Rate and Review "Homer The Heretic"

[Prune Tracy]

Oh come on, don't be a wimp. Homer's complete lack of remorse is what makes that scene so funny. I love Al Jean's reaction on commentary to it as well. He mentions how people complain that Homer became too mean in later seasons but he was REALLY bad there, maybe worse than he's ever been. Just a total bastard. And again, that's what makes it so hilarious.

I guess it's just a question of whether you find it funny or not. I kind of found Homer in Lisa of Ice funny, although he was displaying boorish behaviour. I just didn't find this scene funny, and when I don't find behaviour like that funny, it just comes off as hateful to me. But, to each their own.

[Bleedin' Gums Murphy]

Al Jean must be killed

[Jeffrey Albertson]

Definitely one of the absolute best, both Homer and the story. I love the section when the Flanders' (Flanderisis?) decide to "win you back to the flock!" The cop show inspired theme for the chase is one of my all time favourites. "Dad, the Heathen's getting away!" "I see him Son."

[Lionel Hutz]

A brilliant episode.
The fact that the generation above mine in my family are all lapsed Catholics makes this episode seem extremely relatable to the reality of modern life.

Best Quotes:

Bart: Hey, where's Homer?
Marge: Your father's .. resting.
Bart: Resting, hung over, resting, got fired, help me out here.

Homer: I'm whizzin' with the door open and I love it

Radio: It's 11 KBBL degrees below zero. I hope you're someplace warm.
Homer: You bet your sweet- ASS!

Rev. Lovejoy: I'm afraid our furnace isn't working-
Parishioner: Yeah, what's the story!

Rev. Lovejoy: ..and he was cast into the fiery cauldron of HELL! The searing heat, the scalding rivers of molten sulfur-
Bart: Aaah, I'm there.

Ned; The doors frozen shut AND IT'S THE ONLY WAY OUT! (I love that even Ned is desperate to get out of Church)

Lisa: Our father, who art in Heaven, the hallowed be-
Bart: Lisa, this is neither the time nor the place.

Rev. Lovejoy: How's that door coming Willie?
Willie: Miracles are your department, Reverend.

Lisa: Give it a little more gas. No, no thet's too much! You know what I think would help?
Marge: WHAT, what would help?!
Lisa: Nothing

Marge: Homer, are you actually giving up your faith?
Homer: No, no no no no no no no, well yes

Marge: I can't believe You're giving up Church, Homer.
Homer: Hey, what's the big deal about going to some building every Sunday, I mean isn't God everywhere?
Bart: Amen, brother!
Homer: And don't you think that the Almighty has better things to worry about, than where one little guy spends one measly hour of his week?
Bart: Tell it, Daddy!
Homer: And what if we picked the wrong religion? Every week we're just making God madder and madder.
Bart: Testify!

God: You know sometimes, even I would rather be watching football. Does St. Louis still have a team?
Homer: No, they moved to Phoenix

Homer: He appeared before me in a dream and I knew that was special because I usually dream about naked .. Marge.

Homer: Kids, let me tell you about another so called "wicked guy". He had long hair and some wild ideas, and he didn't always do what other people thought was right. and that man's name was .. I forget, but the point is .. aw I forget that too. Marge, you know who I'm talking about. he used to drive that blue car

Reverend Lovejoy: Uh Uh, Homer I'd like you to remember Matthew 7:26 "The foolish man who built his house on sand-
Homer: And you remember .. Matthew .. 21:17.
Rev. Lovejoy: "and he left them and went out of the city into Bethany and he lodged there"?
Homer: Yeah, think about it.

Homer: Hey, Ganesha want a peanut?
Apu: Please do not offer my God a peanut.
Homer: No offence Apu, but when they were handing out religions, you must have been out taking a whiz.

Apu: You are on your honour not to steal anything.
Kearney: Oh, we won't.
Apu: Little Jamshed, the store is in your hands.
Jamshed: How we have waited for this day. (pulls out shotgun)

Insurance man: Any valuables in the house?
Homer: Well, the Picasso, my collection of classic cars-
Insurance man: Sorry, this policy only covers actual losses, not made up stuff.
Homer: Well that's just great.

Rev. Lovejoy:.. be they Christian, Jew, or miscellaneous.
Apu: Hindu, There are 700 million of us.
Rev. Lovejoy: Aw, that's super.

Highlights include the opening with Homer in the womb (I'm all naked and wet!), the Polar Bear dumpster diving,, Risky Business parody (I wear short shorts!), Homer's Moon waffles (caramel, waffle batter, liquid smoke, bar of butter), Johnny Calhoun's spoken word album (THIS Things I believe), The Sunday Bulletin, Homer watching The Three Stooges (Heh heh heh, Moe is their leader), Municipal Roundtable promo card, Homer's dance, Homer's best days of his life, Homers dream with God (and his wave goodbye), God's displeasure with Reverend Lovejoy, Homer's animal friends (guys, please, will you give me 5 minutes), Homer's description of God (class act all the way), Homer's holiday (The feast of Maximum Occupancy), The Flanders' singing the Arkie Arkie song and the ensuing car chase (Homer slamming the steering wheel is hilarious), one of the all-time classic I*S cartoons, SLH saving the Hershey bar, Homer singing the fire safety song, Homer's fantasy "saving" Ned, Ben Franklin beating Jimi Hendrix at air hockey and God telling Homer the Meaning of Life.

(Wow, that was mouthful, in other words this episode was a walking highlight reel))

[parklife]

hands down, my absolute favourite episode of the series. the quintessential simpsons episode

[wiley207]

Re-watching the episode on DVD. I can't help but wonder if the story was also meant to be a test for Film Roman, as this was their first Simpsons episode (i.e. the appearances by Krusty, Apu, Chief Wiggum, and other recurring characters often in a crowd or something.)
For their first episode, the animation is pretty good; it has that distinct snappy pace to it, dramatic camera angles and shots, all the usual stuff we've known to love about the animation of Seasons 4 to 6. The characters also have that distinct early Rough Draft Korea look to them from the fourth and fifth seasons (somewhat shorter bodies and larger-than-usual eyes), as this was also the first episode Rough Draft animated (maybe they hired them to go easier on Film Roman?)

[cloneasaurus]

feel stupid for "hating" on this earlier. brilliant brilliant episode A, 5/5

[Phenom67]

Love this episode, it's in my top 10. I love when Homer finds the penny and is completely joyful about it.