| |
|
|
ADVERTISEMENT
|
|
|
|
|
The Simpsons Season 2 Episode 15
Episode Title: Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?
Episode Plot
After watching the latest McBain movie, Grampa Simpson suffers a heart attack. Thinking he might die, he is prompted to confess a long-hidden secret: Homer has a half-brother.
As Grampa explains, he had met a carnival floozy and prostitute before marrying Homer's mother. They had a son, and left him at the Shelbyville Orphanage. Determined to find his brother, Homer and his family go to the orphanage and find out that Abe's son was adopted by a Mr. and Mrs. Powell and named Herbert.
Herb Powell, who looks just like Homer, except taller, slimmer and with more hair, is the head of eponymously-named automobile manufacturer Powell Motors, which is in danger of being taken over by the Japanese because of otherwise poor management. He is very rich, but is quite unhappy not knowing who he is and where he comes from. He is overjoyed upon hearing of his half-brother and invites the entire Simpson family to stay at his mansion in Detroit.
Bart, Lisa, and Maggie are enthralled by Herb's wealthy lifestyle and kind personality, although Marge constantly worries about spoiling her kids. Herb then decides that Homer, being an "average" American, is the perfect person to design a new car for his company. Homer is given entirely free rein in the design, but is at first too timid to voice an opinion, as Herb's designers begin to design the car with their own ideas in mind. When Herb gets word of this, he gives Homer a pep talk that sends him back to the designers determined to build the car with all sorts of weird effects like bubble domes, tail fins and several horns that play "La Cucaracha".
At the unveiling of the new car, dubbed "The Homer", Herb is horrified to discover that the car is a monstrosity that costs $82,000 ($122,000 when inflation adjusted to 2006). Herb's company folds, his mansion is sold off and he leaves regretting that he ever met his brother. As he departs on the bus he angrily remarks to Homer that he "has no brother". Lisa laments, "His life was an unbridled success... until he found out he was a Simpson." In the end of this episode, while Homer drives the family home, Bart tells him that the car he built was great. Homer becomes relieved to discover that at least one person seems to like it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
