Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?
"Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?"
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Episode Information
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"Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?" is the 24th episode of The Simpsons' third season. It was originally supposed to be the opener for season four, but FOX decided to air it earlier to promote the series premiere of Martin; thus, it became the finale of season three.
Plot Synopsis
Homer Simpson, along with the rest of the employees at the Nuclear Power Plant, are summoned to partake in the annual physical. Homer's sperm count comes back as incredibly low, and this is undoubtedly due to the radiation that is created at the nuclear power plant. Realising that the plant could be sued for millions, Burns discusses options for trying to escape that liability. They settle on the idea of tricking him into signing a waiver by pretending that it is an award, hastily called "The First Annual Montgomery Burns Award For Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence". As part of the award, Homer recieved $2000.
Meanwhile, Herb, now bankrupt and sleeping on the streets, was discussing how he lost his fortune due to his half brother Homer's stupidity with other homeless people and the creator of 'New Coke'. After boldly claiming that all a person needs is a good idea and some money to get it off the ground, he found a newspaper that showed a photo of Homer winning the Burns award and decided that he could give him a visit to ask for a chance to make his money back.
Homer, though, has other plans for the money. After Bart and Lisa destroy the couch during a session of 'living room Olympics', he found that a store sells a vibrating chair for $2000, which he immediately falls in love with. Marge talks him out of making the purchase, though. Herb, looking for the Simpsons accidentally go the the Flanders' place, who clean and bathe him, giving him a new suit. Once he found the Simpsons' residence, Homer answered the door, and Herb punched him in the face and walked in.
Herb asked them for a second chance, and Marge and bart convince Homer to give him the money. Herb, though, needed an idea. A mother trying to work out what her baby wanted gave him the idea he wanted and after pitching the idea to the Simpsons, he went to work on the device immediately.
After much work with Maggie, he unveils the translator to the family, who were quite overwhelmed by it despite its lack of aesthetics. Herb takes it to an inventors' convention, and he is inundated by orders and an offer from a baby goods store to stock thousands of his translators. Herb believes that he has made his fortune back again.
As Herb leaves the Simpsons, he gives them all gifts. For Lisa, he gives a subscription to Encyclopedia Generica, to Bart a membership to the NRA, to Marge a replacement washer and dryer (plus $50 which he made selling the old ones), and to Homer two gifts- acceptance that he is his brother, plus the vibrating chair that he wanted so much. Homer is incredibly pleased by this gift.
Trivia
- The vibrating chair can be seen in the attic in later episodes.
- For such a revolutionary device, the baby translator is never seen again.
Appearances
Characters
- Homer Simpson
- Lenny Leonard
- Marge Simpson
- Montgomery Burns
- Smithers
- Blue-Haired Lawyer
- Herb Powell
- Bart Simpson
- Lisa Simpson
- Helen Lovejoy
- Ned Flanders
- Maude Flanders
- Carl Carlson
- Maggie Simpson
- Moe Szyslak
- Barney Gumble
- Akira
- Rod and Todd Flanders
- Professor Frink
- Sam and Larry
