He Loves to Fly and He D'ohs

Last updated

"He Loves to Fly and He D'ohs"
The Simpsons episode
Jabf20.jpg
A promotional image featuring Lionel Richie, Homer, Marge and Colby Kraus
Episode no.Season 19
Episode 1
Directed by Mark Kirkland
Written by Joel H. Cohen
Production codeJABF20
Original air dateSeptember 23, 2007 (2007-09-23)
Guest appearances
Stephen Colbert as Colby Kraus
Lionel Richie as himself
Episode features
Chalkboard gag "I will not wait 20 years to make another movie" [1]
Couch gag Plopper the pig is sitting on the couch; the family rushes in as the "Spider-pig" theme plays in the background. Homer holds him and says "My summer love".
CommentaryAl Jean
Joel H. Cohen
Matt Selman
Tom Gammill
Max Pross
David Silverman
Ralph Sosa
Mike B. Anderson
Episode chronology
← Previous
"You Kent Always Say What You Want"		Next →
"The Homer of Seville"
The Simpsons season 19
List of episodes

"He Loves to Fly and He D'ohs", also known as "He Loves to Fly", [2] is the nineteenth season premiere of the American animated television series The Simpsons . It was the first episode to air after the release of The Simpsons Movie , having originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on September 23, 2007. [2] In the episode, Homer falls in love with private planes after taking a flight to Chicago with Mr. Burns. He tries to find a job that involves flying in a corporate jet, and hires a life coach named Colby Kraus to assist him with his goal.

Contents

The episode was written by Joel H. Cohen and directed by Mark Kirkland, [3] while Lionel Richie guest stars as himself and Stephen Colbert guests as the voice of Colby Kraus. [4]

In its original broadcast, "He Loves to Fly and He D'ohs" was watched by about 9.7 million people, it received a 4.7 Nielsen rating and a 12 percent share, making it the highest-rated episode of The Simpsons since "The Wife Aquatic", which aired January 7, 2007. [5] Following its broadcast, the episode received mixed reviews from television critics.

This is the last episode to use an alternate opening sequence, until "To Surveil with Love" in 2010.

Plot

Both the episode and the season take place two months after the events of the movie in the newly restored Springfield. During a visit to the Springfield Mall, Mr. Burns falls into a fountain while trying to take a penny from it. Homer arrives to pull him out, saving his life. Burns offers to take Homer out to dinner as a reward; when Homer expresses a liking for Chicago-style pizza, the two fly to Chicago in Burns' luxuriously appointed private plane. Homer enjoys the trip and the dinner, but soon becomes depressed because he does not have a plane of his own.

To raise Homer's spirits, Marge hires life coach Colby Kraus to work with him. Colby discovers that Homer is only good at bowling and urges him to wear his bowling shoes everywhere in order to boost his self-confidence. The strategy succeeds, and a revitalized Homer soon receives job interview invitations from several companies. He decides to interview only at Handyman's Choice, a copper tubing manufacturer, because the position would require him to take business trips on the company jet.

In the days following the interview, Homer confidently leaves the house each morning, but drives past Handyman's Choice and spends the day at a nearby Krusty Burger. Bart finds him there during a class field trip, and Homer admits that he did not get the job because he knows nothing about copper tubing and manhandled the CEO in an attempt to hire him. Bart urges Homer to tell Marge the truth, but upon hearing her happy voice on the phone, Homer cannot bring himself to disappoint her. Instead, he charters a brief private jet flight for himself and Marge, intending to tell her the truth during the trip. Before he can do so, though, the plane hits turbulence and Homer and Marge find the pilot passed out from heroin use. They struggle to pull the plane up and keep from crashing into the ocean, and Marge frantically calls Colby for advice. His motivation guides Homer to land the plane safely at the airport, but Homer accidentally steers it into the ocean while trying to taxi back to the terminal. He and Marge are airlifted to safety, and he decides to go back to work at the power plant, seeing private jet travel as dangerous.

Production

A panorama of the callback. Simpsons 19x01 movie callback.jpg
A panorama of the callback.

This was the first new episode to air following the release of The Simpsons Movie , and the episode's opening sequence is a callback to the film. [6] Bart writes "I will not wait 20 years to make another movie" on the chalkboard and skateboards through Springfield, which is still recovering from the dome incident. Several movie characters reappear, including President Schwarzenegger, the Multi-Eyed Squirrel, Colin, Russ Cargill, and the Medicine Woman. [7] The Simpsons' new house is still under construction, and the silo Homer used to store feces from his pig, Plopper, is strapped to his car. Plopper is also featured for the first time in the series, during the couch gag, and Homer refers to him as "my summer love." [8]

Casting

When asked to appear on the show, Stephen Colbert believed that he was merely going to an audition, but was "thrilled" when the production staff told him he actually had a part in the episode. Colbert was pleased that his character was named Colby and that his appearance was similar to that of his own, although he had not expected the animators to retain his glasses for the design. He based his performance on Tony Robbins, and described the recording sessions as "the hardest job." [9]

Cultural references

While in Chicago, Mr. Burns and Homer walk into a salon called "Ferris Bueller's Day of Beauty" in a reference to Ferris Bueller's Day Off . When they exit the salon, they are dressed as Ferris (Burns) and his friend Cameron (Homer), respectively. [7] Lionel Richie sings "Say You, Say Me" on the flight. He makes it about beer at Homer's requests. The two titles, when changed, are "Hey You, Beer Me" and "Beer Beer, Beer Beer," the latter of which Homer forgets the words to. [1] Mr. Burns and Homer catch a show at the real-life Second City Theater. Both Dan Castellaneta and guest star Stephen Colbert were members of Second City early in their careers. [1] The episode's title is a reference to Delta Air Lines' 1987 slogan, "We love to fly, and it shows." [10]

Reception

Stephen Colbert (pictured) based his performance on Tony Robbins. Stephen Colbert 4 by David Shankbone.jpg
Stephen Colbert (pictured) based his performance on Tony Robbins.

The episode averaged 9.7 million viewers and a 4.7 overnight Nielsen rating and a 12 percent audience share. The episode had the highest demo ratings of any Simpsons episode since "The Wife Aquatic", which aired January 7, 2007. [5]

Brian Tallerico of UGO gave the episode a mixed review (a C), expressing disappointment after the well received The Simpsons Movie . He felt the writers went "right back to their old clichés and sadly repetitive jokes". He did praise the altered opening sequence. [8]

Robert Canning of IGN also gave the episode 5/10, praising the opening sequence but found most of the episode mediocre, especially Stephen Colbert's appearance. Nonetheless, "even a mediocre episode will have a few comic gems hidden inside. The time spent in Chicago is quite enjoyable, including a great Ferris Bueller sight gag, and life coach Colby delivers a zinger of a line comparing Homer's attitude to that of the United States of America." [7]

Richard Keller of TV Squad praised the episode, saying "after watching so many recent ones where Homer seemed like a barely functioning mental patient, I wasn't used to a Homer that was actually fairly normal." [1] Al Jean, the current executive producer of The Simpsons, has called the episode one of his personal favorites. [11]

Prefix Mag's Andrew Martin named Lionel Richie his ninth favorite musical guest on The Simpsons out of a list of ten. [12]

Related Research Articles

Lyman Ward is a Canadian actor best known for his roles in Creature (1984), Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986), and Milk and Honey (1988).

"A Tale of Two Springfields" is the second episode of the twelfth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the 250th episode of the series overall in both broadcast and production order. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 5, 2000. In the episode, Homer discovers that Springfield has two different area codes and ends up leading a revolt that splits the town in two.

"Brush with Greatness" is the eighteenth episode of the second season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on April 11, 1991. In the episode, Marge enrolls in an art class after Lisa encourages her to revive her former interest in painting. When she wins first prize in a local art competition for a portrait of Homer on the couch in his underwear, Mr. Burns commissions her to paint his portrait. In the subplot, Homer is determined to lose weight after getting stuck in a water slide at an amusement park.

"Mommie Beerest" is the seventh episode of the sixteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 30, 2005. The episode was directed by Mark Kirkland and written by Michael Price.

"The Seven-Beer Snitch" is the fourteenth episode of the sixteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on April 3, 2005. The episode was written by Bill Odenkirk and directed by Matthew Nastuk.

"Beyond Blunderdome" is the eleventh season premiere of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox Network in the United States on September 26, 1999 and was watched in around 8.1 million homes during the broadcast. In the episode, the Simpsons are given free tickets to a preview screening of Mel Gibson's new film, a remake of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Gibson laments his current non-violent role and wants someone to give him criticism. When Homer sees Gibson talking with Marge, he gives him a brutal review, leading Gibson to believe that Homer is the only man brave enough to give suggestions. As a result, he hires him to create a better ending. However, when the ending proves to be too controversial, Gibson and Homer end up on the run from studio executives with the film.

"$pringfield ", simply known as "$pringfield", is the tenth episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the 91st episode overall. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 16, 1993. In the episode, Springfield legalizes gambling to revitalize its economy. Mr. Burns opens a casino where Homer is hired as a blackjack dealer. Marge develops a gambling addiction, Bart opens a rival casino in his tree house, and Burns' appearance and mental state deteriorate à la Howard Hughes.

Joseph Stewart Burns, better known as J. Stewart Burns or simply just Stewart Burns is a television writer and producer most notable for his work on The Simpsons, Futurama, and Unhappily Ever After.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Way We Was</span> 12th episode of the 2nd season of The Simpsons

"The Way We Was" is the twelfth episode of the second season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on January 31, 1991. In the episode, Marge tells the story of how she and Homer first met and fell in love. Flashing back to 1974, it is shown how Homer falls in love with Marge in high school and tries to get close to her by enlisting her as his French tutor. After several hours of verb conjugation, Marge falls for Homer too, only to become enraged when he admits he is not a French student, since the time she spent tutoring him meant she did't have time to prepare for an important debate. Marge rejects Homer's invitation to the prom and goes with Artie Ziff, who turns out to be a terrible date and Marge realizes that it is Homer she really wants.

"A Star Is Burns" is the eighteenth episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on Fox in the United States on March 5, 1995. In the episode, Springfield decides to hold a film festival, and famed critic Jay Sherman is invited to be a judge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Regina Monologues</span> 4th episode of the 15th season of The Simpsons

"The Regina Monologues" is the fourth episode of the fifteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 23, 2003. It was directed by Mark Kirkland and was the final episode written by John Swartzwelder. The episode sees the Simpson family travel to the United Kingdom for vacation. There, they meet several celebrities including Tony Blair, Evan Marriott, Ian McKellen, and J. K. Rowling, who all appear as themselves. Later, Homer is arrested and locked in the Tower of London for accidentally crashing into the Queen's carriage. Meanwhile, Abraham Simpson journeys to find Edwina, his long lost love, who is voiced by Jane Leeves.

The Boy Who Knew Too Much (<i>The Simpsons</i>) 20th episode of the 5th season of The Simpsons

"The Boy Who Knew Too Much" is the twentieth episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 5, 1994. In the episode, Mayor Quimby's nephew Freddy is wrongly accused of assaulting a waiter, with Bart being the sole witness to the true course of events. Since Bart cannot reveal what he knows without admitting that he skipped school, he faces the dilemma of either testifying on Freddy's behalf and facing punishment himself, or staying silent and allowing a miscarriage of justice.

"The Bonfire of the Manatees" is the first episode of the seventeenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on September 11, 2005, making it the first Simpsons season premiere to air in September since the eleventh season opened with "Beyond Blunderdome" on September 26, 1999. The episode was written by Dan Greaney and directed by Mark Kirkland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colonel Homer</span> 20th episode of the 3rd season of The Simpsons

"Colonel Homer" is the twentieth episode of the third season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on March 26, 1992. In the episode, Homer and Marge quarrel after he embarrasses her at a movie theater. Later Homer visits a redneck bar, where he discovers Lurleen Lumpkin, a talented singer-songwriter, waiting tables. Homer becomes her manager, unaware she has fallen in love with him. When Marge grows upset because she suspects Homer is cheating on her, he must remain faithful to her after Lurleen makes romantic advances toward him.

"Marge Gets a Job" is the seventh episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on November 5, 1992. In this episode, Marge gets a job at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant to pay for foundation repair at the Simpsons house. Mr. Burns develops a crush on Marge after seeing her at work and unwittingly harasses her. A subplot with Bart parallels the fable "The Boy Who Cried Wolf".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Simpsons house</span> Fictional street address in Springfield of the Simpson family home

The Simpsons house is the residence of the Simpson family in the animated sitcom The Simpsons and in The Simpsons Movie. The house's address is most frequently attributed as 742 Evergreen Terrace. In the series, the house is occupied by Homer and Marge Simpson and their three children: Bart, Lisa, and Maggie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simpsons Christmas Stories</span> 9th episode of the 17th season of The Simpsons

"Simpsons Christmas Stories" is the ninth episode of the seventeenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 18, 2005. The episode was written by Don Payne and directed by Steven Dean Moore

"The Last Temptation of Homer" is the ninth episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 9, 1993. In the episode, an attractive female employee named Mindy is hired at the nuclear power plant. Homer and Mindy find themselves attracted to each other after bonding over their shared interests of beer, donuts and television. Although Homer is tempted to sleep with Mindy, he remains faithful to his wife Marge. Meanwhile, Bart becomes an outcast after medical treatments make him look like a nerd.

<i>The Simpsons</i> opening sequence Opening sequence of the TV series The Simpsons

The Simpsonsopening sequence is the title sequence of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It is accompanied by "The Simpsons Theme". The first episode to use this introduction was the series' second episode "Bart the Genius".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Boys of Bummer</span> 18th episode of the 18th season of The Simpsons

"The Boys of Bummer" is the eighteenth episode of the eighteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on April 29, 2007. It was written by Michael Price and was the first episode to be directed by Rob Oliver.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Keller, Richard (September 23, 2007). "The Simpsons: He Loves to Fly and He D'oh's (season premiere)". TV Squad . Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
  2. 1 2 "He Loves to Fly". The Simpsons.com. Archived from the original on October 3, 2007. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
  3. ↑ "He Loves to Fly". Yahoo! Canada. Archived from the original on September 5, 2008. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
  4. ↑ "Homer Flies High on the Season Premiere of The Simpsons Sunday, September 23, on FOX". The Futon Critic . Retrieved September 28, 2007.
  5. 1 2 Gough, Paul (September 24, 2007). "Cowboys, Bears beat Sunday's premieres". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved September 28, 2007.
  6. ↑ Douglas, Edward (July 20, 2007). "The Future of The Simpsons?". Comingsoon.net . Archived from the original on May 1, 2014. Retrieved July 20, 2007.
  7. 1 2 3 Canning, Robert (September 21, 2007). "The Simpsons: "He Loves to Fly and He D'Ohs" Advance Review". IGN . Archived from the original on December 25, 2008. Retrieved September 21, 2007.
  8. 1 2 Tallerico, Brian. "Fox Sunday Nights - 4 TV reviews". UGO . Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved September 21, 2007.
  9. ↑ Howard, Adam (September 19, 2007). "Stephen Colbert Gets Simpsonized!". AlterNet . Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
  10. ↑ "Trademarks & Slogans : Delta Air Lines". Delta Air Lines. Archived from the original on April 6, 2013. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
  11. ↑ Roberts, Sheila. "The Simpsons Movie Interviews". Movies Online. Archived from the original on January 4, 2009. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
  12. ↑ Martin, Andrew (October 7, 2011). "Top 10 Best Musical Guests On 'The Simpsons'". Prefix Mag. Archived from the original on May 14, 2016. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.