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Homer's Odyssey
There's No Disgrace Like Home
Bart the General

Trivia[]

  • In contrast to the Tracey Ullman Show Simpsons short Eating Dinner, Marge has bad eating habits like the rest of the family, while Homer is the more polite dinner eater. Like Eating Dinner, the Simpson family's openly gross eating habits may have been a hit at a scene in the 1937 Disney film Snow White and the Seven Dwarves which suggested the dwarves had bad table manners. However, the dwarves where not shown to be eating grossly and instead fought over bread appetizers.
  • This episode was the first to be broadcast by the BBC, on BBC One on November 23, 1996, making it the first episode to be seen by UK terrestrial viewers (the satellite channel, Sky One, had aired the show since September 2, 1990). BBC Two first broadcast the episode a day after, on November 24, 1996. When the show moved to BBC Two on March 10, 1997, the show continued to air on the BBC until they aired the show one last time on May 7, 2004 before the terrestrial rights were moved to Channel 4 on November 5, 2004.
  • This was the first episode to be broadcast in Australia on Channel 10 on February 10, 1991.
  • In Germany, this episode was first broadcast on September 13, 1991 on free-to-air channel ZDF, also making it the first episode to be seen by the Germans.
  • In Italy, this episode was first broadcast on November 5, 1991 on Canale 5.
  • A sign outside Burns Manor reads, "Poachers will be shot."
  • This is the first broadcast episode of the series that Bart says his catchphrase, "Don't have a cow, man!". He had already said it in the Tracey Ullman shorts.
  • This is the first episode that the Simpsons have been shot at.
  • This is the first episode where Homer's mother is mentioned.
  • This is the first episode that Maggie smiles. (In this episode, she grins while pressing the buttons in her shock chair as the rest of the family shock themselves.)
  • The phone number for Dr. Monroe's Family Therapy Center is 1-800-555-HUGS. This translates into 1-800-555-4847.
  • This is only one of two episodes on the Season 1 boxset to end with the 1988 20th Television Fox logo that was used on the first three seasons of the show. The only other episode to have it is "Krusty Gets Busted". Every other episode has the 20th Television logo.
  • When Homer says that he and his family will have to dig deep and orders Marge to go get the kids' college fund, in the background, the bear on the lower shelf near the right stereo speaker looks exactly like Mr. Burns' bear Bobo.
  • Bart and Lisa's college fund amounts to $88.50.
  • The Simpson family's TV is a Motorola.
  • The Great Family that Homer encounters at the end of Mr. Burns' picnic is seen again later, behind the Simpsons at Dr. Monroe's office.
  • Marvin Monroe keeps his aggression therapy mallets in a gun cabinet.
  • The family acts wildly out of character in this episode: Homer is much more caring and actually suggests to eat at the dinner table instead of watching TV. He also brings up the subject of selling the TV, something Homer typically would never think of doing, and is embarrassed of his family being dysfunctional (usually, Marge or Lisa would be the ones embarrassed). Marge is a drunkard who behaves a lot like Homer (while she acknowledges her drinking is uncharacteristic of herself, the rest of her crudeness is not portrayed as out of the ordinary). While Bart and Maggie have the same personalities, Lisa seems to act much more bratty, which is reminiscent of her actions on the Tracy Ullman Show. The writers on the DVD commentary have noted this, and wrote off the mistakes as an experiment.
  • Mr. Burns looking at an index card to greet the Simpson family is a reference to Ronald Reagan, who was known to use index cards to greet families at his parties.
  • The family that exits out of Dr. Monroe's office before the Simpsons enter look like the Simpsons themselves.
  • Mr. Burns says Bart as "brat", which is an anagram for Bart. Matt Groening has claimed that the name Bart was consciously chosen due to this anagram.

Goofs[]

  • When Marge says, "Homie, did you try the punch?" while drunk at the picnic, her lips don't move.
  • When the camera zooms out as a drunk Marge is singing, the clouds in the sky disappear.
  • When the "normal" family drives away in its car, part of the floor of the car is colored purple like the clouds in the sky instead of dark blue for a frame.
  • When the Simpsons are spying on the Old Dad, the Son and the Knitting Grandma, all three of them disappear and then reappear between shots. Whenever there is a wide shot from outside the house, they are not there, but when there is a close shot from outside or inside, they are there.
  • As Homer carries the TV towards the pawn shop in the first shot, the left window is clear. When he and his family get in front of the shop, the window now has a decal that reads, "Pawn Shop". The writing is in black, but in the next two shots, the writing is now dark brown.
  • Emptyspacemarge

    Marge's unfilled arm

    During the Dr. Monroe's Family Therapy Center commercial, a Troubled Dad and a Troubled Mom shout at each other until their Troubled Son enters and tells them to both shut up. This ends in a freeze frame, and the mother has a sad expression on her face, even when Dr. Marvin Monroe enters and is first seen. However, when Dr. Monroe says, "...or double your money back! So call today!", the mom's frozen expression is different (you can see this over his right shoulder).
  • Misingbeads

    Marge's necklace is not drawn behind the clipboard

    When Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie are watching a documentary that shows a bald eagle giving food to his eaglets, the narrator mentions the eagle as "the father of the family". A couple of seconds later, the narrator mentions the eagle as the "mother".
  • In this episode, Homer stated that his mother said that he was a big disappointment but later episodes show them having a close relationship.
    • It's possible that Abe simply lied to Homer and claimed that his mom said that, which would make sense given Abe's dislike of Mona as well as him already being known to lie about details about her.
  • Whiteneckmarge

    The back of Marvin Monroe's neck colored white

    Right after the family takes its first deep breath in Marvin Monroe's office, Marge's arm is not colored in for a frame, making it appear that there is empty space in the middle of her dress.
  • When Lisa holds up her drawing of Homer, Marge's necklace is not drawn behind the hole at the top of the clipboard for a frame.
  • When Marvin Monroe is asking Homer what he drew, the back of his neck repeatedly turns white like his shirt.
  • Redfingers

    Marge's fingertips colored red

    When the Simpson family takes its second deep breath, the tips of Marge's fingers are briefly colored red like her necklace.
  • Yellowbeard6

    Homer with a yellow beard

    When Marvin Monroe chastises the Simpsons after the failed electroshock treatment, Homer's beard is yellow.
  • If the family needed more money to go to Dr. Marvin Monroe, then how come they didn’t use an ATM machine?
    • The implication is likely that they don't have enough money to take out.
  • Monroemouth

    Marvin Monroe without a mouth

    While he is talking to his secretary, Marvin Monroe's mouth disappears for a frame.
  • When Homer drives the family home from Mr. Burns’ party Maggie is nowhere to be seen in the car.
    • This could be possible that Maggie is small compared to Homer's seat.
  • Mr. Burns' mouth barely moves when he remarks "Close one this year."
  • Homer says "Here's five you haven't met yet!" when he punches out Barney for insulting his kids, but he-and all Simpsons characters-only have four fingers.
Maggie missing from the car

Maggie is nowhere to be seen in the car

Appearances in other media[]

  • There's No Disgrace Like Home made a cameo appearance in the 1990 film Die Hard 2: Die Harder. The scene of the Simpson family at Dr. Monroe's clinic shocking each other appears on Holly McClane's flight; ironically it is shown right after a stewardess says that the passengers are getting restless about not landing (terrorists had captured the runways and prevented any flights from landing), and the captain suggests to her "TV, that usually calms the passengers down."

Cultural References[]

Shorts: Season 3 Season 1 References/Trivia Season 2
Simpsons Roasting on an Open FireBart the GeniusHomer's OdysseyThere's No Disgrace Like HomeBart the GeneralMoaning LisaThe Call of the SimpsonsThe Telltale HeadLife on the Fast LaneHomer's Night OutThe Crepes of WrathKrusty Gets BustedSome Enchanted Evening
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