Children of a Lesser Clod
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| The Simpsons episode | |
| "Children of a Lesser Clod" | |
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|---|---|
| Episode no. | 268 |
| Prod. code | CABF16 |
| Orig. Airdate | May 13, 2001 |
| Show Runner(s) | Mike Scully |
| Written by | Al Jean |
| Directed by | Mike Polcino |
| Chalkboard | "Today is not Mothra's Day" |
| Couch gag | The family become crash test dummies. When they sit on the couch, they run into the TV, and Homer's head falls off. |
| Guest star | none |
| SNPP capsule | |
| Season 12 November 1, 2000 – May 20, 2001 |
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| List of all Simpsons episodes... | |
Children of a Lesser Clod is the 20th episode of The Simpsons twelfth season.
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
The family goes to the YMCA to attend one-time-only free classes. Lisa takes gymnastics, and Homer participates in a basketball class for men over the age of 35, but when he is in his class, he suffers a knee blow-out. After Homer gets his surgery, he is told by Dr. Hibbert that he cannot go to work, and he must stay home. Homer finds himself extremely bored, even going so far as attempting to create a breed between Santa's Little Helper and Snowball II. One evening, Ned wants Marge to watch Rod and Todd while he attends a Chris Rock concert (that he misinterprets to be an abbreviation for a Christian Rock concert), but Marge is out identifying a body (which ends up being a very much alive Hans Moleman) so Ned asks Homer instead. The kids like having Homer take care of them, which allows Homer to establish his own day care center.
Homer starts a day care center (under Marge's ownership), "Uncle Homer's Day Care Center", to entertain himself, making Bart and Lisa feel like outcasts. The daycare center is wildly successful, and Homer earns a nomination for the "Good Guy Awards" ceremony. For the ceremony, they make a video of Homer's accomplishments, but Bart and Lisa splice in footage to prove that Homer is an incompetent father and "beer-drinking meanie", using home movies of him. The audience were ouratged and Homer angrily strangles Bart on stage. Everyone in the audience becomes more outraged by how Homer strangles Bart, and decided to prevent their kids from being with him. Homer escapes from the ceremony with all the kids on a van, until Chief Wiggum stops him. After going through three mistrials, Homer is sorry for neglecting Bart and Lisa, on whom he now decides to focus his love.
[edit] Cultural references
- The title is a spoof of the 1986 film Children of a Lesser God.
- Professor Frink's use of "Flubber" directly references the 1997 film of the same name.
- Homer's line "I believe you can fly!" references the R. Kelly song "I Believe I Can Fly" from the 1996 film Space Jam.
- As Homer recalls his memory of him doing a slam dunk into space (which never happened), George Jetson later crashes into his leg. Homer responds by yelling "JETSON!!" as Mr. Spacely often did.
[edit] Trivia
- This episode marks the first appearance of Lugash.
- This episode was advertised as featuring Ron Howard in what would have been his third appearance on "The Simpsons". However, he was not in the aired version.
- When Homer goes hysterical and kidnaps the children Ralph asks where they're going. Homer replies they're getting frosty chocolate milkshakes. When the series was on the Tracey Ullman Show this was Homer's catchphrase.
[edit] External links
- "Children of a Lesser Clod" episode capsule at The Simpsons Archive
- "Children of a Lesser Clod" at the Internet Movie Database
