3. Homer's Odyssey

Episode Title: "Homer's Odyssey"
Episode Number: 3
Original Air Date: January 21, 1990

Plot Synopsis: Bart's class goes on a field trip to the nuclear power plant, where he ends up distracting Homer and getting him fired. Homer falls into a deep depression, decides that he needs money for beer above all else and attempts to steal money from Bart's piggy bank. When Bart turns out to also be broke, Homer decides to commit suicide by attaching himself to a giant rock and throwing it off a bridge. When Marge and the kids try to save Homer, he ends up saving them from a maniac driver who blows through an intersection with no "Stop" sign. Homer realizes that he can't kill himself as he now has a purpose - to get that intersection the "Stop" sign it needs. Which he does, almost instantly. He ends up deciding that the real danger to Springfield is the nuclear power plant, and decides to take on Mr. Burns. Homer eventually gets his job back (and a promotion to "Safety Inspector," which is a position he holds to this day) and his suicide attempt presumably becomes the Simpson family's "dark little secret" for the next 25 years.

Overall Thoughts: Off the top of my head, I can't think of an episode that really goes to a darker place than "Homer tries to commit suicide." It's the kind of episode that can only exist this early in a show's run, when the people running the series really aren't sure of all the specifics yet. Though they do milk suicide for a few good jokes (Homer's note includes advice like "stand tall, have courage and never give up"), and his suicide plan does involve attaching himself to a comically-large rock, all in all it's still super weird

What Works: World building continues. More of Bart's classmates get introduced in this episode, and most of the new characters are around for years to come. Otto the bus driver is introduced, and in addition to meeting a classic character for the first time we also get a sense of how well Bart fits in with the "troublemakers" of life. "El Barto" is also first referenced, which again helps paint the picture that Bart has been getting into trouble long before the series ever started.

What Doesn't Work: The main fault of this episode is how bizarrely dark it is. Homer committing suicide seems worlds apart from the character in "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" who, even when things get very bad, will still do whatever he has to do to provide for his family.

Closing Thoughts: Bart references the fact that he wants a tattoo. This episode was originally produced before the Christmas special, but ended up airing after for reasons that have been long documented. I wonder - was Bart referencing that he wants a tattoo supposed to be a setup for the story of "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire?"

Final Grade (out of 10): 6