Homer's Odyssey
Fired from the power plant, Homer finds a new cause: a stop sign, then safety for all of Springfield.
Homer's Odyssey is the third episode of The Simpsons' first season, first aired on Fox on January 21, 1990. Fired after crashing an electric cart during Bart's class trip to the nuclear plant, Homer finds a new purpose as a crusader for public safety and ends up as the plant's safety inspector. Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky wrote it and Wes Archer directed; it was the first Simpsons script to be completed, although it was the third episode produced.
Quick Facts
- Season
- 1
- Episode
- 3
- Director
- Wes Archer
- Writer
- Jay Kogen; Wallace Wolodarsky
- Production
- 7G03
- Air date
- 21 January 1990
- Guests
- Sam McMurray as SNPP Employee and Duff Commercial VO; Marcia Wallace as Edna Krabappel
- Commentary
- Matt Groening
- Wes Archer
- Jay Kogen
- Wallace Wolodarsky
Facts from the source article.
Background
Distracted when Bart waves at him, Homer crashes the cart into a cooling vent and is fired. After a failed job hunt he writes a note to his family and heads for a bridge with a boulder tied to himself; racing to save him, the family is nearly run over by a speeding truck, and Homer pulls them to safety. Now set on getting a stop sign put up at the dangerous intersection, he successfully petitions the city council, then campaigns for speed bumps and warning signs all over town.
When he takes on the biggest danger in Springfield, the nuclear plant itself, Mr. Burns ends the furor by offering him the job of plant safety inspector at a higher salary; torn between his principles and his livelihood, Homer tearfully tells his followers to fight on without him and takes the job. The city council members are voiced by Dan Castellaneta (City Council #1), Harry Shearer (City Council #2, plus a second take of #1) and Christopher Collins (City Council #3).
The episode is Waylon Smithers' first on-screen appearance: color stylist Gyorgyi Peluce mistakenly colored him as African American, and he was switched to his intended color for his next episode. Homer's middle initial, J, is mentioned for the first time, and Otto, Chief Wiggum, Jasper, Sherri and Terri make their first appearances. It finished 28th in the ratings for its week with a Nielsen rating of 14.9, the highest-rated show on Fox that week.
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