Homer the Moe

"A trip to the alma mater might really rekindle my love of getting people loaded."

- Moe Szyslak

"Homer the Moe" is the third episode of season 13. It originally aired on November 18, 2001 and was written by Dana Gould and directed by Jen Kamerman. R.E.M. guest star as.

Plot
Bart is digging a hole in the backyard without any apparent reasons. Bart doesn't want to explain anyone why he digs the hole and, after Lisa tells him he will reach China, a Chinese satellite appears watching Bart. This turns out to be Homer telling a story at Moe's. Moe himself is feeling depressed, he misses his bartending school alma mater, Swigmore University. The guys talk him into going back and Moe leaves Homer in charge of the bar.

Moe is really appreciated at the university because of his knowledge about bars. Moe's professor tells Moe to reinvent his "crap-hole". Upon his return, the reinvention begins. Now called "M", Moe's bar becomes an exclusive and Duff-less nightclub, with TV showing elegant images, decorations and many French elegant people who just care about talking to each other while holding their wine glasses. Feeling like outcasts, Homer, Lenny, Carl and Barney set up "a hunting club" in Homer's garage, where there's plenty of Duff and a live band, Moe decides he does not like his new bar and tries to join up with them again.

Homer goes turkey hunting and shoots Moe (thinking he is a cougar), renewing their friendship. In the end, the Simpson family, Moe, and REM all celebrate Thanksgiving together.

Production
George Meyer said he thought of the story at the beginning of the episode, in which Bart digs a hole. "We were thinking of a way to start the show...", says Gould, "...and George said: 'I like how kids will just dig a hole'." The Chinese satellite scene, which ended the first part of the episode, was an attempt by Gould to write a bizarre joke in the style of fellow Simpsons writer John Swartzwelder. George Meyer also pitched the idea of Moe's bartending school of the second act of the episode, which resembles the law school on the 1970s television series The Paper Chase and that the school's professor would be based on the professor from the afore-mentioned series.

The hunting club Homer opens resembles Dana Gould's father's hunting club he opened when he was a child. He didn't need a liquor license to sell alcohol for a hunting club, much like Homer.

The band R.E.M. guest starred in the episode. The producers discovered they were fans of the show, so they called them to appear on it.

Reception
The episode has received mixed-to-negative reviews from TV critics. The plot was criticized by fans of the show, who felt it was just a rehash of previous episodes. DVD Verdict gave the episode a C rating and described it as "a tepid remix of previous plots". Some critics have praised the episode, while some have named it one of their favourite episodes.