Homer's Enemy
| "Homer's Enemy" | |
|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode | |
| File:Homers Enemy.png | |
| Episode no. | Season 8 |
| Directed by | Jim Reardon |
| Written by | John Swartzwelder |
| Original air dates | May 4, 1997 |
| Episode features | |
| Couch gag | Bart turns lime green when he sits on the couch. Homer fixes the TV, only to make Bart appear red, and Homer slaps Bart on the head to make him appear in his normal way. |
"Homer's Enemy" is the 23rd episode of The Simpsons' eighth season, aired on May 4, 1997.
Synopsis
Template:Spoiler When Kent Brockman does a heartfelt story about Frank Grimes "the man who had to struggle for everything he got in life", Mr. Burns hires Grimes to be his Executive Vice-President, only to let a heroic dog get the job after Mr. Burns watches a TV show about it. Grimes has had a difficult life, as mentioned in Brockman's story. He meets Lenny, Carl, and Homer, to whom Grimes takes an immediate dislike. Grimes is irked by Homer's abrasive cheerfulness, poor work habits, and irresponsibility. Not long after they meet, Grimes saves Homer from drinking a beaker of sulphuric acid. The acid corrodes a wall that has Mr. Burns right on the other side of it and Grimes is to blamed for damaging company property. Burns admonishes Grimes for his actions but gives him a second chance and a reduced salary. At this point, Grimes declares Homer to be his enemy, causing Homer some unease.
In response, Homer attempts to invite Grimes to dinner at his house in order to get on his good side. This only fuels Grimes' ire toward Homer as he witnesses how a person like Homer is able to own a large house, meet various world celebrities (such as President Ford), been into outer space, eat lobster (which the Simpsons were cooking for the dinner), have a family and even have a Grammy Award. After his attempt to befriend Grimes ends in failure, Homer tries to become a little more of a model worker, but Grimes snubs it thinking that Homer's sincere attempt to look professional is ridiculous.
Grimes then decides to prove to the Power Plant how truly incompetent Homer is. To do so, Grimes enters Homer in a nuclear power plant design contest, without telling Homer the contest is for children only. Homer takes it as a challenge to prove that he's a good worker. At the contest, despite competition from Ralph Wiggum (a dollhouse with the name "Nuclear Dream House" written on it) and Martin Prince (whose functional model of a future power plant provides the light for the room), Burns is won over by Homer's design which was basically the same design as the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant but with fins to lower wind resistance on the cooling towers as well as a racing stripe over one of them. Burns then gives Homer first place and everybody except Grimes applauds Homer for this accomplishment. Because of this, Grimes finally snaps and runs amok through the plant, imitating Homer before accidentally electrocuting himself in an attempt to prove that if he's Homer Simpson, he doesn't need safety equipment to handle high voltage wires. He dies, but Homer steals his thunder again at his funeral by talking in his sleep.
Meanwhile, Bart bids $1 (the winning bid, as a matter of fact) on an abandoned factory in downtown Springfield and gives Milhouse a job as a night watchman, only to do dangerous things in the factory, which later tips over and crumbles. This releases thousands of now-homeless rats, which immediately run across the street into Moe's.
Trivia
- This episode was listed by Matt Groening as one of his favorites. It is also a favourite of then-showrunner Josh Weinstein. This is also the consensus of many fans, including The Office creator Ricky Gervais, (although some fans find the episode too cruel to be funny). Although it is still one of the more controversial episodes of the Oakley/Weinstein years.
- Even though Grimes was a one time only character, he is still one of the most popular characters of the series.
- Frank Grimes gets mentioned throughout the series, and we later learn he has a son, called Frank Grimes Jr. His son explained that his mother was a hooker.
- This is the second episode we see Homer pouring a liquid over his command-console in the nuclear power plant after he did the very same in Bart on the Road.
- Chief Wiggum's quote "Ralphie, get off the stage sweetheart!" is used as the chorus of the 2005 song by Bloodhound Gang, "Ralph Wiggum." The song lyrics are composed chiefly of Ralph Wiggum quotes.
- Hank Azaria did the voice of Frank Grimes, but he originally thought that William H. Macy should do the role. However, the producers felt this was a role that a regular cast member was more suited to do, so Azaria provided the voice of Grimes, but modelled many of his mannerisms after Macy.
Goofs
- When Bart and Milhouse are on their "whacky shack", Milhouse points to three unsafe building signs. However, Bart only throws two out of the window. Then, when Bart asks Milhouse if it's OK, there are no more signs present.
Cultural references
- Frank Grimes' way of waddling around the plant spoofs Modern Times, although Chaplin's character didn't die when he played around in the steel mills.
Quotes
- Homer: So, how's it going, Grimey?
Grimes: I'd appreciate it if you'd stay out of my office, Simpson.
Homer: [laughs] Wish I had a nickel every time I heard that. [walks around idly, making annoying sounds] [off key] Take me out to the ball-game, take me out to the ballll... So, what's new, Grimey?
[alarms blare and red lights go on at Homer's work station]
Grimes (sees alarms blaring in Homer's office): Simpson, you've got a 5-13! (Homer blankly stares at his watch) No, a 5-13! In your procedures manual? A 5-13? (Homer stares at his watch again) Look at your control panel!
Homer: Oh, a five THIR-teen. I'll handle this.
(Homer goes into his office and pours water on his control panel, shorting out the console and alarms)
Homer: That took care of it. (Grimes stares, shocked, through his window) - Frank Grimes: Accidents have doubled every year since he became safety inspector. And meltdowns have tripled! Has he been fired? No. Has he been disciplined? No, no!
Lenny: Everyone makes mistakes. That's why they put erasers on pencils. - Frank Grimes: God. He eats like a pig.
Lenny: I dunno. Pigs tend to chew. I'd say he eats more like a duck.
(Homer then swallows an entire donut whole)
Frank Grimes: Well, some kind of farm animal. And earlier today, I saw him asleep inside a radiation suit. Can you believe it? He was hanging from a coat hook.
Lenny: Yeah, he had three beers at lunch. That would make anybody sleepy.
Frank Grimes: I've never seen him do any work. What's his job?
Lenny: Safety inspector.
Frank Grimes: That irreponsible oaf?! A man who by all means should have been killed dozens of times by now?!
Lenny: Umm. 316 times by my count.
Frank Grimes: That's the man in charge of our safety? It boggles the mind!
Carl: Yeah, it's best not to think about it. - Moe: Ah, it's a weird world, Homer. As hard as it is to believe, some people don't care for me, neither.
Homer: No, I won't accept that.
Moe: No, it's true. I got their names written down right here on what I call my, uh, "enemies list." (reaches under the bar for a sheet of paper)
Barney: (takes list and reads it) Jane Fonda, Daniel Schorr, Jack Anderson... Hey! This is Richard Nixon's enemies list. You just crossed out his name and put yours.
Moe: Okay, gimmie that, gimmie it back. (takes list and writes) Barney Gumble.
Homer: How can I get him to like me?
Moe: Why don't you invite him over for dinner? Turn him from an enemy into a friend. Then, when he least expect it... (stab gesture) BAM! The ol' fork-in-the-eye!
Homer: You think it could work without the fork-in-the-eye?
Moe: There's always a first time. - Frank Grimes (seeing the Simpsons' living room): Good Heavens! This is a palace! How can you afford to live in a house like this, Simpson?
Homer: I dunno. Don't ask me how the economy works. - Marge (seeing Homer in his car after the unsuccessful dinner with Grimes): Homer, why aren't you at work?
Homer: The car won't start. I don't feel good today. I am at work. - Frank Grimes: Homer is not okay! I would die a happy man if I could prove to you that Homer Simpson has the intelligence of a five year old!
Lenny (to Carl): ... So, how've you been? - Homer: Design your own power plant? This is a chance for everyone to see how professional I am. (to a framed photo of Lenny) Lenny, tell Mr. Burns I've gone home to work on the contest.
(Grimes watches through a window as Homer enters his car, laughing manically... until Homer backs out and smashes Grimes' hard-earned car)
Frank Grimes: Oh God! - Frank Grimes (disgusted at the laudation Homer is receiving for winning the Kids' Design A Plant contest): But... this was a contest for children!
Lenny: Yeah, and Homer beat their brains out. - Bart (leaning out the window): Hey, Milhouse! You want a job in my factory?
Milhouse: You don't have a factory.
Bart: Hey, I'm a busy man. You want a job or not?
Milhouse: Okay! - Homer: Hiya, Stretch. What's the good word?
Frank Grimes: Uh, my name is Grimes, Simpson, Frank Grimes. I took the trouble of learning your name; the least you can do is learn mine.
Homer: Okay, Grimey.
Frank Grimes: Uh, Simpson, you're eating my special dietetic lunch.
Homer: Huh? (Grimes points to his name on the paper bag) Oh, oh, oh. I'm sorry.
Frank Grimes: The bag was clearly marked. Please be more careful in the future.
Homer: Check.
(Homer takes two more bites of Grimes' sandwich and puts it back in the bag. Shocked, Grimes crumbles it up and throws the bag into the garbage) - Homer: This dinner has to be absolutely perfect if Grimey and I are to be friends. So Marge, be perfect.
Marge: Okay.
Homer: Bart, perfect! Lisa, perfect! (to Maggie) Other kid, perfect! - Grimes: I'm peeing on the seat, gimme a raise!
- Grimes: I eat like a slob, but nobody minds!
- Grimes: Oh hi, Mr. Burns, I'm the worst worker in the world. Time to go home to my mansion and eat my lobster.
- Grimes: I don't need to do my work 'cause someone else will do it for me! D'oh, d'oh, d'oh!
- Grimes (yelling at Homer at the Simpson house): I'm saying, you're what's wrong with America, Simpson. You just coast through life, you do as little as possible... and you live off of hard-working decent people, like me! If you lived in any country besides America, you'd have starved to death long ago!
Bart: He's got you there, Dad.
Grimes: You're a fraud, a total fraud! (Leaves, then briefly comes back through the front door, turning to the rest of the family) It was nice meeting you. - Grimes: What's this? Extremely high voltage. Well, I don't need safety gloves because I'm Homer Simp— (grabs the wires, electrocuting himself)
- Homer (at Grimes' funeral): (sleeping) Aw, change the channel, Marge.
Lenny:Ha ha ha, that's our Homer. (everyone starts to laugh as Grimes' coffin is lowered into the grave)
- (after Grimes has knocked away a beaker of sulphuric acid, which then dissolves a wall, before Homer drunk it)
Grimes: You idiot! You nearly drank a beaker full of sulphuric acid!
Homer: Acid, eh? Boy, that would have been stupid! Boy, would I have been sore in the morning! (laughs)
Grimes: Stop laughing, you imbecile! Do you realize just how close you came to killing yourself?! (Homer smiles)