Brick Like Me
Homer wakes in a Lego world where everything fits together.
The Simpsons' 550th episode, "Brick Like Me," aired on May 4, 2014, as the twentieth installment of season twenty-five. In it, Homer finds himself in a Lego-based reality and must escape before becoming trapped. The episode blends 2D and 3D animation and earned writer Brian Kelley the Writers Guild of America Award for Outstanding Writing in Animation.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Matthew Nastuk
- Writer
- Brian Kelley
- Airdate
- 4 May 2014
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Homer wakes up in a perfect version of Springfield where every person and object is built from Lego bricks, with Maggie appearing as an oversized Duplo figure. At the Lego Comic Book Guy's shop, he picks out a toy set for Lisa's birthday. When he touches the box, he has a vision of his normal, flesh-and-blood self giving Lisa the gift and helping her assemble it. This deeply unsettles Lego Homer. Lego Marge dismisses it as a dream, but Homer keeps hallucinating that he and others are made of flesh. Meanwhile, Lego Bart releases a skunk that Milhouse brought for "share day." While chasing the skunk, Bart accidentally demolishes the school. Principal Skinner orders him to rebuild it exactly as it was, rejecting any creative changes Bart tries to make. Homer's hallucinations worsen, and during church his hands visibly turn into flesh in front of everyone. Seeking answers, he returns to the Android's Dungeon and touches the toy box again. This time he sees himself as a flesh person building a Lego model of Springfield with Lisa for a contest, thrilled to share a common interest. But Lisa chooses to see the new Survival Games movie with older girls instead, leaving Homer to enter the contest alone. As he wishes aloud for a Lego Springfield where "everything fits together and no one gets hurt," Comic Book Guy's giant Lego statue of Kendah Wildwill falls on him, knocking him out. When he wakes, Lego Comic Book Guy explains that this world is a fantasy where Homer can forever live out his wish to spend time with Lisa. Homer accepts this false reality.
Production
In an April 2014 interview with TV Guide, The Simpsons executive producer Matt Selman spoke about how long it took to produce the episode, saying the staff had been at it for two years — twice the time it takes to do a regular episode — and that was way too long for comedy people to live with the same jokes. He described it as an epic process, noting they first had to convince executive producer Jim Brooks and showrunner Al Jean that a Lego episode was a great idea and not just an excuse for the staff of nerds who grew up in the '70s to crack Lego jokes, and that there needed to be a real emotional story there. The Simpsons staff also had to have the approval of the Lego company. Jill Wilfert, the Lego Group's vice president of licensing and entertainment, said the company is pretty picky about how its brand is represented, and The Simpsons, famous for its satire, has its own distinct point of view. She noted that no one at the show is used to dealing with creative input from the outside, so there was some back-and-forth to get it all right, but at its core the Lego brand is all about creativity and imagination. Wilfert also spoke about how the episode is edgier than most Lego properties, calling it a chance for the company to be a little edgier than it might normally be, and because it would likely bring younger viewers to The Simpsons, it was an opportunity for the show to be more family-friendly.
Reception
The episode pulled a 2.0 rating and drew 4.39 million viewers, landing as the second most-watched program on Animation Domination that evening, ahead of both Bob's Burgers and American Dad!. Critical reception has been mostly favorable since it aired. Jesse Schedeen from IGN scored it an 8.2 out of 10, calling it "Great." He noted that while the parallels to The Lego Movie are regrettable, the episode offers plenty of enjoyment as a notable Simpsons milestone. He added that any break from the usual format is welcome after so many seasons, and there is real fun in seeing Springfield rebuilt in LEGO form with its blocky residents. The deeper themes, though somewhat familiar, still resonate with anyone who built with LEGOs as a kid. Dennis Perkins of The A.V. Club gave it an A−, describing it as a remarkable half-hour that is heartfelt, creative, superbly acted, and tightly written. He argued it proves his season-long point that The Simpsons can still be excellent. Tim Surette of TV.com felt that by the time Bart appeared in a twisted mech suit vomiting lightsabers, the episode had become a random collection of pieces trying to form something bigger—like a kid who arrived late to a LEGO party and built whatever he could from leftovers. However, he praised its visual impact, saying the bright, brick-by-brick 3D reconstruction of Springfield is what the episode will be remembered for. James Poniewozik of Time gave a positive review, stating that the episode shows The Simpsons still has its spark, at least occasionally.
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