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"Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em" is the third episode The Simpsons’ eighteenth season and first aired September 24, 2006. After buying a series of carpenter books, Homer refuses to actually build anything, prompting Marge to become a carpenter. But as many residents in Springfield don't want a female carpenter, Marge decides she would use Homer as a front, while she would be doing the real work.

It was written by Matt Warburton and double-directed by Mike B. Anderson and Ralph Sosa. In its original run, the episode received 9.72 million viewers.

Plot

On a trip to the extremely poor Springfield Mall, very similar to the Dixie Square Mall, Homer happens across the Time–Life Carpenter's Library, and Marge encourages him to buy them. Homer's interest in carpentry fades, and Marge decides to use them herself to fix up the house, starting with her broken nightstand. She begins to learn more and more about carpentry and Lisa suggests to Marge that she try to earn some money as a handyman, thus opening up 'Simpsons Carpentry'. However, potential clients (Superintendent Chalmers and Krusty the Clown) turn her down, dismissing the idea of a female carpenter. Commenting on how people expect carpenters male, Marge develops a plan. She uses Homer as a front to the customers, while Marge, hiding in an accompanied red tool chest, does the all of the work as Homer rests in the tool box, and switching back when the costumers come to check on Homer's work. Meanwhile, a note is sent out from the school, informing parents that someone at the school has a peanut allergy so peanuts will no longer be allowed on school premises. An indignant Bart claims it to be unfair not to disclose the identity of the "kid," but he soon discovers the "kid" is actually Principal Skinner with the help of GroundsKeeper Willie. With this newfound knowledge, and with the assistance of a peanut on a stick, Bart forces Skinner to do his bidding (namely publicly humilitating himself).

While business is going great, Marge becomes a bit discouraged by Helen Lovejoy and Lindsay Naegle when she is out buying supplies, who taunt her for being Homer's "helper". That night, Marge tells Homer that she feels he is taking too much credit and wishes she would get some recognition for the work. Homer, however, does not want to be humiliated by revealing his wife did everything. After an incident in which Homer mocks Marge's carpentry skills with Lenny and Carl, Marge becomes enraged and quits, leaving Homer alone to do his biggest commission yet: repairing Springfield's old wooden roller coaster, "The Zoominator". Homer tries to fake his way through being a foreman in front of his newly hired construction crew, but they eventually abandon him when he reveals he can't pay them and doesn't know anything about construction. Meanwhile, after being advised by Comic Book Guy the only way to stop Bart is to find his 'kryptonite', Skinner searches through medical records of Bart in the night. He finds out that Bart is allergic to shrimp. The next day, Skinner counters Bart's peanut stick with his own: a shrimp on a stick. Bart and Skinner clash with their respective “sticks,” eventually leading them into a Thai food factory in the "Little Bangkok" section of town. They battle over a rickety catwalk, until it gives way, plunging them both into a vat of peanut shrimp, setting off both of their sensitive allergies.

The big reopening day arrives, and Homer stands in front of a crowd gathered to witness the unveiling of the refurbished roller coaster. Marge has a video camera at the ready, so she can catch Homer being exposed as a fraud on tape. When revealed, the crowd is in awe at the seemingly repaired roller coaster, but with a hit from Homer's popped cork from his champagne, the coaster collapses, becoming as rundown as it had been before. Still not wanting to admit the truth, Homer proves the coaster is safe by riding it himself, even though there are large gaps in the track. Acting quickly, Marge repairs each broken piece just before Homer's cart runs over it. While riding, Homer announces to the crowd that Marge did all the handiwork. The crowd applauds 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 roller coaster structure comes crashing down on top, injuring Homer. At the hospital, Marge visits Homer, who is immobilized in a full body cast. Bart and Skinner rest in their respective hospital beds in the same room as Homer; Skinner is outraged to hear Bart is pretending that he saved Skinner's life, and the two proceed to throw shrimp and peanuts at each other to set off their respective allergies again.

Reception

In its original run, the episode received 9.72 million viewers. Dan Iverson of IGN calls it a brilliant episode; despite the fact the Simpsons have tunneled down a similar storyline, he quotes they've done better in making this plot unique. He gives it a final rating of 7.5/10, better than the previous episodes. Adam Finley of TV Squad, like Iverson, enjoyed the episode's secondary plot with Bart vs. Skinner.

Cultural references

The title of the episode is a reference to MC Hammer's album, Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em. The premise of this episode references the 1980s U.S. television series Remington Steele, in which a woman uses a man as a front to make her services more marketable. During most of the episode, Homer and Marge's working clothes were the same colors as Mario and Luigi's from Super Mario Brothers. The writers acknowledge the source of the premise by including a fictitious Remington Steele video game in the background when Bart is shown playing in the mall's video arcade. Also shown in the arcade is a machine marked "Polybius", a name referenced from an urban legend involving an arcade game of the same name. To further spoof this urban legend, the machine is marked "Property of the U.S. Government".. When Homer was crying in a cabin next to the roller coaster, one of the builders said: "He is Much Ado About Nothing", a reference to the story with the same name. Bart and Skinner's peanut–shrimp fight along with the music "Duel of the Fates" being played is a reference to the climactic fight at the end of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

References

1. ^ "The Simpsons: "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
2. ^ Simpsons Channel ratings: "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em"
3. IGN: "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em Review
4. TVSQUAD: "Please Homer, Do't Hammer 'Em"
5. ^ Cultural references for "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em"

• The Simpsons episodes, season 18
• 2006 television episodes