I'm once again taking a dip in the period of "The Simpsons" that aren't called "Classic Simpsons™" though calling anything after that "modern Simpsons ®" would be silly if that modern is now like a decade or something ago. It's also because I want to do something different and take a look at maybe some nuggets of post season 9 Simpsons that can be enjoy and and/or interesting. Anyway, I did a long thing when I wrote about a season 33 episode. I don't feel like almost repeating myself here (you don't want that either). Let's get started. This time I'm going with season 22 / episode 11, which came out in 2011. (Ah simpler times) The episode is called "Homer the Father".
This episode speaks to me from the start. First off, remember TV Land? Yeah I still watch it sometimes for some reruns of stuff, but the channel was once an all classics network that brought you shows from the 50's to 80's. Homer find a channel Tube Town (which also sounds like a place you'd buy a TV from when thought Circuit City was just out of the way. ) which I mean look at it. It' mentions some random old sitcom parodies. There's a parody sitcom from the 80's the show wants us to notice called "Thicker than Waters" which is a parody of "Growing Pains" I give it more that it's hopefully referencing Alan Thicke from that sitcom. Later, there's sitcom parody that combines Fresh Prince of Belair and Alf , and I wish we lived in that timeline.
Homer gets enraptured by not Growing Pains sitcom rerun like a mad man. (good thing he wasn't watching a true crime show then, for the rest of the plot happenings) Meanwhile, Bart needs to gasoline to the fire of the plot and get this burning. (what?) He sees a cool mini bike and he wants it. He asks his father for it, but because of the sitcom he decides to have Bart has to buy himself. Marge seems to like this new approach Homer is taking.
Points for keeping 4:3, but points off for not having a screen bug with annoying promo like 2011 TV would do/ Copyright Disney
Bart talks to Lisa and wonders if he got good grades , Homer would buy him the bike. Also, apparently the sitcom Dad wears a (darn it) Bill Cosby sweater and Homer now wears one too. Bart decides to study and actually get to work. (wow)
Bart gets A. (That's not an episode title) He sadly finds out the reward was the reward of good work. The cheesiness of that works well. Bart is upset because he really wants a bike. Thankfully, the plot needed some help to get something, Apu shows up because Homer left his badge at the store by accident and Bart overhears and gets an idea to sell nuclear secrets to countries in exchange for a bike. (silly scamp, kids these days)
The CIA finds Bart but it's not the CIA, but China's CIA. (Also the a stupid joke works for me, so an extra point there) This CIA is interested in Bart's deal. Bart really starts to doubt the issue. One of the men gives him a loophole.
Homer's obsession with the show made him watch The E! True Hollywood Story about the show. (oh Homer no!) Bart pretends he's going to spend more time with Homer so he can get the secrets and sell them for the bike. (We're just gonna forget that a nuclear power plant wouldn't have nuke secrets of the government, alright) There is a nice montage with the two hanging out. I do think Homer and Bart moments are fun, even if he's faking. Also, we're not going mention that's not how USB thumb-drives work.
Bart gives the secrets to China and gets his bike, but wait, there's a twist! Oh sitcoms you always twisting on us! (The Simpsons is a sitcom fight us) Homer got Bart the bike too. (the studio audience gasps) Bart now feels bad and decides to go back to the zoo where he got the first bike to get the secrets back. The not CIA returns just in time , but Bart eats the thumb-drive. Homer comes to stop the men from hurting Bart. Homer ends up in China and they open a nuclear plant and it explodes.
It ends with Homer and Bart watching The Itchy and Scratchy Show to fill up some time and have a nice ending.
This is a not a bad episode. It's fun to see it be on even ground where Homer uses a sitcom to good parent, but it doesn't go so over the top that he becomes unbearable except in Bart's eyes because it was an obstacle to his wanting a bike. I also like that is a Bart and Homer episode and not being something where it's too one sided or a mess. There's some fun in Bart's part where he really just wants a bike, and going the over the top Simpsons way by having him sell nuke secrets to a country. The episode's parodies are fun without being too much. As someone who loves older TV shows it's fun to see some of the shmaltzy stuff that 80's sitcoms did being featured. It's a fun episode and from season 22. The jokes are fun. I actually think the weakest thing in the episode is the China stuff and the selling secrets stuff just because the rest of the episode, it makes it feel more out of place. It's still a good episode even with that and it doesn't ruin it, so yeah do check this one out.
That's it for now tune in next time, not making a state secrets for sale joke.
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