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Difference between revisions of "El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer"

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[[File:Space_Coyote.gif|thumb|Coyote's Head]]
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{{EpisodePrevNext|Hurricane Neddy|The Springfield Files}}
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{{Quote|Find your soulmate, Homer.|[[Spirit Guide|Coyote]]}}
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{{Episode
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|image= Mysterious voyage.png
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|caption = [[Homer]] with the [[Space Coyote]]
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|number= 162
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|season=8
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|snumber=9
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|prodcode= 3F24
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|airdate= January 5, [[1997]]
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|couchgag= The family parachutes to the couch. [[Marge]], [[Bart]], [[Lisa]] and [[Maggie]] land safely, but [[Homer]]'s parachute fails, sending him plummeting to (and through) the floor.
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|guests= [[Johnny Cash]] as [[Space Coyote]]
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|showrunner1= Bill Oakley
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|showrunner2= Josh Weinstein
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|writer= [[Ken Keeler]]
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|director= [[Jim Reardon]]
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|DVD features=yes
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}}
  
{{episode
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"'''El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer'''", translated to "'''The Mysterious Voyage of Our Homer'''", is the ninth episode of [[season 8]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and the one-hundred and sixty-second episode overall. It originally aired on January 5, [[1997]]. The episode was written by [[Ken Keeler]] and directed by [[Jim Reardon]]. It guest stars [[Johnny Cash]] as the [[Space Coyote]].
|image=Mysterious voyage.png
 
|productionCode=3F24
 
|originalAirdate=January 5, 1997
 
|Episode Number=162
 
|blackboardText=
 
|couchGag=The family parachutes to the couch; Homer's parachute fails sending him plummeting
 
|specialGuestVoices=[[Johnny Cash]]
 
|Written By=[[Ken Keeler]]
 
|Directed By=[[Jim Reardon]]
 
}}
 
  
"'''El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage of Homer)'''" (a.k.a. '''The Mysterious Voyage of Our Homer''') is the ninth episode in the eighth season of The Simpsons, and features surreal animation in depicting an elaborate hallucination. In Spanish, the title, more accurately means "The Mysterious Trip of Our 'Jomer'". (Jomer is a Spanish pronunciation wordplay of 'Homer')."
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== Synopsis ==
 +
{{Desc|After [[Homer]] downs several ultra-spicy "insanity peppers" at the annual [[Springfield Chili Cook-Off|Chili Cook-Off]], his consciousness goes on a mystical journey, complete with a talking [[Space Coyote|coyote]] spirit guide, to discover his soul mate.}}
 +
== Plot ==
 +
It's time for the annual [[Springfield Chili Cook-Off]], and [[Marge]] tries everything to keep [[Homer]] from finding out about it, including cutting the ad out of the newspaper, disconnecting a phone call between Homer and [[Lenny]], and even smoking a cigaratte to cover up the smell of the cookoff wafting over the city. Homer is surprised by her smoking and opens the front door for some fresh air, then realizes the cookoff is happening when he smells the spices from the house. He begs Marge to go, but she at first says no, reminding Homer of his drunken behavior at last year's Cook-Off. However, Marge changes her mind and makes him promise not to drink any beer, and the family quickly races to the Cook-Off.
  
 +
After they arrive, Homer is revealed to be a revered chilli critic whose opinion is highly important to all the cooks. He demonstrates an extraordinary ability to withstand hot foods, until he falls victim to [[Chief Wiggum]]'s chili spiked with "[[Guatemalan Insanity Pepper|The Merciless Peppers of Quetzlzacatenango]]", humiliating himself in front of the whole town. Feeling the effects of the extremely hot peppers, Homer races desperately around in search for ''anything'' to drink, grabs a tray full of beers, and nearly drinks them when Marge catches him. Homer doesn't actually drink the beers (instead simply dousing his tongue with them), but Marge is still furious and storms off. Homer resorts to drinking water and discovers that candle wax can protect his mouth from the pepper's spiciness. Homer then returns to Chief Wiggum's stand and amazes the whole town by eating several peppers in quick succession. However, the peppers roil in his stomach, causing him to hallucinate and run off.
  
 +
In his hallucination, Homer ends up in a desert, a bizarre world where the laws of physics don't apply, wherein he breaks the sun and encounters strange creatures such as a puddle that transforms into a snake. Homer is then instructed to follow a [[tortoise]] and climb a pyramid which grows to an enormous height, where he meets his spirit guide, a [[The Space Coyote|coyote]] voiced by Johnny Cash. The coyote advises Homer to find his soulmate, and questions Homer's assumption that he has already found her in Marge.
  
== Plot ==
+
When Homer regains his senses, he rationalizes his dream. For example, he compares the desert he wandered in to the real-life location where he woke up (a golf course's sand trap) and the pyramid to the course's pro shop, and the talking coyote to a talking dog. After returning home, he finds Marge (who thinks that he got drunk, thus breaking his promise) angry with him for his odd behaviour at the cook-off. Feeling that Marge doesn't understand him at all, and remembering the coyote's words, Homer sets off on his own quest to find his soulmate. After looking among the patrons in [[Moe's Tavern]] and responding to a Personals ad placed by "GBM", Homer happens to see the lighthouse and concludes that the lighthouse operator must be the loneliest guy in town.
[[Marge]] and [[Homer]] head over to a [[Springfield Chili Cook-Off]], Homer having promised to not drink any beer. While there, Homer demonstrates an extraordinary ability to withstand hot foods, until he falls victim to [[Chief Wiggum]]'s chili spiked with "[[Guatemalan Insanity Pepper|The Merciless Peppers of Quetzlzacatenango]]." The peppers bring on a mescaline-esque hallucination in a bizarre world wherein Homer encounters a snake, a tortoise and even destroys the sun. He meets his spirit guide, a [[The Space Coyote|coyote]] voiced by Johnny Cash. The coyote advises Homer to find his soulmate, and questions Homer's assumption that he has already found her in Marge.
 
  
When Homer regains his senses, he rationalises his dream, for example comparing the desert he wandered in to the real life location, a golf course sand pit. After returning home, he finds Marge (who thinks that he got drunk, thus breaking his promise) angry with him for odd behaviour at the cook-off, and Homer also makes note  lighthouse is operated by a machine (E.A.R.L. - Electronic Automatic Robotic Lighthouse). Homer destroys the lighthouse's light in a bout of recklessness, but Marge arrives and they fix it, saving a ship. They decide they really are soulmates, and Homer mocks what he calls the “space coyote.Unfortunately the ship still grounds anyway, spilling its precious cargo of hot pants.
+
Homer goes to the lighthouse and is elated to see a sign reading "This lighthouse operated by EARL". Shouting "No more loneliness for Homer and Earl", Homer goes inside to meet his new friend. He is frustrated, however, to discover that the lighthouse is operated by a machine: [[E.A.R.L.]], short for '''E'''lectronic '''A'''utomatic '''R'''obotic '''L'''ighthouse. Homer destroys the lighthouse's giant bulb in a bout of recklessness, but Marge arrives and they fix it, warning a ship that's just about to run aground. They decide they really are soulmates, and Homer mocks what he calls the "space coyote". Unfortunately, the ship runs aground anyway, spilling its precious cargo of hot pants. The townspeople then turn up and help themselves to free hot pants.
  
== Trivia ==
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== Production ==
*The episode was originally pitched by long time writer George Meyer during season 3. The staff felt it was too odd for the show, but showrunners Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein decided to use it.
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The early working title for the episode was "Marge and Peppers; Lonely Hearts; Ka-Bamm!".<ref>[https://twitter.com/Joshstrangehill/status/427530439079624705 Josh Weinstein tweet 1]</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/Joshstrangehill/status/428368008910610433 Josh Weinstein tweet 2]</ref>
*This is the second episode to have its English title in another language, the first being "Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk".
 
*Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan were the writers' two choices to play the coyote. Bob Dylan had turned the show down many times, so Johnny Cash was given the part.
 
*The coyote was intentionally drawn in a more boxy way so that it looked unlike the other Simpsons characters. It was also done that way to resemble the representations of coyotes in American Southwestern art.
 
*Most of the chili pepper sequence was animated completely by David Silverman, who wanted it to look just right and didn't want to risk sending it to Korea.
 
*The shot of real life clouds is only the second time live-action footage was used in The Simpsons. The first time was in "Treehouse of Horror VI". Afterwards there was also live-action footage in "Treehouse of Horror IX".
 
*Some 3D computer animation is used in this episode for the giant butterfly seen during Homer's hallucination. Also, during the same hallucination, Ned Flanders' line ("What can I do-diddily-doodily-diddly-hobbily-hibbily-gobbily-gobbily-gobble-gabba-gabba-hey!") was also treated on an Macintosh computer so that it increased and decreased pitch. A sample of Flanders saying this can be heard on the track "The Nebbish Route" on the album Nothing Lasts...But Nothing Is Lost by Ambient Techno group Shpongle.
 
*This episode's commentary on the season 8 DVD set was the first commentary to include children.
 
*The FOX censors sent a note to the writers about the part where Homer coats his mouth with hot wax so he can eat Chief Wiggum's super-spicy chili pepper. The actual note reads as follows: "To discourage imitation by young and foolish viewers, when Homer begins to pour hot wax into his mouth, please have him scream in pain so kids will understand that doing this would actually burn their mouths.")
 
*This episode mentions that Springfield slopes westward to the sea, indicating that it is either on the West Coast or western Florida.
 
  
== Quotes ==
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<gallery>
 +
File:Simpsons Early Working Title Scripts.jpg
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File:3F24 Script.jpg
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</gallery>
  
*Homer: (After being reminded of his drunk behavior at last [[Springfield Chili Cook-Off]]) Oh well, of course everything looks bad when you remember it.
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== Reception ==
 +
"El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer" was viewed by approximately 8.7 million households and garnered a 9.0 Nielsen rating. It was the highest-rated show on [[Fox]] the week it aired.
  
== Music ==
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The episode received general acclaim from television critics. In 2013, [http://www.craveonline.co.uk/ Crave Online], naming it the best episode of the entire series, praised the show's "classic one-liners" and concluded, "They'll never have an episode like "El Viaje Mysterioso de Nuestro Homer" again."<ref>[http://www.craveonline.com/tv/articles/518629-best-episode-ever-1-the-simpsons Crave Online: "Best Episode Ever # 1: 'The Simpsons', A new column at CraveOnline TV begins by declaring the very best out of over 500 episodes of "The Simpsons."" - Fred Topel - June 12th, 2013]</ref> [http://www.laweekly.com/ L.A Weekly] and [http://uk.askmen.com/ Ask] both included it in their "Top 10: Simpsons Episodes" lists.<ref>[http://www.laweekly.com/squidink/2011/11/11/top-10-simpsons-food-episodes-tomacco-ribwich-with-a-side-of-guatemalan-insanity-peppers-skittlebrau LA Weekly: "Top 10 Simpsons Food Episodes: Tomacco Ribwich with a Side of Guatemalan Insanity Peppers + Skittlebrau" - By Keith Plocek - Fri, Nov 11, 2011]</ref><ref>[http://uk.askmen.com/top_10/entertainment/64_top_10_list.html AskMen.com: "Top 10: Simpsons Episodes"]</ref> Johnny Cash's guest appearance was ranked at #14 on [http://ign.com/ IGN]'s list of "Top 25 Simpsons Guest Appearances" in the show's history.<ref>[http://uk.ign.com/articles/2010/01/04/top-25-simpsons-guest-appearances?page=3 IGN.com: "Top 25 Simpsons Guest Appearances" - Eric Goldman, Dan Iverson & Brian Zoromski - 4 Jan 2010]</ref>
*"The Good The Bad And The Ugly" theme by Ennio Morricone is briefly used as Homer approaches [[Chief Wiggum]] at Springfield Chili Cook-Off.
 
*"At Seventeen" by Janis Ian plays in the background as Homer walks through the town of Springfield looking for his soul-mate after we wakes up from his vision.
 
*"Short Shorts" by The Royal Teens plays at the end of the episode (including credits) after [[Lenny]] (while holding a pair of ''hot pants''), yells into the crowd: "Hey, who like short shorts?"
 
  
== Cultural references ==
+
== Gallery ==
*There are many similarities in the appearance of the dog guide to the coyote from Carlos Castaneda's "Teachings of Don Juan" - wherein after Carlos ingests peyote he plays in the desert with a wild coyote which is (or isn't?) a hallucination.
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<gallery>
*There are also allusions in the episode to the works of Richard Bach, whose works often focus on the concept of "soulmates" and typically involve quests led by spirit guides. At the end of the episode, the Sea Captain, refers directly to Bach's most famous book, by exclaiming, "Arr! Jonathan Livingston Seagull!"
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File:Spirit guide.png|The Space Coyote
*When Homer begins to hallucinate Jasper says "Goo goo gajoob?" which is a line from The Beatles song I Am The Walrus.  
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</gallery>
*During Homer's hallucination, Ned Flanders' non-sensical talk includes the words "Gabba Gabba Hey" which is a reference to The Ramones.
 
*When Homer hallucinates, Ms. Krabappel sounds like Miss Othmar from the television and film adaptations of the comic strip Peanuts.
 
*When they are in the lighthouse discussing about their similarities, the line "It's like you're (Marge) from Venus...and you're (Homer) from Mars" is used.
 
  
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== References ==
 +
{{Reflist}}
  
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{{Images|ep=yes}}
 
{{Season 8}}
 
{{Season 8}}
[[Category:Episodes]]
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[[Category:Season 8]]
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[[Category:1997]]
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[[Category:Homer episodes]]
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[[Category:Episodes written by Ken Keeler]]
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[[Category:Episodes directed by Jim Reardon]]
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[[sv:El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage of Homer)]]

Latest revision as of 13:04, March 28, 2024

Season 8 Episode
161 "Hurricane Neddy"
162
"El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer"
"The Springfield Files" 163
"Find your soulmate, Homer."
Coyote
"El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer"
Mysterious voyage.png
Homer with the Space Coyote
Episode Information
Episode number: 162
Season number: S8 E9
Production code: 3F24
Original airdate: January 5, 1997
Couch gag: The family parachutes to the couch. Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie land safely, but Homer's parachute fails, sending him plummeting to (and through) the floor.
Guest star(s): Johnny Cash as Space Coyote
Showrunners: Bill Oakley
Josh Weinstein
Written by: Ken Keeler
Directed by: Jim Reardon
DVD features


"El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer", translated to "The Mysterious Voyage of Our Homer", is the ninth episode of season 8 of The Simpsons and the one-hundred and sixty-second episode overall. It originally aired on January 5, 1997. The episode was written by Ken Keeler and directed by Jim Reardon. It guest stars Johnny Cash as the Space Coyote.

Synopsis[edit]

"After Homer downs several ultra-spicy "insanity peppers" at the annual Chili Cook-Off, his consciousness goes on a mystical journey, complete with a talking coyote spirit guide, to discover his soul mate."

Plot[edit]

It's time for the annual Springfield Chili Cook-Off, and Marge tries everything to keep Homer from finding out about it, including cutting the ad out of the newspaper, disconnecting a phone call between Homer and Lenny, and even smoking a cigaratte to cover up the smell of the cookoff wafting over the city. Homer is surprised by her smoking and opens the front door for some fresh air, then realizes the cookoff is happening when he smells the spices from the house. He begs Marge to go, but she at first says no, reminding Homer of his drunken behavior at last year's Cook-Off. However, Marge changes her mind and makes him promise not to drink any beer, and the family quickly races to the Cook-Off.

After they arrive, Homer is revealed to be a revered chilli critic whose opinion is highly important to all the cooks. He demonstrates an extraordinary ability to withstand hot foods, until he falls victim to Chief Wiggum's chili spiked with "The Merciless Peppers of Quetzlzacatenango", humiliating himself in front of the whole town. Feeling the effects of the extremely hot peppers, Homer races desperately around in search for anything to drink, grabs a tray full of beers, and nearly drinks them when Marge catches him. Homer doesn't actually drink the beers (instead simply dousing his tongue with them), but Marge is still furious and storms off. Homer resorts to drinking water and discovers that candle wax can protect his mouth from the pepper's spiciness. Homer then returns to Chief Wiggum's stand and amazes the whole town by eating several peppers in quick succession. However, the peppers roil in his stomach, causing him to hallucinate and run off.

In his hallucination, Homer ends up in a desert, a bizarre world where the laws of physics don't apply, wherein he breaks the sun and encounters strange creatures such as a puddle that transforms into a snake. Homer is then instructed to follow a tortoise and climb a pyramid which grows to an enormous height, where he meets his spirit guide, a coyote voiced by Johnny Cash. The coyote advises Homer to find his soulmate, and questions Homer's assumption that he has already found her in Marge.

When Homer regains his senses, he rationalizes his dream. For example, he compares the desert he wandered in to the real-life location where he woke up (a golf course's sand trap) and the pyramid to the course's pro shop, and the talking coyote to a talking dog. After returning home, he finds Marge (who thinks that he got drunk, thus breaking his promise) angry with him for his odd behaviour at the cook-off. Feeling that Marge doesn't understand him at all, and remembering the coyote's words, Homer sets off on his own quest to find his soulmate. After looking among the patrons in Moe's Tavern and responding to a Personals ad placed by "GBM", Homer happens to see the lighthouse and concludes that the lighthouse operator must be the loneliest guy in town.

Homer goes to the lighthouse and is elated to see a sign reading "This lighthouse operated by EARL". Shouting "No more loneliness for Homer and Earl", Homer goes inside to meet his new friend. He is frustrated, however, to discover that the lighthouse is operated by a machine: E.A.R.L., short for Electronic Automatic Robotic Lighthouse. Homer destroys the lighthouse's giant bulb in a bout of recklessness, but Marge arrives and they fix it, warning a ship that's just about to run aground. They decide they really are soulmates, and Homer mocks what he calls the "space coyote". Unfortunately, the ship runs aground anyway, spilling its precious cargo of hot pants. The townspeople then turn up and help themselves to free hot pants.

Production[edit]

The early working title for the episode was "Marge and Peppers; Lonely Hearts; Ka-Bamm!".[1][2]

Reception[edit]

"El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer" was viewed by approximately 8.7 million households and garnered a 9.0 Nielsen rating. It was the highest-rated show on Fox the week it aired.

The episode received general acclaim from television critics. In 2013, Crave Online, naming it the best episode of the entire series, praised the show's "classic one-liners" and concluded, "They'll never have an episode like "El Viaje Mysterioso de Nuestro Homer" again."[3] L.A Weekly and Ask both included it in their "Top 10: Simpsons Episodes" lists.[4][5] Johnny Cash's guest appearance was ranked at #14 on IGN's list of "Top 25 Simpsons Guest Appearances" in the show's history.[6]

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]


The Saga of Carl - title screen.png Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer".
Season 8 Episodes
Treehouse of Horror VII You Only Move Twice The Homer They Fall Burns, Baby Burns Bart After Dark A Milhouse Divided Lisa's Date with Density Hurricane Neddy El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer The Springfield Files The Twisted World of Marge Simpson Mountain of Madness Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show Homer's Phobia Brother from Another Series My Sister, My Sitter Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment Grade School Confidential The Canine Mutiny The Old Man and the Lisa In Marge We Trust Homer's Enemy The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase The Secret War of Lisa Simpson