Homer's Enemy
Encyclopedia
"Homer's Enemy" is the twenty-third episode of the eighth season
of the American
animated television series The Simpsons
. It was first broadcast on the Fox network
in the United States on May 4, 1997. The episode's plot centers on the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant's hiring a new employee named Frank Grimes. Despite Homer
's attempts to befriend him, Grimes is angered by Homer's laziness and incompetence despite leading a comfortable life
. He eventually declares himself Homer's enemy. Meanwhile, Bart
buys a run-down factory for a dollar.
"Homer's Enemy" was directed by Jim Reardon
and the script was written by John Swartzwelder
, based on an idea pitched by executive producer Bill Oakley
. The episode explores the comic possibilities of a realistic character with a strong work ethic
hired for a job where he has to work alongside a man like Homer. The show's staff worked hard to perfect the character of Frank Grimes. He was partially modeled after Michael Douglas
as he appeared in the film Falling Down
. Hank Azaria
provided the voice of Frank Grimes, and based some of the character's mannerisms on actor William H. Macy
. Frank Welker
guest stars as the voice of the Executive Vice President dog.
In its original broadcast on the Fox network, "Homer's Enemy" acquired a 7.7 Nielsen rating. It was viewed in approximately 7.5 million homes, finishing the week ranked 56th. "Homer's Enemy" is considered to be one of the darkest episodes of The Simpsons and is a favorite of several members of the production staff—including Bill Oakley, Josh Weinstein
, and Matt Groening
—and of The Office
creator Ricky Gervais
. Although Grimes makes his only appearance in this episode, he was later named one of the "Top 25 Simpsons Peripheral characters" by IGN
. Frank Grimes has since been referenced several times in the show, often showing his tombstone, and occasionally mentioning him by name. In the season fourteen
episode "The Great Louse Detective
", it is revealed that he fathered a son named Frank Grimes, Jr., who unsuccessfully tries to kill Homer.
tells the story of Frank Grimes, a man who "had to struggle for everything he ever got" and overcame such disasters as being abandoned by his family and severely injured in a silo explosion to earn a degree in nuclear physics. After seeing the show, Springfield Nuclear Power Plant owner Mr. Burns is so touched that he asks Smithers
to hire Grimes as his Executive Vice President. However, the following day, Burns sees a similarly sentimental story concerning a heroic dog (who saved a child from traffic and pushed a wanted criminal into it) and demands that it instead be appointed Executive Vice President. Consequently, Grimes is shuffled into Sector 7G, where he must work alongside Homer
, Lenny, and Carl. Grimes takes an instant dislike to Homer, irked by his obnoxious cheerfulness, poor work ethic, and general irresponsibility. Despite his frustration, Grimes prevents Homer from drinking a beaker of sulfuric acid
, dramatically slapping it out of Homer's hands into a wall, disintegrating a portion of it. A passing Mr. Burns admonishes Grimes for destroying the "valuable" wall and spilling his "priceless" acid, resulting in Grimes being punished with a reduced salary and status. An angered Grimes marches into Homer's work area and declares that they are now enemies, and a surprised Homer asks "Do I have to do anything?"
Meanwhile, Bart becomes bored during a visit to Springfield Town Hall and buys "35 Industry Way" for a dollar
during a foreclosure auction
. It turns out to be a run-down old factory. He and Milhouse
spend their days wrecking the factory until one morning Bart returns to find it has collapsed during the night while Milhouse was on watch duty.
Homer attempts to appease Grimes by inviting him to his home for a lobster dinner. Grimes' visit to the Simpson house only fuels his resentment; he is incensed by Homer's ability to live a comfortable life
with a wonderful family (not to mention seeing Homer's accomplishments, such as meeting President Gerald Ford
, winning a Grammy, and especially being an astronaut
) despite his slothfulness and ignorance while Grimes ends up with his extreme difficulties. Declaring Homer a "fraud" and stating that in any other country on Earth he would have died long ago, a bitter Grimes storms away in anger. The following day, Homer again attempts to earn Grimes' respect by acting as a model employee, but his efforts fail. When Grimes vents his frustration with Homer to Lenny and Carl, they merely tell him to "give Homer a break", so Grimes sets out to prove that Homer has the intelligence of a six-year-old. To prove his point, he tricks Homer into entering a nuclear power plant design contest intended for children. Homer, unaware that the contest is only open to children, eagerly takes on the challenge to prove his professionalism; Grimes' glee at seeing Homer leave to start the contest vanishes when Homer smashes his car into Grimes' vehicle while reversing out of the car park.
At the awards ceremony, Grimes is told to be quiet while heckling Homer's efforts, and Mr. Burns awards Homer first prize. Instead of laughing at Homer, his co-workers applaud and cheer him. This causes Grimes to finally snap and manically he runs through the plant, mimicking Homer's bad habits. Declaring that he does not need safety gloves, Grimes grabs a high voltage cable and is electrocuted. At Grimes' funeral, Homer falls asleep and drowsily tells Marge to change the TV channel, causing the attending mourners to laugh and Lenny to declare "That's our Homer!" as the coffin is lowered into the grave.
, directed by Jim Reardon
and executive produced by Bill Oakley
and Josh Weinstein
. One of the goals of Oakley and Weinstein was to create several episodes in each season which would "push the envelope conceptually." The idea for the episode was first conceived by Bill Oakley
who thought that Homer should have an enemy. The thought evolved into the concept of a "real world" co-worker who would either love or hate Homer. The writers chose the latter as they thought it would have funnier results. The result was the character of Grimes, a man who had to work hard all his life with nothing to show for it and is dismayed and embittered by Homer's success and comfort in spite of his inherent laziness and ignorance.
"Homer's Enemy" explores the comic possibilities of a realistic character with a strong work ethic
placed alongside Homer in a work environment. In an essay for the book Leaving Springfield, Robert Sloane describes the episode as "an incisive consideration of The Simpsonss world. Although The Simpsons is known for its self-reflectivity, the show had never looked at (or critiqued) itself as directly as it does in ["Homer's Enemy"]." In the episode, Homer is portrayed as an everyman and the embodiment of the American spirit; however, in some scenes his negative characteristics and silliness are prominently highlighted. By the close of the episode, Grimes, a hard working and persevering "real American hero," is relegated to the role of antagonist; the viewer is intended to be pleased that Homer has emerged victorious. In an interview with Simpsons fan site NoHomers.net
, Josh Weinstein said:
The animators and character designers had a lot of discussion about what Frank Grimes should look like. He was originally designed as a "burly ex-marine guy with a crew cut", but would later be modeled after Michael Douglas
in the movie Falling Down
and director Jim Reardon's college roommate. Hank Azaria
provided the voice of Frank Grimes, even though such a role would normally have been performed by a guest star. The producers decided Azaria was more suitable because the role involved a great deal of frustration and required extensive knowledge of the show. Azaria felt that the role should instead go to William H. Macy
. According to Azaria, "I based the character on William Macy. I can't really copy him vocally, but I tried to get as close as I could and copy his rhythms and the way he has that sort of seething passion underneath that total calm exterior." The producers worked a lot with Azaria to help him perfect the role, and gave him more guidance than they normally would. Azaria felt that it was the role he worked hardest on, adding "I think it's the one we did the most takes on, the most emotional, it felt like the one I worked on the hardest from a performance point of view, in preparation and in execution."
Josh Weinstein has expressed regret about killing off Grimes after only one episode, describing him as "such an amazing character." In an interview with The Believer
, producer George Meyer
said, "Grimes's cardinal sin was that he shined a light on Springfield. He pointed out everything that was wrongheaded and idiotic about that world. And the people who do that tend to become martyrs. He said things that needed to be said, but once they were said, we needed to destroy that person. I’ll admit, we took a certain sadistic glee in his downfall. He was such a righteous person, and that somehow made his demise more satisfying."
The subplot, where Bart buys a factory, was added so that there would be some lighter scenes to split up the main plot. According to Weinstein, "we wanted to have a Bart or Lisa kids story to contrast the heaviness and reality of Frank Grimes."
, a broadcast of the film The Mask
, Melrose Place, King of the Hill and Beverly Hills, 90210
.
According to Josh Weinstein, when the episode was first broadcast, many fans felt it was too dark, lacked humor and that Homer was portrayed as overly bad-mannered. Weinstein considers this episode one of the most controversial of the seasons he ran, as it involves sharp observational humor which he thinks many fans "didn't get." Weinstein also talks about a "generation gap"—he believes the episode was originally panned by viewers, but has since become a favorite among fans who grew up with the show.
Critical opinion of the episode is mixed. Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, authors of I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, described the episode as "one of the series' darkest episodes [that] ends on a real downer but is nevertheless also one of the wittiest and cleverest in ages." In 2007, Vanity Fair
called "Homer's Enemy" the seventh best episode of The Simpsons. John Orvted said it was, "the darkest Simpsons episode ever... To see [Grimes] fail, and ultimately be destroyed, once he enters Homer's world is hilarious and satisfying." Comedian Rick Mercer
called it a "great episode, and one of the darkest ever produced." Jon Bonné of MSNBC
used "Homer's Enemy" as an example of a bad episode of the eighth season and wrote "even now [in 2000], when subsequent episodes have debased Homer in new and innovative ways, the Grimes episode stands out as painful to watch."
Several members of the staff have included the episode among their favorites. In a 2000 Entertainment Weekly
article, Matt Groening ranked it as his sixth favorite Simpsons episode. It is a favorite of Josh Weinstein, who cites the scene when Grimes visits the Simpson home as one of his favorite scenes, while The Office
creator Ricky Gervais
has called it "the most complete episode." In her autobiography My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy
, Nancy Cartwright
, the voice of Bart, praises Azaria's performance as Grimes, and uses it as an example of how "Accent, pitch, pacing, range and intention" can allow an actor to voice many characters. She writes,
In 2007, former Simpsons executive producer Mike Reiss
listed "Homer's Enemy" as one of his two least favorite episodes, stating, "I just think the episode was in bad taste."
In 2006, IGN.com released a list of "The Top 25 Simpsons Peripheral characters", in which they ranked Frank Grimes at number 17, making him the only one-time character to appear in that list.
episode "The Great Louse Detective
", it is revealed that he fathered a son named Frank Grimes, Jr., who tries and fails to kill Homer. The footage of Grimes's death is also shown during that episode. Homer doesn't remember Frank Sr. at first, and when he does he enrages Jr. by asking how Sr. is doing. Jr. also reveals that while his dad wasn't married, he was conceived because Sr. "liked hookers, OK?" During the nuclear power plant design contest, one of the entrants is Ralph Wiggum
, whose entry is rejected by Mr. Burns. When Ralph does not leave the stage, Chief Wiggum says "Ralphie, get off the stage, sweetheart". This line was later used as the chorus in the song "Ralph Wiggum
" by the Bloodhound Gang
. In 2000, the cast of The Simpsons performed a live reading of the episode script at the US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado
.
The Simpsons (season 8)
The Simpsons eighth season originally aired between October 27, 1996 and May 18, 1997, beginning with "Treehouse of Horror VII". The show runners for the eighth production season were Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein. The aired season contained two episodes which were hold-over episodes from season...
of the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
animated television series The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
. It was first broadcast on the Fox network
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
in the United States on May 4, 1997. The episode's plot centers on the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant's hiring a new employee named Frank Grimes. Despite Homer
Homer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
's attempts to befriend him, Grimes is angered by Homer's laziness and incompetence despite leading a comfortable life
Quality of life
The term quality of life is used to evaluate the general well-being of individuals and societies. The term is used in a wide range of contexts, including the fields of international development, healthcare, and politics. Quality of life should not be confused with the concept of standard of...
. He eventually declares himself Homer's enemy. Meanwhile, Bart
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
buys a run-down factory for a dollar.
"Homer's Enemy" was directed by Jim Reardon
Jim Reardon
Jim Reardon is an animation director and storyboard consultant, best known for his work on the animated TV series The Simpsons. He has directed over 30 episodes of the series, and was credited as a supervising director for seasons 9 through 15...
and the script was written by John Swartzwelder
John Swartzwelder
John Swartzwelder is an American comedy writer and novelist, best known for his work on the animated television series The Simpsons, as well as a number of novels. He is credited with writing the largest number of Simpsons episodes by a large margin...
, based on an idea pitched by executive producer Bill Oakley
Bill Oakley
Bill Oakley is an American television writer and producer, known for his work on the animated comedy series The Simpsons. Oakley and Josh Weinstein became best friends and writing partners at high school; Oakley then attended Harvard University and was Vice President of the Harvard Lampoon...
. The episode explores the comic possibilities of a realistic character with a strong work ethic
Work ethic
Work ethic is a set of values based on hard work and diligence. It is also a belief in the moral benefit of work and its ability to enhance character. An example would be the Protestant work ethic...
hired for a job where he has to work alongside a man like Homer. The show's staff worked hard to perfect the character of Frank Grimes. He was partially modeled after Michael Douglas
Michael Douglas
Michael Kirk Douglas is an American actor and producer, primarily in movies and television. He has won three Golden Globes and two Academy Awards; first as producer of 1975's Best Picture, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and as Best Actor in 1987 for his role in Wall Street. Douglas received the...
as he appeared in the film Falling Down
Falling Down
Falling Down is a 1993 crime-drama film directed by Joel Schumacher. The film stars Michael Douglas in the lead role of William Foster , a divorcee and unemployed former defense engineer...
. Hank Azaria
Hank Azaria
Henry Albert "Hank" Azaria is an American film, television and stage actor, director, voice actor, and comedian. He is noted for being one of the principal voice actors on the animated television series The Simpsons , on which he performs the voices of Moe Szyslak, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Chief...
provided the voice of Frank Grimes, and based some of the character's mannerisms on actor William H. Macy
William H. Macy
William Hall Macy, Jr. is an American actor and writer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo. He is also a teacher and director in theater, film and television. His film career has been built mostly on his appearances in small, independent films, though...
. Frank Welker
Frank Welker
Franklin Wendell "Frank" Welker is an American actor who specializes in voice acting and has contributed character voices and other vocal effects to American television and motion pictures.-Acting career:...
guest stars as the voice of the Executive Vice President dog.
In its original broadcast on the Fox network, "Homer's Enemy" acquired a 7.7 Nielsen rating. It was viewed in approximately 7.5 million homes, finishing the week ranked 56th. "Homer's Enemy" is considered to be one of the darkest episodes of The Simpsons and is a favorite of several members of the production staff—including Bill Oakley, Josh Weinstein
Josh Weinstein
Josh Weinstein is an American television writer and producer, known for his work on the animated comedy series The Simpsons. Weinstein and Bill Oakley became best friends and writing partners at St. Albans High School; Weinstein then attended Stanford University and was editor-in-chief of the...
, and Matt Groening
Matt Groening
Matthew Abram "Matt" Groening is an American cartoonist, screenwriter, and producer. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell as well as two successful television series, The Simpsons and Futurama....
—and of The Office
The Office (UK TV series)
The Office is a British sitcom television series that was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 9 July 2001. Created, written, and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the programme is about the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough branch of the fictitious...
creator Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais
Ricky Dene Gervais is an English comedian, actor, director, radio presenter, producer, musician, and writer.Gervais achieved mainstream fame with his television series The Office and the subsequent series Extras, both of which he co-wrote and co-directed with friend and frequent collaborator...
. Although Grimes makes his only appearance in this episode, he was later named one of the "Top 25 Simpsons Peripheral characters" by IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
. Frank Grimes has since been referenced several times in the show, often showing his tombstone, and occasionally mentioning him by name. In the season fourteen
The Simpsons (season 14)
The fourteenth season of the animated television series The Simpsons was originally broadcast on the Fox network in the United States between November 3, 2002 and May 18, 2003. The show runner for the fourteenth production season was Al Jean, who executive produced 21 of 22 episodes. The other...
episode "The Great Louse Detective
The Great Louse Detective
"The Great Louse Detective" is the sixth episode of The Simpsons fourteenth season. It features Kelsey Grammer in his eighth appearance as Sideshow Bob...
", it is revealed that he fathered a son named Frank Grimes, Jr., who unsuccessfully tries to kill Homer.
Plot
In a new segment of "Kent's People", Kent BrockmanKent Brockman
Kent Brockman is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Harry Shearer and first appeared in the episode "Krusty Gets Busted"...
tells the story of Frank Grimes, a man who "had to struggle for everything he ever got" and overcame such disasters as being abandoned by his family and severely injured in a silo explosion to earn a degree in nuclear physics. After seeing the show, Springfield Nuclear Power Plant owner Mr. Burns is so touched that he asks Smithers
Waylon Smithers
Waylon Smithers, Jr., usually referred to as Smithers, is a recurring fictional character in the animated series The Simpsons, who is voiced by Harry Shearer. Smithers first appeared in the episode "Homer's Odyssey", although he could be heard in the series premiere "Simpsons Roasting on an Open...
to hire Grimes as his Executive Vice President. However, the following day, Burns sees a similarly sentimental story concerning a heroic dog (who saved a child from traffic and pushed a wanted criminal into it) and demands that it instead be appointed Executive Vice President. Consequently, Grimes is shuffled into Sector 7G, where he must work alongside Homer
Homer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
, Lenny, and Carl. Grimes takes an instant dislike to Homer, irked by his obnoxious cheerfulness, poor work ethic, and general irresponsibility. Despite his frustration, Grimes prevents Homer from drinking a beaker of sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid is a strong mineral acid with the molecular formula . Its historical name is oil of vitriol. Pure sulfuric acid is a highly corrosive, colorless, viscous liquid. The salts of sulfuric acid are called sulfates...
, dramatically slapping it out of Homer's hands into a wall, disintegrating a portion of it. A passing Mr. Burns admonishes Grimes for destroying the "valuable" wall and spilling his "priceless" acid, resulting in Grimes being punished with a reduced salary and status. An angered Grimes marches into Homer's work area and declares that they are now enemies, and a surprised Homer asks "Do I have to do anything?"
Meanwhile, Bart becomes bored during a visit to Springfield Town Hall and buys "35 Industry Way" for a dollar
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
during a foreclosure auction
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
. It turns out to be a run-down old factory. He and Milhouse
Milhouse Van Houten
Milhouse Mussolini Van Houten is a fictional character featured in the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Pamela Hayden. He is Bart Simpson's best friend in Mrs. Krabappel's fourth grade class at Springfield Elementary School....
spend their days wrecking the factory until one morning Bart returns to find it has collapsed during the night while Milhouse was on watch duty.
Homer attempts to appease Grimes by inviting him to his home for a lobster dinner. Grimes' visit to the Simpson house only fuels his resentment; he is incensed by Homer's ability to live a comfortable life
Quality of life
The term quality of life is used to evaluate the general well-being of individuals and societies. The term is used in a wide range of contexts, including the fields of international development, healthcare, and politics. Quality of life should not be confused with the concept of standard of...
with a wonderful family (not to mention seeing Homer's accomplishments, such as meeting President Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
, winning a Grammy, and especially being an astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
) despite his slothfulness and ignorance while Grimes ends up with his extreme difficulties. Declaring Homer a "fraud" and stating that in any other country on Earth he would have died long ago, a bitter Grimes storms away in anger. The following day, Homer again attempts to earn Grimes' respect by acting as a model employee, but his efforts fail. When Grimes vents his frustration with Homer to Lenny and Carl, they merely tell him to "give Homer a break", so Grimes sets out to prove that Homer has the intelligence of a six-year-old. To prove his point, he tricks Homer into entering a nuclear power plant design contest intended for children. Homer, unaware that the contest is only open to children, eagerly takes on the challenge to prove his professionalism; Grimes' glee at seeing Homer leave to start the contest vanishes when Homer smashes his car into Grimes' vehicle while reversing out of the car park.
At the awards ceremony, Grimes is told to be quiet while heckling Homer's efforts, and Mr. Burns awards Homer first prize. Instead of laughing at Homer, his co-workers applaud and cheer him. This causes Grimes to finally snap and manically he runs through the plant, mimicking Homer's bad habits. Declaring that he does not need safety gloves, Grimes grabs a high voltage cable and is electrocuted. At Grimes' funeral, Homer falls asleep and drowsily tells Marge to change the TV channel, causing the attending mourners to laugh and Lenny to declare "That's our Homer!" as the coffin is lowered into the grave.
Production
"Homer's Enemy" was written by John SwartzwelderJohn Swartzwelder
John Swartzwelder is an American comedy writer and novelist, best known for his work on the animated television series The Simpsons, as well as a number of novels. He is credited with writing the largest number of Simpsons episodes by a large margin...
, directed by Jim Reardon
Jim Reardon
Jim Reardon is an animation director and storyboard consultant, best known for his work on the animated TV series The Simpsons. He has directed over 30 episodes of the series, and was credited as a supervising director for seasons 9 through 15...
and executive produced by Bill Oakley
Bill Oakley
Bill Oakley is an American television writer and producer, known for his work on the animated comedy series The Simpsons. Oakley and Josh Weinstein became best friends and writing partners at high school; Oakley then attended Harvard University and was Vice President of the Harvard Lampoon...
and Josh Weinstein
Josh Weinstein
Josh Weinstein is an American television writer and producer, known for his work on the animated comedy series The Simpsons. Weinstein and Bill Oakley became best friends and writing partners at St. Albans High School; Weinstein then attended Stanford University and was editor-in-chief of the...
. One of the goals of Oakley and Weinstein was to create several episodes in each season which would "push the envelope conceptually." The idea for the episode was first conceived by Bill Oakley
Bill Oakley
Bill Oakley is an American television writer and producer, known for his work on the animated comedy series The Simpsons. Oakley and Josh Weinstein became best friends and writing partners at high school; Oakley then attended Harvard University and was Vice President of the Harvard Lampoon...
who thought that Homer should have an enemy. The thought evolved into the concept of a "real world" co-worker who would either love or hate Homer. The writers chose the latter as they thought it would have funnier results. The result was the character of Grimes, a man who had to work hard all his life with nothing to show for it and is dismayed and embittered by Homer's success and comfort in spite of his inherent laziness and ignorance.
"Homer's Enemy" explores the comic possibilities of a realistic character with a strong work ethic
Work ethic
Work ethic is a set of values based on hard work and diligence. It is also a belief in the moral benefit of work and its ability to enhance character. An example would be the Protestant work ethic...
placed alongside Homer in a work environment. In an essay for the book Leaving Springfield, Robert Sloane describes the episode as "an incisive consideration of The Simpsonss world. Although The Simpsons is known for its self-reflectivity, the show had never looked at (or critiqued) itself as directly as it does in ["Homer's Enemy"]." In the episode, Homer is portrayed as an everyman and the embodiment of the American spirit; however, in some scenes his negative characteristics and silliness are prominently highlighted. By the close of the episode, Grimes, a hard working and persevering "real American hero," is relegated to the role of antagonist; the viewer is intended to be pleased that Homer has emerged victorious. In an interview with Simpsons fan site NoHomers.net
NoHomers.net
The No Homers Club is a fan site and community devoted to the television show The Simpsons. It was launched on August 27, 2001. Although the web page contains many features typical to Simpsons fan sites, including an episode guide and images, its primary draw is its message board, which has over...
, Josh Weinstein said:
The animators and character designers had a lot of discussion about what Frank Grimes should look like. He was originally designed as a "burly ex-marine guy with a crew cut", but would later be modeled after Michael Douglas
Michael Douglas
Michael Kirk Douglas is an American actor and producer, primarily in movies and television. He has won three Golden Globes and two Academy Awards; first as producer of 1975's Best Picture, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and as Best Actor in 1987 for his role in Wall Street. Douglas received the...
in the movie Falling Down
Falling Down
Falling Down is a 1993 crime-drama film directed by Joel Schumacher. The film stars Michael Douglas in the lead role of William Foster , a divorcee and unemployed former defense engineer...
and director Jim Reardon's college roommate. Hank Azaria
Hank Azaria
Henry Albert "Hank" Azaria is an American film, television and stage actor, director, voice actor, and comedian. He is noted for being one of the principal voice actors on the animated television series The Simpsons , on which he performs the voices of Moe Szyslak, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Chief...
provided the voice of Frank Grimes, even though such a role would normally have been performed by a guest star. The producers decided Azaria was more suitable because the role involved a great deal of frustration and required extensive knowledge of the show. Azaria felt that the role should instead go to William H. Macy
William H. Macy
William Hall Macy, Jr. is an American actor and writer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo. He is also a teacher and director in theater, film and television. His film career has been built mostly on his appearances in small, independent films, though...
. According to Azaria, "I based the character on William Macy. I can't really copy him vocally, but I tried to get as close as I could and copy his rhythms and the way he has that sort of seething passion underneath that total calm exterior." The producers worked a lot with Azaria to help him perfect the role, and gave him more guidance than they normally would. Azaria felt that it was the role he worked hardest on, adding "I think it's the one we did the most takes on, the most emotional, it felt like the one I worked on the hardest from a performance point of view, in preparation and in execution."
Josh Weinstein has expressed regret about killing off Grimes after only one episode, describing him as "such an amazing character." In an interview with The Believer
The Believer (magazine)
The Believer is a United States literary magazine that also covers other arts and general culture. Founded and designed in 2003 by the writer and publisher Dave Eggers, it is edited by Vendela Vida, Heidi Julavits and Ed Park...
, producer George Meyer
George Meyer
George A. Meyer is an American producer and writer. Raised in Tucson, Arizona in a Roman Catholic family, Meyer attended Harvard University. There, after becoming president of the Harvard Lampoon, he graduated in 1978 with a degree in biochemistry. Abandoning plans to attend medical school, Meyer...
said, "Grimes's cardinal sin was that he shined a light on Springfield. He pointed out everything that was wrongheaded and idiotic about that world. And the people who do that tend to become martyrs. He said things that needed to be said, but once they were said, we needed to destroy that person. I’ll admit, we took a certain sadistic glee in his downfall. He was such a righteous person, and that somehow made his demise more satisfying."
The subplot, where Bart buys a factory, was added so that there would be some lighter scenes to split up the main plot. According to Weinstein, "we wanted to have a Bart or Lisa kids story to contrast the heaviness and reality of Frank Grimes."
Reception
In its original broadcast on the Fox network, "Homer's Enemy" acquired a 7.7 Nielsen rating. It was viewed in approximately 7.5 million homes, finishing the week ranked 56th. The Simpsons was the sixth highest rated show on Fox the week it was broadcast, behind The X-FilesThe X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
, a broadcast of the film The Mask
The Mask (film)
The Mask is a 1994 American superhero comedy film based on a series of comic books published by Dark Horse Comics. This film was directed by Chuck Russell, and produced by Dark Horse Entertainment and New Line Cinema, and originally released to movie theatres on July 29, 1994 through New Line...
, Melrose Place, King of the Hill and Beverly Hills, 90210
Beverly Hills, 90210
Beverly Hills, 90210 is an American drama series that originally aired from October 4, 1990 to May 17, 2000 on Fox and was produced by Spelling Television in the United States, and subsequently on various networks around the world. It is the first series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise...
.
According to Josh Weinstein, when the episode was first broadcast, many fans felt it was too dark, lacked humor and that Homer was portrayed as overly bad-mannered. Weinstein considers this episode one of the most controversial of the seasons he ran, as it involves sharp observational humor which he thinks many fans "didn't get." Weinstein also talks about a "generation gap"—he believes the episode was originally panned by viewers, but has since become a favorite among fans who grew up with the show.
Critical opinion of the episode is mixed. Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, authors of I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, described the episode as "one of the series' darkest episodes [that] ends on a real downer but is nevertheless also one of the wittiest and cleverest in ages." In 2007, Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
called "Homer's Enemy" the seventh best episode of The Simpsons. John Orvted said it was, "the darkest Simpsons episode ever... To see [Grimes] fail, and ultimately be destroyed, once he enters Homer's world is hilarious and satisfying." Comedian Rick Mercer
Rick Mercer
Richard Vincent "Rick" Mercer is a Canadian comedian, television personality, political satirist, and blogger.Mercer first came to national attention in 1990, when he premiered his one man show Show Me the Button, I'll Push It, or Charles Lynch Must Die at the Great Canadian Theatre Company in...
called it a "great episode, and one of the darkest ever produced." Jon Bonné of MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
used "Homer's Enemy" as an example of a bad episode of the eighth season and wrote "even now [in 2000], when subsequent episodes have debased Homer in new and innovative ways, the Grimes episode stands out as painful to watch."
Several members of the staff have included the episode among their favorites. In a 2000 Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
article, Matt Groening ranked it as his sixth favorite Simpsons episode. It is a favorite of Josh Weinstein, who cites the scene when Grimes visits the Simpson home as one of his favorite scenes, while The Office
The Office (UK TV series)
The Office is a British sitcom television series that was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 9 July 2001. Created, written, and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the programme is about the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough branch of the fictitious...
creator Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais
Ricky Dene Gervais is an English comedian, actor, director, radio presenter, producer, musician, and writer.Gervais achieved mainstream fame with his television series The Office and the subsequent series Extras, both of which he co-wrote and co-directed with friend and frequent collaborator...
has called it "the most complete episode." In her autobiography My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy
My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy
My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy is an autobiography written by Nancy Cartwright. First published in September 2000 by Hyperion, it details Cartwright's career, particularly her experiences as the voice of Bart Simpson on The Simpsons and contains insights on the show, diary entries and anecdotes about...
, Nancy Cartwright
Nancy Cartwright
Nancy Campbell Cartwright is an American film and television actress, comedian and voice artist. She is best known for her long-running role as Bart Simpson on the animated television series The Simpsons...
, the voice of Bart, praises Azaria's performance as Grimes, and uses it as an example of how "Accent, pitch, pacing, range and intention" can allow an actor to voice many characters. She writes,
In 2007, former Simpsons executive producer Mike Reiss
Mike Reiss
Michael "Mike" Reiss is an American television comedy writer. He served as a show-runner, writer and producer for the animated series The Simpsons and co-created the animated series The Critic...
listed "Homer's Enemy" as one of his two least favorite episodes, stating, "I just think the episode was in bad taste."
In 2006, IGN.com released a list of "The Top 25 Simpsons Peripheral characters", in which they ranked Frank Grimes at number 17, making him the only one-time character to appear in that list.
Legacy
Frank Grimes has since been referenced several times in the show, often showing his tombstone, and occasionally mentioning him by name. In the season fourteenThe Simpsons (season 14)
The fourteenth season of the animated television series The Simpsons was originally broadcast on the Fox network in the United States between November 3, 2002 and May 18, 2003. The show runner for the fourteenth production season was Al Jean, who executive produced 21 of 22 episodes. The other...
episode "The Great Louse Detective
The Great Louse Detective
"The Great Louse Detective" is the sixth episode of The Simpsons fourteenth season. It features Kelsey Grammer in his eighth appearance as Sideshow Bob...
", it is revealed that he fathered a son named Frank Grimes, Jr., who tries and fails to kill Homer. The footage of Grimes's death is also shown during that episode. Homer doesn't remember Frank Sr. at first, and when he does he enrages Jr. by asking how Sr. is doing. Jr. also reveals that while his dad wasn't married, he was conceived because Sr. "liked hookers, OK?" During the nuclear power plant design contest, one of the entrants is Ralph Wiggum
Ralph Wiggum
Ralph Wiggum is a recurring fictional character on the animated series The Simpsons, voiced by Nancy Cartwright. The son of Police Chief Wiggum and a classmate of Lisa Simpson, Ralph is best known as the show's resident oddball, and is noted for his non sequiturs and erratic behavior...
, whose entry is rejected by Mr. Burns. When Ralph does not leave the stage, Chief Wiggum says "Ralphie, get off the stage, sweetheart". This line was later used as the chorus in the song "Ralph Wiggum
Ralph Wiggum (song)
"Ralph Wiggum" is the seventh track of The Bloodhound Gang's 2005 album Hefty Fine. It is composed almost entirely of quotes from the character Ralph Wiggum from the animated show The Simpsons, except for the chorus "Ralphie, get off the stage sweetheart" which is spoken by Ralph's father Chief...
" by the Bloodhound Gang
Bloodhound Gang
Bloodhound Gang is a Collegeville, Pennsylvania-based American comedy band, although it began as a rap group and gradually changed its genre throughout the years...
. In 2000, the cast of The Simpsons performed a live reading of the episode script at the US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado
Aspen, Colorado
The City of Aspen is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 5,804 in 2005...
.
External links
- "Homer's Enemy" at The Simpsons.com