Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?

Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?
Production Code	7F16
Original Airdate	February 16, 1991
Chalkboard Gag	"I will not sell land in Florida."
Couch Gag	The whole family hops on to the couch except Maggie, who turns out to be in Marge's hair.
Special Guest Voices	Danny DeVito as Herb Powell

"Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" is the fifteenth episode of The Simpsons' second season.

Synopsis

After watching the latest McBain movie, Grampa Simpson suffers a heart attack. This prompts him 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 with more hair and a little less gut) is the head of Powell Motors car company (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 (though Marge constantly worries about spoiling her kids), and Herb decides that Homer, being an "average" American, is the perfect person to design a new car for his company, which has been losing business due to foreign car manufacturers. Herb introduces Homer to his company's design team, who soon use his lack of vehicle knowledge to try and design 'their' perfect vehicle.

When Herb asks Homer how the car design is coming along Homer can't give him a straight answer. Herb feels that Homer is not being forceful enough with his ideas, and gives Homer a pep talk. Pretty soon, Herb has invigorated Homer, who begins rejecting the designer's ideas for weird items-like bubble domes, fins and several horns that play "La Cucaracha".

At the unveiling of "The Homer", Herb is horrified to discover that the car is a monstrosity that costs $82,000 (significantly more when inflation adjusted for today). 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 became relieved that only one person seems to like it.

This car is also featured in the game: "The Simpsons: Hit and Run"

Appearances

Characters

Mendoza played by unknown (first appearance)

McBain played by Rainier Luftwaffe Wolfcastle

Itchy played by June Bellamy

Scratchy played by June Bellamy

Sam

Abraham J. Simpson

222px-Homer Simpson 2006.png

Homer Jay Simpson

Marge.png

Marjorie J. Bouvier Simpson

Bartholomew Jojo Simpson

Lisa Marie Simpson

Maggie drill.gif

Margaret Simpson

Herb powell-1-.gif

Herbert Powell (first appearance)

3f06 mona.jpg

Mona J. Simpson (first appearance)

Jasper Beardley

Julius M. Hibbert

Orphanage Director

The Persephone

Pasta Villa

Powell Mansion

Vehicles

Orange Station Wagon

The Homer (first appearance)

Locations

Aztec Theater

742 Evergreen Terrace

Springfield General Hospital

Shelbyville Orphanage (first appearance)

Other

Powell Motors (first appearance)

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