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This article is about an episode of The Simpsons. For the epic poem, see Odyssey.

Homer's Odyssey was the third full length Simpsons episode released on television. In this episode, Homer becomes a crusader for citizen safety in Springfield.

Synopsis

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Mrs. Krabappel takes the class on a trip to the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. They see an old animated film on nuclear science, and are then taken on a tour of the power plant. While riding through the plant in an electric cart in an effort to find them, Homer takes his eyes off his driving and crashes into a radioactive pipe, causing the plant to shut down.

Homer is fired for repeated safety violations by his supervisor, (Sherri and Terri's dad). Depressed and unable to find a new job, he writes a good-bye note and leaves to jump off a bridge. Lisa finds the note and alerts the family. Rushing across the bridge to stop him, they are almost run down by a speeding truck. Homer pulls them out of the way just in time.

Homer embarks on a public safety crusade to make Springfield a safer place to live. Speed bumps, warning signs, and public awareness posters are placed throughout the city. One sign is "Sign Ahead". When he becomes bored with traffic safety, Homer takes on the nuclear power plant, rallying the people of Springfield to his cause. To end the furor Homer is creating, Mr. Burns offers him a position as a safety supervisor with a large pay increase. Homer accepts the job, telling the mob to go home and assuring them that he will make the nuclear power plant safe.

Trivia

• The episode marks the first appearance of:
  • Blinky the three-eyed fish
  • Sherri and Terri
  • Waylon Smithers (heard in Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire)
  • Clancy Wiggum
  • Otto Mann the bus driver
  • Jasper Beardley
  • Bart's prank calls to Moe Szyslak
• Waylon Smithers was accidentally animated as an African-American due to a communication error with Korean animators. The mistake was explained as Smithers having an extreme suntan. A similar mistake was made with Sherri and Terri's father, also drawn as black despite his children both being ghost-white. He hasn't appeared in the show since.
• On their way to Springfield Powerplant the children pass the Springfield Toxic Waste Dump, the Springfield Tire Yard (which is not on fire as of yet), the Springfield State Prison, and Springfield Elementary School.
• Mrs. Krabappel tells the children to keep their arms in the bus and says, "We all know the tragic story of the young man who stuck his arm out the window and had it ripped off by a big truck coming in the other direction." To which Bart says (with his arm in his shirt), "And I was that boy!" Two episodes later, in "Bart the General", Bart asks Herman whether he lost his arm in the war, to which Herman warns Bart, "Next time your teacher tells you to keep your arm inside the bus window, you do it!"
• Bart is forced to sing "John Henry was a Steel Driving Man" because he was being too loud on the bus.
• A sign at the plant reads, "Our Safety Record: Days Since Last Accident."
• Bart's report card includes an F in Social Studies, an F in Math, a D in Physical Education, a U in Science, a U in Reading, and a U in Writing.
• Homer pens his suicide note on "Dumb Things I Gotta Do Today" stationery.
• When Homer reaches the bridge he is almost ran over by who appears to be Hans Moleman, who zooms by in a car.
• El Barto is signed on the steps of city hall when Chief Wiggum talks about the graffiti problem in Springfield. He then passes around an artist sketch of the culprit who looks like an older and tougher Bart Simpson.
• Springfield Shopper headlines: "Simpson Says Safe!," "Dozens Cheer Homer Simpson," "Homer Simpson Strikes Again!," "Watch Out, Here Comes Homer," and "Enough Already, Homer Simpson!"
• Homer gets promoted to his current position as a Safety Inspector for the entire plant.
• In the scene where Homer and another man are making the announcement to everyone, if you look very carefully you can see a man in the background who looks like Brad Goodman from season 5.
• The man who introduces Homer to the crowd at the Nuclear Power Plant looks similar to Ned Flanders, although with a different hairstyle and clothing.

Cultural References

• Get Smart: The powerplant doors that open up in different forms.
• The Odyssey: The episode title comes from the Greek epic.
• Al Jolson: Burns says: “I haven't seen anything like it since Jolson.”
• John Henry: Steel Driving Man

Quotes

• Mr. Burns: (to Homer) You're not as stupid as you look, or sound, or our best testing indicates.

Goofs

• When Bart's class is walking down the hallway at the nuclear power plant, one of the twins (either Sherri or Terri), is animated as just a floating head.
• When Homer goes out of the house after writing his suicide note and picks up the stone, his lips move but no words are spoken.

External Links

• Episode capsule on "Simpsons Archive"
• "Homer's Odyssey" at IMDb
• The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family

• The Simpsons episodes, season 1