Homer Defined (17 Oct. 1991)

Homer is a hero after averting a nuclear meltdown that he nearly caused, but he doesn't want to tell anyone that he stopped it completely by accident.

Director:

Mark Kirkland

Writers:

Matt Groening (creator), James L. Brooks (developer),

Stars:

Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Dan Castellaneta	...	Homer Simpson / Emergency Announcer / Barney Gumble / Grampa Simpson / 'Wheel of Fortune' Contestant / Itchy / Scott Christian / Cop (voice)
Julie Kavner	...	Marge Simpson (voice)
Nancy Cartwright	...	Bart Simpson / Maggie Simpson (voice)
Yeardley Smith	...	Lisa Simpson (voice)
Hank Azaria	...	Carl / Apu Nahasapeemapetilon / Moe Szyslak / Instructor / Professor Frink / Male Worker / Chief Wiggum (voice)
Harry Shearer	...	Otto / Montgomery Burns / Waylon Smithers / Lenny / Kent Brockman / Jasper / Principal Skinner / Medic / Scratchy (voice)
Maggie Roswell	...	Computer Voice / Marguerita / Female Worker / Luann Van Houten (voice)
Pamela Hayden	...	Milhouse Van Houten / Shelbyville Plant Computer Voice (voice)
Russi Taylor	...	Sherri / Terri / Martin Prince (voice)
Jon Lovitz	...	Mr. Avery Devereaux / Aristotle Amandopoulis (voice)
Magic Johnson	...	Himself (voice) (as Earvin Johnson Jr.)
Chick Hearn	...	Himself (voice)

Storyline

Homer prevents a nuclear meltdown,purely by picking a button to press at random, but he is declared a hero and asked to give a talk on plant safety. During the talk he is called upon to prevent another meltdown and exposed as a lucky chancer who only averted an accident by mistake. Marge goes to see Millhouse's mother who has barred her son from seeing Bart,whom she regards as a bad influence,and persuades her to change her mind.

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Plot Keywords:

2d animation | eeny meeny miny moe

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Genres:

Animation | Comedy | Family

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 October 1991 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

20th Century Fox Television, Gracie Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Quotes

Computer Voice: Warning, core temperature rising.
Homer Simpson: [waking up from his nap] "Core temperature rising"? That sounds serious! Okay, okay, calm down. Whoever's problem this is, I'm sure they know how to handle it...
[He turns, and sees his own board lit up]
Homer Simpson: Ah! It's my problem! WE'RE DOOMED!

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Connections

References Duck and Cover (1952)

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Soundtracks

"Frankenstein"
(uncredited)
Written by Edgar Winter

User Reviews

"Homer Defined" portrays how life can be lived just by sheer luck.

Homer accidentally saves the Nuclear Power Plant from a meltdown by frantically pressing the random but proper button. Homer is then looked upon as a hero due to this incident but he himself knows it's a matter of coincidence, not heroism. He is later called to the Shelbyville plant, where the same procedure is required... and Homer does the same thing he did... he leaves the plant's fate to chance and guesses which button to press. By dumb luck, he manages to avoid another meltdown and his name goes down in an encyclopedic entry as the definition of "to succeed despite idiocy." Very clever writing and the title is well adapted into the plot.