The Last Temptation of Homer

Infobox Simpsons episode
episode_name = The Last Temptation of Homer


image_caption = Homer and Mindy in their Capital City hotel.
episode_no = 90
prod_code = 1F07
airdate = December 9, 1993
show runner = David Mirkin
writer = Frank Mula
director = Carlos Baeza
blackboard = "All work and no play makes Bart a dull boy"cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title= |year=1997 |publisher=Harper Collins Publishers|id=ISBN 0-00-638898-1|pages=p. 130]
couch_gag = The Simpsons sit on the couch and find themselves on the set of "The Late Show with David Letterman".cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season5/page9.shtml|title=The Last Temptation of Homer|accessdate=2008-04-12|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |date=2000|publisher=BBC]
guest_star = Michelle Pfeiffer as Mindy Simmons
Werner Klemperer as Colonel Klink
Phil Hartman as Lionel Hutz
commentary = Matt Groening
David Mirkin
David Silverman
season = 5"The Last Temptation of Homer" is the ninth episode of "The Simpsons"' fifth season. Maggie does not appear in this episode. Michelle Pfeiffer runs as a guest star, representing Mindy Simmons

Plot

After Homer and his coworkers barely escape from a poison gas leak which Homer caused, Homer's coworker Charlie is fired (through a tube) when he asks Mr. Burns to put in a real emergency exit. While searching for a replacement, the Department of Labor demands changes in the Power Plant's policies including hiring at least one female worker after seeing a duck called Stuart wearing an employee hat, to which Mr Burns says, "Get back to work, Stuart!" and the duck runs off, quacking. A beautiful new engineer named Mindy Simmons, is brought in and Homer finds he is falling in love with her after learning that she has almost the exact same personality and interests as he has.

Homer later calls a marriage counseling hotline, in which Ned Flanders picks up. Homer confesses to being attracted to another female. Flanders offers to call Marge up so they both can talk. Homer hangs up and accidentally knocks himself out in the phone booth, and while dreaming is approached by his guardian angel. The angel looks like Sir Isaac Newton as it decided to assume a form Homer would recognize, but when the angel discovers that Homer has never heard of Newton it transforms into Colonel Klink (of "Hogan's Heroes"). The angel, in the form of Colonel Klink, shows Homer what his life would be like without Marge; it turns out Homer would be a deliriously happy millionaire married to Mindy. Klink then tells Homer to think about Marge, but in the possible future shown by Klink Marge has become the President of the United States. After seeing this and realizing it will only encourage Homer to cheat on his wife, Colonel Klink brings the dream to an abrupt halt and Homer regains consciousness still unsure of what to do. Things only get worse when Homer and Mindy are sent to represent the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant at the National Energy Convention in Capital City. The more time they spend together, the more Homer begins to fear that there may be more fusion at the hotel than back at the plant. Mindy tells Homer how she feels about him, and even though he is tempted by her beauty and her love for the same things Homer enjoys, Homer declares his faithfulness to Marge. Mindy accepts the decision and leaves, while Marge (who has recovered from her cold) shows up in a red negligee and makes out with Homer (only to be interrupted by an obnoxious bellboy, who ends up getting his eye punched out by Homer).

Meanwhile, Bart is sent to an eye specialist after it is discovered that he has poor vision. The optometrist decides he has a lazy eye and fits him with special, thick glasses that he has to wear for two weeks. He also finds out his dry scalp issues can only be treated by matting his hair down with a gel, therefore parting his hair to both sides. It is also discovered that he has fallen arches and has to wear shoes with extreme platforms as well. He also receives a spray in his throat to cure the redness, which changes his voice drastically. These adjustments give him the appearance of, and gradually turn him into, a nerd. He is picked on and beat up regularly by Nelson, Kearney, Jimbo, and Dolph for the duration of the two weeks. Eventually he comes back to school in his normal appearance, explaining that he is no longer a nerd, but the bullies still decide to beat him up one last time, for old times' sake.

Cultural references

When he first sees Mindy, Homer imagines her as Venus in Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus". Mr. Burns unleashes flying monkeys in the manner of the Wicked Witch of the West, as seen in the 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz", to deal with Homer and Mindy charging room service to the company, however the attempt fails as the monkeys all fall to their deaths. In optometrist's words, Bart's glasses were the same that Menahem Begin used. Homer's guardian angel appears in the form of Colonel Klink from the show "Hogan's Heroes". Werner Klemperer had forgotten how to play Colonel Klink in the time since "Hogan's Heroes" went off the air so he had to imitate the director imitating Colonel Klink to get it right.Mirkin, David. (2004). "The Simpsons season 6 DVD commentary for the episode "The Last Temptation of Homer" [DVD] . 20th Century Fox.] The scene between Homer and Klink, wondering what his life would have been like if he married Mindy and not Marge, draws from "It's A Wonderful Life" and "A Christmas Carol". When Homer thinks "unsexy thoughts", his image is of Barney in a bikini and humming the theme tune to "I Dream of Jeannie". While attempting to read the notes smeared on his hand to Mindy, Homer unknowingly babbles the "Daimoku" (Nam Myōhō Renge Kyō), a Buddhist chant in Nichiren Buddhism. This is a reference to an "Akbar and Jeff" cartoon, written by Matt Groening, in which the same mantra is used. He also sings a rough version of the song "Mandy" by Barry Manilow, mentions he is "sweating like [film critic] Roger Ebert", and refers to comic strip "Ziggy", wondering if Mindy agrees that the title character has become "too preachy".

Reception

In 2003, the episode was placed tenth on "Entertainment Weekly"'s top 25 "The Simpsons" episode list. [cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,417748~3~0~25bestand1,00.html|title=The Family Dynamic|accessdate=2007-03-23|date=2003-01-29|publisher= Entertainment Weekly] "The Daily Telegraph" characterized the episode as one of "The 10 Best Simpsons TV Episodes." [cite news | last =Walton | first =James | coauthors = | title =The 10 Best Simpsons TV Episodes (In Chronological Order) | work =The Daily Telegraph | pages =Page 3 | language = | publisher = | date =July 21, 2007 | url = | accessdate = ]

In a 2008 article, "Entertainment Weekly" named Michelle Pfeiffer's role as Mindy Simmons as one of the sixteen best guest appearances on "The Simpsons".cite news | title = 16 great 'Simpsons' guest stars | publisher = Entertainment Weekly | date = 2008-05-11 | url = http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20049408,00.html | accessdate =2008-05-11]

References

External links

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