The Squirt and the Whale
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Template:EpisodeHD The Squirt and the Whale is the nineteenth episode of Season 21, which aired on April 25, 2010. It was written by Matt Warburton and directed by Mark Kirkland. The episode features contains references to the 2005 film The Squid and the Whale and the TV show, South Park.
Fed up with high electric bills, Homer puts up a wind turbine in the backyard, but when he sees that his excess energy goes back to the power company, he makes the house entirely dependant on it; among the victims of a violent windstorm are the turbine and a whale which ended up beached, prompting Lisa and Homer to attempt to save it.
Plot
Seeking a cheaper, alternate source of energy, the Simpsons put up a windmill generator in their backyard. But once Homer discovers that the windmill's surplus power is being sent back to the power grid (and therefore to the electric company), he refuses to be a part of anything that benefits "the man" and has their home removed from the power grid. This leaves the Simpsons completely dependent on the windmill, which proves to be an untrustworthy source of power: they only have electricity when the wind is blowing. Ironically, a huge windstorm blows into the Springfield area, giving the Simpsons electricity galore until the windmill is knocked out of commission. The next morning, Bart and Lisa walk around looking at the damage from the storm, and discover that a 150-foot-long blue whale has beached itself.
The whole town tries to help the whale, but without success. Lisa comes to care deeply for the whale, reading poetry to it at night and falling asleep beside it. A few days later, the whale dies and Lisa is very sad. Later, Lisa is standing at the docks and sees the whale's two calves surrounded by a group of sharks. Lisa and Homer try to fend off the sharks but fail, and Homer ends up in the water with the sharks. Fortunately, the whales' father shows up just in time and saves both its babies and Homer.
