Home Away from Homer
Encyclopedia
“Home Away from Homer” is the twentieth episode of The Simpsons
’ sixteenth season
. The episode aired on May 15, 2005 in the United States
.
calls in to an unpopular public radio station and wins tickets for four to a movie called Kosovo Autumn. Since Lisa only has four tickets, Homer
leaves Maggie
with Ned Flanders
, who agrees to babysit free of charge. When the Simpson family returns, Marge
picks up Maggie and hastily offers to pay Ned for his troubles, feeling it would be wrong not to pay him. He politely refuses, but admits that a little extra cash in his life would not hurt, seeing as the giant retail store Left-Mart is threatening his business. Kindly, Marge suggests that he rent out one of the rooms to someone. He agrees, giving the room to Katja and Vicky, a pair of female students from the community college
.
Taking advantage of his trusting nature, the two use their room as a staging area for a softcore pornographic website, sexyslumberparty.com, which shows them spanking each other with a picture of Ned's son Todd. Bart
and Milhouse
come across a banner ad for the site while searching Ask Jeeves and share their discovery with a very amused Homer, who proceeds to spread the news around town. Marge, however, soon discovers both father and son viewing the pornographic material and forces Homer to tell Ned everything. Upon learning this, Ned angrily forces the girls to leave, but realizes that everyone has arrived to cheer for them as they leave. Horrified at both the town’s mockery and Homer’s betrayal, Ned promptly leaves town, moving to Humbleton, Pennsylvania
, home of the porcelain Humble figurines
, which he collects. Angered by Homer's actions, Marge and Lisa tell him to be on his best behavior for their new neighbor, Clay “Coach Clay” Roberts. Clay proves to be a horrible neighbor, taking every opportunity to bully, mock, and physically attack Homer, as well as littering the Simpsons’ yard with Ned's fallen trees, cutting their cable, and siphoning gas from Homer’s car.
Meanwhile, Ned finds the pseudo-Germanic town of Humbleton to be everything he ever dreamed. The townspeople are friendly to a fault; It seems to be the ultimate idyllic utopia
. However, when applying for a job at the Humbleton Figurine Workshop, the manager’s only request is for him to shave his moustache
, declaring it “hippie
-ish” and distracting. Ned briefly considers it but soon decides his “nose neighbor” is more important than the townspeople's opinions, who immediately shun him.
Homer drives to Pennsylvania and pleads with Ned to return, who, upon seeing the judgmental faces of the Humbleton residents all glaring at him, agrees. Unfortunately, Coach Clay does not want to leave the house, despite Ned pointing out that the $200,000 check bounced and, legally, he still owns the property. He is eventually persuaded once Ned overpowers him by sheer force, causing Clay to beg for mercy before being knocked unconscious by Homer.
A few hours later, Homer obtains a pipe organ
and places it in Ned’s backyard for a welcome-home party, which several Springfield residents attend. At first Ned has doubts about it, believing that Homer stole it from the church, which Homer says he will return it after the party. Ned is happy at the party, but it does not take long before Homer once more starts getting irritated at his old-new neighbor.
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
The Simpsons (season 16)
The Simpsons 16th season began on Sunday, November 7, 2004 and contained 21 episodes, beginning with Treehouse of Horror XV. The season contains six hold-over episodes from the season 15 production line....
. The episode aired on May 15, 2005 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Plot
LisaLisa Simpson
Lisa Marie Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the middle child of the Simpson family. Voiced by Yeardley Smith, Lisa first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening...
calls in to an unpopular public radio station and wins tickets for four to a movie called Kosovo Autumn. Since Lisa only has four tickets, Homer
Homer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
leaves Maggie
Maggie Simpson
Margaret "Maggie" Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She first appeared on television in the Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Maggie was created and designed by cartoonist Matt Groening while he was waiting in the lobby of James...
with Ned Flanders
Ned Flanders
Nedward "Ned" Flanders, Jr. is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Harry Shearer, and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". He is the next door neighbor to the Simpson family and is generally...
, who agrees to babysit free of charge. When the Simpson family returns, Marge
Marge Simpson
Marjorie "Marge" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the eponymous family. She is voiced by actress Julie Kavner and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
picks up Maggie and hastily offers to pay Ned for his troubles, feeling it would be wrong not to pay him. He politely refuses, but admits that a little extra cash in his life would not hurt, seeing as the giant retail store Left-Mart is threatening his business. Kindly, Marge suggests that he rent out one of the rooms to someone. He agrees, giving the room to Katja and Vicky, a pair of female students from the community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
.
Taking advantage of his trusting nature, the two use their room as a staging area for a softcore pornographic website, sexyslumberparty.com, which shows them spanking each other with a picture of Ned's son Todd. Bart
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
and Milhouse
Milhouse Van Houten
Milhouse Mussolini Van Houten is a fictional character featured in the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Pamela Hayden. He is Bart Simpson's best friend in Mrs. Krabappel's fourth grade class at Springfield Elementary School....
come across a banner ad for the site while searching Ask Jeeves and share their discovery with a very amused Homer, who proceeds to spread the news around town. Marge, however, soon discovers both father and son viewing the pornographic material and forces Homer to tell Ned everything. Upon learning this, Ned angrily forces the girls to leave, but realizes that everyone has arrived to cheer for them as they leave. Horrified at both the town’s mockery and Homer’s betrayal, Ned promptly leaves town, moving to Humbleton, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, home of the porcelain Humble figurines
Hummel figurines
Hummel figurines are a series of porcelain figurines based on the drawings of Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel, O.S.F.-History:...
, which he collects. Angered by Homer's actions, Marge and Lisa tell him to be on his best behavior for their new neighbor, Clay “Coach Clay” Roberts. Clay proves to be a horrible neighbor, taking every opportunity to bully, mock, and physically attack Homer, as well as littering the Simpsons’ yard with Ned's fallen trees, cutting their cable, and siphoning gas from Homer’s car.
Meanwhile, Ned finds the pseudo-Germanic town of Humbleton to be everything he ever dreamed. The townspeople are friendly to a fault; It seems to be the ultimate idyllic utopia
Utopia
Utopia is an ideal community or society possessing a perfect socio-politico-legal system. The word was imported from Greek by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book Utopia, describing a fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean. The term has been used to describe both intentional communities that attempt...
. However, when applying for a job at the Humbleton Figurine Workshop, the manager’s only request is for him to shave his moustache
Moustache
A moustache is facial hair grown on the outer surface of the upper lip. It may or may not be accompanied by a type of beard, a facial hair style grown and cropped to cover most of the lower half of the face.-Etymology:...
, declaring it “hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
-ish” and distracting. Ned briefly considers it but soon decides his “nose neighbor” is more important than the townspeople's opinions, who immediately shun him.
Homer drives to Pennsylvania and pleads with Ned to return, who, upon seeing the judgmental faces of the Humbleton residents all glaring at him, agrees. Unfortunately, Coach Clay does not want to leave the house, despite Ned pointing out that the $200,000 check bounced and, legally, he still owns the property. He is eventually persuaded once Ned overpowers him by sheer force, causing Clay to beg for mercy before being knocked unconscious by Homer.
A few hours later, Homer obtains a pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
and places it in Ned’s backyard for a welcome-home party, which several Springfield residents attend. At first Ned has doubts about it, believing that Homer stole it from the church, which Homer says he will return it after the party. Ned is happy at the party, but it does not take long before Homer once more starts getting irritated at his old-new neighbor.
Cultural references
- The coach works out to the song “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party)” by the Beastie BoysBeastie BoysBeastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
. - The song in the background when Flanders drives into Humbleton is “Lara’s Theme”Lara's Theme"Lara's Theme" is the generic name given to a leitmotif written for the film Doctor Zhivago by composer Maurice Jarre. Soon afterward, it became the basis of the song "Somewhere My Love."- Original composition :...
from the 1965 film Doctor Zhivago, a popular tune in music boxes. - Ned’s first days in Humbleton are accompanied by the song "Bad CompanyBad Company (song)"Bad Company" is a song from the hard rock band Bad Company. It was released as the third single from their debut album Bad Company in 1974. Co-written by the group's lead singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke, the song's meaning comes from the movie of the same name featuring Jeff Bridges...
" by Bad CompanyBad CompanyBad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...
. - Flanders bursts into the ornament factory with a scarf covering his mustache in the same manner as Mick Travis (Malcolm McDowellMalcolm McDowellMalcolm McDowell is an English actor with a career spanning over forty years.McDowell is principally known for his roles in the controversial films If...., O Lucky Man!, A Clockwork Orange and Caligula...
) in the film if.... (1968). - Ned stands over a grate, causing his mustache to billow up in the wind like Marilyn MonroeMarilyn MonroeMarilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
's dress in the famous subway grate scene in The Seven Year ItchThe Seven Year ItchThe Seven Year Itch is a 1955 American film based on a three-act play with the same name by George Axelrod. The film was co-written and directed by Billy Wilder, and starred Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell, reprising his Broadway role...
. - Ned Flanders listens to Pat BoonePat BooneCharles Eugene "Pat" Boone is an American singer, actor and writer who has been a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s. He covered black artists' songs and sold more copies than his black counterparts...
's version of "Tutti FruttiTutti Frutti (song)"Tutti Frutti" is a 1955 song by Little Richard, which became his first hit record. With its opening cry of "A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop-a-lop-bop-bop!" and its hard-driving sound and wild lyrics, it became not only a model for many future Little Richard songs, but also one of the...
". - Katya tells Ned that he rhymes like "Snoopy DoggSnoop DoggCalvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
". - Homer mocks comedian Jimmy FallonJimmy FallonJames Thomas "Jimmy" Fallon, Jr. is an American actor, comedian, singer, musician and television host. He currently hosts Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, a late-night talk show that airs Monday through Friday on NBC...
when Bart and Milhouse are laughing over the naughty website, snapping that if they say they are laughing at Fallon, he will know they are lying to him. - The tune played at the garden party at the end is the 1981 song “Freeze FrameFreeze Frame (The J. Geils Band album)Freeze-Frame is the 12th album by American rock band The J. Geils Band, released in 1981 . This was the band's only #1 album and their biggest seller. The album reached number one on the Billboard 200 album chart in February 1982, and remained at the top for four weeks. The album featured the hit...
” by The J. Geils Band. This song would later be used on season 18's "HomerazziHomerazzi"Homerazzi" is the sixteenth episode of the eighteenth season of The Simpsons, which was originally broadcast on March 25, 2007. It was written by J. Stewart Burns, directed by Matthew Nastuk, and guest starred J.K. Simmons as the tabloid editor, Betty White as Herself, and Jon Lovitz as Enrico...
" when Marge restages all the family photos. - Lisa listens to a parody of National Public Radio, specifically the show "All Things ConsideredAll Things ConsideredAll Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets...
" and its opening tune. - One of the suggestion that Homer gives as a babysitter for Maggie is "GhostfaceGhostface (Scream)Ghostface is a fictional identity adopted by the main antagonists in the Scream series of slasher films. The character is voiced by Roger L. Jackson regardless of who is behind the mask...
" from "ScreamScream (film)Scream is a 1996 American slasher film written by Kevin Williamson and directed by Wes Craven. The film stars Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Drew Barrymore, and David Arquette...
". - The other babysitter Homer suggested was "Grandma Shark WeekShark WeekThe Discovery Channel's Shark Week, which first aired on July 27, 1987, is a week-long series of feature television programs dedicated to sharks. Shark Week is held annually, normally running in July or August. Shark Week was developed to help the average person have a greater respect for sharks....
".