Homer and Apu
"Homer and Apu" | |
---|---|
The Simpsons episode | |
Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 13 |
Directed by | Mark Kirkland |
Written by | Greg Daniels |
Production code | 1F10 |
Original air date | February 10, 1994 |
Guest appearances | |
| |
Episode features | |
Couch gag | The family's heads pop out from behind the couch, with Maggie's head popping up last out from a cushion on the couch. |
Commentary | David Mirkin Greg Daniels Mark Kirkland David Silverman |
"Homer and Apu" is the thirteenth episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 10, 1994. In the episode, Homer participates in a hidden-camera investigation of spoiled food being sold at the Kwik-E-Mart. The chain's corporate office fires Apu and replaces him with actor James Woods, who is doing research for an upcoming film role. Apu misses his job, so he and Homer travel to India to persuade the head of the Kwik-E-Mart corporation to rehire him.
The episode was written by Greg Daniels and directed by Mark Kirkland. James Woods made a guest appearance as himself. The episode features cultural references to films such as The Hard Way, JFK, and Lawrence of Arabia.
Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. It acquired a
Plot
Several customers at the Kwik-E-Mart become angry because of Apu's high prices on cheaply produced items. Apu lowers the price of a package of expired ham from 1989 instead of throwing it out. Homer purchases the expired ham, eats it, and contracts food poisoning. When he recovers, Homer complains to Apu, who gives him a pair of five-pound buckets of expired shrimp. Homer accepts the shrimp, eats it, and contracts food poisoning again. While Homer recovers, he and Lisa watch the investigative news program Bite Back with Kent Brockman. Lisa encourages Homer to ask the show's producers to investigate the Kwik-E-Mart.
Kent gives Homer a giant novelty hat containing a
Apu comes to the Simpsons' house, reaching out his arms as if to strangle Homer; however, Apu's posture is merely the traditional form of apology in the Indian village where he was born. Apu hopes to work off his karmic debt for selling Homer expired food by performing household chores for the Simpsons. At first, Homer is reluctant to accept Apu's help, but soon the family appreciates his dutiful behavior. After a few weeks, Apu declares he does not need the Kwik-E-Mart anymore; however, the family discovers Apu still deeply misses his old job. Homer, feeling guilty, accompanies Apu to the Kwik-E-Mart's head office in India. There, they meet with the head of the Kwik-E-Mart corporation, who grants them only three questions; however, Homer wastes the questions on inane banter. An enraged Apu chokes Homer, who thinks Apu is trying to apologize again.
When Apu returns to the Kwik-E-Mart to face his fears, a robber bursts into the store with a gun. He shoots at Woods, but Apu saves him by leaping in the bullet's path. At the hospital,
Production
The episode was written by
When Mirkin took over as show runner, he listed actor
Cultural references
The episode features cultural references to many American and British films. Woods becoming a convenience store clerk to prepare for a film is similar to Nick Lang (Michael J. Fox) becoming a police officer in The Hard Way (1991), which Woods starred in (this is a reversal of roles: Woods played the cop that Lang was saddled with in the film).[9] When Kent asks Homer if he is willing to go undercover to "nail" Apu, Homer replies: "No way, man, get yourself another patsy!" This is a reference to a line in JFK (1991).[9] The scene of Homer and Apu riding on mules to the Springfield Airport, with their luggage strapped to the mules' backs, is similar to a scene from Lawrence of Arabia (1962).[2] In his Kwik-E-Mart job interview, the interviewer asks Woods why he would want to work at the Kwik-E-Mart, to which he replies: "To be honest, in my upcoming movie I'm going to be playing this tightly-wound convenience store clerk and, I kind of like to research my roles and really get into it. For instance, in True Believer I actually worked in a law firm for two months. And then, the film Chaplin I had a little cameo in that. I actually traveled back in time, back to the twenties, where... Well, I've said too much."[10] Woods also mentions the 1979 film The Onion Field and the 1986 film Salvador as his "previous job experience".[11]
Reception
In its original American broadcast, "Homer and Apu" finished twenty-sixth in the ratings for the week of February 7–13, 1994, with a
Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics.
The authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, wrote: "One of the very best, with the gags coming thick and fast. We particularly like the spy camera concealed in Homer's massive stetson, Apu and Marge's trip to the Monster Mart, and 'Who Needs the Kwik-E-Mart?', possibly the cleverest song in the series. And the Christians harassing people at the Indian airport, and Homer's wastage of three questions, and James Woods' parting words to the Simpsons, and the footage of Apu doing a hummingbird impression..."[9]
DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson said: "The first episode to focus on Apu, this one works well. Our glimpses of Apu’s sleaziness and culture are entertaining, and the 'Who Needs the Kwik-E-Mart?' tune is one of the better musical numbers [of the show]." Jacobson went on to say: "Also count James Woods as one of the all-time best guest stars, which is likely why he gets many more lines than the average cameo voice."[14]
Total Film's Nathan Ditum named Woods' performance in the episode the 19th best guest appearance on The Simpsons.[15]
Patrick Bromley of DVD Verdict gave the episode a grade of A+ and commented that it features one of the best musical numbers in the show's "history of great musical numbers".[16]
Adam Suraf of Dunkirkma.net named it the best episode of the season, and added: "I don’t know what it is about this episode — the 'Who Needs the Kwik-E-Mart?' song number; James Woods filling in for Apu at the store; or Homer's wise line 'I've learned that life is one crushing defeat after another until you just wish Flanders was dead' — but the entire affair is inspired. [...] It's in the little details that make this episode the year's best, and solidifies The Simpsons as the funniest sitcom of all time."[17]
Bill Gibron of DVD Talk gave the episode a score of 5 out of 5.[19]
Analysis
The episode has become study material for sociology courses at
Paul Cantor, who analyzed the episode in his book Gilligan Unbound: Pop Culture in the Age of Globalization, said, "The Simpsons could offer no better image of the bizarre logic of contemporary globalization than a worldwide convenience store empire run by an enlightened guru from the sacred mountains of India." Cantor also specifically cited the "Master Knows" sign, which he said combined the perceived wisdom of the East with the business acumen of the West.[22]
Tasleem Shakur and Karen D'Souza write in their book Picturing South Asian culture in English that "Homer and Apu" typifies the key articulation of the character of Apu juxtaposed to Homer, "something like his alter-ego", where Homer is the all American, Duff drinking, rather lazy nuclear plant worker, and Apu is the immigrant, clean living, hard working, small businessman. Their friendship, the authors added, is typically of a strong degree of mutual respect and a kind of admiration for what the other represents.[23]
References
- ^ a b Daniels, Greg (2004). The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Homer and Apu" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ a b c d e Mirkin, David (2004). The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Homer and Apu" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ Klein, Joshua (September 9, 2005). "1994 vintage 'Simpsons' sets a tough standard – Homer's head houses DVDs". Chicago Tribune. p. 7.
- ^ Mark, Kirkland (2004). The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Homer and Apu" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ Siegel, Alan (September 26, 2013). "Best Message Board Ever". Slate. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
- ^ Silverman, David (2004). The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Homer and Apu" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ "BBC Interview with David Silverman". Retrieved August 17, 2007.
- ^ "Songs In The Key Of Springfield – Original Music From The Television Series". Amazon. 1997. Retrieved March 31, 2009.
- ^ a b c Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). "Homer and Apu". BBC. Retrieved August 17, 2008.
- OL 433519M..
- ^ The Simpsons: James Woods (Kwik-E-Mart). Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
- ^ "How They Rate". St. Petersburg Times. February 18, 1994. pp. 11–12.
- ^ "Emmy Awards: 1994". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved March 31, 2009.
- ^ Jacobson, Colin (December 21, 2004). "The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season (1993)". DVD Movie Guide. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
- ^ Ditum, Nathan (March 29, 2009). "The 20 Best Simpsons Movie-Star Guest Spots". Total Film. GamesRadar. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
- ^ Bromley, Patrick (February 23, 2005). "The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season". DVD Verdict. Archived from the original on January 16, 2009. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
- ^ Suraf, Adam (December 18, 2004). "The Simpsons: Season 5". Dunkirkma.net. Archived from the original on February 18, 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2009.
- ^ Weir, Rich. "Top 10: Simpsons Episodes". Askmen.com. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
- ^ Gibron, Bill (December 23, 2004). "The Simpsons – The Complete Fifth Season". DVD Talk. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
- ^ Thomas B. Gold (2008). "The Simpsons Global Mirror" (PDF). University of California Berkeley. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 7, 2009. Retrieved July 18, 2011.
- ISBN 0-8143-2849-0.
- ISBN 0-7425-0779-3.
- ISBN 0-9544463-0-5.