The Call of the Simpsons

"The Simpsons have entered the forest."

- Lisa Simpson

"The Call Of The Simpsons" is the seventh episode of Season 1. It aired on February 18, 1990. The episode was written by John Swartzwelder and directed by Wes Archer. Cowboy Bob and Rod Flanders make their first appearance in this episode.

Synopsis
It's a camping misadventure for the Simpsons. First, the Simpsons get lost in the woods, and lose all their camping equipment. Bart and Homer go get help, but get washed down a waterfall, and lose all their clothes. Meanwhile, Maggie meets up with some bears, while Homer is confused for Bigfoot after he goes in a mud pile.

Act One
The episode begins with Homer and Bart outside doing yard work when Ned Flanders pulls up in his brand new RV and gloats to Homer and Bart. In an effort to try to keep up with Ned, Homer takes the family to Bob's RV Round-Up in search of an RV of their own. Bob the RV salesman comes out and introduces Homer to an RV called the Ultimate Behemoth, and gives the family a tour. During the tour Homer and the kids express their awe of the RV. Whereas, Marge worries about the cost and is constantly ignored by Bob when she asks for the price tag on the RV presumably aware that she knows her family can't afford it. Convinced in wanting to buy the RV to one up Flanders, Homer asks him for the price. Bob takes him into the office to work out a price deal and runs a credit check on his computer for business and security protocol. A siren alerts him, but Homer assumes it's sound meant he's been approved. However, Bob corrects him by telling Homer that he's been rejected and it was the computer's way of warning the owner not to proceed with the deal. It turns out the Ultimate Behemoth is a little out of Homer's price range due to his poor credit rating. In desperation, he begs Bob to show him an RV that isn't out of his price range and doesn't want to go home empty handed. So, he shows Homer the most run down, beaten up, small RV on the lot. Marge, Lisa and Bart shows their disapproval and tries to get him to refuse and walk away. However, Homer ignores them and gives into Bob's pressure in buying the dilapidated RV. Later, after loading up their "brand new" RV Homer gloats to Flanders about his purchase and the Simpson family head out to go camping. On the way, Homer makes an unwise decision to take a less beaten path instead of staying on the interstate. Marge suspects something is wrong and advises Homer to stop. However, he ignores Marge when she suggest they look at the map or stopping for directions. Calling his RV an all-terrain-vehicle, and much to the worry of everyone else, Homer plows through a forest and decides to stop randomly in the middle of nowhere. When the RV finally comes to a screeching halt it ends up teetering on the edge of a cliff. Everyone quickly gets out of the RV and it plummets over the edge along with everything they brought with them, resulting in a fiery explosion at the bottom of the drop.

Act Two
The family is now left with nothing but the clothes on their backs and they are lost in the middle of the forest. Homer tells everyone to relax because he is "an experienced woodsman." He then builds a makeshift shelter for Marge, Lisa and Maggie, and takes Bart along with him to find help. Marge and Lisa watch as Maggie follows behind Homer and Bart; however, they are not aware of Maggie behind them. When Homer and Bart hear Maggie sucking on her pacifier they think it is a rattle snake and take off running scared leaving Maggie far behind. Homer and Bart then stumble through some brush and end up falling off another cliff and into a raging river below. Meanwhile, Marge and Lisa seem to be just fine. They are tidying up their camp and have built a much better shelter for themselves. It seems that Marge and Lisa are more experienced in camping than Homer is. Cut to Maggie who has been left all alone, a bear approaches her on its hind legs and roars; Maggie unafraid sticks an extra pacifier in the bear's mouth which calms the bear down. After Homer and Bart fall down a waterfall Homer sees Bart's lucky cap float by and he thinks Bart has drowned. Bart tells a crying Homer, "Don't have a cow man." Homer is relieved to see Bart alive and they both realize they are now naked after falling over the waterfall. Back to Maggie, who is being carried by the bear back to its cave where she is accepted as one of the group by 3 other bears. Meanwhile, Homer and Bart look for food after clothing themselves with shrubbery. Homer's attempts at catching rabbits for food fail. Back to Maggie, the bears find another family of campers and steal things from their site, like a bottle and baby toys and bring them back to Maggie. Meanwhile it is nighttime and Marge and Lisa have made themselves a fire and get ready for bed, while miles away Homer and Bart shiver without a fire and try to go to sleep and Maggie is sleeping warmly with her new family of bears.

Act Three
The next morning Homer and Bart look for food and come across a bee hive. When Homer steals some honey the bees attack him. To stave off the bees Homer jumps into a muddy stream where a naturalist cameraman is filming footage a deer. The cameraman runs off scared after seeing Homer covered in mud and screaming incoherently due to the big glob of honey still in his mouth. Cut to a breaking news report claiming the existence of Bigfoot and using the footage of Homer as proof. A 5000 dollar reward is offered for "Bigfoot's" capture. The next day at the edge of the forest Bigfoot mania has set in, people are selling Bigfoot memorabilia and the press is everywhere covering the event. Marge and Lisa, who have been found by a park ranger, are surprised to see all the excitement and they realize it is Homer and not Bigfoot everyone is after. Meanwhile, Homer (still covered with mud) and Bart accidentally come across the bear cave with Maggie inside, just before the bears are about to maul Homer and Bart, Maggie communicates to the bears that it is okay. Homer takes Maggie back and along with Bart they wander back out into the woods. After awhile Homer is spotted in the forest by hunters looking for Bigfoot and is shot by a tranquilizer gun. After being tested and studied Homer is released to go back home. Dr. Marvin Monroe announces at a press conference that the evidence is inconclusive as to whether or not Homer is Bigfoot. Homer and Marge watch the press conference just before going to bed and Marge consoles an upset Homer who is worried about the teasing he is going to receive at work.

International Airdates

 * UK, September 2, 1990