The List (My Name Is Earl)

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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 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 2.14, Earl has completed 48 items, unsuccessfully attempted five, been absolved for two, started work on two items, and intends to leave one permanently unresolved as a reminder, leaving a minimum of 209 items outstanding. Earl added one to the list in 2.01, 2.09, an unknown amount in 2.12 and an unknown amount were crossed off in 2.17 (everyone at Earl's birthday party crossed one off as a present) currently making the exact number of items on the list unknown.

[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. 2.14	268	48	3	5	2	1	209

[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.

Earl's list is no larger than a piece of notebook paper, but strangely, he manages to fit all of the bad things he's done on just one side. Also, some items on his list are written diagonally instead of like the list shown in the opening sequence.

[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-progress

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	1.4	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	89	1.4, 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"
Crazy glued my friend to the toilet	Unknown	NBC.com	Outstanding

[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 all of 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 Catalina deported	269	2.09	Completed when Randy marries Catalina so she can come back to the US
Got Darnell stoned	Unknown	2.17	Forgiven for it on his Birthday, Note: May be labeled something else
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
Kept a Guy Locked in a Truck	270	2.14	Completed when Earl gives him a proper funeral
Kicked cat trying to see if it would land on its feet	117	1.18	Outstanding, Note: cat 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
Kidnapped a camera man	unknown	2.12	Outstanding, Note: May not be exact name

[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 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 a homeless mans face blue	Unknown	2.12	Outstanding
Made fun of Maggie Lester for having a moustache	91	2.3	Completed when Earl helps Maggie and her circus 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 fun of pregnant Joy	Unknown	2.17	Forgiven for it on his Birthday, Note: May be labeled something else
Made Randy steal electronics & got caught (picture is still up at Circuit City)	158	1.13	Outstanding

[edit] N

Item	Number	Source	Status
Nearly got my Parents divorced	Unknown	2.17	Forgiven for it on his Birthday, Note: May be labeled something else
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 a French kid	44	2.15	Completed when Earl helps the French foreign exchange student kiss some American women
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")
Played pranks on Randy	Unknown	2.17	Forgiven for it on his Birthday, Note: May be labeled something else
Pretended to be handicapped to go to front of lines at Adventure World	Unknown	NBC.com	Outstanding
Pulled fire alarm	60	Titles	Outstanding
Pulled whiskers from Randy's chin	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]	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
Siphoned gas	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)
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 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, 1.19, 2.17, NBC.com	Attempted in 1.9, but was chased away and attacked by her handicapped boyfriend. Was confronted by her in 2.17, but he ran away.
Stole a girl's identity	101	2.16	Completed when Earl reunites Joy with her estranged half sister Liberty.
Stole a number-ticker	24	1.19	Completed when Earl gives the number-ticker back to the store (1.19)
Stole a police car	Unknown	2.12	Outstanding, Note: May not be exact name
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 Christmas presents from little girl (it says in the episode he did put her on the list, but not shown)	Unknown	1.19	Outstanding
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 multiple car parts	Unknown	2.17	Forgiven for it on his Birthday, Note: May be labeled something else, may be multiple items
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 spoons from library	52	2.13	Completed when Earl found that the spoons had been returned to the library.
Stole ten dollars from a guy at Camden Market (used to buy winning lottery ticket)	1	1.24 (season finale), The Vancouver Sun	Completed when Earl gave him the lottery winnings back, but he gave it back to Earl.
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)

[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

Item	Number	Source	Status
Urinated on living room rug	Unknown	2.17	Forgiven for it on his Birthday, Note: May be labeled something else

[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

Karma • The List • Episodes

Characters

Earl Hickey • Randy Hickey • Joy Darville • Catalina Aruca • Darnell Turner • Minor 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]