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| {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}} | |||
| {{Infobox Simpsons episode| | |||
| {{Infobox Simpsons episode | |||
| episode_name = See Homer Run | | |||
| | image = | |||
| episode_no = 362 | | |||
| | caption = | |||
| prod_code = GABF21| | |||
| | season = 17 | |||
| airdate = ], ] | | |||
| | episode = 6 | |||
| writer = ] | | |||
| | director = ] | |||
| | writer = ] | |||
| blackboard = None | | |||
| | production = GABF21 | |||
| couch_gag = The family appears as usual, afterwards the angle zooms out to reveal they are on display on as ''earth humans'' in a zoo for the alien species to which Kang and Kodos belong. | | |||
| | airdate = {{Start date|2005|11|20}} | |||
| guest_star = | | |||
| | guests = | |||
| image = ]| | |||
| | couch_gag = The Simpsons sit on the couch as normal. The camera zooms out to reveal that they are a part of a zoo on ]' home planet, Rigel VII, as an "Earth Family" exhibit. | |||
| season = 17 | | |||
| | commentary = ]<br />Stephanie Gillis<br />]<br />]<br />] | |||
| | prev = ] | |||
| | next = ] | |||
| }} | }} | ||
| "'''See Homer Run'''" is the sixth episode of the |
"'''See Homer Run'''" is the sixth episode of the ] of the American animated television series ''].'' It originally aired on the ] in the United States on November 20, 2005. The episode was written by ] and directed by ]. | ||
| In this episode, Homer tries to find a way to reconcile with Lisa after he ruins her Father's Day gift, and circumstances lead to him running for mayor. Themes of the episode include references to the ] and the ]. The episode was watched by 10.31 million viewers and received mixed reviews. | |||
| ==Synopsis== | |||
| {{spoiler}} | |||
| ==Plot== | |||
| On ], Homer is impressed by Bart's gift – a ] ] – but Lisa's gift (a book she created, with caricatures of herself and Homer as ]s) doesn't go over so well. In a half-hearted attempt to make Lisa feel better, Homer hangs the book on the refrigerator, but it quickly becomes a water-soaked glob of paper. | |||
| On Father's Day, ] is unimpressed with ]'s gift, a book she created with caricatures of herself and Homer as unicorns. Trying to make Lisa feel better, he hangs the book on the refrigerator, but it falls into the refrigerator's water dispenser and gets wet and ruined. When Homer blames the magnet for causing the book to get ruined, this only makes Lisa more upset as the magnet was a gift for his birthday, much to Homer's distraught. | |||
| Lisa takes out her frustrations at school, and her parents are called to talk with Principal Skinner. |
Lisa takes out her frustrations at school, leading her into trouble, and her parents are called to talk with ]. The school psychiatrist ] determines Lisa is going through a developmental condition spurned by Homer's antics and could wind up with a ] for the rest of her life, which can only be resolved by Homer trying to make amends for everything. He dresses up as The Safety Salamander, a mascot meant to warn children about electrical power lines, but, on the school bus, he causes myriad dental injuries when he has ] stop the bus promptly. Later, he creates a fireworks display during a school assembly that causes a massive fire in the auditorium. | ||
| Meanwhile, Bart |
Meanwhile, ]—on a dare from the bullies, who plant the idea in his head that he is allowed to steal public property that has his name on it—steals a "Bart Boulevard" street sign. This leads to a fiery multi-vehicle pileup. Homer, still dressed in his Safety Salamander costume, runs to the rescue, extracting people who are trapped in their cars. Homer gets a rousing reception, and ] is blamed for the bumbling response. ]'s residents criticize Quimby for his many other failures and demand a recall election. | ||
| On Lisa's suggestion, Homer decides to run for mayor against candidates numbering more than 200, playing on his popularity as the Safety Salamander, and builds a huge lead in the polls. However, after ] washes Homer's salamander costume after he vomits in it, it falls apart during a debate forum, and the crowd turns on him. To make things worse, none of the new candidates gain 5% of the master vote needed to defeat Quimby, who maintains his job as Mayor. Despite the setbacks, Lisa confides in Homer that she is proud of him and is glad he is her father. They then dance in the deserted ballroom. | |||
| Homer, still dressed in his Safety Salamander costume, runs to the rescue, extricating people who were trapped in their cars just before the pileup explodes in a fireball. Homer gets a rousing reception, and Mayor Quimby is blamed for the bumbling response. Springfield residents pick apart Quimby's administration for other failures, and demand a ]. | |||
| ==Themes and analysis== | |||
| On Lisa's suggestion, Homer decides to run for mayor, playing on his popularity as the Safety Salamander. However, Marge washes the costume, and it falls apart during a debate forum, disappointing the crowd. Eventually, none of the new candidates gain enough of the vote to oust Mayor Quimby. However, Lisa confides in Homer that she is very proud of him and glad he is her father. | |||
| In a reference to the "lesser of two evils" justification the public often give when voting for a political party, Homer's campaign slogan for Springfield mayor is "the lesser of 25 evils".<ref>{{Cite book|title=Simpsonology: There's a Little Bit of Springfield in All of Us|last=Delaney|first=Tim|page=249|date=2008|publisher=]|isbn=9781591025597|language=en}}</ref> | |||
| ''Laughing Matters: Humor and American Politics in the Media Age'' cites the episode to illustrate an example of "it's only funny because it's true" humour. In the episode Mayor Quimby undergoes a recall election that includes hundreds of questionably-qualified candidates, one of which is Rainer Wolfcastle. This obscure joke references actor and bodybuilder ] on whom Wolfcastle is based, who won the ] when incumbent governor ] was recalled. ''Laughing Matters'' notes that "hile the plot of the episode is about lack of citizen efficacy and the power of name recognition and popularity, the sophisticated humor for a few serves little comedic purpose."<ref>{{Citation|first1=Nicholas|last1=Guehlstorf|first2=Lars|last2=Hallstrom|first3=Jonathan|last3=Morris|contribution=The ABCs of the ''The Simpsons'' and Politics: Apathy of Citizens, Basic Government Leaders, and Collective Interests|title=Laughing Matters: Humor and American Politics in the Media Age|editor1-last=Baumgartner|editor1-first=Jody C.|editor2-last=Morris|editor2-first=Jonathan S.|date=2008|page=224|publisher=]|isbn=978-0-415-95748-9|language=en}}</ref> | |||
| ==Trivia== | |||
| *This is the first indication (discarding the non-canonical "]") that ] was not actually killed by his cousin's attack several episodes ago, in "]". | |||
| *None of the candidates win because of less than 5% support. This is in line with "]", where ] says that Springfield has the lowest voter turnout in the country. | |||
| * Revealed: Dolph is ], and the Crazy Cat Lady's real name is Eleanor Abernathy. | |||
| * This is the first appearance of both Dr. J. Loren Pryor (the school ]), and Freddy Quimby (Mayor Quimby's nephew) in many years. The voices of each character are not audibly different from their original forms (particularly Quimby). | |||
| *The stalker-like wedding album scene with Moe reveals that he is still obsessive for Marge. | |||
| * Homer also ran for mayor in an issue of ], though the plots are dissimilar. | |||
| *The boys stealing '']'' is a reference to one of ''The Scream'' paintings being stolen from the ] in ]. ''The Scream'' itself, however, was first depicted on The Simpsons in ]. | |||
| *This is similar to ]. | |||
| ==Reception== | |||
| ==Cultural references== | |||
| ===Viewing figures=== | |||
| * ] – The Springfield mayoral recall election, ]'s campaign in particular, is an obvious parody of the 2003 California recall election, which saw incumbent governor ] ousted and replaced by ] ]. | |||
| The episode earned a 3.7 rating and was watched by 10.31 million viewers, which was the 37th most-watched show that week.<ref>{{Cite web|publisher=] Medianet|date=November 22, 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150311233415/http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=112205_09|title=Weekly Program Rankings (Nov. 14-20)|access-date=June 10, 2023|url=http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=112205_09|archive-date=March 11, 2015}}</ref> | |||
| * '']'' – The episode title is a play on the movie about ]'s campaign for California governor. | |||
| * ] — A pyrotechnics show, which caps Homer's "Safety Salamander" presentation at school, starts the stage curtains on fire, under similar circumstances as the deadly 2003 fire before a ] concert at The Station nightclub in ]. Everyone is able to escape the Springfield Elementary School fire, however. | |||
| * ] – Homer's line – "This looks like a job for a father trying to win back his daughter's love!" is a play on Superman's signature phrase, "This looks like a job for Superman!" | |||
| ===Critical response=== | |||
| ==Quotes== | |||
| Colin Jacobson of ''DVD Movie Guide'' said it was a "clever episode" with some foreshadowing of the ].<ref>{{cite web|first=Colin|last=Jacobson|date=December 10, 2017|title=The Simpsons: The Complete Seventeenth Season (2005-06)|url=http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonss17.shtml|website=DVD Movie Guide|access-date=August 31, 2024|archive-date=August 18, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240818182606/http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonss17.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
| *'''Mayor Quimby (hijacking a plane):''' Take this plane wherever ]! | |||
| *'''Aide:''' Mayor Quimby, your twelve years as mayor have been corrupt and full of scandals. <br/> '''Quimby:''' Who are you? <br/> '''Aide:''' I'm your ]. <br/> '''Quimby:''' I knew I should have put my nephew in that position. <br/> '''Aide:''' I ''am'' ]. | |||
| *'''Quimby:''' Dear God, every wacko, nutcase and Disco Stu in this town is gonna run against me. | |||
| *'''Kent Brockman:''' Hundreds of Springfielders are running for mayor, including yours truly Kent Brockman. Coming up, a common household fabric could kill you! Find out when you vote for Kent Brockman. | |||
| *'''Lisa:''' How is your tail doing that? <br/> '''Homer:''' I don't know. | |||
| *'''Kearney:''' Way to give into ]! <br/> '''Dolph:''' Hey, Milhouse! Cool kids ride bikes with their eyes closed! <br/> '''Milhouse:''' ''(off camera)'' I'm cool! <br/> ''(we hear him biking...as well as the inevitable results involving a ])'' <br/> '''Dolph (shocked):''' Uh, I'm late for ]. | |||
| *'''Kent Brockman:''' Our next question goes to Eleanor Abernathy, also known as the "Crazy Cat Lady". Cat Lady, how would you boost the city's corporate tax base?<br/> '''Eleanor:''' ''(unintelligible staggering)'' Small business incentives! ''(unintelligible staggering)'' Corporate accountability! ''(unintelligible staggering)'' Cats in everyone's pants! | |||
| *'''Homer:''' I will run for ]! <br/> '''Lisa:''' And I will be your ]! <br/> '''Homer:''' And I will find out what a mayor does! (Pulls out a bottle of ]) Expand my brain, learning juice. | |||
| *'''Kent:''' Homer, what about these allegations about you strangling your son? <br/> ''(holds up a photo of Homer strangling Bart in front of a banner that says "Good luck at the press conference, Dad!")'' <br/> '''Homer:''' Why should this election be determined by a photo taken hours ago? | |||
| *''']:''' Vote for me! ]! ''(crowd cheers)'' Oh,and I think we should keep an open mind toward ]. ''(crowd boos)''] | |||
| *'''Miss Springfield:''' Imagine me! The mayor! Then no one will laugh at my singing. ''(high pitched and very terrible singing voice)'' '']...'' | |||
| *'''Skinner:''' I hold in my hand a sticker with a frowning face. Don't make me affix it to your file. <br/> '''Lisa:''' ''(mocking him)'' "Don't make me affix it to your file"! <br/> '''Skinner (gets hit with a ]):''' I'm peeling off the back. ''(gets hit with a shoe)'' Don't make me do this! ''(gets hit with a ])'' You leave me no choice. <br/> ''(Skinner puts the sticker on Lisa's file. The lights begin flickering overhead)'' <br/> '''Skinner:''' Willie, rats are gnawing at the wires again. <br/> '''Willie:''' Shut up, man! I'm making me ]! | |||
| *'''Bart:''' Check it out, I stole the sign! <br/> '''Dolph:''' Check it out, we stole ]! <br/> '''Kearney:''' Put that away! It creeps me out! | |||
| *'''Brandine:''' Cletus, turn left on Bart Boulevard! <br/> '''Cletus:''' I told ya, there t'ain't ''(sic)'' no "Bart Boulevard"! <br/> '''Brandine:''' Too late. Baby's already out. Get your ] and cut the ]. | |||
| *'''Homer:''' To open another present now would be like following the ] with ]. | |||
| *''(Moe is pasting his own face onto pictures of Marge and Homer's wedding)''<br/>'''Moe''' ''(to the tune of 'Here Comes The Bride')'': Here comes the Moe / with a pretty girl/ 'cause these are things that happened in real life.<br/>'''Barney''' Hey, Moe, can we get a beer? <br/> '''Moe''': Shut up and hand me more Moe heads. | |||
| *'''Lisa:'''Oh,dad,how could you?<br/>'''Homer:'''Hey it's not my fault.Lousy magnet!(Lisa goes away crying)What the...?(reads the magnet)"Happy birthday dad,from Lisa."D'oh! | |||
| On ''Four Finger Discount'', Guy Davis and Brendan Dando they did not like that an episode focused on Homer and Lisa changed to a political episode with a salamander costume as a distraction. They would have preferred a full episode focused on politics.<ref>{{cite podcast|first1=Guy|last1=Davis|first2=Brendan|last2=Dando|title="See Homer Run" Podcast Review (S17E06)|work=Four Finger Discount (Simpsons Podcast)|date=March 30, 2023|url=https://fourfingerdiscount.podbean.com/e/see-homer-run-simpsons-podcast-review/|time=2:30|access-date=August 31, 2024|archive-date=September 3, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240903021013/https://fourfingerdiscount.podbean.com/e/see-homer-run-simpsons-podcast-review/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
| ==Broadcasting Information== | |||
| ''']/]''' | |||
| *'''1st Airdate:''' Sunday, ], ] | |||
| *'''2nd Airdate:''' Friday, ], ] | |||
| *'''3rd Airdate:''' Sunday, ], ] (Aired on ]) | |||
| '']'' cites the episode as an example of "increasingly explicit social and political commentary we are now clubbed over the head with" in the Jean era. It says the "single contemporary subject" the episode revolves around is "electoral politics".<ref>{{Cite book|title=]|last=Ortved|first=John|date=2009|page=227|publisher=]|isbn=9780865479395|language=en}}</ref> | |||
| '''] & ]''' (]) | |||
| *'''1st Airdate:''' Sunday, ], ] | |||
| *'''2nd Airdate:''' Friday, ], ] (Encore Screening) | |||
| *'''3rd Airdate:''' Thursday, ], ] | |||
| *'''4th Airdate:''' Sunday, ], ] (Aired on ]) | |||
| *'''5th Airdate:''' Sunday, ], ] | |||
| *'''6th Airdate:''' Saturday, ], ] | |||
| ===Awards and nominations=== | |||
| ''']''' | |||
| ] was nominated for the ] at the ] for her script to this episode.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2005/film/awards/peacock-laffers-have-the-write-stuff-1117934597/|title=Peacock laffers have the write stuff|last=McNary|first=Dave|date=14 December 2005|website=]|access-date=23 February 2019|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308015823/https://variety.com/2005/film/awards/peacock-laffers-have-the-write-stuff-1117934597/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
| *'''1st Airdate:''' Tuesday, ], ] | |||
| ==References== | |||
| ''']''' | |||
| {{reflist|2}} | |||
| *'''1st Airdate:''' Sunday, ], ] | |||
| == External links == | |||
| ''']''' | |||
| {{wikiquote|The_Simpsons/Season_17#See_Homer_Run|"See Homer Run"}} | |||
| *'''1st Airdate:''' Sunday, ], ] | |||
| {{portal|The Simpsons}} | |||
| * {{IMDb episode|0784542}} | |||
| * at TheSimpsons.com | |||
| {{The Simpsons episodes|17}} | |||
| ''']''' | |||
| *'''1st Airdate:''' Sunday, ], ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ''']''' | |||
| ] | |||
| *'''1st Airdate:''' Wednesday, ], ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
Latest revision as of 03:32, 12 November 2024
6th episode of the 17th season of The Simpsons
| "See Homer Run" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode | |||
| Episode no. | Season 17 Episode 6 | ||
| Directed by | Nancy Kruse | ||
| Written by | Stephanie Gillis | ||
| Production code | GABF21 | ||
| Original air date | November 20, 2005 (2005-11-20) | ||
| Episode features | |||
| Couch gag | The Simpsons sit on the couch as normal. The camera zooms out to reveal that they are a part of a zoo on Kang and Kodos' home planet, Rigel VII, as an "Earth Family" exhibit. | ||
| Commentary | Al Jean Stephanie Gillis Tom Gammill Max Pross David Silverman | ||
| Episode chronology | |||
| |||
| The Simpsons season 17 | |||
| List of episodes | |||
"See Homer Run" is the sixth episode of the seventeenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 20, 2005. The episode was written by Stephanie Gillis and directed by Nancy Kruse.
In this episode, Homer tries to find a way to reconcile with Lisa after he ruins her Father's Day gift, and circumstances lead to him running for mayor. Themes of the episode include references to the lesser of two evils principle and the 2003 California gubernatorial recall election. The episode was watched by 10.31 million viewers and received mixed reviews.
Plot
On Father's Day, Homer is unimpressed with Lisa's gift, a book she created with caricatures of herself and Homer as unicorns. Trying to make Lisa feel better, he hangs the book on the refrigerator, but it falls into the refrigerator's water dispenser and gets wet and ruined. When Homer blames the magnet for causing the book to get ruined, this only makes Lisa more upset as the magnet was a gift for his birthday, much to Homer's distraught.
Lisa takes out her frustrations at school, leading her into trouble, and her parents are called to talk with Principal Skinner. The school psychiatrist Dr. J. Loren Pryor determines Lisa is going through a developmental condition spurned by Homer's antics and could wind up with a hatred for men for the rest of her life, which can only be resolved by Homer trying to make amends for everything. He dresses up as The Safety Salamander, a mascot meant to warn children about electrical power lines, but, on the school bus, he causes myriad dental injuries when he has Otto stop the bus promptly. Later, he creates a fireworks display during a school assembly that causes a massive fire in the auditorium.
Meanwhile, Bart—on a dare from the bullies, who plant the idea in his head that he is allowed to steal public property that has his name on it—steals a "Bart Boulevard" street sign. This leads to a fiery multi-vehicle pileup. Homer, still dressed in his Safety Salamander costume, runs to the rescue, extracting people who are trapped in their cars. Homer gets a rousing reception, and Mayor Quimby is blamed for the bumbling response. Springfield's residents criticize Quimby for his many other failures and demand a recall election.
On Lisa's suggestion, Homer decides to run for mayor against candidates numbering more than 200, playing on his popularity as the Safety Salamander, and builds a huge lead in the polls. However, after Marge washes Homer's salamander costume after he vomits in it, it falls apart during a debate forum, and the crowd turns on him. To make things worse, none of the new candidates gain 5% of the master vote needed to defeat Quimby, who maintains his job as Mayor. Despite the setbacks, Lisa confides in Homer that she is proud of him and is glad he is her father. They then dance in the deserted ballroom.
Themes and analysis
In a reference to the "lesser of two evils" justification the public often give when voting for a political party, Homer's campaign slogan for Springfield mayor is "the lesser of 25 evils".
Laughing Matters: Humor and American Politics in the Media Age cites the episode to illustrate an example of "it's only funny because it's true" humour. In the episode Mayor Quimby undergoes a recall election that includes hundreds of questionably-qualified candidates, one of which is Rainer Wolfcastle. This obscure joke references actor and bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger on whom Wolfcastle is based, who won the 2003 California gubernatorial recall election when incumbent governor Gray Davis was recalled. Laughing Matters notes that "hile the plot of the episode is about lack of citizen efficacy and the power of name recognition and popularity, the sophisticated humor for a few serves little comedic purpose."
Reception
Viewing figures
The episode earned a 3.7 rating and was watched by 10.31 million viewers, which was the 37th most-watched show that week.
Critical response
Colin Jacobson of DVD Movie Guide said it was a "clever episode" with some foreshadowing of the 2016 United States presidential election.
On Four Finger Discount, Guy Davis and Brendan Dando they did not like that an episode focused on Homer and Lisa changed to a political episode with a salamander costume as a distraction. They would have preferred a full episode focused on politics.
The Simpsons: An Uncensored, Unauthorized History cites the episode as an example of "increasingly explicit social and political commentary we are now clubbed over the head with" in the Jean era. It says the "single contemporary subject" the episode revolves around is "electoral politics".
Awards and nominations
Stephanie Gillis was nominated for the Writers Guild of America Award for Outstanding Writing in Animation at the 58th Writers Guild of America Awards for her script to this episode.
References
- Delaney, Tim (2008). Simpsonology: There's a Little Bit of Springfield in All of Us. Prometheus Books. p. 249. ISBN 9781591025597.
- Guehlstorf, Nicholas; Hallstrom, Lars; Morris, Jonathan (2008), "The ABCs of the The Simpsons and Politics: Apathy of Citizens, Basic Government Leaders, and Collective Interests", in Baumgartner, Jody C.; Morris, Jonathan S. (eds.), Laughing Matters: Humor and American Politics in the Media Age, Routledge, p. 224, ISBN 978-0-415-95748-9
- "Weekly Program Rankings (Nov. 14-20)". ABC Medianet. November 22, 2005. Archived from the original on March 11, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- Jacobson, Colin (December 10, 2017). "The Simpsons: The Complete Seventeenth Season [Blu-Ray] (2005-06)". DVD Movie Guide. Archived from the original on August 18, 2024. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
- Davis, Guy; Dando, Brendan (March 30, 2023). ""See Homer Run" Podcast Review (S17E06)". Four Finger Discount (Simpsons Podcast) (Podcast). Event occurs at 2:30. Archived from the original on September 3, 2024. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
- Ortved, John (2009). The Simpsons: An Uncensored, Unauthorized History. Faber & Faber. p. 227. ISBN 9780865479395.
- McNary, Dave (December 14, 2005). "Peacock laffers have the write stuff". Variety. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
External links
- "See Homer Run" at IMDb
- "See Homer Run" at TheSimpsons.com
