Season 9

Season 9

Season Information

Original run:	September 21, 1997 – May 17, 1998
No. of episodes:	25
Previous season:	Season 8
Next season:	Season 10
DVD boxset:	The Complete Ninth Season

Season 9 originally aired between September 21, 1997 and May 17, 1998.

Highlights

The Simpsons' ninth season originally aired between September 21, 1997 and May 17, 1998, beginning with "The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson". The show runner for the ninth production season was Mike Scully. The aired season contained three episodes which were hold-over episodes from season eight, which Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein ran, as well as two episodes from season seven. It also contained two episodes which were run by David Mirkin, and another two episodes which were run by Al Jean and Mike Reiss.

Season nine won three Emmy Awards: Trash of the Titans for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program in 1998, Hank Azaria picked up "Outstanding Voice-Over Performance" for the voice of Apu Nahasapeemapetilon and Alf Clausen and Ken Keeler picking up the "Outstanding Music and Lyrics" award. Clausen was also nominated for "Outstanding Music Direction" and "Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore)" for Treehouse of Horror VIII. Season nine was also nominated for a "Best Network Television Series" award by the Saturn Awards and "Best Sound Editing" for a Golden Reel Award.

The DVD box set was released in Region 1 on December 19, 2006, Region 2 on January 29, 2007, and Region 4 on March 21, 2007. The set was released in two different forms: a Lisa-shaped head to match the Homer, Marge and Maggie shaped heads of the previous two sets and also a standard rectangular shaped box. Like the eighth season box set, both versions are available for sale separately.

Episodes

Picture	#	Original title	Original airdate	Directed by	Written by	Prod. code
100px	179 - 1	"The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson"	September 21, 1997	Jim Reardon	Ian Maxtone-Graham	4F22
Homer allows Barney to use his car when Barney is picked to be the designated driver for that night at Moe's Tavern. However, Barney disappears for two months with the car, and returns without it. Homer searches for his car, and eventually receives a letter from the City of New York. The family is excited to go there to obtain the car, but Homer, who had had a bad experience in New York when he was younger, is reluctant. After reaching New York City, Homer sees the car parked near the World Trade Center, where he must wait by so that an officer can remove the wheel clamp. He is distracted from standing watch for the police when he has to go the bathroom, and causes him to miss the police officer. Homer gets angry, and leaves the city with the clamp on.
	180 - 2	"The Principal and the Pauper"	September 28, 1997	Steven Dean Moore	Ken Keeler	4F23
When a celebration is held at Springfield Elementary to honor his 20 years as principal, Seymour Skinner is revealed to be an impostor when the real Seymour, Sgt. Seymour Skinner, shows up. The principal's real name is revealed to be Armin Tamzarian, an orphan from Capital City. Armin soon leaves to return to Capital City, and Sgt. Seymour Skinner takes over as principal. However, many, including Agnes Skinner, soon decide they preferred the old Seymour. After persuading him to come back from Capital City to be Principal Skinner again, the townspeople send Sgt. Skinner out of town on a railroad. Guest starring Martin Sheen
100px	181 - 3	"Lisa's Sax"	October 19, 1997	Dominic Polcino	Al Jean	3G02
After being disrupted by Lisa's saxophone practice, Bart gets into a fight with Lisa, ultimately causing her saxophone to be thrown out the window and run over by a truck, flattening it. Trying to console her, Homer shares the story of how she got her saxophone: With Bart struggling to fit in at school, Homer and Marge go to the school's psychologist. While doing little to help Bart, the doctor notices Lisa's "gifts" and recommends a private school, though the family cannot afford it. Instead, Homer decides to buy a saxophone with the money he was saving for an air conditioner because of the hot summer. After finishing the story, Homer once again decides to not spend the money on an air conditioner and buys a new saxophone for Lisa instead. Guest Starring Fyvush Finkel
	182 - 4	"Treehouse of Horror VIII"	October 26, 1997	Mark Kirkland	Mike Scully, David S. Cohen and Ned Goldreyer	5F02
A Halloween special which is divided into three short stories: The HΩmega Man – After the French strike Springfield with a nuclear bomb, Homer discovers that he is the only one who survived the attack, until mutants come after him. Fly Vs. Fly – Bart uses Professor Frink's teleporter to turn himself into a fly. Easy Bake Coven – In a 1600s Puritan town, Marge is accused of being a witch, which turns out to be true. She flees to her sisters' cave, where the three become the inventors of Halloween.
	183 - 5	"The Cartridge Family"	November 2, 1997	Pete Michels	John Swartzwelder	5F01
After a large soccer riot leads to an extended period of mob rule throughout Springfield, Homer decides to forgo an expensive security system in favor of a gun. As Marge disapproves of a gun in the house, Homer takes her to an NRA meeting to sell her on the concept. Marge's objections continue, finally forcing Homer to agree to get rid of the weapon. Unfortunately, Bart and Milhouse later discover it concealed in the refrigerator. Infuriated and frightened, Marge takes the kids and leaves Homer. With nothing but his gun and his indignation for company, Homer hosts an NRA meeting in his empty house, only to be kicked out of the group when the gun-nuts themselves acknowledge his reckless and irresponsible treatment of firearms. Thusly humbled, Homer seeks out his family to admit his mistake.
100px	184 - 6	"Bart Star"	November 9, 1997	Dominic Polcino	Donick Cary	5F03
When the children of Springfield are deemed to be overweight, many parents place their children in the peewee football team, including Bart. Ned is the coach of the team, until he quits after Homer's heckling, which ultimately leads to Homer being the new coach. While being tough on Bart originally, Homer realizes how rough his father was on him when he played sports. This leads Homer to make Bart the quarterback instead of the more skilled Nelson, causing the team to lose a few games and Bart to become angry at his father. Unwilling to make Nelson the quarterback again initially, Homer finally apologizes to Bart for pressuring him and replaces him with Nelson, thus allowing the team to win the championship. Guest Starring Joe Namath, Roy Firestone and Mike Judge
	185 - 7	"The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons"	November 9, 1997	Steven Dean Moore	Richard Appel	5F04
When the children of Springfield are deemed to be overweight, many parents place their children in the peewee football team, including Bart. Ned is the coach of the team, until he quits after Homer's heckling, which ultimately leads to Homer being the new coach. While being tough on Bart originally, Homer realizes how rough his father was on him when he played sports. This leads Homer to make Bart the quarterback instead of the more skilled Nelson, causing the team to lose a few games and Bart to become angry at his father. Unwilling to make Nelson the quarterback again initially, Homer finally apologizes to Bart for pressuring him and replaces him with Nelson, thus allowing the team to win the championship. Guest Starring Jan Hooks and Andrea Martin
	186 - 8	"Lisa the Skeptic"	November 23, 1997	Neil Affleck	David S. Cohen	5F05
Lisa discovers that a shopping mall is going to be built at a site where prehistoric fossils were found. Afraid of there being more prehistoric items at the site, Lisa complains to the developers and starts an archaeological survey at the site. Late into the dig, Lisa unearths a skeleton with bones that resemble wings, similar to an angel's. Despite the whole town believing it to be an angel, Lisa takes a sample of the skeleton and has it tested to see if it is one of a human. The results are inconclusive, leaving Lisa still skeptical. After an interview about her beliefs, there is a town riot against the science community. During the riots, the skeleton is stolen. The town finally discovers it on a hillside with the message, "The End Will Come at Sundown" carved into it. However, the entire ordeal turns out to be publicity stunt that was pulled off by the mall's developers. Surprisingly, the town is not angry, but is instead fascinated by the low prices at the mall. Guest Starring Stephen Jay Gould
100px	187 - 9	"Realty Bites"	December 7, 1997	Swinton O. Scott III	Dan Greaney	5F06
Homer takes Marge to a police-seized property auction, where he buys a sports car that was formerly Snake's. On the ride home, Marge decides to walk because of Homer's erratic driving in the new car. She runs into Lionel Hutz, who is now a realtor. Interested, Marge takes a test to become one, and soon works for a realtor company, Red Blazer Realty. However, after being threatened to be fired for failing to sell any houses, Marge must lie to the Flanders to sell them a house where murders had once taken place. Feeling guilty, Marge tells them the truth after they stay there for a night, which only seems to make them more fascinated in living in the home. Meanwhile, Snake hears about the auction of his car and is so angry that he breaks out of jail to get it back. As he and Homer fight, the car crashes into the house, causing the Flanders to move back to their home, and Marge to get fired. Guest Starring Phil Hartman
	188 - 10	"Miracle on Evergreen Terrace"	December 21, 1997	Bob Anderson	Ron Hauge	5F07
On Christmas morning, Bart wakes up earlier than the rest of the family and goes to open his presents. After playing with a remote control firetruck, Bart accidentally starts a fire, causing the plastic Christmas tree and the presents to melt. Bart hides the melted mess, but the next morning, reports to the family that there had been a robber. The news media soon reports this, and the community rallies to their aid and donates $15,000, which Homer spends on a car he soon crashes. However, Bart soon tells the truth to his family; that there never was a robber. The community soon finds out, and demands their money back. Marge decides to go on Jeopardy! to make the money back, but does not succeed. When the family comes back home, they find that the town has looted their entire house of everything except a washcloth. Guest Starring Alex Trebek
100px	189 - 11	"All Singing, All Dancing"	January 4, 1998	Mark Ervin	Steve O'Donnell	5F24
Homer goes out and rents a western movie to watch with his family on the VCR. However, the movie turns out to be a musical, which disgusts Homer. The family reminds Homer of the past times that he has sung and danced in enjoyment, and soon, the family is singing and dancing themselves. Snake enters the house through a window and threatens the family, but decides they would not be good hostages. The family sings once more, and later, Snake comes back, threatening to kill them for putting an annoying tune in his head, but realizes he is out of ammunition and leaves. The family continues to sing, until Snake returns to kill them, but the family tells him they are finished singing. The episode ends with Marge humming nearby the living room window, causing Snake to shoot through it.
100px	190 - 12	"Bart Carny"	January 11, 1998	Mark Kirkland	John Swartzwelder	5F08
While the family is at a traveling carnival, Bart accidentally crashes Adolf Hitler's car. To pay off the debts, Homer and Bart get jobs at the carnival by helping with the booths and exhibits, where they befriend Cooder and Spud, a father-and-son carny team. Unfortunately, Homer causes their booth to get shut down, when he does not recognize the bribe Chief Wiggum was asking for. Homer decides to allow the two carnies to stay at his home. The next day, the family goes to a glass bottom boat ride with the tickets Cooder gave them, only to discover their house has been taken over by the two carnies when they return. After brainstorming on how to get the house back, Homer decides to make Cooder a deal: If Homer can get a hula hoop around the house's chimney, he can have his house back, but if he does not, he will sign the deed of the house to Cooder. However, the family fools the two carnies, and rushes back into the house before the two can do anything. Guest Starring Jim Varney
100px	191 - 13	"The Joy of Sect"	February 8, 1998	Steven Dean Moore	Steve O'Donnell	5F23
After encountering two recruiters of a sect called "The Movementarians", Homer attends a session that teaches about their sect, where he is brainwashed to join. Homer moves the entire family to their compound, where the entire family, except Marge, is brainwashed. Marge escapes through a dangerous getaway, and finds Reverend Lovejoy, Ned Flanders and Groundskeeper Willie for help. The four manage to kidnap the family back. They are able to persuade Lisa and Bart to not believe in the sect anymore, but are unable to get Homer back, as the sect's lawyers take him back before they are able to. However, Homer no longer believes in the sect when he arrives, and manages to expose them as fake. The group then disbands, and the family goes back home.
100px	192 - 14	"Das Bus"	February 15, 1998	Pete Michels	David S. Cohen	5F11
As the students of Springfield Elementary are being driven to a model UN conference, Otto drives the bus off a bridge after his brake pedal is blocked by a grapefruit. To obtain help, Otto swims off, while the kids are still in the bus. Soon, when the bus is nearly full of water, the kids manage to escape and swim to an island. Once there, the kids find no food, causing Bart to swim back to the sunken bus to get the cooler full of food. Lisa advises everyone to not eat much, as it may be the only food they could have for some time. However, the cooler is found empty the next morning, with the food wrappings discarded around Milhouse, who claims a monster ate it. Lisa champions the charter of the Model UN and insists on giving Milhouse a trial, wherein he is found innocent. The verdict angers the kids, however, inciting violence against Lisa, Milhouse, and Bart, who are forced to flee. The three hide in a cave, but are chased out by a boar, which is soon found out to be the "monster". The kids kill the boar and eat it, and a narration assures that Moe saves the kids. Meanwhile, Homer starts his own internet company, but it is eventually destroyed by Bill Gates. Guest Starring James Earl Jones
100px	193 - 15	"The Last Temptation of Krust"	February 22, 1998	Mike B. Anderson	Donick Cary	5F10
After a rude awakening to his own hackneyed and dated comedy act, Krusty does some heavy drinking and wakes up in front of the Flanders' house. Bart takes him inside his house and into his room, where Krusty, looking at all the Krusty merchandise, realizes that he has sold out instead of focusing on comedy. Bart invites Jay Leno to help clean up Krusty, and modernize his jokes. However, Krusty's attempts fail, causing him to announce his retirement. During his announcement, the group of reporters find his tirade against modern comedians hilarious, influencing Krusty to try a hipper, more honest blend of comedy and social criticism. Although he becomes a popular comedian again, Krusty ends up selling out once more when some advertisers bribe him to endorse a car, in return for a free one. Guest Starring Jay Leno, Janeane Garofalo, Bobcat Goldthwait, Hank Williams Jr., Steven Wright and Bruce Baum

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