Homer Is Where the Art Isn't

"Homer Is Where the Art Isn't" is the 12th episode of season 29. It aired on March 18, 2018.

The episode was dedicated in memory of Stephen Hawking, who died on March 14, aged 76.

Plot
At Gavelby's Auction House, Homer and Mr. Burns lose an auction to Megan Matheson, bidding for 's The Poetess, which Homer is obsessed with. Once the painting arrives at Megan's home, Megan finds out that it has been stolen. Manacek, a freelance insurance investigator, is called to solve the case.

Manacek goes to Megan's house since she is a suspect in the investigation. He reveals that Megan insured the painting for double its value, so she has a motive. She denies the accusation and told Manacek to go to Mr. Burns, as she thought he was the real thief. At Burns' manor, Manacek hits a nerve with Burns because he can't stand losing a bid to a woman. Burns dismisses the accusation too and sends Manacek to the final suspect, Homer, due to the obsession he had with the painting.

Homer demonstrates to Manacek how much he wants the painting at the Power Plant, but still denies that he had any involvement in stealing it. In the evening, Marge shows up at Manacek's apartment to convince him that Homer is innocent, but he says they'd only talk at dinner, so Marge invites him home. After dinner, Homer panics when they start talking, and Bart and Marge explain how Homer became obsessed with it at the Springfield Museum of Fine Arts.

Homer had to chaperone kids on a school trip to the Museum and saw the painting. Initially confused by it, Homer studied it until he suddenly understood it. When the museum closed up due to being out of funds, Springfielders protested. Mayor Quimby explained the cuts, including the cut of 1/3 of the police department, with Eddie having been laid off. All the artwork was then sold at Gavelby's. Homer attended the auction to try and get the painting, but was denied due to not having the money, and Moe yelling at the person who called to verify Homer's funds. The painting was then sold to Megan.

After the story, Homer escapes from home, but Manacek finds him at the museum. Manacek tells Homer that he knows that he's innocent because Homer is too dumb to steal anything. Manacek then assembles all the suspects and interested parties to the museum to reveal the true art thief. He reveals that Megan was in fact the thief, having hired the guards twin brothers to knock out the guards and swap the painting out. After Megan pulled a gun on Manacek, he knocks her out. Manacek then reveals that it was already stolen by Mr. Burns, who built an identical auction house next to the original, and stole it from the vault after the painting was taken from the fake auction house.

After Mr. Burns was arrested at his manor, Manacek reveals the painting is nothing other than Lisa's tote bag with a depiction of the painting on it. Lisa stole it so it wouldn't go to millionaire's houses hidden away from people who love it, like Homer. At the end, the painting is moved to the Springfield Arena Football Arena, previously known as Buzz Cola Dome where Homer goes to visit it.

Production
This was the final episode written by the late Kevin Curran.

A deleted scene for the episode was going to have Sideshow Mel say that they want a female Doctor Who, with the crowd agreeing and chanting with him. The joke was changed in the episode to a protest about too many Pokey restaurants, as on July 16, 2017, was announced to be the Thirteenth Doctor.

In another deleted scene, Manacek was going to say a Polish proverb: "Even a toothless goat can still eat a thin can, but don't expect it to make you a Christmas sweater with the governor's yarn?". Another scene where Homer and Marge got in trouble at a school assembly was cut to make room for the Full Manacek.

The episode was to feature The Rich Texan, but was replaced with Megan Matheson character, because Jim Brooks told Matt Selman he hated the Rich Texan.

Originally the episode was set to air on March 11, 2018, on that day "3 Scenes Plus a Tag from a Marriage" was set to air instead, but then the episode was switched back and pushed one week later.