Homer's Odyssey (The Simpsons)

"Homer's Odyssey"
The Simpsons episode
File:SimpsonsMPG 7G03.jpg
Episode no.	Season 1
Directed by	Wesley Archer
Written by	Jay Kogen & Wallace Wolodarsky
Original air date	January 21, 1990
Episode features
Chalkboard gag	"I will not skateboard in the halls"
Couch gag	The family hurries on to the couch which makes it collapse.
Commentary	Matt Groening Wes Archer Jay Kogen Wallace Wolodarsky

"Homer's Odyssey" is the third full length episode of The Simpsons, that originally aired on the Fox network on January 21, 1990. In this episode Homer becomes a crusader for citizen safety in Springfield, and is promoted to his current position as Nuclear Safety Inspector for the entire power plant. It was written by Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky and was the first Simpsons script to be completed, although it was the third episode produced.

Plot

Bart is forced to sit next to Wendell on a field trip to the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. Bart, knowing that Wendell vomits on every field trip, attempts to get Mrs. Krabappel's attention, but is punished for creating a disruption by being made to sing John Henry Was a Steel Driving Man. As the class arrives at the power plant, Bart congratulates Wendell for not vomiting with a pat on the back, causing him to finally vomit. After watching an "educational" video about nuclear power, the class is taken on a tour of the plant. Bart sees Homer and tries to get his attention, distracting Homer and causing him to crash his cart into a pipe. Homer is fired in front of an humiliated Bart and his class.

Homer attempts to find a new job, but is repeatedly turned down. Marge is forced to go back to her old job at a diner. Homer falls into a deep depression and begins spending most of his time on the couch watching TV. After seeing a commercial for Duff beer, Homer laments the fact that he has no money to buy some. Desperate, he steals Bart's piggy bank and smashes it, only to find that it doesn't contain enough for a single beer. Homer decides to commit suicide, leaves a note for his family, and leaves to throw himself off of a bridge.

Lisa finds Homer's note and alerts Marge. The family catches up with Homer before he jumps, but they inadvertently step in the path of an oncoming car. Homer pulls them to safety and remarks that someone should put a stop sign at the dangerous intersection. Homer takes his concern to a town meeting, where a new stop sign is approved. Homer finds a new purpose in life, and begins campaigning for public safety in Springfield. When he takes on the unsafe nuclear plant, Mr. Burns calls him into his office to offer Homer his job back, but only on the condition that he declare the plant safe. Homer is unable to bring himself to do it, so Burns offers him the position of safety inspector of the plant, with a raise. Homer happily takes the job and announces to his fans that he will ensure that the plant is safe. The crowd's enthusiasm is not diminished when Homer tumbles from the high ledge he is standing on. They chant his name and carry him away from the plant.

Production

"Black Smithers", as seen in this episode

Smithers was mistakenly animated with the wrong color and was made black by Gyorgyi Peluce, the color stylist. David Silverman has claimed that Smithers was always intended to be "Mr Burns' white sycophant", and the staff thought it "would be a bad idea to have a black sub-servient character" and so switched him to his intended color for his next episode. Smithers' skin tone was later explained as an "extreme tan". This is the episode where Homer becomes the Safety Inspector at the plant. His previous job is unclear although he calls himself a "technical supervisor". He was originally hired as part of "Project Bootstrap," a fictional government program implemented by the Ford administration to bring in unskilled workers.

Blinky the Three-Eyed Fish makes a brief cameo in this episode; he later becomes of importance in episode four of the second season, "Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish". Also notable is that Marge was originally called Juliette in this script as an homage to Romeo and Juliet. Homer's middle initial, J, is mentioned for the first time in this episode. According to Matt Groening, it was a reference to Bullwinkle J. Moose.

Additionally, the following characters made their first appearances in this episode: Otto Mann, Chief Wiggum, Jasper Beardley, Sam & Larry, Mr. & Mrs. Winfield and Sherri and Terri. Waylon Smithers also appears for the first time, although his voice was heard over the power-plant's PA system in "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire".

Cultural references

The episode's title comes from the Greek epic poem Odyssey, traditionally attributed to the legendary poet Homer. On the bus, Bart sings "John Henry was a Steel Driving Man," an American folk-song about a 19th century hero of the working-class, building railroads across the Western mountains.

Reception

Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, the authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide stated that "the story rather fizzles out at the end, but there are many good moments, especially in the power plant."

External links

• "Homer's Odyssey" at The Simpsons.com
• "Homer's Odyssey episode capsule". The Simpsons Archive.
• Template:Tv.com episode
• "Homer's Odyssey" at IMDb