Don't Fear the Roofer

"Don't Fear the Roofer" is the sixteenth episode of the sixteenth season of The Simpsons. The episode aired on May 1, 2005 in the US. Although it was advertised as the 350th episode, it is not the actual 350th episode (see The Heartbroke Kid and Future-Drama.)

Synopsis
There's a very bad thunderstorm in Springfield. Many roofs have sprung leaks as a result, including Moe's. Moe uses beer mugs and Barney's open mouth to catch the drops. At the Simpson's place, their roof is not better. The dripping water collects in Marge's hair and eventually splashes on her face. She wakes up Homer and asks him to do something about it. Homer has an idea to solve the problem by using an old Hot Wheels track set, where the water flows over the tracks, and out the mail slot in the front door. However, Lisa's hamster falls on the tracks and is washed away outside. Bart is unhappy that the leaks have made all the snacks soggy and Maggie is angry that her favorite teddy-bear is wet. Marge rebukes Homer for not putting a roof over his family's heads. Homer, angrily, leaves for Moe's.

There, he finds a surprise party being set up for Lenny. However, he ruins the surprise and the sits on the cake (shaped like Lenny's favorite bar-stool) and gets kicked out. Homer feels lonely until he sees a bar named Knockers (a spoof of Hooters), located on Route 98. The one-eyed bartender is too busy to talk to him, but he meets another guy, Ray Magini, who offers to share his nachos and beer with him. Ray happens to be a roofer, so Homer asks him to fix his roof. Ray agrees readily.

The next day, Marge finds Homer sleeping on the sofa and tells him to get to work on the roof. Homer assures her that his new friend, Ray, will be taking care of it. Just as Marge and the kids leave on some errands, Ray shows up. The two of them get up on the roof and use nail-guns to nail the boards onto the roof, but they start shooting nails at each other. As they do, several nails get embedded in Ned Flanders' lawn mower, for which Homer apologises and then shoots some more at Ned. Ray leaves later and, as Homer runs on the roof, watching Ray leave, he crashes through the small part of the roof that they fixed and falls asleep on a pile of clothes.

When Marge returns, she is surprised to see the hole even bigger. She says that Ray is not a very good roofer, and she hasn't even met him yet. Later, Bart and Homer go to the Builder's Barn, and Homer meets Ray there. Ray apologises to Homer for not having finished the job. He promises that he will stop by soon to work on the roof.

At home, Homer sits on the roof, looking at each car passing by, hoping Ray's in it. Finally, late at night, Marge tells him that Ray is a figment of his imagination. She then takes him (with the Ned's help) to the Calmwood Mental Hospital (as seen in "Hurricane Neddy"). Dr. Hibbert tells Homer that Ray doesn't exist. The family says that the bartender at "Knockers" saw Homer alone. Bart says he saw his dad talking to himself. Ned says he never saw anyone besides Homer on the roof. Lisa tells Homer that "Ray Magini" is actually an anagram of "Imaginary".

Homer suddenly sees Ray, on top of another roof, outside. He starts babbling incoherently, making himself look even more nuts. Hibbert administers electroshock therapy. Finally six weeks later, Homer is now sure that Ray does not exist. As he is being discharged, he sees Ray and, believing that he doesn't exist, smashes a chair on his head. Ray retaliates with a punch to the mouth. But this time, everyone has seen Ray and they figure that Homer was telling the truth after all.

The whole scenario is explained: The bartender did not see Ray as he had an eye patch on. Ned did not see Ray as he (Ray) was behind the chimney on the roof. Stephen Hawking says that Bart could not see Ray, at the hardware store, because of a black hole caused directly behind Ray, making it look like Homer was talking to himself. Marge asks Ray why he kept disappearing all the time. Easy, he's a contractor, i.e, a crook. Everyone understands and laughs.

Hibbert apologises to Homer for all the electroshock therapy sessions and asks how he can make it up to Homer. Homer has an idea. He makes Hibbert fix his roof for him, while he and Ray lounge on the roof. Ray then plugs a TV show he's been watching where "Everybody loves that guy". Regardless how many times Ray patiently tells him, Homer keeps confusing the day (Monday), the time (9:00), the channel (CBS) and whether it's on TV or the radio.

Trivia

 * This is the 350th episode (despite being the 351st to air). Originally The Heartbroke Kid was top be the 350th, but they were switched.
 * This episode aired the same year that guest star Ray Romano's own television series Everybody Loves Raymond had its series finale which Ray mentions during a confusing argument.

Cultural Refrences

 * The episode title is a reference to the popular Blue Öyster Cult song "Don't Fear the Reaper." Interestingly, that song was the song played over the end credits to the episode "The Parent Rap."
 * The song that plays from the jukebox is "Do That To Me One More Time" by Captain & Tennille.

Goofs

 * Bart was on the other side of Homer, not Ray.


 * Unless Ray's equipment is of supreme antiquity, his nail guns would have a safety feature preventing them from firing unless pressed against something. The safety can be removed, but he would probably lose his roofing contractor's license.

Plot hole
Though Ned Flanders, the bartender at Knockers, and Stephen Hawking all had plausible explanations for no one else besides Homer seeing Ray, why couldn't they hear him speaking? How did the bartender not know if he gave him the beer and the nachos?

Quotes

 * Dr. Hibbert: Do you see anyone here that isn't here? Homer: Nope. Just you, Marge, and Yogi Bear. Kidding! Dr. Hibbert: Well, I see your sense of humor isn't affected. (grin) That's a very bad sign. (continues electro-shocking Homer)
 * Homer: What's Stephen Hawking doing here? Stephen Hawking: I live here now. You are looking at the new owner of the Little Caesar's down the street. Pizza, pizza. Pizza, pizza. Pizza, pizza. Pizza, pizza. Sorry, that button sticks.
 * Homer: Ray will come, and when he does, we'll have ever so much fun!
 * Sign at "Knockers": "No staring at our waitress' enormous breasts."
 * Bart: Hey dad, remember when you told me that if I used the chainsaw unsupervised I'd hurt myself? Well, you were wrong. I hurt someone else. (points to the Squeaky Voiced Teen, pinned down by a chandelier) Puberty Guy: I have 45 minutes to get ready for the prom!
 * Marge: First, we're taking the dog to the V-E-T. (Santa's Little Helper goes "huh?") And then, we're taking Bart to be C-I-R-C-U-M-C-I-S-E-D. Bart: Huh? Marge: I'll tell you what it means when it's over.
 * Ray: No one calls me a monster and questions my existence!
 * The following lengthy exchange was used in the first run of the episode only. In reruns and syndication, it cuts off after Ray's second line or maybe because Everybody Loves Raymond is cancelled already. and so they replace it with regular music:Ray: So as I was saying, Homer, Mondays, 9 o'clock, CBS? They say everybody loves that guy, but I don't get it. Homer: What are you talking about? Ray: Hey, I'm just saying, catch it while you still can. Homer: What time is this show on? Ray: It's Monday, 9 o'clock, CBS. Homer: And what's the network? Ray: CBS. Homer: At what time?  Ray: 9:00. Homer: And if I wanna watch it, what day?  Ray: Monday. Monday, 9:00. Homer: And this is on the radio? Ray: No, it's television. Mondays at 9. On CBS. Homer: And if I wanna see it, what time should I watch it? Ray: 9:00. Homer: On what channel? Ray: CBS. Homer: What day? Ray: Monday. Homer: On the radio? Ray: Television. Homer: Turn the television to what channel? Ray: CBS. Homer: At what time? Ray: 9:00 on Monday. Homer: Now if I wanted to see it on a certain day, what would be the best day to see it? Ray: It's only on on Monday. Homer: And what time would be a good time to... Ray: 9:00. It's from 9 to 9:30. Homer: So if I turn my radio on at 9:00... Ray: Not the radio, television. Homer: So it's: Mondays at 9, on NBC... Ray: CBS. Homer: CBS... Ray: 9:00. Homer: On the radio... Ray: Television. Homer: Television, at 3:00.
 * Ray: I'm Ray, Ray Magini. … Homer: Ray, how can I save my marriage? Ray: Beats me, I'm no marriage counselor. Just a licensed and bonded roofer. Homer: Hmm… (has a thought bubble in which "Ray + Damaged Roof = Marge kissing Homer") Ray, can you fix my roof? Ray: Sure, as long as you help me finish off this pitcher of beer. Homer: Hmm. (has another thought bubble in which "Homer + Beer = Car wreck") Wait, did I add that right? ("Homer + Beer =...President Homer"!) President Homer: And as my first act as President... (slam dunks)