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Difference between revisions of "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em"

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{{Infobox Simpsons episode|
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{{Tab}}
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  episode_name = Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em...|
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{{EpisodePrevNext|Jazzy and the Pussycats|Treehouse of Horror XVII}}
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  episode_no = 381|
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{{Icons||FE}}
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  prod_code = HABF20|
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{{quote|Homer, it's time people knew the truth: I'm doing the work and I want the credit.|[[Marge Simpson]]}}
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  airdate = [[September 24]], [[2006]]|
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{{Episode
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  writer =
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|image= Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em.png
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{{ListGenBot-SourceStart|SimpsonsWriters|SimpsonsWritersS18}}
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|number= 381
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  [[Matt Warburton]]
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|season=18
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|snumber=3
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  |director =
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|prodcode= HABF20
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{{ListGenBot-SourceStart|SimpsonsDirectors|SimpsonsDirectorsS18}}
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|airdate= September 24, [[2006]]
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  [[Mike B. Anderson]] and [[Ralph Sosa]]
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|couchgag= We see a vending machine with the family and several other characters inside of it instead of candy. Ralph walks up and orders Homer, bites off his head and leaves.
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{{ListGenBot-SourceEnd}}
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|showrunner1= Al Jean
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  |blackboard = |
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|writer= [[Matt Warburton]]
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|director= [[Mike B. Anderson]]<br>'''Co-director:''' [[Ralph Sosa]]
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  couch_gag =  
 
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{{ListGenBot-SourceStart|SimpsonsCouchGags|SimpsonsCouchGagsS18}}
 
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  We see a vending machine with the family and several other characters inside of it instead of candy. Ralph walks up and orders Homer, bites off his head and walks away.
 
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{{ListGenBot-SourceEnd}}
 
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  |guest_star = |
 
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  image = [[Image:Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em...jpg|220px]] |
 
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  season = 18 |
 
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'''Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em...''' is the third episode of the [[The Simpsons (season 18)|eighteenth season]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]''. It aired on [[September 24]], [[2006]].
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"'''Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em'''" is the third episode of [[season 18]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and the three-hundred and eighty-first episode overall. It originally aired on September 24, [[2006]]. The episode was written by [[Matt Warburton]] and directed by [[Mike B. Anderson]] and [[Ralph Sosa]].
  
 
== Synopsis ==
 
== Synopsis ==
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{{spoiler}}
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{{Desc|[[Marge]] gets a job as carpenter, but every man thinks she is going to ruin everything she fixes because she is a woman, so [[Homer]] pretends to be the carpenter while Marge does all the work, until he starts receiving too much credit for doing nothing.}}
  
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Opening Credits: Blackboard joke: None Couch gag: [[Ralph Wiggum]] wanders into the Simpson living room, where a [[vending machine]] is full of assorted [[The Simpsons]] characters. Ralph selects a Homer character from the machine and bites the head off, as if it is a piece of [[candy]].
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== Plot ==
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[[File:Peanut Shrimp.png|thumb|left|Bart and Skinner fight above a vat of [[Peanut Shrimp]].]]
 +
The [[Simpson family]] make a trip to the [[Springfield Mall]], which is derelict and run down due to [[Mayor Quimby]]'s father being killed there. As they go past several run down stores, they arrive at the remains of a [[JCPenney's]], which has now become a collection of candle kiosks and Persian CD stores. A [[Persian man]] then approaches the family, trying to sell a copy of ''[[Uma Shang Shang: The Flower Song]]'' by [[Nabil]], singing [[Uma Shang Shang|the title song from the album]]. Homer is unconvinced at first buy purchases it after he throws in a free tube of [[Sunni Smile]]. Meanwhile, [[Bart]] went to [[Captain Blip's Zapateria]] where he played ''[[Triangle Wars]]''. After Homer and [[Marge]] popped into a sweet shop where Homer bought old gummy worms, they visit [[Rock Bottom Remainders]], a book shop. Whilst here, Homer buys ''[[The Time Life Carpenter's Library]]'', which excites Marge as she thinks Homer is going to start being handy around the house.
  
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Act One: The Simpson family visits the, now run down and dilapidated, Springfield Mall for some shopping. The mall is nearly empty and the stores that still remain in the mall, are either under stocked or abandoned. Bart visits a video arcade with beat up old arcade games from the [[1980]]’s. He plays Triangle Wars, which is a parody of the old [[Asteroids arcade game]]. Homer pays a visit to a candy store and despite the advisement of the store clerk, Homer purchases some [[gummy worms]] that have been around for years. Marge and Homer visit a used book store, and Homer happens across The Time Life Carpenter’s Library. Homer shows interest in the “how to” books and Marge encourages him to buy them.
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At home, Marge gets a letter from the [[Springfield Elementary School|school]] telling students not to bring peanut-based food in as someone in school is deathly allergic to peanuts. Marge then goes through Bart's lunchbox and removes all peanut-based food, and a copy of ''[[Good Grief, More Peanuts]]''. In the living room, Homer is watching TV, with his feet up on his new books, claiming that he made a footrest. Marge gets annoyed at Homer not following through on anything and goes upstairs to their bedroom. In the bedroom, Marge stands on a loose floorboard which knocks over the nightstand so Marge uses one of the carpentry books to help repair them both. Upon realizing she was good at this, she started to build other objects from the books. Marge then decides to start a carpentry business, but when every customer realizes that she's a woman, they refuse her services.
  
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Back at home, Bart relaxes in the kitchen, while Marge opens a letter from school. The note is to inform all the parents that someone at the school has a [[peanut allergy]] and that peanuts will no longer be allowed at school. In the living room, Homer watches some stock car racing and Marge tries to encourage him to build something with his new “how to” books. She grumbles though, as the lazy Homer explains that he is using them, as a footrest. Upstairs in her room, Marge puts some laundry away; she steps on a loose floor board that flips up and tips over her nightstand, breaking it. Marge suddenly gets an idea, as she sees one of Homer’s “how to” books, featuring floorboards and nightstands, lying on his nightstand. Later, Marge sports some overalls and some tools, as she fixes the loose floorboard and her nightstand, with the help of Homer’s “how to” book. Marge receives a feeling accomplishment and decides to learn some more [[carpentry]], as a short montage shows her building a fancy birdhouse, mailbox, greeting sign, and doghouse. Bart and Lisa are amazed at Marge’s handyman skills and Lisa suggests to Marge that she try and earn some money with her new knowledge of [[carpentry]].
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In bed that day, Marge comes up with a plan to have Homer pretend to be the carpenter and Marge does all the work whilst the customers aren't around. The two of them do work for [[Professor Frink]] and [[Kent Brockman]]. After finishing Brockman's gazebo, Homer asks him how he would feel if a woman had done all the work, and Brockman reacted negatively to it. At school, Bart tries to find out who the kid with the peanut allergy is. He then finds from [[Willie]] that it was [[Principal Skinner]] and spies on Skinner and Willie in Skinner's office. Whilst this is happening, Marge is shopping at [[Builders' Barn]] when [[Helen Lovejoy]] and [[Lindsey Naegle]] tease her about helping Homer rather than doing the work, which angers Marge. At home, Marge tells Homer that she is annoyed with how much credit Homer is taking for the work.
  
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Marge puts out a flyer, featuring the name of her new company “Simpson Carpentry.” Superintendent Chalmers responds to the flyer and inquires about his damaged bookcase that is in need of repair. But when Marge shows up at his door to fix his bookcase, he is shocked at the idea of a woman carpenter and suddenly changes his mind. Marge also shows up at Krusty the Klown’s doorstep, but he offers the same reaction as Superintendent Chalmers; citing that women can’t be carpenters. That night in bed, Marge voices her frustrations to Homer; she comments aloud, that maybe people expect carpenters to be fat guys with their butt cracks showing. As she looks over at Homer, who is already sleeping, Marge suddenly gets an idea, when she sees his butt crack peeking out of his pajamas. The next day, Professor Frink inquires about the installation of a doggie door at his home, and Homer arrives at his doorstep with a giant red tool chest on wheels. Professor Frink informs Homer of the doggie door, and when he goes back inside, Marge sneaks out of the tool chest to do the work. Marge is happy to see her plan is successful.
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[[File:Homer Marge Zoominator.png|thumb|right|Marge repairs the tracks as Homer rides the [[Zoominator]].]]
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At school, Bart goes bowling with trophies, which angers Skinner. As Skinner gets ready to punish Bart, Bart pulls out a peanut on a stick to torment him with. Bart puts Skinner through humiliating experiences whilst scaring him with the peanut. Meanwhile, Marge was working on making a windmill for [[Lenny]]. As Lenny and [[Carl]] approach, Marge gets back into the toolbox and Lenny and Carl talk badly about women, which angers Marge. After this incident, Marge decides that she's had enough and Homer has to give her credit, which he refuses to do. Homer also mentions that they had been hired to repair [[The Zoominator]], a wooden roller coaster. Marge refuses to help, so Homer tries to hire contractors. Once the contractors he hires find out that he doesn't have money, they leave Homer to fix the roller coaster himself.
  
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Act Two: Marge’s successful [[carpentry]] service continues, as she builds Kent Brockman a [[gazebo]] in his back yard. When Kent comes out to inspect the finished product, Marge quickly hides in the tool chest. Kent is impressed with the [[gazebo]] and Homer asks Kent what he would say if he found out that the [[gazebo]] was built by a woman. Kent responds by saying that if that were true he would tear the [[gazebo]] down.
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That night, Principal Skinner had a nightmare involving [[Mr. Peanut]]. Later that day, Bart made Skinner go to [[The Android's Dungeon]] to breastfeed [[Bilbo Baggins]] in the shop window. In the store, [[Comic Book Guy]] tells Skinner about [[Superman]]'s {{W|Kryptonite}}, which gives Skinner the idea to find what Bart is allergic to. Skinner breaks into [[Dr. Hibbert]]'s office and finds that Bart is allergic to shrimp, which he uses to stop Bart from forcing him to do stuff. The two of them then have a fight across town, riding on the top of the [[school bus]], until they enter a [[Thai Food Factory]]. The factory had a vat of [[Peanut Shrimp]] which they both fall into, both getting allergic reactions. Meanwhile, Homer unveils the newly repaired Zoominator, which immediately starts to fall apart again. Annoyed at everyone's reactions, Homer decides to get on the roller coaster to prove them all wrong. However, the tracks start to break, which Marge jumps to repairing. As the roller coaster reaches the end, it collapses and falls onto Homer.
  
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At school, Groundskeeper Willie performs searches for peanut products before allowing the students into the school. An impatient Bart grumbles aloud about how he doesn’t think it is fair that the entire school has to give up peanuts just for one kid. As Willie searches Bart’s backpack, Bart tricks Willie into telling him that Principal Skinner is the one who has the peanut allergy. Later, Bart spies on Skinner and Willie in the Principal’s office, as Skinner informs Willie to make sure to keep even the tiniest peanut crumb away, or his throat will close up as fast as, “A museum at 4:45.”
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In hospital, Marge forgives Homer for everything that happened between them. She also tells Bart not to risk his own life saving his principal, which Skinner objects to as that wasn't how it happened. Bart and Skinner then start throwing peanuts and shrimp at each other, leaving Marge to go look at the new babies instead of dealing with it.
  
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At the Builder’s Barn, Marge picks up some more [[carpentry]] supplies and she is stopped by Helen Lovejoy, and Lindsay Naegle. The two women ask Marge if she is out buying supplies for Homer, and Marge replies, telling them that she helps Homer out more than people think. The two women just laugh at Marge alluding to the fact that women can’t be carpenters, and Marge struggles to keep her temper. That night at home, Homer accepts another carpentry job and hands the phone off to Marge, who acts his secretary, “Shirley.” A disgruntled Marge makes the appointment with the customer and angrily hangs up the phone. Marge shares her feelings with Homer, telling him that he takes too much off the credit and that she wishes she could take the rightful credit for her work. Homer counters by telling Marge that they can’t tell anyone that she does the work, because he would be humiliated in front of the whole town.
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== Production ==
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One of the first jokes that was written for the episode involved the decrepit mall.<ref name="Jean">{{Com|Jean, Al|Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em|Eighteenth|(2017).}}</ref> The episode was co-directed by [[Ralph Sosa]], who was originally the assistant director. This was because main director [[Mike B. Anderson]] had to work on ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'' during production of the episode, leaving no assistant director for the episode.<ref name="Anderson">{{Com|Anderson, Mike B.|Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em|Eighteenth|(2017).}}</ref> Sosa took over as the director after storyboards were completed and they were moving onto layouts. The episode was Ralph Sosa's first time directing and not having an assistant director was a handicap.<ref name="Sosa">{{Com|Sosa, Ralph|Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em|Eighteenth|(2017).}}</ref> Sosa and animation timer [[Robert Ingram]] worked to finish off the show, and were nervous about showing off the final product.<ref name="Anderson"/>
  
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The next day at school, Bart removes the school trophies from the trophy case, sets them up as bowling pins and knocks them down with Homer’s bowling ball. Principal Skinner catches Bart in the act, and orders him to detention. A confident and cocky Bart brushes off Skinner’s order, and turns the tables on the Principal, by wielding a stick with a peanut tied to the end of it. Skinner instantly is at Bart’s mercy; a short montage shows Bart wielding his “peanut stick” while forcing Skinner to write “A baby beat me up” repeatedly on the blackboard; Bart forces Skinner to stand in place as he fires tennis balls and beer cans at Skinner; and Bart forces Skinner to read an embarrassing announcement over the school [[P.A. system]].
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The name of the [[Rock Bottom Remainders]] book store is a reference to the band {{W|Rock Bottom Remainders}}, which featured [[Matt Groening]].<ref name="Jean"/> The episode is loosely based on ''{{W|Big Eyes}}'', which was about a man taking credit for his wife's paintings.<ref name="Price">{{Com|Price, Michael|Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em|Eighteenth|(2017).}}</ref> Before the episode, [[Al Jean]] had to tell people to not feature butt cracks or cleavage so much after the {{W|Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy}}. So director [[Mike B. Anderson]] had to work to make Homer's butt crack look less like a butt crack. This led to them compromising with a double-cleavage butt crack.<ref name="Anderson"/>
  
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The [[carpentry]] business continues, as Marge builds a [[windmill]] for Lenny, while Homer eats potato chips and watches. When Lenny and Carl come out to see the [[windmill]], Marge is forced to quickly hide in the tool chest, while Homer takes the credit for her work. Later at home, Marge is fed up with Homer taking all the credit all the time and decides to quit the [[carpentry]] business. Homer tells Marge she can’t quit, because Mayor Quimby has commissioned him to repair Springfield’s old wooden roller coaster, The Zoominator. This only angers Marge more and she storms off, telling Homer that he will have to repair The Zoominator himself. Meanwhile, outside Bart forces Skinner to fill his pants with cats and lit firecrackers.
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The producers licensed the song "{{W|Duel of the Fates}}" from ''{{W|Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace}}'' to be used in the episode. "[[We Will Rock You]]" by [[Queen]] was also licensed.<ref name="Jean"/> After the Zoominator collapses on Homer, [[Moe]] shows up. He was supposed to have a line, but it was cut.<ref name="Jean"/>
  
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Act Three: The next day at the worksite for The Zoominator, Homer tries to fake his way through being a foreman in front of his newly hired [[construction crew]]. When Homer realizes he doesn’t know what to do, he hides in the giant tool chest and cries aloud. He wonders aloud about what he is going to do, especially since he promised to pay the men $50,000 for their work, with money he doesn’t have. When Homer’s crew hear that they aren’t going to be paid, they decide to walk off the worksite and Homer is left alone is his tool chest.
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== Reception ==
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Dav Iverson of {{W|IGN}} said that the episode was "yet another good episode from the season that critics were all worried about". He praised the main Homer and Marge story, saying that it could have been "preachy and boring" but the show "handled the issue in a silly enough fashion that it didn't feel like you were being hit over the head with the theme". However, Iverson also thought that the Bart and Skinner storyline "wasn't as entertaining".<ref>[https://uk.ign.com/articles/2006/09/25/the-simpsons-please-homer-dont-hammer-em-review IGN - "The Simpsons: "Please Homer Don't Hammer 'Em" Review"]</ref>
  
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Principal Skinner has a nightmare in which [[Mr. Peanut]], the spokesmen for Planter’s peanuts, attacks him. Skinner wakes up from his [[nightmare]] only to discover Bart at the foot of his bed. Bart dumps some garbage on Skinner’s bed and orders him to eat it, while threatening Skinner with the “peanut stick.” Later, Bart continues to wield his “peanut stick” and forces Skinner to go into Comic Book Guy’s store and embarrass himself by requesting to [[breastfeed]] a [[Bilbo Baggins]] doll. Comic Book Guy conveys to Skinner that Bart has found his [[Kryptonite]] and when Skinner fails to grasp the concept, Comic Book Guy tells Skinner to simply find Bart’s weakness and defend himself with it. That night at the hospital, Skinner sneaks into Dr. Hibbert’s office and searches for Bart’s medical file. Skinner announces to himself that he will have his revenge, as he discovers Bart’s [[allergen]].
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As of February 2020, the episode has a 6.7 rating on {{W|IMDb}}<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0858310/ IMDb - "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em"]</ref> and an 8.2 rating on {{W|TV.com}}.<ref>[http://www.tv.com/shows/the-simpsons/please-homer-dont-hammer-em-759606/ TV.com - "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em"]</ref>
  
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In the Simpson kitchen, Homer works on his [[rollercoaster]] project, by building a scaled down model. However, when Homer tests out the model, it quickly bursts into flames. Lisa enters the room and suggests to Homer, that maybe if he would give Marge her due credit, she might help him out with the [[rollercoaster]] project. Homer counters by telling Lisa that if he can repair the [[rollercoaster]] himself, then all the lies he told about taking the credit for Marge’s work could be true.
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== References ==
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{{Reflist}}
  
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The next morning at school, Bart waltzes into Skinner’s office with a hatful of [[maggots]]. But before Bart can even tell Skinner what he has to do with the [[maggots]], Skinner flings the hat of [[maggots]] away and reveals his own stick with Bart’s allergen, shrimp, tied to the end of it. A parody of the [[Lightsaber]] battle scene between [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] and [[Darth Vader]] from [[Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith]] ensues. Bart and Skinner clash with their respective “sticks” while furious [[Star Wars]] music plays in the background. Bart and Skinner battle down the hallway, out a window and onto the top of a school bus that pulls away from the school. As they continue to battle on top of the moving school bus they enter the “Little Bangkok” section of Springfield; an oncoming sign forces them to jump off the school bus and into a [[Thai food]] factory. The two continue to battle on a rickety Pinchi Yamcha catwalk, suspended over giant vat of peanut shrimp, when suddenly the catwalk gives way and they both fall into the giant vat. Both Bart and Skinner’s allergies instantly act up, as their faces puff and swell.
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{{Images|ep=yes}}
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{{season 18}}
  
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Meanwhile, Homer stands in front of a crowd, gathered to witness the unveiling of the refurbished [[rollercoaster]]. Marge has a video camera at the ready, so she can catch Homer being exposed as a fraud on tape. Homer pulls down a drape covering The Zoominator and the crowd is in awe, at the seemingly repaired [[rollercoaster]]. But when Homer pops the cork off a champagne bottle to celebrate, the cork strikes the fragile roller coaster and causes a chain reaction of screws, planks and rails on the roller coaster to suddenly loosen. The crowd is shocked at the sight of the once again rundown [[rollercoaster]], and Lisa calls out to Homer, telling him to come forth with the truth. But, Homer wants still wants a chance to amaze the crowd with his handyman skills and decides to prove that the roller coaster is fine, by riding on it himself. Homer quickly jumps into the train of cars and flips the switch on the roller coaster. As he ascends up the first hill, Marge gasps as she notices three large gaps in the track. Marge quickly dons on a tool belt and rushes to repair the broken sections of the track just before Homer rolls over them. While still coasting around the ride, Homer thanks Marge for saving his life and informs the crowd that Marge deserves all the credit for all the work that he took credit for. The crowd applauses, as the coaster comes to a stop at the beginning, and just as Marge is about to tell Homer that she loves him, the entire [[rollercoaster]] structure comes crashing down on top of him.
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[[Category:2006]]
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[[Category:Homer episodes]]
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[[Category:Marge episodes]]
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[[Category:Bart episodes]]
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[[Category:Principal Skinner episodes]]
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[[Category:Episodes written by Matt Warburton]]
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[[Category:Episodes directed by Mike B. Anderson]]
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[[Category:Episodes directed by Ralph Sosa]]
  
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At the hospital, Marge visits with Homer, who is okay, but [[immobilized]] in a full body cast. Bart and Skinner rest in their respective hospital beds in the same room as Homer, and as the [[Star Wars]] music begins once again, the two commence throwing shrimp and peanuts at each other.
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[[sv:Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em]]
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End Credits: The normal Simpson theme plays as the credits roll over a black background.
 
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==Cultural references==
 
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*The title of the episode is a play on [[MC Hammer]]'s [[1990]] [[album]] ''[[Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em]]''.
 
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*Inside the bookstore at the Springfield Mall, a book titled "I, Scoundrel" can be seen. This is a spoof of [[I, Robot]], which is a collection of [[science fiction]] short stories, authored by [[Issac Asimov]].
 
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*The bookstore in the Springfield Mall is named, "[[Rock Bottom Remainders]]." There is also a musical band of the same name. The band is made up of famous published writers such as, Stephen King, Dave Barry and The Simpsons creator, Matt Groening
 
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*The plot for this episode follows the set-up of the popular [[1980]]'s television show, [[Remington Steele]]: A talented woman hires a man to be the figurehead for her company, because she can't get anyone to trust a female in her profession.
 
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*The music played during Bart and Principal Skinner’s stick fight is called, "[[Duel of the Fates]]," composed by [[John Williams]]. It is used a number of times in episode 1-3 of the [[Star Wars]] franchise.
 
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==Trivia==
 
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<!-- Please enter new data between the ListGenBot-SourceStart and ListGenBot-SourceEnd tags, so they can be used for automated list generation -->
 
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{{ListGenBot-SourceStart|SimpsonsTrivia|SimpsonsTriviaS18}}
 
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*The Video games at “Captain Blip’s Zapateria" are:
 
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**''Click Clack'' (''Dig-Dug'')
 
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**''Unipede'' (''Centipede'')
 
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**''Remington Steele: The Game''
 
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**''Rocky III'' vs. ''Clara Peller''
 
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**''Space-Tac-Toe''
 
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**''Devil's Advocate''
 
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**''Monkey Kong''
 
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**''Polybius''
 
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**''Triangle Wars'' (''Asteroids'')
 
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*The bookstore at the mall is called Rock Bottom Remainders, which is also the name of a band composed of famous authors, including ''Simpsons'' creator [[Matt Groening]].
 
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*The vending machine in the couch gag contains 3 rows of characters. First row: Homer-C5, Marge-G9, Maggie-A2, Lisa-B3, Bart-C4. Second row: Moe-D5, Lenny-B7, Carl-J7, Patty-F6, Apu-A3. Third row: Mr. Burns-J10, Smithers-B5, Nelson-C1, Mrs. Krabappel-F7, Krusty the Clown-B9.
 
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*Stores seen in the Springfield Mall: 1987 Calendars!!!, Yesterday's Puppies (Pet Store), Dukakis Campaign H.Q., Captain Blip's Zapateria (Arcade), and Rock Bottom Remainders (Bookstore).
 
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*Books spotted in the Rock Bottom Remainders bookstore at the Springfield Mall: Wisconsin From Above, Veterans' Day Parades, Smiles of Ireland, The Kansas City Royals: Forever Champions, Drink Your Own Blood and Save, and The Time-Life Carpenter's Library.
 
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*Video arcade games seen inside Captain Blip's Zapateria at the Springfield Mall: Click Clack, Unipede, Remington Steele: The Game, Rocky III vs. Clara Peller, Devil's Advocate, Triangle Wars, Polybius, Space-Tac-Toe, and Monkey Kong.
 
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*In this episode, it is revealed that Principal Skinner is allergic to peanuts, Bart is allergic to shrimp, and Milhouse is allergic to his own tears.
 
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*The book "The How, Why, and Huh? Book of Weather" appears on a bookcase in the background of the Rock Bottom Remainders bookstore.  Lisa consulted this book in "[[Hurricane Neddy]]" to discover that a hurricane was heading for Springfield. Other books for sale in this store include "Drink Your Own Blood and Save!" (recommended by Oprah Winfrey) and "The Kansas City Royals: Forever Champions".
 
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*Marge crafted out The Simpsons 20th Century Fox logo and the famous American homeFallingwater]] designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, appearing as a mail box.
 
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*Skinner and [[Sleeping with the Enemy (Simpsons episode)|Mr. Muntz]] share an affliction.
 
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*While Homer is riding the rollercoaster, he is wearing white gloves, but in some of the shots he can be seen without them, also while Homer is riding from left-to-right, the Zoominator logo is reversed, meaning that the drawing was finished for right-to-left use and simply mirrored for left-to-right use.
 
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{{ListGenBot-SourceEnd}}
 
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==Goofs==
 
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*Bart in allergic to shrimp in this episode, despite the fact that he was able to eat shrimp in episode 16-7, "Mommie Beerest."
 
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==Broadcasting information==
 
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'''[[United States|USA]]/[[Canada]]
 
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*'''1st Airdate:''' Sunday, [[September 24]], [[2006]], with 9.72 million viewers tuning in.
 
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'''[[United Kingdom|UK]]/[[Ireland]]'''
 
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*'''1st Airdate:''' Sunday, [[November 5]], [[2006]]
 
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{{Season 18}}
 
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[[Category: Season 18]]
 

Latest revision as of 12:22, April 14, 2024

Season 18 Episode
← 380 "Jazzy and the Pussycats"
381
"Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em"
"Treehouse of Horror XVII" 382 →
"Homer, it's time people knew the truth: I'm doing the work and I want the credit."
―Marge Simpson
"Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em"
Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em.png
Episode Information
Episode number: 381
Season number: S18 E3
Production code: HABF20
Original airdate: September 24, 2006
Couch gag: We see a vending machine with the family and several other characters inside of it instead of candy. Ralph walks up and orders Homer, bites off his head and leaves.
Showrunner: Al Jean
Written by: Matt Warburton
Directed by: Mike B. Anderson
Co-director: Ralph Sosa


"Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em" is the third episode of season 18 of The Simpsons and the three-hundred and eighty-first episode overall. It originally aired on September 24, 2006. The episode was written by Matt Warburton and directed by Mike B. Anderson and Ralph Sosa.

Synopsis[edit]

"Marge gets a job as carpenter, but every man thinks she is going to ruin everything she fixes because she is a woman, so Homer pretends to be the carpenter while Marge does all the work, until he starts receiving too much credit for doing nothing."


Plot[edit]

Bart and Skinner fight above a vat of Peanut Shrimp.

The Simpson family make a trip to the Springfield Mall, which is derelict and run down due to Mayor Quimby's father being killed there. As they go past several run down stores, they arrive at the remains of a JCPenney's, which has now become a collection of candle kiosks and Persian CD stores. A Persian man then approaches the family, trying to sell a copy of Uma Shang Shang: The Flower Song by Nabil, singing the title song from the album. Homer is unconvinced at first buy purchases it after he throws in a free tube of Sunni Smile. Meanwhile, Bart went to Captain Blip's Zapateria where he played Triangle Wars. After Homer and Marge popped into a sweet shop where Homer bought old gummy worms, they visit Rock Bottom Remainders, a book shop. Whilst here, Homer buys The Time Life Carpenter's Library, which excites Marge as she thinks Homer is going to start being handy around the house.

At home, Marge gets a letter from the school telling students not to bring peanut-based food in as someone in school is deathly allergic to peanuts. Marge then goes through Bart's lunchbox and removes all peanut-based food, and a copy of Good Grief, More Peanuts. In the living room, Homer is watching TV, with his feet up on his new books, claiming that he made a footrest. Marge gets annoyed at Homer not following through on anything and goes upstairs to their bedroom. In the bedroom, Marge stands on a loose floorboard which knocks over the nightstand so Marge uses one of the carpentry books to help repair them both. Upon realizing she was good at this, she started to build other objects from the books. Marge then decides to start a carpentry business, but when every customer realizes that she's a woman, they refuse her services.

In bed that day, Marge comes up with a plan to have Homer pretend to be the carpenter and Marge does all the work whilst the customers aren't around. The two of them do work for Professor Frink and Kent Brockman. After finishing Brockman's gazebo, Homer asks him how he would feel if a woman had done all the work, and Brockman reacted negatively to it. At school, Bart tries to find out who the kid with the peanut allergy is. He then finds from Willie that it was Principal Skinner and spies on Skinner and Willie in Skinner's office. Whilst this is happening, Marge is shopping at Builders' Barn when Helen Lovejoy and Lindsey Naegle tease her about helping Homer rather than doing the work, which angers Marge. At home, Marge tells Homer that she is annoyed with how much credit Homer is taking for the work.

Marge repairs the tracks as Homer rides the Zoominator.

At school, Bart goes bowling with trophies, which angers Skinner. As Skinner gets ready to punish Bart, Bart pulls out a peanut on a stick to torment him with. Bart puts Skinner through humiliating experiences whilst scaring him with the peanut. Meanwhile, Marge was working on making a windmill for Lenny. As Lenny and Carl approach, Marge gets back into the toolbox and Lenny and Carl talk badly about women, which angers Marge. After this incident, Marge decides that she's had enough and Homer has to give her credit, which he refuses to do. Homer also mentions that they had been hired to repair The Zoominator, a wooden roller coaster. Marge refuses to help, so Homer tries to hire contractors. Once the contractors he hires find out that he doesn't have money, they leave Homer to fix the roller coaster himself.

That night, Principal Skinner had a nightmare involving Mr. Peanut. Later that day, Bart made Skinner go to The Android's Dungeon to breastfeed Bilbo Baggins in the shop window. In the store, Comic Book Guy tells Skinner about Superman's Kryptonite, which gives Skinner the idea to find what Bart is allergic to. Skinner breaks into Dr. Hibbert's office and finds that Bart is allergic to shrimp, which he uses to stop Bart from forcing him to do stuff. The two of them then have a fight across town, riding on the top of the school bus, until they enter a Thai Food Factory. The factory had a vat of Peanut Shrimp which they both fall into, both getting allergic reactions. Meanwhile, Homer unveils the newly repaired Zoominator, which immediately starts to fall apart again. Annoyed at everyone's reactions, Homer decides to get on the roller coaster to prove them all wrong. However, the tracks start to break, which Marge jumps to repairing. As the roller coaster reaches the end, it collapses and falls onto Homer.

In hospital, Marge forgives Homer for everything that happened between them. She also tells Bart not to risk his own life saving his principal, which Skinner objects to as that wasn't how it happened. Bart and Skinner then start throwing peanuts and shrimp at each other, leaving Marge to go look at the new babies instead of dealing with it.

Production[edit]

One of the first jokes that was written for the episode involved the decrepit mall.[1] The episode was co-directed by Ralph Sosa, who was originally the assistant director. This was because main director Mike B. Anderson had to work on The Simpsons Movie during production of the episode, leaving no assistant director for the episode.[2] Sosa took over as the director after storyboards were completed and they were moving onto layouts. The episode was Ralph Sosa's first time directing and not having an assistant director was a handicap.[3] Sosa and animation timer Robert Ingram worked to finish off the show, and were nervous about showing off the final product.[2]

The name of the Rock Bottom Remainders book store is a reference to the band Rock Bottom Remainders, which featured Matt Groening.[1] The episode is loosely based on Big Eyes, which was about a man taking credit for his wife's paintings.[4] Before the episode, Al Jean had to tell people to not feature butt cracks or cleavage so much after the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy. So director Mike B. Anderson had to work to make Homer's butt crack look less like a butt crack. This led to them compromising with a double-cleavage butt crack.[2]

The producers licensed the song "Duel of the Fates" from Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace to be used in the episode. "We Will Rock You" by Queen was also licensed.[1] After the Zoominator collapses on Homer, Moe shows up. He was supposed to have a line, but it was cut.[1]

Reception[edit]

Dav Iverson of IGN said that the episode was "yet another good episode from the season that critics were all worried about". He praised the main Homer and Marge story, saying that it could have been "preachy and boring" but the show "handled the issue in a silly enough fashion that it didn't feel like you were being hit over the head with the theme". However, Iverson also thought that the Bart and Skinner storyline "wasn't as entertaining".[5]

As of February 2020, the episode has a 6.7 rating on IMDb[6] and an 8.2 rating on TV.com.[7]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Jean, Al (2017). Commentary for "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em", in The Simpsons: The Complete Eighteenth Season.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Anderson, Mike B. (2017). Commentary for "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em", in The Simpsons: The Complete Eighteenth Season.
  3. ↑ Sosa, Ralph (2017). Commentary for "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em", in The Simpsons: The Complete Eighteenth Season.
  4. ↑ Price, Michael (2017). Commentary for "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em", in The Simpsons: The Complete Eighteenth Season.
  5. ↑ IGN - "The Simpsons: "Please Homer Don't Hammer 'Em" Review"
  6. ↑ IMDb - "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em"
  7. ↑ TV.com - "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em"


The Saga of Carl - title screen.png Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em".
Season 18 Episodes
The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer • Jazzy and the Pussycats • Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em • Treehouse of Horror XVII • G.I. (Annoyed Grunt) • Moe'N'a Lisa • Ice Cream of Margie (with the Light Blue Hair) • The Haw-Hawed Couple • Kill Gil, Volumes I & II • The Wife Aquatic • Revenge Is a Dish Best Served Three Times • Little Big Girl • Springfield Up • Yokel Chords • Rome-Old and Juli-Eh • Homerazzi • Marge Gamer • The Boys of Bummer • Crook and Ladder • Stop, or My Dog Will Shoot! • 24 Minutes • You Kent Always Say What You Want
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