Team Homer

"Team Homer" is the twelfth episode of Season 7. It first aired on January 7, 1996. The episode was written by Mike Scully and directed by Mark Kirkland. Marcia Wallace guest stars as Edna Krabappel.

Synopsis
Homer convinces a ether hallucinating Mr. Burns to give him $500 to register his bowling team in a league, but when Mr. Burns finds out what he has done, he demands a spot on the team. Meanwhile, Bart influences a riot at school and as a result, every student is forced to wear uniforms.

Plot
Homer is at Moe's and hardly anyone is there, so he and Moe Szyslak go to the bowling alley and decides he wants to do something that he won't fail at, so gets Moe, Apu and Otto to form a bowling team for the league, but they need 500$. Homer goes to Mr. Burns' office just when he got an overdose of ether; and Burns hallucinates Homer as Pop N' Fresh and gives him all the money he needs. In the bowling league, the "Pin Pals" are crushing the competition, giving Homer and the others a huge step toward the trophy, but when Mr. Burns realizes he's given money away, he takes his anger out on the team by joining it.

Meanwhile, Bart wears a shirt with a "Down With Homework" design on it that he got from a mad magazine to school, which horrifies the teachers and especially Skinner. He then makes uniforms mandatory. The grim attire makes students lose individuality and everything becomes dull. Just when Superintendant Chalmers arrives, rain starts pouring down and the non-colorfast uniforms turn vibrant tie dye colors. The kids then freak out and start having fun again.

Homer, Moe and Apu are upset that Burns costs them every game they play and make Homer tell Burns he is off the team, but they have a change of mind when he gets them new uniforms. The team then play the Holy Rollers, a team of members of the church, in the championship game. In a bizarre turn of events, Burns wins the game for the team, but he takes the trophy for himself. Homer doesn't stand for this, and breaks into the mansion to steal it as his teammates watch. Homer gets attacked by the guard dogs and his team runs off.

This episode was dedicated to the death of Doris Grau.