Don't Fear the Roofer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The Simpsons episode | |
| "Don't Fear the Roofer" | |
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|---|---|
| Episode no. | 351 |
| Prod. code | GABF10 |
| Orig. Airdate | May 1, 2005 |
| Written by | Kevin Curran |
| Directed by | Mark Kirkland |
| Chalkboard | None |
| Couch gag | A five-fingered hand completes a jigsaw puzzle of the living room and a voice, presumably that of Matt Groening, exclaims "Woohoo!" |
| Guest star | Stephen Hawking as himself and Ray Romano as Ray Magini |
| SNPP capsule | |
| Season 16 November 7, 2004 – May 15, 2005 |
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| List of all Simpsons episodes... | |
"Don't Fear the Roofer" is the sixteenth episode of the sixteenth season of The Simpsons. The episode aired on May 1, 2005 in the US. Although it was advertised as the 350th episode, it is not the actual 350th episode (see The Heartbroke Kid and Future-Drama.)
[edit] Synopsis
There's a very bad thunderstorm in Springfield. Many roofs have sprung leaks as a result, including Moe's. Moe uses beer mugs and Barney's open mouth to catch the drops. At the Simpson's place, their roof is no better. The dripping water collects in Marge's hair and eventually splashes on her face. She wakes up Homer and asks him to do something about it. Homer has an idea to solve the problem by using an old Hot Wheels track set, where the water flows over the tracks, and out the mail slot in the front door. The plan is meant to be successful, but not for long, becauseLisa's hamster falls on the tracks and is washed away outside. Bart is angry that the leaks have made all the snacks soggy, in which he had to use for a homework party. Maggie is angry that her favorite teddy-bear is wet. Marge rebukes Homer for not putting a roof over his family's heads. Homer, angrily, leaves for Moe's.
There, he finds a surprise party being set up for Lenny. However, he ruins the surprise and then sits on the cake (shaped like Lenny's favorite bar-stool) and gets kicked out. Homer feels lonely until he sees an even seedier bar named Knockers (a spoof of Hooters), located on Route 98. The one-eyed bartender is too busy to talk to him, but he meets another guy, Ray Magini, who offers to share his nachos and beer with him. Ray just happens to be a roofer, so Homer asks him to fix his roof, to which Ray readily agrees.
The next day, Marge finds Homer sleeping on the sofa and tells him to get to work on the roof. Homer assures her that his new friend, Ray, will be taking care of it. Just as Marge and the kids leave on some errands, Ray shows up. The two of them get up on the roof and use nail-guns to nail the boards onto the roof, but they start shooting nails at each other. As they do, several nails get embedded in Ned Flanders' lawn mower, for which Homer apologises and then shoots some more at Ned. Ray leaves later and, as Homer runs on the roof, watching Ray leave, he crashes through the small part of the roof that they fixed and falls asleep on a pile of clothes.
When Marge returns, she is surprised to see the hole even bigger. She tells Homer that Ray is not a very good roofer, and she hasn't even met him yet. Later, Bart and Homer go to the Builder's Barn, and Homer meets Ray there. Ray apologizes to Homer for not having finished the job. He promises that he will stop by soon to work on the roof.
At home, Homer sits on the roof, looking at each car passing by, hoping Ray's in it. Finally, late at night, Marge tells him that Ray is not real, only a figment of his imagination. She then takes him (with Ned's help) to the Calmwood Mental Hospital (as seen in "Hurricane Neddy"). Dr. Hibbert tells Homer that Ray doesn't exist; he was created by Homer's mind as Homer was feeling unappreciated. The family says that the bartender at "Knockers" saw Homer alone. Bart says he saw his dad talking to himself. Ned says he never saw anyone besides Homer on the roof. Further making Homer crazy, Lisa reveals that "Ray Magini" is an anagram for "imaginary."
Homer suddenly sees Ray, on top of another roof outside. He starts babbling incoherently, making himself look even more nuts to those around him. Hibbert administers electroshock therapy. Finally six weeks and several hours of shock therapy later, Homer is now sure that Ray Magini does not exist. As he is being discharged, he sees Ray in the room and, believing that he doesn't exist, smashes a chair on his head. Ray, angered at this questioning of his existence, retaliates with a punch to the mouth. But this time, everyone has seen Ray and they figure that Homer was telling the truth after all.
The whole scenario is explained: The bartender did not see Ray as he had an eye patch on. Ray could not be seen by Ned as he was behind the chimney on the roof. Stephen Hawking says that Bart could not see Ray, at the hardware store, because of a miniature black hole caused directly behind Ray which absorbed the light from Ray and made it look like as if Homer was talking to himself. Marge asks Ray why he kept disappearing all the time and never showed up to meet them. It is pretty easy, according to Ray, he's a contractor, i.e, a crook. Everyone understands and laughs.
Hibbert apologizes to Homer for all the electroshock therapy sessions and asks how he can make it up to Homer. Homer has an idea. He makes Hibbert fix his roof for him, while he and Ray lounge on the roof. Ray then plugs a TV show he's been watching where "Everybody loves that guy". Regardless how many times Ray patiently tells him, Homer keeps confusing the day (Monday), the time (9:00), the channel (CBS) and whether it's on TV or the radio.
[edit] Trivia
- This is the 350th episode (despite being the 351st to air). Originally "The Heartbroke Kid" was to be the 350th, but they were switched.
- This episode aired the same year that guest star Ray Romano's own television series Everybody Loves Raymond had its series finale which Ray mentions during a confusing argument.
- The mental hospital scene is a parody of A Beautiful Mind.
- In the episode, Ray and Homer have a nailgun fight. In an episode of King of Queens, in an episode which Ray Romano guest stars, Ray's character and Doug are watching TV and Ray mentions that "it would be cool if they had a nail gun fight."
[edit] Cultural references
- The bar Homer meets Ray Magini at (Knockers) is a reference to the "Hooters" restaurant chain
- The episode title is a reference to the popular Blue Öyster Cult song "Don't Fear the Reaper." The song was played over the end credits to the episode "The Parent Rap."
- The song that plays from the jukebox is "Do That To Me One More Time" by Captain & Tennille.
