"Homer the Smithers" is the seventeenth episode of The Simpsons' seventh season, originally broadcast February 25, 1996. It was written by John Swartzwelder and directed by Steven Dean Moore. In this episode, Burns learns to take care of himself, rendering Smithers redundant. As a result, Homer helps Smithers get his job back.

1 Plot
2 Trivia
3 Cultural references
4 External links

[edit] Plot

After a company night out to the Springfield drag races, Waylon Smithers fails to protect Mr. Burns from a drunken Lenny. Though he tries to make amends the next day, Smithers attempts to drown himself out of guilt. Burns suggests that he takes a vacation. Smithers purposely chooses Homer to be his replacement due to his incompetence. However, Homer fails to work to the specifications of Burns's rigid orders, the long hours, and Burns continually berates Homer for every little thing he does. In his rage, Homer punches Burns in the eye. He then panics and runs home, fearing he has killed him.

Homer goes to apologize, but is turned away by Burns (who only suffered a black eye) out of fear. With no one around, Burns learns to do everything himself, such as making coffee and operating the telephone, instead of relying on Smithers. Smithers returns early and is fired, as he is no longer needed. Homer tries to help him in a scheme to get his job back by getting Burns to handle a call from his mother (the one task he still cannot do), but it backfires. Smithers & Homer engage in a Mount Doom Gollum vs Frodo battle, complete with biting of fingers, safe slamming, and punching. In an attempt to escape, Burns climbs up a large stuffed bear, but when Homer lunges for Waylon, he misses and hits it, causing the bear to smash through the window and Burns fell through,gave a last wail oof, "Smmiiitheeerrrss!", then he was gone, tumbling 3 stories to his supposed death.. Smithers then gets his job back to care for Burns, and Homer is rewarded with a basket of fruit from Smithers.

[edit] Trivia

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

Mr. Burns's teddy bear, Bobo, from the season five episode "Rosebud" appears again in this episode.
The episode suggests that Moe's phone number is 764-8437(7), which is the telephone equivalent of Smithers. Normally in The Simpsons, phone numbers start with 555 (or KL5).
Smithers appears to take his vacation at a gay resort. There are several clues to this, including the fact that there are only men seen in the dance club, and that he drives a speedboat pulling along a pyramid of men in pink speedos. He also makes a point of his reluctance to bring Mr. Burns any pictures of his vacation. Many fans of the show believe that the resort is the real gay holiday resort Fire Island.

[edit] Cultural references

Smithers, sensing something is wrong with Mr. Burns, is similar to Hallorann sensing something is wrong with Danny in the 1980 film The Shining.
One of the dragsters is sponsored by 'Amalgamated Pornography'
When Homer is punched in the stomach the assailant's hand is within the fat. This is a reference to Terminator 2: Judgment Day, in which the T-800 punches the T-1000's head, only to be enveloped by liquid metal. After he knocks out Burns.
At the end of the episode, when Smithers is feeding Mr. Burns peanuts, Mr. Burns opens his mouth and makes a clicking noise, as in A Clockwork Orange when Alex is being fed by the Minister of the Interior. The manner in which Burns becomes injured is also similar to Alex: they both take a potentially life-threatening fall from a top story window.
Homer's terrified jabbering includes the words "Let's get ready to--!", a reference to boxing announcer Michael Buffer.