Homer's Odyssey
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- This article is about an episode of The Simpsons. For the epic poem, see Odyssey.
| The Simpsons episode | |
| "Homer's Odyssey" | |
 |
|
|---|---|
| Montgomery Burns watches on as Homer campaigns for nuclear safety | |
| Episode no. | 3 |
| Prod. code | 7G03 |
| Orig. Airdate | January 21, 1990 |
| Show Runner(s) | James L. Brooks Matt Groening Sam Simon |
| Written by | Jay Kogen & Wallace Wolodarsky |
| Directed by | Wes Archer |
| Chalkboard | "I will not skateboard in the halls" |
| Couch gag | The family hurries on to the couch which makes it collapse. |
| DVD commentary by | Matt Groening Wes Archer Jay Kogen Wallace Wolodarsky |
| Season 1 December 17, 1989 – May 13, 1990 |
|
| List of all Simpsons episodes... | |
"Homer's Odyssey" is the third full length episode of The Simpsons, that originally aired January 21, 1990. The episode sees Homer becomes a crusader for citizen safety in Springfield, as well as Homer being promoted to his current position as Nuclear Safety Inspector for the entire Power plant.
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
Mrs Krabappel takes Bart's class on a trip to the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. While riding through the plant in an electric cart in an effort to find them, Homer takes his eyes off his driving and crashes into a radioactive pipe, causing the plant to shut down.
Homer is fired for repeated safety violations. Depressed and unable to find a new job, he writes a good-bye note and leaves to jump off a bridge. Lisa finds the note and alerts the family. Rushing across the bridge to stop him, they are almost run down by a speeding truck
Homer embarks on a public safety crusade to make Springfield a safer place to live. Speed bumps, warning signs ad public awareness posters are placed throughout the city. When he becomes bored with traffic safety, Homer takes on the nuclear power plant, rallying the people of Springfield to his cause. To end the furor Homer is creating, Mr. Burns offers him a position as safety supervisor with a large pay increase. Homer accepts the job, telling the mob to go home and assuring them that he will make their nuclear power plant safe.
[edit] Trivia
- The episode marks the first appearance of:
- Blinky the three-eyed fish
- Sherri and Terri
- Chief Wiggum
- Otto Mann
- Jasper Beardley
- Bart's prank calls to Moe Szyslak
- Wendell
- Sam & Larry
- Mr.&Mrs. Winfeild
- On their way to Springfield Powerplant the children pass the Springfield Toxic Waste Dump, the Springfield Tire Yard (which is not on fire as of yet), the Springfield State Prison, and Springfield Elementary School.
- Mrs. Krabappel tells the children to keep their arms in the bus and says, "We all know the tragic story of the young man who stuck his arm out the window and had it ripped off by a big truck coming in the other direction." To which Bart says (with his arm in his shirt), "And I was that boy!" Two episodes later, in "Bart the General", Bart asks Herman whether he lost his arm in the war, to which Herman warns Bart, "Next time your teacher tells you to keep your arm inside the bus window, you do it!"
- A sign at the plant reads, "Our Safety Record: [7] Days Since Last Accident."
- Bart's report card includes an F in Social Studies, an F in Math, a D in Physical Education, a U in Science, a U in Reading, and a U in Writing.
- Homer pens his suicide note on "Dumb Things I Gotta Do Today" stationery. And his suicide attempt is a simulation Virginia Woolf died.
- When Homer reaches the bridge he is almost run over by who appears to be Hans Moleman, who zooms by in a car.
- El Barto is signed on the steps of city hall when Chief Wiggum talks about the graffiti problem in Springfield. He then passes around an artist sketch of the culprit who looks like an older and tougher Bart Simpson.
- Springfield Shopper headlines: "Simpson Says Safe!," "Dozens Cheer Homer Simpson," "Homer Simpson Strikes Again!," "Watch Out, Here Comes Homer," and "Enough Already, Homer Simpson!"
- In the scene where Homer and another man are making the announcement to everyone, if you look very carefully you can see a man in the background who looks like Brad Goodman from season 5 episode "Bart's Inner Child".
- Mr. Burns' voice is slightly different than usual. This is because Christopher Collins performed his voice for this episode.
- Waylon Smithers was accidentally animated as an African-American due to a communication error with Korean animators. The mistake was explained as Smithers had an extreme suntan. A similar mistake was made with Sherri and Terri's father, also drawn as black, despite his children both being ghost-white (He hasn't appeared in the show since, even at events such as their birthday party, where their much whiter-skinned mother was present.). Perhaps Sherri and Terri are biracial.
[edit] Cultural references
- Get Smart - The powerplant doors that open up in different forms.
- The Odyssey - The episode title comes from the Greek epic.
- Al Jolson - Burns says: “I haven't seen anything like it since Jolson.”
- John Henry was a Steel Driving Man - Bart is forced to sing it because he was being too loud on the bus.
[edit] External links
