Homer Simpson is the ultimate TV everyman, taking on dozens of jobs while juggling to be a good father and husband. Like everyone, he is bound to mess up a few times and The Simpsons is full of moments where he makes some hilarious mistakes.
Thankfully, TV sitcoms have been a wonderful teaching tool since the dawn of the medium and there is no better classroom than Springfield. Homer’s fumbles may seem earth-shattering (most of them are) but they are still all a part of that classic Simpson charm. Here are ten big mistakes that Homer committed that we can learn from.
Let Barney Take His Car to New York
In “The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson,” the patrons of Moe’s Tavern draw straws to see who becomes the designated driver for the evening. Barney loses and uses Homer’s car to drop everyone off. Two months later, Homer learns his car in New York.
A valuable lesson to learn here is to not give your car to friends, though Homer learns the hard way as he relives the trauma of a bad trip to New York. He deals with all the staples of the city, including pollution, strange food from carts, and the awful traffic, this does not even include the parking tickets that have amassed on his car thanks to Barney’s negligence.
Took Lisa’s Advice When He Had His Own Show
While Krusty is busy with his Bar Mitzvah, Homer becomes a replacement on the timeslot, eventually overshadowing the clown in ratings. With that success comes Lisa’s plea to class up the show and make a positive change in Springfield.
In a rare turn of events, Homer was wrong to listen to his daughter. After an attempt to talk about “real” issues, The audience turns on Homer and his co-hosts, causing his new talk show to get canceled. A bitter loss for trying to do the right thing, it proves that it is sometimes best not to mess with a good thing.
Tries to Get Revenge on a Bear
After he tries to dump a monstrous ball of candy at a local dump, Homer comes face to face with a grizzly bear. The incident is caught on tape and he becomes a laughing stock for running away in fear. In an attempt to reclaim his manhood, he seeks revenge against the bear with an eccentric hunter.
Thankfully, Homer learns that revenge against an animal is wrong and befriends the bear. He eventually helps it escape to a wildlife sanctuary, heeding Lisa and Marge’s warnings not to get petty revenge on a defenseless animal.
Nearly Ruins the Lives of College Students
In “Homer Goes to College,” Homer is forced to complete his higher education in order to keep his job. There, he befriends a group of nerds and tries his hardest to instill the importance of “partying down.” Unfortunately, things get ugly when they get expelled from the university.
Sure, partying is fun and college is a time for all of that, though Homer is in his late 30s. It’s a bit sad to see a bunch of kids almost get their lives ruined over a brazen attempt to party. He also cheated on the test needed to keep his job, so it’s hard to say if college taught him anything.
He Gains Weight to Claim Disability
Of all the things Homer has done, this one seems the most insensitive. “King-Size Homer” sees him gain 61 pounds as a way to claim disability. This allows him to work at home, much to the chagrin of Marge and Lisa. Homer works from home and is living life until he almost causes a meltdown
After stopping the meltdown through a series of ridiculous events, Homer is sent to a rigorous physical regime by Mr. Burns. Hopefully, this teaches audiences not to abuse a system intended for those who need it.
Ate His Beloved Pet Lobster
Pinchy was one of the best one-off characters in the series. This lobster was originally going to be fattened up to sell but Homer grew attached, naming him Pinchy. Things end poorly for the cuddly crustacean when Homer gives him a bath that’s too hot.
What started as a love built out of greed turned into one of the most tragic deaths in The Simpsons history, with Homer having to eat his pet. He cries but claims it’s what the lobster would have wanted. Homer’s tears are an important lesson to those with pets.
Signs Away His Life to a Cult
The Movementarians were a fresh-faced cult that took Springfield by storm in the season nine episode “The Joy of Sect.” Parodying real-life movements like Scientology and Heaven’s Gate, they deduced countless citizens, including Homer. The entire family is brainwashed by the group, with the exception of Marge.
Homer's lack of regard for his family is on full display here, as he was easily brainwashed. He signed away the deed to their house and life-savings and even persisted to stay, in spite of Marge's begging.
Challenges People to Duels/Invents an Addictive Strain of Tomatoes
“E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt)” is one of the highlights of season 11. After the Simpsons watch a film titled The Poke of Zorro, Homer becomes fascinated with the idea of dueling people in the same vein as Barry Lyndon. Unfortunately, he challenges a southern colonel who ends up taking his offer.
In the same episode, the family flees to farm where, after a series of freak events of cross-pollination, they manage to grow tomatoes full of tobacco. It causes this massive craving for what Homer calls “tommaco” though it eventually leads to the death of representatives from the tobacco industry and a few barnyard animals becoming addicted to the plant.
Gets Involved With the Mob
Homer has gambled, extorted Marge’s business, shot an adult film at his house, and even went undercover throughout the show’s run. All of this was thanks to the help of Fat Tony and the mafia in Springfield. As reckless as he is, Homer’s involvement with the mob seems like the most heinous and dangerous, as it's usually a matter of life and death.
Not only does it usually hurt Homer, but it also involves his family. In the season 8 episode, “The Twisted World of Marge Simpson,” Homer has the mob destroy other local businesses. This leads to Fat Tony going to Marge for the money he’s owed, ending in a large-scale mob fight outside the Simpson home. Classic stuff honestly.
Consistently Neglects His Kids
This is not specific to any one episode but rather a constant theme throughout the series. Whether he forgets to pick up Bart from soccer practice in “Brother from the Same Planet”, completely forgetting about Maggie’s existence in “Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder” and exploiting Lisa for sports gambling in “Lisa the Greek,” he knows how to make a good case as to why he’s unfit to be a parent.
While he certainly loves his kids there are a lot of things wrong with his parenting style, with well over 30 years worth of evidence present.