| Revision as of 18:18, 24 November 2006 editRudjek (talk | contribs)3,967 edits re-categorisation per discussion of 15 November 2005 using AWB← Previous edit | Latest revision as of 21:48, 18 December 2024 edit undoToscahydra (talk | contribs)514 editsNo edit summaryTags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit | ||
| (464 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| {{Good article}} | |||
| {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}} | |||
| {{Infobox Simpsons episode | {{Infobox Simpsons episode | ||
| | |
| image = | ||
| | caption = | |||
| | image = ] | |||
| | |
| season = 10 | ||
| | |
| episode = 13 | ||
| | |
| director = ] | ||
| | |
| writer = ] | ||
| | production = AABF09 | |||
| ⚫ | | |
||
| | |
| airdate = {{Start date|1999|02|07}} | ||
| ⚫ | | guests = * ] as himself | ||
| | blackboard |
| blackboard = "No one wants to hear about my ]" | ||
| | couch_gag = ], carrying a laundry basket, hangs the rest of the family to dry on a closeline. | |||
| | couch_gag = ] carries a laundry basket and hangs sheet versions of ], ], ], and ] on a clothesline in the living room. | |||
| ⚫ | | |
||
| | commentary = ]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>] | |||
| | season = 10 | |||
| | prev = ] | |||
| ⚫ | | next = ] | ||
| }} | }} | ||
| "'''Homer to the Max'''" is the thirteenth episode of the ] of the American animated television series '']''. It originally aired on ] in the United States on February 7, 1999. In the episode, ] discovers that a new television show, ''Police Cops'', has a hero also named Homer Simpson. He is delighted with the positive attention he receives because of his name, but when the television character is rewritten from a hero to a bumbling idiot, he is mocked and taunted, so he changes his name to "Max Power" to rid himself of the negative attention. Max gains new friends, and is forced into a protest to prevent a forest from being knocked down. In the end, he changes his name back to Homer Simpson. | |||
| '''''Homer to the Max''''' is the thirteenth episode of '']''<nowiki>'</nowiki> ]. It aired on ], ]. | |||
| The episode was written by ] and directed by ].<ref name="BBC">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season10/page12.shtml|title=Homer to the Max|access-date=2008-09-07|publisher=]}}</ref> | |||
| __TOC__ | |||
| Since airing, it has received mixed reviews from television critics. Overall, the episode received a ] of 8.5.<ref name="ratings"/> | |||
| ==Synopsis== | |||
| {{spoiler}} | |||
| ] surfs through new Midseason TV shows, such as "America's Funniest Tornadoes", "All in the Family 1999", "Admiral Baby" and finally decide to settle on "Police Cops". The show has a suave detective and his partner, who manage to knock off all the villains, without breaking a sweat. ] finds the show very interesting and gets even more interested when he finds that the suave detective (who gets the girls and is rich as a king) is named... '''Homer Simpson'''. | |||
| ==Plot== | |||
| Homer is excited knowing that a cool guy (on TV) is named after him and that his "personality has been captured perfectly". ] and ] tell him that it's just a coincidence that they share the same name, but Homer is not convinced. That night, he gets many congratulatory phone calls from people, including once from the Homecoming Queen at his high school (although Marge puts paid to any chance of him dating her). He starts wearing a scarf like his namesake does on TV, occasionally tossing it back over his shoulder.] and ] even ask for his ], although they only get their own names written on a piece of paper. | |||
| The Simpson family watches the ] of ''Police Cops'', which follows a duo of suave and dashing detectives, Lance Kaufman and Homer Simpson. Homer is delighted with the positive attention he receives from townspeople for sharing the lead character's name, as well as the character's personality, despite the family telling him it is just a coincidence. | |||
| Following the pilot, however, the Homer Simpson character is rewritten as Lance's overweight and inept ] sidekick who mistakes the toys for guns program as "guns for toys" and the police chief's insulin shipment for illegal drugs. He also spouts the mindless catchphrase “Uh-oh! ]!”, resulting in Homer being mocked by the people of Springfield. Humiliated, he appeals to the producers to change the character back, but they refuse, instead using Homer's plea and incompetent exit as material. Then, after unsuccessfully attempting to sue the company for improper usage of his old name, Homer legally changes his name to "Max Power", the only correctly spelled or sensible name on the list he presented to the presiding judge. Though the negative attention fades away, ] is unhappy that Homer changed his name without consulting her. | |||
| At ], the barflies get ready to watch the new episode of "Police Cops". The episode now features Homer Simpson as a fat, bumbling detective, who destroys the Police Chief's ], mistaking it for drugs. Homer is mortified to see that his namesake is now no longer handsome and cool, however, the barflies are enjoying every moment of it and poke fun at Homer, asking him to do something dumb. Homer unwittingly and unwillingly obliges, as he throws back his scarf over his shoulder right into the blades of the overhead fan and gets whirled around the room, much to the amusement of the onlookers. | |||
| With his new identity comes a massive change in attitude, as Max is much more assertive and freewheeling than Homer was. While shopping at Costington's, Max meets a successful businessman named Trent Steel. Trent invites Max and the family to a garden party, despite Marge's reservations, where they meet many famous people, but Max finds out the party is an excuse to save a ] from destruction. After travelling with the party guests to the forest, Max, Marge, and everyone else chain themselves to the trees to prevent the ]s from knocking them down. The Springfield police arrive and ] and ] chase Max around his tree, trying to "swab" him with ]. As Max rounds the tree, the chain cuts into it. The redwood falls and knocks down all other redwoods, angering their newfound friends. Max later changes his name back to "Homer Simpson", but attempts to get Marge to agree to change hers into something sexually suggestive such as "Chesty LaRue", "Busty St. Claire", or "Hootie McBoob". | |||
| Homer dejectedly wonders why the character was changed. Lisa tells him that the first episode was just a ], which the producers have fiddled with and changed. At work, all his colleagues prepare to watch him do something stupid and he doesn't disappoint, by spilling a ] pot all over the control panel, shorting out the ], and blacking out ]. At the Mall, people laugh at him and tease him as he walks by. To escape from all the humiliation, he tries hiding in the ]. | |||
| ==Production== | |||
| Later, he makes an impassioned plea to the producers of "Police Cops" to change the character's personality or his name. After getting a satisfactory response, he steps into a ] on his way out. The next episode has "Homer Simpson" making the same impassioned plea to the Chief (while hanging from a ]). It ends with him dropping down crotch-first into a cactus. Homer tries to sue the producers, but the case is immediately dismissed. So, as a back-up plan, Homer decides to change his name. The judge allows him to change his name to '''"]"''' (which Homer got off a ] and was the only name he spelled correctly). The family is surprised to learn of his name-change, but "Max" starts speaking of his new personality - dynamic, decisive, uncompromising and rude. | |||
| The show's writers had read a story in the newspaper about people with famous names and came up with a way of how Homer's life could be affected if he saw someone on TV with his name.<ref name=Michels>{{cite video | people=Michels, Pete|date=2007|title=The Simpsons: The Complete Tenth Season Commentary for the Episode "Homer to the Max"| medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> While creating the Homer Simpson television character, the production staff was deciding if the character should be "cool" throughout the episode, or if he should be an idiot from the beginning.<ref name=Scully/> The staff decided to use both methods and have him become an idiot after being seen as cool in the first episode of the new program. The hat Homer wears while walking through the mall is a parody of one owned by ].<ref name=Scully/> Ron Hauge, a ''The Simpsons'' show producer, suggested the name Max Power to a friend who wanted to change his name. His friend, however, did not take it.<ref name=Hauge>{{cite video | people=Hauge, Ron|date=2007|title=The Simpsons: The Complete Tenth Season Commentary for the Episode "Homer to the Max"| medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> The episode would also inspire ]'s cousin to name his son Max Power.<ref name="Martin">{{cite video | people=Martin, Tom|date=2009|title=The Simpsons The Complete Twelfth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Pokey Mom"| medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> One scene from the episode features ] commenting that cartoons are easily able to change voice actors; to enhance the joke for his one line of dialogue, Flanders is voiced by recurring cast member ] instead of his regular voice actor ].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season10/page12.shtml|title=Homer to the Max|access-date=October 31, 2007|author1=Martyn, Warren |author2=Wood, Adrian |year=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | ==Cultural references== | ||
| At work, ] is impressed by the name and compliments Max, who decides to shop at Costington's to further improve his image. There, he meets Trent Steele and after a small chat, they go out to lunch, where Trent invites Max and family to a garden party. Despite Marge's reservations, the two of them go to the party, where they meet a lot of famous people, like ] (who wears pants made entirely out of ]), ], ], and ]. (It is significant to note that Lindsey Neagle also makes an appearance here, albeit with red colored hair) Max finds out that the garden party is nothing more than an excuse to save a ] forest from wanton destruction. All the guests (pushing a reluctant Max and Marge) board a "protest bus" and leave for the forest. | |||
| The TV show ''Police Cops'' is a parody of the television series '']''.<ref name=Hauge/> One of the new TV shows features ] in the show ''] 1999''.<ref name=Scully>{{cite video | people=Scully, Mike|date=2007|title=The Simpsons: The Complete Tenth Season Commentary for the Episode "Homer to the Max"| medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> Homer suggests the names ] ], ] Q. ], and Handsome B. Wonderful to ] for his name change.<ref name=BBC/> The "Max Power" song is sung to the melody of "]", the theme from the '']'' film '']'' (1964).<ref name=BBC/> Actors ] and ], President ] and producers ], ] and ] are shown in attendance at the party (Grazer's appearance is identical to his guest-voice appearance as himself from "When You Dish Upon a Star", while Bruckheimer, who has not done a voice cameo for the show, is the thin man with a beard standing next to Grazer and wearing a bright sportcoat over a plain T-shirt).<ref name=BBC/><ref name=Scully/> The police attempting to "swab" the protestors is a reference to ] in which sheriff's deputies of Humboldt County, California, swabbed pepper spray in the eyes of environmental protesters.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/shows/the-simpsons/homer-to-the-max-1501/|title=The Simpsons - Season 10, Episode 13: Homer to the Max|website=TV.com|access-date=2014-03-17|url-status=dead|archive-date=2014-03-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140318074936/http://www.tv.com/shows/the-simpsons/homer-to-the-max-1501/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/HUMBOLDT-COUNTY-Pepper-spray-case-going-to-jury-2692609.php |title=Pepper spray case going to jury / Anti-logging group charges unusual force used in 1997 |date=2004-09-21 |first=Bob |last=Egelko |work=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=2014-03-17}}</ref> | |||
| ==Reception== | |||
| In the forest, Max, Marge, and the rest of the party-goers are chained to trees, to prevent the ]s from going to work on them. ] arrives and decides to get rough with this bunch of ]s. The cops start chasing Max around his tree, trying to "swab" him with ]. However, as he runs round and round the tree, the chain around him starts cutting into the tree and finally, the huge redwood falls, knocking down the other redwoods. Max, happy at being free, tosses his chain in the air, knocking a ] out of the sky. | |||
| "Homer to the Max" finished 39th in the weekly ratings for the week of Feb 1–7, 1999, with a ] of 8.5.<ref name="ratings">{{cite news|title=Weekly Nielsen Ratings|date=1998-02-21|publisher=]|page=P10}}</ref> | |||
| Since airing, this episode has received mixed reviews from television critics. | |||
| After the dust clears up, Springfield's elite angrily ditch Mr. Power and his wife. That night at home, Marge is happy that Homer's changed his name back to Homer Simpson. However, he informs Marge that, while at the ], he changed ''her'' name to "Chesty La Rue". If she doesn't like it (which she obviously doesn't!), she can change it to "Busty St. Claire" or "Hootie McBoob". | |||
| The authors of the book ''I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide'', Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, wrote that though it was "funny in all the right places, this is an episode of two distinct stories, neither of which mesh together. The whole Ed Begley Jr. saving the forest bit seems to have been tacked on, as if the stuff about Homer finding his name being abused (shades of ] again?) ran out of steam. Not a bad show, more a sort of 'So what?' show."<ref name="BBC"/> | |||
| ⚫ | ==Cultural |
||
| * Homer Simpson chief's cry: "Simp-SON!!!" is very similar to Mr. Spacely's cry "Jet-SON!!!" from ]. | |||
| * Homer sings the Max Power theme to the tune of the ] '']''. | |||
| Robert Canning of ] gave the episode a 7.7/10 rating, commenting that "it has a number of really funny scenes and memorable lines", but overall "the storyline didn't really have anywhere to go and the final half of the third act is a complete waste of time."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/08/18/the-simpsons-flashback-homer-to-the-max-review|title=The Simpsons Flashback: "Homer to the Max" Review|last=Canning|first=Robert|date=2009-08-18|website=]|access-date=2022-01-23|archive-date=2011-08-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110831202056/http://uk.tv.ign.com/articles/101/1014826p1.html}}</ref> | |||
| ==Quotes== | |||
| *'''Marge:''' ''(after seeing ''Admiral Baby'')'' I find it very hard to believe someone that young could have risen to the rank of admiral. | |||
| Morgan Larrick of ] noted "Homer to the Max" as "one of the most unforgettable episodes" when reviewing the complete tenth season.<ref name="animatedtv">{{cite web|url=http://animatedtv.about.com/od/dvds/gr/simpdvd10.htm|title=The Simpsons -The Complete Tenth Season DVD|access-date=2008-09-07|last=Larrick|first=Morgan|publisher=About.com|archive-date=2007-12-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214001659/http://animatedtv.about.com/od/dvds/gr/simpdvd10.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
| *'''The real Homer:''' ''(upon hearing of the Homer Simpson character on ''Police Cops'' and gasping)'' He's named like my name! | |||
| *'''The fictional great Homer:''' And that's the end of that chapter. | |||
| ==References== | |||
| *'''The fictional dumb Homer:''' Uh-oh, ]! | |||
| {{Reflist}} | |||
| *'''Max Power:''' Nobody "snuggles" with Max Power. You strap yourself in and feel the ]s! | |||
| *'''Max Power:''' Kids, there's three ways to do things. The right way, the wrong way, and the Max Power way!<br/>'''Bart:''' Isn't that the wrong way?<br/>'''Max Power:''' Yeah, but faster! ''(Max runs into a cactus)''<br/>'''Lisa:''' We should really put that in a corner. | |||
| *''']:''' Well, if it isn't that stupid cop from TV. ''(he scratches his ear with a gun)'' Oh yeah, that got it. | |||
| *'''Marge:''' Your character provides the comic relief, like, uh, ] in '']''. | |||
| *'''Chief:''' I don't get it, Homer. You're a millionaire and you have all the babes ya want. Why aren't you living it up in your palace in ]? <br/> '''The fictional great Homer:''' Let's just say, I hate crime.<br/>''(one of the robbers gets up, grabs his gun, and fires at "Homer". "Homer" catches the bullet and throws it back with enough force to kill the robber)''<br/>'''The fictional great Homer:''' Arrest that man! | |||
| *'''Marge:''' Homer, it's just a coincidence. Like that guy named ] who stole your car stereo?<br/>'''Bart:''' Right ... coincidence. | |||
| *'''Carl:''' '''' Hey, Mr. Simpson, sir, can I get your autograph?<br/>'''Homer:''' All right, what's the name?<br/>'''Carl:''' Uh, Homer, we've worked together for ten years.<br/>'''Homer:''' ''''<br/>'''Carl:''' It's Carl.<br/>'''Homer:''' ''''<br/>'''Carl:''' '''' You only wrote my name. Um, I wanted yours.<br/>'''Homer:''' Take it or leave it ... '''' Carl. | |||
| *'''Chief:''' You destroyed that ] shipment?!! <br/> '''The fictional dumb Homer:''' Yes in-deedy. <br/> '''Chief:''' That was my ]!!!! <br/> '''The fictional dumb Homer:''' Uh-oh, spaghetti-os! <br/> '''Chief:''' '''''Simp-SON!!!!!!''''' | |||
| *'''Homer:''' Shut up! I'm not your clown! Don't diminish me! Gentlemen, I bid you fare ... '''' Ooh! '''' Ow! Ohh!<br/>'''Lenny:''' Jeez, what an exit!<br/>'''Carl:''' Oh, man, what's he gonna do for an encore?<br/>'''Moe:''' '''' Whoo ... I don't think he'll be doin' no encores for a while. Hah, hah! Hah! | |||
| *'''Max Power (singing to the tune of '']''):''' Max Power, he's the man, <br/> Whose name you'd love to touch. <br/> But you mustn't touuuuuuuuuuuuuch. <br/> His name sounds good in your ear, <br/> But when you say it, <br/> You mustn't fear! <br/> 'Cause his name can be said by anyone! | |||
| *'''Homer:''' I'd like to legally change my name. Any of these will do. <br/> '''Judge Snyder:''' Hmm. ] ]. ] Q. ]. ] B. ]?! | |||
| *'''Trent Steele (upon hearing the name Max Power):''' Hey, great name!<br>'''Max Power:''' Thanks. I got it off a hair dryer. | |||
| *'''Ed Begley Jr.:''' I prefer a vehicle that doesn't hurt Mother Earth. It's a go-kart, powered by my own sense of self-satisfaction. | |||
| *'''Trent:''' I'm talking, of course, about our endangered forests. '''' We have to protect them, because trees can't protect themselves, except, of course, the Mexican Fighting Trees.<br/>'''Max Power:''' Could somebody buy this guy a tree so he'll shut up? | |||
| *'''Max Power:''' Oh, this is the worst party ever!<br/>'''Marge:''' I don't know. Remember that New Year's Eve at Lenny's? He didn't even have a clock. | |||
| *'''Homer:''' Oh, Marge. While I was at the ], I had them change your name. <br/> '''Marge:''' To what? <br/> '''Homer:''' ]. <br/> '''Marge:''' Chesty LaRue??! <br/> '''Homer:''' Try it for two weeks. If you're not satisfied, you can be Busty St. Clair. <br/> '''Marge:''' I don't want to be "Chesty LaRue" or "Busty St. Clair". <br/> '''Homer:''' Fine, Hooty Mc] it is. <br/> '''Marge:''' Goodnight, Homer. <br/> '''Homer:''' Goodnight, Hooty. <br/> '''Marge:''' Let go of those. | |||
| *'''Lenny:''' ''(outside Homer's workstation, whispering to his co-workers)'' Be quiet everyone. He's about to do something stupid. <br/> '''Homer:''' ''(turning around in his chair to face Lenny and the others)'' Excuse me gentlemen, but you have me confused with a character in a fictional show. Now, if you'll excuse me, my ] is almost ready. ''(he turns around, knocking over his fondue pot in the process)'' D'oh!! <br/> ''(everyone laughs as the computer terminal short-circuits. The nuclear site map begins blinking)'' <br/> '''Lenny:''' ''(laughs)'' There goes ]! <br/> '''Carl:''' Uh-oh, Spaghetti-Os! | |||
| *'''Comic Book Guy:''' Your catchphrase is hysterical. Please say it clearly for my answering machine tape. (''hits "record" on his tape recorder'')<br>'''Homer:''' (''unenthusiastically'') Uh, oh, Spaghetti-O's.<br>'''Comic Book Guy:''' Worst reading ever. | |||
| *''(at the party, Marge is dancing with President Clinton)''<br/>'''Clinton:''' I know you don't think you're good enough for me. But believe me, you are. Hell, I done it with pigs. '''' Real, no-foolin' pigs!<br/>'''Marge:''' Are you sure it's a federal law that I have to dance with you?<br/>'''Clinton:''' You know, I'd change that law if I could, Marge. But, I can't. '''' Aw, shoot. Quebec's got the bomb! Well, I gotta go, but... look, if you're ever near the White House, there's a tool shed out back. I'm in there most of the day. ''(clicks his tongue at Marge and leaves)'' | |||
| ==External links== | ==External links== | ||
| {{Wikiquote|The_Simpsons/Season_10#Homer_to_the_Max|"Homer to the Max"}} | |||
| ⚫ | *{{ |
||
| {{Portal|The Simpsons}} | |||
| ⚫ | *{{ |
||
| ⚫ | *{{Snpp capsule|AABF09}} | ||
| ⚫ | *{{IMDb episode|id=0701118}} | ||
| ⚫ | {{The Simpsons episodes|10}} | ||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Homer To The Max}} | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
Latest revision as of 21:48, 18 December 2024
13th episode of the 10th season of The Simpsons
| "Homer to the Max" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode | |||
| Episode no. | Season 10 Episode 13 | ||
| Directed by | Pete Michels | ||
| Written by | John Swartzwelder | ||
| Production code | AABF09 | ||
| Original air date | February 7, 1999 (1999-02-07) | ||
| Guest appearance | |||
| |||
| Episode features | |||
| Chalkboard gag | "No one wants to hear about my sciatica" | ||
| Couch gag | Marge carries a laundry basket and hangs sheet versions of Homer, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie on a clothesline in the living room. | ||
| Commentary | Mike Scully Richard Appel Matt Selman Ron Hauge Pete Michels | ||
| Episode chronology | |||
| |||
| The Simpsons season 10 | |||
| List of episodes | |||
"Homer to the Max" is the thirteenth episode of the tenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on February 7, 1999. In the episode, Homer discovers that a new television show, Police Cops, has a hero also named Homer Simpson. He is delighted with the positive attention he receives because of his name, but when the television character is rewritten from a hero to a bumbling idiot, he is mocked and taunted, so he changes his name to "Max Power" to rid himself of the negative attention. Max gains new friends, and is forced into a protest to prevent a forest from being knocked down. In the end, he changes his name back to Homer Simpson.
The episode was written by John Swartzwelder and directed by Pete Michels.
Since airing, it has received mixed reviews from television critics. Overall, the episode received a Nielsen rating of 8.5.
Plot
The Simpson family watches the pilot episode of Police Cops, which follows a duo of suave and dashing detectives, Lance Kaufman and Homer Simpson. Homer is delighted with the positive attention he receives from townspeople for sharing the lead character's name, as well as the character's personality, despite the family telling him it is just a coincidence.
Following the pilot, however, the Homer Simpson character is rewritten as Lance's overweight and inept comic relief sidekick who mistakes the toys for guns program as "guns for toys" and the police chief's insulin shipment for illegal drugs. He also spouts the mindless catchphrase “Uh-oh! SpaghettiOs!”, resulting in Homer being mocked by the people of Springfield. Humiliated, he appeals to the producers to change the character back, but they refuse, instead using Homer's plea and incompetent exit as material. Then, after unsuccessfully attempting to sue the company for improper usage of his old name, Homer legally changes his name to "Max Power", the only correctly spelled or sensible name on the list he presented to the presiding judge. Though the negative attention fades away, Marge is unhappy that Homer changed his name without consulting her.
With his new identity comes a massive change in attitude, as Max is much more assertive and freewheeling than Homer was. While shopping at Costington's, Max meets a successful businessman named Trent Steel. Trent invites Max and the family to a garden party, despite Marge's reservations, where they meet many famous people, but Max finds out the party is an excuse to save a redwood forest from destruction. After travelling with the party guests to the forest, Max, Marge, and everyone else chain themselves to the trees to prevent the bulldozers from knocking them down. The Springfield police arrive and Eddie and Lou chase Max around his tree, trying to "swab" him with mace. As Max rounds the tree, the chain cuts into it. The redwood falls and knocks down all other redwoods, angering their newfound friends. Max later changes his name back to "Homer Simpson", but attempts to get Marge to agree to change hers into something sexually suggestive such as "Chesty LaRue", "Busty St. Claire", or "Hootie McBoob".
Production
The show's writers had read a story in the newspaper about people with famous names and came up with a way of how Homer's life could be affected if he saw someone on TV with his name. While creating the Homer Simpson television character, the production staff was deciding if the character should be "cool" throughout the episode, or if he should be an idiot from the beginning. The staff decided to use both methods and have him become an idiot after being seen as cool in the first episode of the new program. The hat Homer wears while walking through the mall is a parody of one owned by Woody Allen. Ron Hauge, a The Simpsons show producer, suggested the name Max Power to a friend who wanted to change his name. His friend, however, did not take it. The episode would also inspire Tom Martin's cousin to name his son Max Power. One scene from the episode features Ned Flanders commenting that cartoons are easily able to change voice actors; to enhance the joke for his one line of dialogue, Flanders is voiced by recurring cast member Karl Wiedergott instead of his regular voice actor Harry Shearer.
Cultural references
The TV show Police Cops is a parody of the television series Miami Vice. One of the new TV shows features Archie Bunker in the show All in the Family 1999. Homer suggests the names Hercules Rockefeller, Rembrandt Q. Einstein, and Handsome B. Wonderful to Judge Snyder for his name change. The "Max Power" song is sung to the melody of "Goldfinger", the theme from the James Bond film Goldfinger (1964). Actors Woody Harrelson and Ed Begley Jr., President Bill Clinton and producers Lorne Michaels, Brian Grazer and Jerry Bruckheimer are shown in attendance at the party (Grazer's appearance is identical to his guest-voice appearance as himself from "When You Dish Upon a Star", while Bruckheimer, who has not done a voice cameo for the show, is the thin man with a beard standing next to Grazer and wearing a bright sportcoat over a plain T-shirt). The police attempting to "swab" the protestors is a reference to several incidents in 1997 in which sheriff's deputies of Humboldt County, California, swabbed pepper spray in the eyes of environmental protesters.
Reception
"Homer to the Max" finished 39th in the weekly ratings for the week of Feb 1–7, 1999, with a Nielsen rating of 8.5.
Since airing, this episode has received mixed reviews from television critics.
The authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, wrote that though it was "funny in all the right places, this is an episode of two distinct stories, neither of which mesh together. The whole Ed Begley Jr. saving the forest bit seems to have been tacked on, as if the stuff about Homer finding his name being abused (shades of Mr. Sparkle again?) ran out of steam. Not a bad show, more a sort of 'So what?' show."
Robert Canning of IGN gave the episode a 7.7/10 rating, commenting that "it has a number of really funny scenes and memorable lines", but overall "the storyline didn't really have anywhere to go and the final half of the third act is a complete waste of time."
Morgan Larrick of About.com noted "Homer to the Max" as "one of the most unforgettable episodes" when reviewing the complete tenth season.
References
- ^ "Homer to the Max". BBC. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
- ^ "Weekly Nielsen Ratings". The Stuart News. February 21, 1998. p. P10.
- Michels, Pete (2007). The Simpsons: The Complete Tenth Season Commentary for the Episode "Homer to the Max" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ Scully, Mike (2007). The Simpsons: The Complete Tenth Season Commentary for the Episode "Homer to the Max" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ Hauge, Ron (2007). The Simpsons: The Complete Tenth Season Commentary for the Episode "Homer to the Max" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- Martin, Tom (2009). The Simpsons The Complete Twelfth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Pokey Mom" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). "Homer to the Max". BBC. Retrieved October 31, 2007.
- "The Simpsons - Season 10, Episode 13: Homer to the Max". TV.com. Archived from the original on March 18, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
- Egelko, Bob (September 21, 2004). "Pepper spray case going to jury / Anti-logging group charges unusual force used in 1997". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
- Canning, Robert (August 18, 2009). "The Simpsons Flashback: "Homer to the Max" Review". IGN. Archived from the original on August 31, 2011. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
- Larrick, Morgan. "The Simpsons -The Complete Tenth Season DVD". About.com. Archived from the original on December 14, 2007. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
