"Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em..." is the third episode of the eighteenth season of The Simpsons, which originally aired on September 24, 2006.
| "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em" | |
|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode | |
| File:Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em...jpg | |
| Episode no. | Season 18 |
| Directed by | Mike B. Anderson and Ralph Sosa |
| Written by | Matt Warburton |
| Original air dates | September 24, 2006 |
| Episode features | |
| Couch gag | We see a vending machine with the family and several other characters inside of it instead of candy. Ralph walks up and orders Homer, bites off his head and walks away. |
Synopsis
Homer happens across the Time Life Carpenter’s Library, and Marge encourages him to buy them. Homer's interest on this fades, and Marge decides to use them herself to fix up the house. She begins to learn more about carpentry and Lisa suggests to Marge that she try to earn some money as a handyman. However, potential clients turn her down, dismissing the idea of a woman carpenter. Commenting on how people expect carpenters to be big fat guys, Marge develops a plan. She uses Homer as a front to the customers, while Marge, hiding in an accompanied red tool chest, does the work. Meanwhile, a note is sent out from the school, inform parents that someone at the school has a peanut allergy so peanuts will no longer be allowed on school premises. An indignant Bart claims it to be unfair to disclose the identity of the "kid," but he soon discovers the person is actually Principal Skinner. With this newfound knowledge, and with the assistance of a peanut on a stick, Bart is able to abuse Skinner by making him do a number of humilating activites, such as fire tennis balls at him and make him eat garbage.
While business is going great, Marge becomes a bit discouraged by Helen Lovejoy and Lindsay Naegle when she is out buying supplies, who berate her for being Homer's "helper." That night, Marge tells Homer that he feels he's taking too much credit and wishes she would get recognition. Homer, however, doesn't want to be humiliated by revealing his wife did everything. A while later, Marge becomes completely fed up and quits, leaving Homer alone to do his biggest commission yet: repairing Springfield’s old wooden roller coaster, "The Zoominator." Homer tries to fake his way through being a foreman in front of his newly hired construction crew, but they eventually abandon him when he reveals he can't pay them. Meanwhile, Skinner eventually realizes he could exploit a weakness of Bart's, and searching through medicial records, finds exactly what he's looking for: something Bart's allergic to. The next day, Skinner counters Bart's peanut stick with his own: a shrimp on a stick. In the style of the final battle in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Bart and Skinner clash with their respective “sticks,” eventually leading them into into a Thai food factory in the "Little Bankok" section of town. They battle over a rickety catwalk, until it gives way, plunging them both into a vat of peanut shrimp, setting off both of their allergies.
The big reopening day arrives, and Homer stands in front of a crowd, gathered to witness the unveiling of the refurbished rollercoaster. Marge has a video camera at the ready, so she can catch Homer being exposed as a fraud on tape. When revealed, the crowd is in awe at the seemingly repaired rollercoaster, but with a hit from Homer's popped cork from his champagne, the coaster dilapidates, becoming as rundown as it previously was. Still not wanting to admit the truth, Homer proves the coaster is safe by riding it himself, even though there are large gaps in the track. Acting quick, Marge is able to repair each broken piece just before Homer's cart runs over it. While riding, Homer announces to the crowd that Marge did all the handywork. The crowd applauds as the coaster comes to a stop at the beginning, and just as Marge is about to tell Homer that she loves him, the entire rollercoaster structure comes crashing down on top of him. At the hospital, Marge visits with Homer, who is okay but immobilized in a full body cast. Bart and Skinner rest in their respective hospital beds in the same room as Homer, and the two proceed to throw shrimp and peanuts at each other.
Cultural references
- The title of the episode is a play on MC Hammer's 1990 album Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em.
- Springfield Mall's dilapidated condition and the only non-vacant stores being either stuck in the past or discount stores is a reference to the recent phenomenon of the dead mall.
- The bookstore in the Springfield Mall is named "Rock Bottom Remainders." This is a reference to the rock band of the same name, made up of famous published writers such as Stephen King, Dave Barry and Simpsons creator Matt Groening.
- The music played during Bart and Principal Skinner’s stick fight is called "Duel of the Fates", composed by John Williams. It is used a number of times in episodes 1-3 of the Star Wars franchise. Also, the movements of Bart and Skinner during their duel greatly resemble the Jedi's fighting style in these films.
- Homer, Lenny and Carl sing part of "We Will Rock You" by Queen.
- The song that's heard while Bart is torturing Skinner is "Beat on the Brat" of The Ramones.
