"Homer the Vigilante" is the eleventh episode of The Simpsons' fifth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 6, 1994. In the episode, a crime wave caused by an elusive cat burglar hits Springfield. Lisa is distraught to find her saxophone has been stolen, and Homer promises to get it back. The police are ineffective, so Homer takes charge of a neighborhood watch. However, under his leadership it becomes more like a vigilante group, and fails to catch the burglar. With the help of Grampa, Homer discovers that the burglar is a charming senior named Molloy. Molloy is arrested, but he outwits the citizens of Springfield and escapes.
The episode was written by John Swartzwelder and directed by Jim Reardon. Sam Neill guest starred in the episode as Molloy. "Homer the Vigilante" was selected for release in a 1997 video collection of selected episodes titled: The Simpsons: Crime and Punishment. It features cultural references to films such as It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and Dr. Strangelove. Since airing, the episode has received positive reviews from television critics. It acquired a Nielsen rating of 12.2, and was the highest-rated show on the Fox network the week it aired.
Read more about Homer The Vigilante: Plot, Production, Cultural References, Reception
Famous quotes containing the word homer:
“It is enough if Homer but say the sun sets. He is as serene as nature, and we can hardly detect the enthusiasm of the bard. It is as if nature spoke.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)