"Go Big or Go Homer" is the second episode of the
thirty-first season of the American animated television series ''
The Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...
'', and the 664th episode overall. It aired in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
on
Fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
on October 6, 2019. The writer was
John Frink
John Frink (born May 5, 1959) is an American television writer and producer. He has written several episodes of the American animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'', many of which he co-wrote with his former writing partner Don Payne. Frink and Payne ...
.
Plot
At the Power Plant, it's
Lenny’s birthday. The workers prepare a surprise party, chipping in $5 each, but
Mr. Burns
Charles Montgomery Plantagenet Schicklgruber "Monty" Burns, usually referred to as Mr. Burns, Monty, or C. Montgomery Burns, is a recurring character and the main antagonist of the animated television series ''The Simpsons'', voiced initially by ...
enters just before Lenny does, signs the card in giant text and does not chip in. When Burns ruins the surprise for Lenny,
Homer
Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...
gets so angry that he becomes obsessed with getting Burns to apologize.
The next day, he confronts Burns, who surprises him by apologizing and contributing to the birthday fund. When
Smithers
Smithers is a surname of English origin. It derives from the Middle English term "smyther", referring to a metalsmith, and is thus related to the common occupational surname Smith. The name Smither is related.
People
*Alan Smithers (born 1938), ...
finds out, he informs Homer that the skin thickener medication Burns is using makes him uncontrollably decent. As a punishment for unknowingly taking advantage of Mr. Burns’ condition, Homer is demoted to supervisor of the Nuclear Power Plant interns.
When his fellow interns make fun of Homer, a man named Mike Wegman stands up and defends him, and asks Homer to be his mentor.
Homer takes Mike to his workstation, and Mike reveals that he's 35. When Homer asks him why he wants a job designed for a 20-year-old, he has admired Homer for years and wants to follow in the footsteps of his hero. Homer invites him to dinner to show his family what it's like to have someone respect him.
Mike brings his pregnant wife Maurine to the dinner. When Bart starts disrespecting Homer, an enraged Mike berates him until he cries. Marge proceeds to kick Mike out of the house. Later that night, Marge proposes that Homer help Mike grow up.
Homer pushes Mike into creating his own business: "Mike's slices", a new way of producing pizza. They ask Burns to be the investor. When Burns, who is no longer taking the medication, starts insulting Homer, Mike loses his temper and yells at him. Mr. Burns shoots Mike, but his gun is so old it has no effect.
Feeling guilty, Homer reveals to Mike that he is not the genius Mike thinks he is, and has in fact caused several accidents at the plant. Homer’s honesty inspires Mike, who buys a food truck with money loaned from
Fat Tony. Homer is worried, but Mike assures him that he will make enough money to pay Fat Tony back by betting on a college basketball game - a bet he promptly loses.
Mike and Homer flee but Fat Tony finds them. Fat Tony is about to kill them when he tries the pizza, and likes it so much that he decides to invest in the business; Mike suggests using the truck to place bets and sell
marijuana
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various tra ...
as well. In the end, Fat Tony congratulates Homer on being a great mentor.
Reception
Dennis Perkins of ''
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' gave the episode a C+ stating, ”
Last week’s ''Simpsons'' Season 31 premiere wasn’t great, but it at least had guest star
John Mulaney
John Edmund Mulaney (born August 26, 1982) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He first rose to prominence for his work as a writer on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 2008 to 2013, where he contributed to numerous ...
on hand to liven things up a bit. The effortless allure of being part of ''The Simpsons''’ legacy continues to attract guests in ‘Go Big or Go Homer,’ the season’s second outing, although like the character he plays, voice actor
Michael Rapaport
Michael David Rapaport (born March 20, 1970) is an American actor and comedian. Beginning his career in the early 1990s, he has made over 100 appearances in film and television. His film roles include ''True Romance'' (1993), ''Higher Learning' ...
wears out his welcome a lot sooner".
John Frink
John Frink (born May 5, 1959) is an American television writer and producer. He has written several episodes of the American animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'', many of which he co-wrote with his former writing partner Don Payne. Frink and Payne ...
received a nomination for the
Writers Guild of America Award for Outstanding Writing in Animation at the
72nd Writers Guild of America Awards
The 72nd Writers Guild of America Awards honored the best writing in film, television and radio of 2019. Nominees for television and radio were announced on December 5, 2019, while nominees for film were announced on January 6, 2020. Winners wer ...
for his script to this episode.
References
External links
*
{{Portal bar, Christianity, The Simpsons
2019 American television episodes
The Simpsons (season 31) episodes
Television episodes directed by Matthew Faughnan