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"Homer the Vigilante" is the eleventh episode of The Simpsons' fifth season.

Synopsis

Template:Spoiler A number of burglaries take place in Springfield, hitting even the Simpsons' and Flanders' houses. In response, a vigilante group organizes around Homer. The group turns out to be more criminal than protective, in what seems to be a cautionary tale against the formation of such groups; however, thanks to a tip from Grampa Simpson, the burglar is exposed as a resident in the local retirement home. The burglar, named Malloy and voiced by Sam Neill, is imprisoned, but outsmarts the townspeople by inspiring them to search for a non-existent treasure while he escapes. The treasure search parodies the film It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World.

Template:Endspoiler

Trivia

• The score of this episode borrows several music cues from The Pink Panther and other thief films.
• One of the reporters in the news session looks a lot like Amy Wong from Futurama
• All four members of Homers vigilante squad wear uniforms of some kind -- Apu's from the Indian Army, Homers is of a "jungle explorer", Principal Skinner wears his U.S. army uniform, and Barney's comes from an (unnamed) fast food restaurant.

Cultural References

• Homer's dream of riding a nuclear bomb into oblivion is a spoof of the famous scene from Dr. Strangelove.
• Lisa's quote, "I mean, if you're the police, who will police the police?" could be a reference to Alan Moore's: Watchmen graphic novel which in turn was derived from Juvenal's Satire VI. Throughout Watchmen, there's graffiti of "Who watches the watchmen?".
• The end of this episode is a direct homage to It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World in score, shots and characters, such as:
  • The plane flying through the billboard. (Similar to Mickey Rooney's flight in a plane)
  • Selma hitting Barney with her purse. (An action performed several times by Ethel Merman in that film.)
  • Bart tricks a man into driving into a river, who yells at him as his car sinks. (The man looks similar to Phil Silvers and the scene in the film, especially Bart's hand waving motion is exactly from the scene.)
  • The cars drive up an incline similar to the California incline. (Exactly from the film, including one car spinning around on the turn up.)
  • The Springfieldians walk up to the T tree to heavenly music. (Exactly from the film. We even see the W tree from the original movie).
  • Several characters, such as Dick Shawn, Phil Silvers and Buddy Hackett, from the film are seen as the treasure is dug up.

Goofs

• Ned doesn't bother to knock before entering the Simpson house after the first robbery.
• The burglar's shadow seen on the fence isn't possible because the side of the yard he's on has a brick wall. Also the shadow doesn't match the angle when the burglar is first seen.
• At the dinner table, Homer's drumstick is replaced with a list.
• When Nelson calls to taunt Bart over the phone, the closed captions credit the line to Milhouse.

Quotes

• Kent Brockman: "Well, what do you say to the accusation that your group has been causing more crimes than it's been preventing?"
  Homer Simpson: "Oh, Kent, I'd be lying if I said my men weren't committing crimes..."
  Brockman: "... Well, touché."

• (trying to get out of a huge hole they've dug)
  Chief Wiggum: No, no dig up, stupid.

• Skinner: "Any sign of the burglar yet?"
  Homer: "He'll show."
  Skinner: "How's that?"
  Homer: "It's his job."
  Skinner: "How's that?"
  Homer: "He's a burglar."
  (the theme from Dragnet begins playing as Skinner and Homer nod to each other, with increasing frequency)

• Homer: Well, Mr. Cat Burglar, you'd like to get in here, wouldn't you? There's just one little problem: 36 years ago, some lady gave birth to a man named Homer J. Simp -- Oh my god: underage kids drinking beer without a permit!

• Homer: So, Mr. Malloy, it seems that the cat has been caught by the very person who was trying to catch him.
  Skinner: How ironic.

• Flanders: Since the police can't seem to get off their duffaroonies to do something about this burglarino, I think it's time we started our own Neighbourhood Watch. Aroonie.

• Flanders: Hidely-ho, neighbourinos!
  Homer: (briskly) Can't talk. Robbed. Go Hell.

• Homer: For our secret mission, we need code names. I'll be Cue Ball, Barney will be eight ball, Skinner will be twelve ball, and Moe will be cue ball.
  Moe: You're an idiot.

• Homer (inspecting his squad): All right, men. It's time to clean-up this town! (pause)
  Skinner: Meaning what exactly?
  Homer: You know, push people around, make ourselves feel big.

• Homer: So I said to him, "Look, buddy, your car was upside down when we got here. And as for your Grandma, she shouldn't have mouthed off like that!"
  Lisa: Dad, don't you see you're abusing your power like all vigilantes? I mean, if you're the police, who will police the police?
  Homer: I dunno. Coast Guard?
  Marge: Homer, wasn't the whole point to catch the Cat Burglar?
  Lisa: And I still don't have my saxophone.
  Homer: Lisa, the mob is working on getting your saxophone back. But we've also expanded into other important areas. Literacy programs, preserving our beloved covered bridges, world domination--
  Lisa: World domination?
  Homer: Oh ho, heh, that might be a typo. Mental note: the girl knows too much.

• Bart: He even took my stamp collection!
  Lisa: You have a stamp collection? (family starts laughing, phone rings and Bart answers)
  Nelson:(over phone) Stamp collection? Ha-ha!

• Kent: Hordes of panicky people seem to be evacuating the town for some unknown reason. Professor, without knowing precisely what the danger is, would you say it's time for our viewers to crack each other's heads open and feast on the goo inside?
  Professor: Mmm, yes I would, Kent.

• Barney Gumble: (After waking up and seeing he is left completely naked and his house is stripped bare, after being robbed) Gee, I thought I had more stuff than this.

• Jimbo Jones: You let me down, man! Now I don't believe in nothin' no more! I'm going to law school.
  Homer: NOOOOOOOOO!

• Homer: (After reading the newspaper report saying he fell to sleep guarding the Springfield Musem) Asleep at the switch?!? I wasn't asleep, I was drunk!
  Bart: (tenderly) I believe you, Dad.

External links

• "Homer the Vigilante episode capsule". The Simpsons Archive.

• The Simpsons episodes, season 5