Earl's list
About 12 pages (3,608 words)
The List (generally referred to as "my list" by the protagonist ) 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 .
Statistics
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 each, 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 two (#98 was "Told Dodge and Earl Jr. we would have a father-son day at Mystery Fun Land and didn't take them", for 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.
Season 2
As of episode 2.21, Earl has completed 57 items, unsuccessfully attempted five, been absolved for at least nine (with the total amount unknown because in 2.17 everyone at Earl's birthday party crossed an item off as a present), started work on two items, and intends to leave one permanently unresolved as a reminder, leaving a maximum of 199 items outstanding. Earl added one to the list in 2.01, 2.09, and an unknown amount in 2.12 were added, which made the exact number of items on the list unknown until 2.21 when Earl added a new item and called it 273.
Season 3
As of episode 3.6, Earl has began a new list in prison, in absence of his original one. This list is written on the back of his pillow, and only has four items, one of which is "Wrote on a pillow".
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
1
0
0
0
0
258
End of Season 1
267
36
3
5
2
1
221
As of Ep. 2.14
268
48
3
5
2
1
209
As of Ep. 2.21
273
57
at least 9
5
2
1
max of 199
The List
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
List (alphabetical order)
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)
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, 65
1.9
Attempted when Earl enters his father into the mayoral election four years later (1.9)
Been a lazy lover
33
2.23
Completed. Ruby tells Earl he can cross this entry off after their lovemaking.
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 Dodge and Earl Jr.'s clubhouse
40
2.19
Completed when Earl builds a new one.
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 it was actually Randy who had burnt down the barn.
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
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 on the toilet
Unknown
NBC.com
Outstanding
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)
E
Item
Number
Source
Status
Everything I did to Dad
59
1.1 , Titles
Outstanding
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
Finish Highschool
273a
2.21
Completed when Earl got his GED , Subset of 273- Kept myself from being an adult
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 didn't have power for a week
109
1.18
Outstanding
Forgot to pick up kids at school
147
1.17
Outstanding
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
Get a real job
273b
2.21
Completed when Earl gets a job as an appliance salesman.
Got Catalina deported
269
2.10
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
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
Had Glen help me rob a house
1??
3.1
Completed in 3.2 note: may not be the exact name
Harassed the reporter
29
2.19
Completed when the reporter did a story on Earl.
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
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
K
Item
Number
Source
Status
Kept a Guy Locked in a Truck
270
2.14
Completed when Earl organized a funeral for the guy, who died in a "retractable bed" accident.
Kept myself from being an adult
273
2.21
Completed by finishing high school, getting a real job, and moving out of the motel.
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
L
Item
Number
Source
Status
Larceny of a Kitty Cat
56
2.4
Completed when Earl returns the cat to the owner and gets 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
1.1, Titles, NBC.com
Outstanding
Looked the other way during a stabbing
pillowcase item #2
3.5
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.)
M
Item
Number
Source
Status
Made a kid scared of the boogeyman
239
1.20
Completed after Earl becomes Albie's slave for a day, also (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 man's face blue
Unknown
2.12
Outstanding (Note: May be labeled something else)
Made Franks [sic] girl dump him.
pillowcase item #4
3.5
Outstanding; may have been crossed off when Earl makes Frank feel like a decent guy
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
Move out of the motel
273c
2.21
Completed when Earl moved out of the motel into an apartment with Randy.
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.
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
Puked in a drum set
Unknown
NBC.com
Outstanding
Pulled fire alarm
60
Titles
Outstanding
Pulled whiskers from Randy's chin
144
1.23
Outstanding
Punched 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. (Note: may be labeled something else) (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
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
Renamed a playground game "Smear the Kenny"
Unknown
2.9
Outstanding (Note: May be labeled something else)
Replaced Sheridan Lang's birth control pills with Tic-Tacs
Unknown
NBC.com
Outstanding
Robbed a deaf woman while she slept (actually the woman who became Joy's Lawyer)
Unknown
2.23
Outstanding (Note: May be completed)
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
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)
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
Slept with Slow Rodger's sister
Unknown
2.17
Outstanding
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 (Nescobar's? ).
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 an extra blanket
pillowcase item #1
3.05
Outstanding
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 a TV
7
Seven Network [1]
Outstanding
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 (Note: may be labeled something else)
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 From A Deaf Woman (Ruby)
Unknown
2:23
Ruby Didn't Talk To Him but Then He Went To Jail And Ruby Forgave Him
Stole laptop
37
1.16
Completed when Earl returns the laptop to Professor Alex Meyers.(1.16)
Stole liquor from liquor store
56
Titles
Completed when Earl sneaks beer back in the cooler.
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. Earl wrote this item in code, because he wanted to keep it a secret. (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) ,
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)
T
Item
Number
Source
Status
Threw a penny into Electrolarnyx Guy's tracheosophageal puncture
165
2.17
Outstanding (Note: May have been forgiven for it on his birthday, may be labeled something else)
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
Completed by Randy (1.11), this item was crossed off after Randy and Earl "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
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
W
Item
Number
Source
Status
Wasted electricity
63
Titles, NBC.com
Outstanding, possibly completed in 2.08 when Earl made great efforts to reduce global warming.
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
Wrote on a prison pillowcase
pillowcase list item #3
3.5
Outstanding
External links
View More Summaries on Earl's list