Homer the Great
Encyclopedia
"Homer the Great" is the twelfth television episode of The Simpsons
' sixth season
. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 8, 1995. In the episode, Homer
discovers that Lenny and Carl are members of the ancient secret society known as the Stonecutters. Gaining membership through Grampa
, Homer takes great pleasure in the society's many privileges and events. Unfortunately, during a celebratory dinner he unwittingly destroys the Stonecutter's "Sacred Parchment". Homer is stripped of his membership, until it is discovered that he is "The Chosen One" who will lead the Stonecutters to glory.
The episode was written by John Swartzwelder
, and directed by Jim Reardon
. Patrick Stewart
guest stars as "Number One", the leader of the Springfield chapter of The Stonecutters. It features cultural references to freemasonry
and films such as Raiders of the Lost Ark
and The Last Emperor
. Since airing, the episode has received many positive reviews from fans and television critics, and has been called "one of the better episodes of the series" by Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood in their book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide. The song "We Do" was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award
for "Outstanding Music And Lyrics".
is a member and is admitted.
After joining the Stonecutters, which is made up of many of the male characters on the show, Homer takes great pleasure in the Society's secret privileges, such as an underground byway past Springfield's traffic jams, the Society's drinking bouts and free rollerblades (in order to get to his workplace from the car park quicker). Unfortunately, during a celebratory rib
dinner with his fellow Stonecutters commemorating its 1500th anniversary, he unwittingly uses the society’s Hallowed Sacred Parchment as a napkin
, tissue
and Q-tip
, destroying it. He is stripped of his Stonecutter robes and as part of his punishment is forced to walk home naked dragging the "stone of shame". Before he leaves, however, it is discovered that Homer has a birthmark in the shape of the Stonecutter emblem, identifying him as "The Chosen One" who, it was foretold, would lead the Stonecutters to greatness. He is then unshackled from the "stone of shame" and shackled to an even larger "stone of triumph".
Homer is crowned as the new leader of The Stonecutters. Initially enjoying himself, Homer soon feels isolated by his power when the other members treat him differently due to his new position, and asks Lisa for advice. She suggests that he ask the Stonecutters to do volunteer work to help the community. This angers the Stonecutters, who convene their World Council and consider killing Homer. They finally decide against it and realize that Homer will control them for as long as they are known as Stonecutters, so Moe suggests they instead break off to form a new society: "The Ancient Mystic Society of No Homers". Needless to say, Homer is not allowed to join. Adding insult to injury, a now grown-up Homer Glumpet is among the new club's members.
Homer becomes despondent about losing his secret club and replaces every member with monkeys which he gets drunk and makes act out civil war battles. Marge consoles him by telling him he is a member of a "very exclusive club": The Simpson Family and only two members have special rings. The family then subjects him to some hazing
and paddling
.
, the story was suggested by executive producer David Mirkin
. Mirkin did not have enough time to write the episode and asked Swartzwelder to do it. Mirkin came up with the idea while driving home from a rewrite early in the morning and listened to a religious radio station where they were talking about Freemasonry
. Mirkin decided it would make a great episode, where everyone in Springfield
was a member of a Masonic society and Homer was left on the outside and felt neglected.
The song "We Do" was not included in the original script and was suggested by Matt Groening
. It was written by the writer's room, who threw in as many things that annoyed them as they possibly could. It was described as "one of the series’ best musical numbers" by Colin Jacobson at DVD Movie Guide, and was later included in the clip show "All Singing, All Dancing
".
The episode guest stars Patrick Stewart
as Number One. Stewart said, "I think my appearance in The Simpsons and an appearance that I did on Sesame Street
— in praise of the letter B — were perhaps the two most distinguished bits of work that I've done in the US." Mirkin has said that Patrick Stewart is "one of the best guest performances" because "he was so committed to [the] character."
. The Stonecutters are in possession of the Ark of the Covenant
and when they burn Homer's underwear in it, souls escape, which is a reference to Raiders of the Lost Ark
. When crowned the "Chosen One", Homer, dressed in finery, enters through some curtains, a reference to the 1987 film The Last Emperor
. The Stonecutter's International Council consists of Orville Redenbacher
, Jack Nicholson
, Mr. T
, and George H.W. Bush.
The authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, called it "a brilliant crack at freemasonry, with all the secret signs, one-upmanship, rituals and unusual membership rules. Add to this Patrick Stewart's amazing voice and you have one of the better episodes of the series." Patrick Enwright of MSNBC
listed "Homer the Great" as his third favorite episode, calling it "as a whole [it] is (almost) unsurpassable." Dave Petruska of the Tucson Citizen
listed "Homer the Great" as his favorite episode "because it is such a wonderful satire
on fraternal organizations and because of Patrick Stewart's hilarious guest-starring role as Number One." Total Film
s Nathan Ditum ranked Stewart's performance as the ninth best guest appearance in the show's history. TV Squad's Adam Finley said the episode "does a great job of satirizing Freemasons." Colin Jacobson at DVD Movie Guide said in a review of the sixth season DVD: "I think it peters out a bit as it progresses; the best moments show the influence of the Stonecutters, and the show drags a little toward the end. Nonetheless, it still offers a solid piece of work." In 2010, Michael Moran of The Times
ranked the episode as the fifth best in the show's history.
John Swartzwelder and Alf Clausen
were nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award
for "Outstanding Music And Lyrics" for the song "We Do". It was later included in the album Songs in the Key of Springfield
.
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 6)
The Simpsons sixth season originally aired on the Fox network between September 4, 1994 and May 21, 1995 and consists of 25 episodes. The Simpsons is an animated series about a working class family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie...
. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 8, 1995. In the episode, 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...
discovers that Lenny and Carl are members of the ancient secret society known as the Stonecutters. Gaining membership through Grampa
Abraham Simpson
Abraham J. "Abe" Simpson, often known simply as Grampa, is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and he is also the patriarch of the Simpson family, the father of Homer Simpson, and the grandfather of Bart, Lisa, and Maggie Simpson...
, Homer takes great pleasure in the society's many privileges and events. Unfortunately, during a celebratory dinner he unwittingly destroys the Stonecutter's "Sacred Parchment". Homer is stripped of his membership, until it is discovered that he is "The Chosen One" who will lead the Stonecutters to glory.
The episode was written by John Swartzwelder
John Swartzwelder
John Swartzwelder is an American comedy writer and novelist, best known for his work on the animated television series The Simpsons, as well as a number of novels. He is credited with writing the largest number of Simpsons episodes by a large margin...
, and directed by Jim Reardon
Jim Reardon
Jim Reardon is an animation director and storyboard consultant, best known for his work on the animated TV series The Simpsons. He has directed over 30 episodes of the series, and was credited as a supervising director for seasons 9 through 15...
. Patrick Stewart
Patrick Stewart
Sir Patrick Hewes Stewart, OBE is an English film, television and stage actor, who has had a distinguished career in theatre and television for around half a century...
guest stars as "Number One", the leader of the Springfield chapter of The Stonecutters. It features cultural references to freemasonry
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
and films such as Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, produced by George Lucas, and starring Harrison Ford. It is the first film in the Indiana Jones franchise...
and The Last Emperor
The Last Emperor
The Last Emperor is a 1987 biopic about the life of Puyi, the last Emperor of China, whose autobiography was the basis for the screenplay written by Mark Peploe and Bernardo Bertolucci. Independently produced by Jeremy Thomas, it was directed by Bertolucci and released in 1987 by Columbia Pictures...
. Since airing, the episode has received many positive reviews from fans and television critics, and has been called "one of the better episodes of the series" by Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood in their book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide. The song "We Do" was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
for "Outstanding Music And Lyrics".
Plot
Homer notices that Lenny and Carl are enjoying inexplicable privileges thanks to their rings such as free soft drinks, massage chairs, and great parking spots at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. Homer investigates and discovers that they are part of an ancient secret society known as The Stonecutters. When he tries to join, he learns that in order to gain membership, one must either be the son of a Stonecutter or save the life of a Stonecutter. He pretends to have saved Lenny's life, but fails. Homer complains about not being let in and reveals to Marge his past experience being excluded from clubs; when he was young, a group of children formed the "No Homers Club" and did not allow him to join, though a boy named Homer Glumpet was not rejected. While extolling the Stonecutters at the dinner table, he discovers that his fatherAbraham Simpson
Abraham J. "Abe" Simpson, often known simply as Grampa, is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and he is also the patriarch of the Simpson family, the father of Homer Simpson, and the grandfather of Bart, Lisa, and Maggie Simpson...
is a member and is admitted.
After joining the Stonecutters, which is made up of many of the male characters on the show, Homer takes great pleasure in the Society's secret privileges, such as an underground byway past Springfield's traffic jams, the Society's drinking bouts and free rollerblades (in order to get to his workplace from the car park quicker). Unfortunately, during a celebratory rib
Ribs (food)
Ribs of beef, lamb, venison, and pork are a cut of meat. The term ribs usually refers to the less meaty part of the chops, often cooked as a slab .They can be roasted, grilled, baked, braised, or smoked....
dinner with his fellow Stonecutters commemorating its 1500th anniversary, he unwittingly uses the society’s Hallowed Sacred Parchment as a napkin
Napkin
A napkin, or face towel is a rectangle of cloth used at the table for wiping the mouth while eating. It is usually small and folded...
, tissue
Facial tissue
Facial tissue and paper handkerchief refers to a class of soft, absorbent, disposable papers that is suitable for use on the face. They are disposable alternatives for cloth handkerchiefs...
and Q-tip
Cotton swab
Cotton swabs or cotton buds or ear buds consist of a small wad of cotton wrapped around one or both ends of a short rod, usually made of either wood, rolled paper, or plastic...
, destroying it. He is stripped of his Stonecutter robes and as part of his punishment is forced to walk home naked dragging the "stone of shame". Before he leaves, however, it is discovered that Homer has a birthmark in the shape of the Stonecutter emblem, identifying him as "The Chosen One" who, it was foretold, would lead the Stonecutters to greatness. He is then unshackled from the "stone of shame" and shackled to an even larger "stone of triumph".
Homer is crowned as the new leader of The Stonecutters. Initially enjoying himself, Homer soon feels isolated by his power when the other members treat him differently due to his new position, and asks Lisa for advice. She suggests that he ask the Stonecutters to do volunteer work to help the community. This angers the Stonecutters, who convene their World Council and consider killing Homer. They finally decide against it and realize that Homer will control them for as long as they are known as Stonecutters, so Moe suggests they instead break off to form a new society: "The Ancient Mystic Society of No Homers". Needless to say, Homer is not allowed to join. Adding insult to injury, a now grown-up Homer Glumpet is among the new club's members.
Homer becomes despondent about losing his secret club and replaces every member with monkeys which he gets drunk and makes act out civil war battles. Marge consoles him by telling him he is a member of a "very exclusive club": The Simpson Family and only two members have special rings. The family then subjects him to some hazing
Hazing
Hazing is a term used to describe various ritual and other activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group....
and paddling
Paddle (spanking)
A spanking paddle is an implement used to strike a person on the buttocks. The act of striking a person with a paddle is known as "paddling". A paddling may be for punishment , or as an initiation or hazing ritual, or for erotic purposes.A paddle has two parts: a handle and a blade...
.
Production
Although "Homer the Great" was written by John SwartzwelderJohn Swartzwelder
John Swartzwelder is an American comedy writer and novelist, best known for his work on the animated television series The Simpsons, as well as a number of novels. He is credited with writing the largest number of Simpsons episodes by a large margin...
, the story was suggested by executive producer David Mirkin
David Mirkin
David Mirkin is an American feature film and television director, writer and producer. Mirkin grew up in Philadelphia and intended to become an electrical engineer, but abandoned this career path in favor of studying film at Loyola Marymount University. After graduating, he became a stand-up...
. Mirkin did not have enough time to write the episode and asked Swartzwelder to do it. Mirkin came up with the idea while driving home from a rewrite early in the morning and listened to a religious radio station where they were talking about Freemasonry
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
. Mirkin decided it would make a great episode, where everyone in Springfield
Springfield (The Simpsons)
Springfield is the fictional town in which the American animated sitcom The Simpsons is set. A mid-sized town in an undetermined state of the United States, Springfield acts as a complete universe in which characters can explore the issues faced by modern society. The geography of the town and its...
was a member of a Masonic society and Homer was left on the outside and felt neglected.
The song "We Do" was not included in the original script and was suggested by Matt Groening
Matt Groening
Matthew Abram "Matt" Groening is an American cartoonist, screenwriter, and producer. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell as well as two successful television series, The Simpsons and Futurama....
. It was written by the writer's room, who threw in as many things that annoyed them as they possibly could. It was described as "one of the series’ best musical numbers" by Colin Jacobson at DVD Movie Guide, and was later included in the clip show "All Singing, All Dancing
All Singing, All Dancing
"All Singing, All Dancing" is the eleventh episode of The Simpsons ninth season and originally aired on the Fox network on January 4, 1998. In it, the fourth clip show aired by The Simpsons, Homer claims he hates singing, so Marge shows family videos of musical numbers from the previous seasons...
".
The episode guest stars Patrick Stewart
Patrick Stewart
Sir Patrick Hewes Stewart, OBE is an English film, television and stage actor, who has had a distinguished career in theatre and television for around half a century...
as Number One. Stewart said, "I think my appearance in The Simpsons and an appearance that I did on Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
— in praise of the letter B — were perhaps the two most distinguished bits of work that I've done in the US." Mirkin has said that Patrick Stewart is "one of the best guest performances" because "he was so committed to [the] character."
Cultural references
The term "Stonecutters" and the organization's symbol are references to FreemasonryFreemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
. The Stonecutters are in possession of the Ark of the Covenant
Ark of the Covenant
The Ark of the Covenant , also known as the Ark of the Testimony, is a chest described in Book of Exodus as solely containing the Tablets of Stone on which the Ten Commandments were inscribed...
and when they burn Homer's underwear in it, souls escape, which is a reference to Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, produced by George Lucas, and starring Harrison Ford. It is the first film in the Indiana Jones franchise...
. When crowned the "Chosen One", Homer, dressed in finery, enters through some curtains, a reference to the 1987 film The Last Emperor
The Last Emperor
The Last Emperor is a 1987 biopic about the life of Puyi, the last Emperor of China, whose autobiography was the basis for the screenplay written by Mark Peploe and Bernardo Bertolucci. Independently produced by Jeremy Thomas, it was directed by Bertolucci and released in 1987 by Columbia Pictures...
. The Stonecutter's International Council consists of Orville Redenbacher
Orville Redenbacher
Orville Clarence Redenbacher was an American businessman most often associated with the brand of popcorn that bears his name.-Early life:...
, Jack Nicholson
Jack Nicholson
John Joseph "Jack" Nicholson is an American actor, film director, producer and writer. He is renowned for his often dark portrayals of neurotic characters. Nicholson has been nominated for an Academy Award twelve times, and has won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice: for One Flew Over the...
, Mr. T
Mr. T
Mr. T is an American actor known for his roles as B. A. Baracus in the 1980s television series The A-Team, as boxer Clubber Lang in the 1982 film Rocky III, and for his appearances as a professional wrestler. Mr. T is known for his trademark African Mandinka warrior hairstyle, his gold jewelry,...
, and George H.W. Bush.
Reception
In its original American broadcast, "Homer the Great" finished 38th in the ratings for the week of January 1 to January 8, 1995. The episode was the highest rated show on the Fox network that week. Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive 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, called it "a brilliant crack at freemasonry, with all the secret signs, one-upmanship, rituals and unusual membership rules. Add to this Patrick Stewart's amazing voice and you have one of the better episodes of the series." Patrick Enwright of MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
listed "Homer the Great" as his third favorite episode, calling it "as a whole [it] is (almost) unsurpassable." Dave Petruska of the Tucson Citizen
Tucson Citizen
The Tucson Citizen was a daily newspaper in Tucson, Arizona. It was founded by Richard C. McCormick with John Wasson as publisher and editor on October 15, 1870 as the Arizona Citizen....
listed "Homer the Great" as his favorite episode "because it is such a wonderful satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
on fraternal organizations and because of Patrick Stewart's hilarious guest-starring role as Number One." Total Film
Total Film
Total Film is a British film magazine published 13 times a year by Future Publishing. The magazine was launched in 1997 and offers film, DVD and Blu-ray news, reviews and features...
s Nathan Ditum ranked Stewart's performance as the ninth best guest appearance in the show's history. TV Squad's Adam Finley said the episode "does a great job of satirizing Freemasons." Colin Jacobson at DVD Movie Guide said in a review of the sixth season DVD: "I think it peters out a bit as it progresses; the best moments show the influence of the Stonecutters, and the show drags a little toward the end. Nonetheless, it still offers a solid piece of work." In 2010, Michael Moran of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
ranked the episode as the fifth best in the show's history.
John Swartzwelder and Alf Clausen
Alf Clausen
Alf Clausen is an American film and television composer. He is best known for his work scoring many episodes of The Simpsons, of which he has been the sole composer since 1990...
were nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
for "Outstanding Music And Lyrics" for the song "We Do". It was later included in the album Songs in the Key of Springfield
Songs in the Key of Springfield
Songs in the Key of Springfield is a soundtrack/novelty album from The Simpsons compiling many of the musical numbers from the series. The album was released in the United States on March 18, 1997, and in the United Kingdom in June 1997...
.
External links
- "Homer the Great" at The Simpsons.com