Ep 17. Didn't Pay Taxes

In season 1 episode 17 of My Name is Earl, entitled "Didn't Pay Taxes," Earl and Randy's trailer is seized by the government for unpaid back taxes. Earl sets out to right this wrong by rectifying his past mistakes of not filing taxes. While trying to obtain his W2 forms from his past employers, Earl realizes the reason he has never filed taxes in the first-place is that he has never held down a legitimate job for more than two weeks at a time.

Determined to fix his tax woes, Earl takes a job at a fast-food restaurant to finally make enough money to file taxes. However, his plan goes awry when he realizes he may have to do something unethical to earn his paycheck. Earl struggles with his moral dilemma, but ultimately decides to do the right thing and quit the restaurant after just one day.

Earl turns to his brother Randy for help on how to make money quickly, and Randy suggests pawning their possessions. However, when they are offered a meager sum for their belongings, they decide to hold a yard sale to make more money.

The yard sale turns out to be a success, with many locals turning up to buy the items Earl and Randy are selling. But when Earl sees a swan figurine in the hands of a customer, he remembers stealing it from a woman's lawn years ago and adds it to the sale. When the woman eventually comes to the yard sale, Earl tries to rectify his mistake by offering to buy the swan back.

In the end, Earl receives his W2 forms and is finally able to file his taxes. He uses the money he receives to buy back their trailer and other possessions that they had to sell. Earl realizes that doing the right thing is always worth it, and the episode ends with him adding "paying taxes" to his long list of karma debt owed.

Throughout the episode, flashbacks are used to give insight into why Earl never filed taxes in the first place and his overall tumultuous relationship with money. The episode also explores the moral dilemma of doing something unethical for money and the importance of doing the right thing, even when it may be more difficult in the short term.

Overall, "Didn't Pay Taxes" is a lighthearted episode of My Name is Earl that tackles a serious issue with humor and heart. The episode is successful in showcasing the show's central theme of karma and the importance of righting one's wrongs.