Homer the Vigilante

Infobox Simpsons episode
episode_name = Homer the Vigilante


image_caption = Homer and The ETV (Evergreen Terrace Vigilantes).
episode_no = 92
prod_code = 1F09
airdate = January 6, 1994
show runner = David Mirkin
writer = John Swartzwelder
director = Jim Reardon
blackboard = "I am not authorized to fire substitute teachers"
couch_gag = The family runs in to find themselves already sitting on the couch and everyone looks at themselves in a confused manner.
guest_star = Sam Neill as Malloy
commentary = Matt Groening
David Mirkin
David Silverman
season = 5

"Homer the Vigilante" is the eleventh episode of "The Simpsons"' fifth season. It was written by John Swartzwelder and directed by Jim Reardon.

Plot

A number of burglaries by the 'Springfield Cat Burglar' take place in Springfield, hitting even the Simpsons' and Flanderses' houses (stealing Flanders' Shroud of Turin beach towels). Among the stolen items are Lisa's beloved saxophone, Marge's pearl necklace (one of many in a large ball), Bart's stamp collection, and the portable TV. In response, a vigilante group organizes around Homer. Grandpa Simpson wants to join, but is deemed too old by Homer and turned away.

The group turns out to be more criminal than protective. They destroy a bystander's leaf-fire (assuming that he did not have a permit) in turn setting his house alight (although he had a permit). They allow Jimbo to vandalize a wall using spraypaint as it made him feel "like a big man". He is invited to join the group after they confirm that he can swing a sack full of doorknobs well. Homer is interviewed on Smartline, where Kent Brockman tells Homer that statistics suggest the group may be causing more crimes than it has been preventing. The Cat Burglar calls the show, and informs them that he will rob the Springfield museum of its 'World's Largest Cubic Zirconia' centerpiece.

While guarding the museum, Grandpa and some friends from the retirement home volunteer to help guard the Zirconia, but Homer tells them to leave. Later, Homer sights teenagers drinking. He leaves his post to stop them, but quickly ends up getting drunk with them instead. While Homer's guard is down, the Cat Burglar sneaks past and steals the gem. Homer is blamed and pelted with vegetables by the unforgiving townspeople (with Jimbo tossing back his stolen door knobs and, in sheer disillusionment, announcing that he's going to law school). Later that day Grandpa stops by the house and tells everybody that he knows who the Cat Burglar is. At first he gloats about how nobody wanted his help before, but quickly agrees to tell after the family begins to become impatient. The burglar is exposed as being a resident in the local retirement home named Malloy.

Homer captures Malloy at the retirement home, and he returns the saxophone and various other objects of curiosity, and Malloy does such a good job of winning over the people of Springfield with his charm that they all want to let him go. Nevertheless, Chief Wiggum arrests him and he is imprisoned. While in his cell at the police station, Malloy casually mentions that he assumes Homer and the cops probably want to know where he hid all of his loot. This piques their interest, and after Malloy tells them where to look, they all rush out of the station hoping to get the treasure for themselves. In a matter of minutes the entire town hears of the existence of Malloy's stash and almost everybody in Springfield is racing to get there first. After the residents of Springfield get to the site and dig, they finally discover a box with a note inside. The note tells them that there is no treasure and that while they have been searching, Malloy has escaped from his cell. Homer refuses to believe it and he a small group continue to dig until Chief Wiggum realizes they've dug so deep they can't get out.

Cultural references

The final scenes of the episode are a direct homage to "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" in score, shots and characters. Homer's dream of riding a nuclear bomb into oblivion is a reference to the famous scene from "". The score during the burglaries is the same as in the "The Pink Panther".cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season5/page11.shtml|title=Homer the Vigilante|accessdate=2008-08-17|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |date=2000|publisher=BBC] When Homer and Skinner are seen talking in front of the museum, their dialog and the music is a reference to the TV series "Dragnet".

References

External links

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