Homer's Odyssey
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"Homer's Odyssey"
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Episode Information
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- ""I will not rest until this street gets a STOP sign"
"
Homer's Odyssey is the third episode of Season 1. It originally aired on the Fox network on January 21, 1990. 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.
Homer is fired from his job as technical supervisor at the Springfield nuclear plant. Unable to provide for his family, he contemplates ending it all - until he discovers a new life path as a campaigner for safety.
Plot
Mrs. Krabappel's class is going on a field trip to the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, but the bus is late. When Otto arrives, Bart has to sit with Wendell (much to his dislike) because of talking with Otto. When they arrive, Smithers gives the kids a tour throughout the plant and explains them what the nuclear power is. Bart spots Homer at work and calls out to him. As Homer looks up to wave back at Bart he crashes the cart he was driving into a pipe, causing it to leak dangerous gas and Homer to get fired. The next day, he looks for another job, but he is not accepted at any of the possible jobs. At night, trying to find a beer, but having none, Homer goes to buy a pack, but unfortunately he has no money and as a last resort, he breaks Bart's piggy bank. Realizing what he has just done is wrong, he goes out while his family is sleeping, picks up a rock and goes to a bridge attempting to kill himself. His family comes and is almost hit by a car, but Homer manages to push them away from the road just before the car reaches them. This makes Homer decide to get a stop sign on the dangerous intersection. His proposition is accepted, so he starts to do more public safety things for the city. He He becomes a public safety advocate and installs speed bumps on roads, speed limits, danger signs (like a dip sign), and so the city finally gets full of signs, like the park, which is full of "no stepping on the grass" signs. Homer later decides to go to the real problem: the power plant. All the citizens support Homer with his demands, but Mr. Burns is against him. While Homer is on his car in fromt of the power plant speaking through a megaphone, Mr. Burns calls him to his office and proposes him a job as the safety inspector of the power plant. As this will help with the city's safety, Homer eventually accepts the raise and informs the people. After his celebrating dancing, he falls from the balcony and the citizens catch him and carry him while cheering.
Production
The cartoon at the power plant was given an old-time reel footage feel by having the animation cells dragged across a cement floor to scratch it up. This trick was used several times by the animators for the next 10 seasons.
This episode marks the first appearance of Mr. Smithers. His skin color was actually black instead of yellow. According to David Silverman, Gyorgi Peluci, the person who did the color styling randomly decided the ethnicity of various characters, which usually wasn't much of a problem, but it sort of ruined the white sycophant personality for Smithers. In his next appearance, he was colored right, but still with blue hair.[1]
Although Mr. Burns was seen in Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire, this was his first appearance in order of production codes (as well as the first use of his name), hence the dramatic music when the camera pans out on him.
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."[2]
External links
- "Homer's Odyssey" at The Simpsons.com
"Homer's Odyssey" at the The Simpsons Archive
References
es:Homer's Odyssey pt:A odisséia de Homer
