxes 68, 83 1.4, Titles Outstanding
Borrowed silverware from Crabshack 82 Unknown Outstanding
Borrowed money from tip jars 6 1.24 Outstanding
Broke a window Unknown 1.9 Completed when Earl pays John Sheppard for a window he broke 15 years earlier (1.9)
Broke Bus Stop while looking for Poncho the blue fish 263 1.16 Completed in 1.16 when Earl puts the sign back-up
Broke into a house, had a party and didn't clean up Unknown NBC.com Outstanding
Broke Joy's fancy figurine 153 1.6, 1.13, NBC.com Completed when Earl helps Joy and her "deceased mother" win the Balboa & Sons Mother and Daughter Prettiest Pretty Princess Pageant and supposedly bought Joy a hot tub. (1.6)
Burned down a barn at camp 163, 164 NBC.com, 1.10 Completed in 1.10 when Earl builds an ostrich pen for the Right Choice Ranch, before learning Randy burnt down the barn.

[edit] C

Item Number Source Status
Cheated on girlfriend and lied about it 72 1.11 Outstanding
Cheated a lot on my school tests 9 1.24 Outstanding
Cheated on school tests a lot 69 Titles Outstanding
Copped a feel off old Ms Jones. But I think she liked it 3 ad for Season 1 finale, 1.24 Outstanding
Cost Dad the election 4, 65 1.9, titles, NBC.com Attempted when Earl enters his father into the mayoral election four years later (1.9)
Cut holes in all of Dad's shirts to show his nipples 42 1.18 Earl considers crossed off by itself because "his nipples have drooped down like 6 inches"

[edit] D

Item Number Source Status
Ditched Jesse and married Joy 141, 145 1.21, 1.23 Crossed off Earl's list by Joy when she took responsibility and explained to him that it was her fault, not his. (1.21)
Did donuts on football field during third quarter Unknown NBC.com Outstanding
Didn't pay taxes 265 1.17 Completed when Earl gets himself fined $500 and pays it. (1.17)

[edit] E

Item Number Source Status
Everything I did to Dad 59 1.1, Titles Outstanding

[edit] F

Item Number Source Status
Faked death to break up with a girl 62, 84 1.4, titles, NBC.com Completed when Earl comes clean and tells Natalie Duckworth the truth, then begins dating her again, giving her the chance to dump him and gain some self-confidence. (1.4)
Farted in Joy's Face 143 1.23 Outstanding
Fix Randy 150 1.13 Outstanding
Fixed a high school football game 58 1.3, titles, NBC.com Completed when Earl gives Rosie the bookie $100 back (1.3)
Fixed wiring so neighbours (nosy ones[?]) didn't have power for a week 109 1.18 Outstanding
Forgot to pick up kids at school 147 1.17 Outstanding

[edit] G

Item Number Source Status
Gave Joy a tape worm 154 1.13 Outstanding
Gave Joy 236 bladder infections 157 1.13 Outstanding
Gave Joy's car a dent - said it was hit & run 205 1.13 Outstanding
Gave Randy a swirlie 57 1.24 Completed when Randy gives Earl a swirlie
Got drunk on Easter (See number 73 ("Accidentally started a forest fire") 78 1.11 Outstanding
Got lap dance from Roy Moody's mom and didn't pay for it Unknown NBC.com Outstanding

[edit] H

Item Number Source Status
Had egg fight down a main street 147, 142 1.13, 1.23 Outstanding
Had garage sale while house-sitting for neighbors Unknown NBC.com Outstanding
Harmed and possibly killed innocent people with second hand smoke 102 1.1, 1.2, NBC.com Completed when Earl quits smoking (1.2)
Helped myself to Crab Shack tip jar 126 1.13, NBC.com Outstanding

[edit] I

Item Number Source Status
I did my best friend's girl A LOT 8 1.24 Outstanding
I stole money from cars a lot 7 1.24 Outstanding
I've been a litterbug 136 1.1, NBC.com Started when Earl is seen picking up litter, saying he has to pick up as much as he's littered, and finds his lost lottery ticket (1.1), may have been completed.
I've been wasteful 49 1.2, 1.13*, 2.5, NBC.com Outstanding Note: Been referenced as number 207 once, but 49 twice

[edit] J

[edit] K

Item Number Source Status
Kicked cat trying to see if it would land on its feet 117 1.18 Outstanding, Note: Kicked may be Killed
Kicked in (a) drum set 146 1.13, 1.23 Outstanding
Kicked Tom out of band 50 2.5 Completed when Earl gets the band back together

[edit] L

Item Number Source Status
Larceny of a Kitty Cat 56 2.4 Completed when Earl returns the cat to the owner and get the cat back to competition standards. (2.4)

Note: Earl may have added the cat to the end of the list as a new item for causing him to get out of shape

Let Donny Jones serve jail time for a crime I committed 112 1.2, NBC.com Completed when Earl tells Donny the truth and is forgiven (1.2)
Let mice out at school play 66 Titles, NBC.com Outstanding
Lost Dad's Mustang 108 1.18 Completed when Earl won the car back in a drag race.
Lost my own Mustang because I'm an idiot 267 1.18 Completed when Earl restores the Mustang with his Father. (Note: it was added by Earl's Father when he revealed that the Mustang was going to be Earl's when he was 16.)

[edit] M

Item Number Source Status
Made a kid scared of the boogeyman 239 1.20 Completed after Earl (inadvertently) makes Albie realize that his father cares. (1.20)
Made fun of Maggie Lester for having a moustache 91 2.3 Completed when Earl helps Maggie and her friends re-integrate themselves into society. (2.3)
Made fun of people with accents 27 1.5; NBC.com Completed when Earl teaches an ESL class (1.5)
Made a Lady think I was God 12 2.6, NBC.com Completed when Earl makes the woman realize that she should be doing good things anyway
Made Randy steal electronics & got caught (picture is still up at Circuit City) 158 1.13 Outstanding

[edit] N

Item Number Source Status
Neglected Randy 260 1.7, NBC.com Decided to leave it on the list as a permanent reminder
Never gave Mom a good Mother's Day 266 1.18 Completed when Earl and Randy honor some coupons they gave her 20 years ago.
Never took Joy's side 183 2.01 Completed after Earl takes Joy's side against Darnell about her having a surprise birthday party.

[edit] O

[edit] P

Item Number Source Status
Pantsed a party clown Unknown NBC.com Outstanding
Parked in handicapped spot 116 1.18 Outstanding
Peed in the back of a cop car 23 1.1; NBC.com Outstanding
Picked my nose in public 5 Ad for Season 1 finale, 1.24 Outstanding
Picked on Kenny James 64 1.1, NBC.com Completed when Earl helps Kenny come out (1.1) (In the title's list's close up number 64 says "Spray painted the bridge")
Pretended to be handicapped to go to front of lines at Adventure World Unknown NBC.com Outstanding
Pulled fire alarm 60 Titles Outstanding
Pulled wisker's [sic] from Randy's sh?? 144 1.23 Outstanding
Punch [sic] Tom in gut 265 1.18 Outstanding
Punched kid at Frostburg State University 264 1.16 Attempted when he tried to get kid to punch him back, but the kid refused. (1.16)
Put bleach in laundry detergent 107 1.17 Outstanding
Put sugar in Ray's gas tank 154 1.18 Outstanding
Put used gum under almost every table I've ever sat at 53 1.10 Started by Randy (as Earl) when he clears the gum under the table at Joy's house

[edit] Q

[edit] R

Item Number Source Status
Ran Over Crackers (Randy's Cat) 67 1.18 Outstanding
Refused to dance with too-tall Maggie at the 8th grade dance 206 1.24 Completed when Earl dances with Maggie
Replaced Sheridan Lang's birth control pills with Tic-Tacs Unknown NBC.com Outstanding
Robbed a stoner blind 26 2.8 Completed when Earl and Randy spent one week in the hippie commune, reducing their "eco-footprint"
Ruined Joy's chance to get into art school 119 1.24 Completed when Earl lets Joy practice her hole piercing on him
Ruined Joy's chili [so] 111 1.18 Outstanding
Ruined Joy's wedding 261 1.8, NBC.com Completed when Earl helps plan and pay for a new wedding (1.8)

[edit] S

Item Number Source Status
Screwed up Joy's baby pants [parts?] 149 1.13, 1.23 Outstanding
Set off bottle rockets at Randy with ??? 160 1.13 Outstanding
Shot Gwen Waters in the ass with a BB Gun 147 1.23 Completed when Earl re-unites Gwen with her father
Slept with Crab Man's fiancée (Joy) 262 1.8 Completed when Earl confessed to Darnell and encouraged him to go through with the wedding (1.8)
Slept with Cheri Unknown 1.10 Completed when Randy (as Earl) confessed to her ex-husband (1.10)
Slept with Linda 188 1.10 Completed when Randy (as Earl) confessed to her ex-husband (1.10)
Slept with prom date's sister on prom night Unknown NBC.com Outstanding
Slept with Ralph's mom 51 2.5 Completed when Earl gets married to Ralph's mom
Snatched a kid's Halloween candy when he came to my trailer to trick-or-treat 41 1.1, NBC.com Outstanding
Sold Joy's hair 155 1.13, NBC.com Outstanding
Spray painted the bridge 64 Titles, NBC.com Outstanding (In the Pilot, number 64 is solved as "Picked on Kenny James")
Stole ten dollars from a guy at Camden Market (used to buy winning lottery ticket) 1 the season finale, The Vancouver Sun Completed - Gave him the lottery winnings back, but he gave it back to Earl.
Stole a badge from a police officer 127 1.22 Crossed off Earl's list when the police officer quit the force to become a professional bowler. (1.22)
Stole a bird bath from a truck Unknown 1.10 Attempted in 1.10 by Randy (as Earl), may have been completed.
Stole a car from a one-legged girl 86 1.1, 1.2, 1.9, 1.14, NBC.com Attempted in 1.9, but was chased away and attacked by her handicapped boyfriend.
Stole a number-ticker 24 1.19 Completed when Earl gives the number-ticker back to the store (1.19)
Stole a wallet from guy in gas station bathroom 202 1.12, NBC.com Completed when Earl gives the money back, and fills in for the guy's job for a week so he can go on the honeymoon Earl ruined. (1.12)
Stole beer from a golfer 67, 139 1.7, titles, NBC.com Completed when Earl gives the golfer beer, along with a lot of other stuff he lost (1.7)
Stole cooler with donated kidney in it Unknown NBC.com Outstanding
Stole gay Kenny's lunch everyday of 5th and 6th grade 146 2.9 Completed when Earl makes and gives Kenny 274 bologna sandwiches
Stole laptop 37 1.16 Completed when Earl returns the laptop to Professor Alex Meyers.(1.16)
Stole liquor from liquor store 56 Titles Outstanding
Stole Mom's car (but I gave it back) 61 Titles Outstanding
Stole christmas presents from little girl (it says in the episode he did put her on the list, but there is no evidence that he did) Unknown 1.19 Outstanding
Stole P's HD Cart 159 1.13 Completed when Earl gives back Pop's Hotdog Cart, then replaces the one Ralph burnt down. (1.13)
Stole various snacks and drinks from the local Quick Stop 203 1.4 Completed when Earl and Randy sneak replacements back into the store (1.4)
Sucked gas out of a hose 62 1.15, NBC.com Completed when Earl replaces the stolen gasoline and is forgiven. "Running out of gas was Karma telling me it's time to do number 62 on my list." (1.15)

[edit] T

Item Number Source Status
Threw Carol's alarm clock out window 62 1.1 Outstanding
Told an inappropriate story at Hank Lange's birthday party 18 1.14 Completed after Earl gives Hank Lange one good day to make up for the bad day. (1.14)
Told Dodge and Earl Jr. we would have a father-son day at Mystery Fun Land and didn't take them 98 1.10 Since Mystery Fun Land went out of business, there was no way to complete this. Earl apologized to the boys, and the boys forgave him, allowing him to cross it off his list (1.10)
Told Joy that Bruce Willis was a ghost 152 1.13 Outstanding
Told Joy that Don Dade messed his pants/himself on the golf course (because she thought he was cute) 57, 156 Titles, NBC.com, 1.13 Outstanding
Took away Randy's touchdown Unnumbered 1.3 Attempted when Earl enrolls Randy in high school to play football. Randy insisted Earl should cross the item off the list, but it is unknown if he did.
Took Donny away from his mother for two years Unnumbered, added on to 112 1.2 Completed when Earl helps Donny's mother quit smoking, thus extending her life (1.2)
Took donuts from a bank where I was not a customer Unknown 1.11 Crossed off after they "gave" a new box of donuts to a bank.
Took magazine from neighbors mailbox 71 1.11 Outstanding
Took money from car coin holders 2 1.24 Outstanding
Took money from Dad's sock drawer 110 1.18 Outstanding
Took wine from church 75 1.11 Outstanding

[edit] U

[edit] V

[edit] W

Item Number Source Status
Wasted electricity 63 Titles, NBC.com Outstanding
Went clothes shopping at local laundromat 38 TV3 (NZ) Advert Outstanding
Went to sex anonymous support group to pick up girls 121 1.18 Outstanding

[edit] X

[edit] Y

[edit] Z

My Name Is Earl
KarmaThe ListEpisodes
Characters
Earl HickeyRandy HickeyJoy DarvilleCatalina ArucaDarnell TurnerMinor characters
Contents

Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


[ The List in numerical order[1]]