Saturdays of Thunder

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P-code: 8F07
Episode Index: 03×09
Writers: Ken Levine, David Isaacs
Directors: Jim Reardon
Airdate: 14th November, 1991
Guest stars: None

Average Fan Rating: 3.5 (165 ratings, 9 reviews)

Plot Guide

  Homer fails a National Fatherhood test and admits he is a bad father. Homer feels he needs to build a relationship with Bart. So he helps build a soapbox racer for the up-coming local derby.
  Bart does badly in the qualifying race, and after Martin Prince gets injured, he asks Bart to take over and use his soapbox racer so they can beat Nelson. Homer is very upset by this, and refuses to watch Bart race.
  However, seeing the fatherhood test on the fridge, he answers all the questions and realizes he is the perfect father. Homer attends the derby to cheer Bart on. Bart beats Nelson and wins the Soapbox derby!

Memorable Quotes

Homer: (answering door) Patty! Selma! What a pleasant surprise!
Patty: What do you know, he's wearing pants.
Selma: I owe you a lunch.

Homer: What's the quickest, cheapest, easiest way to do something with you?
Lisa: Uh, take us to the video store?
Homer: Anything for my little girl.

Homer: I don't know jack about my boy. I'm a bad father!
Selma: You're also fat.
Homer: I'm also fat!

Homer: (reading) No matter what you tell your child to do, he will always do the opposite. Huh?
Brain: Don't you get it? You gotta use reverse psychology!
Homer: Aw, that sounds too complicated.
Brain: Okay, don't use reverse psychology.
Homer: All right, I will!

Homer: Thank you, Bill Cosby. You've saved The Simpsons!

Bart: Oh, I don't know if I should do that. My dad and I build our car together, and if I drove somebody else's it'd kill him! On the other hand, I'll do it!

Martin: What is the matter with you?
Bart: It's my dad. Lying there on the couch, drinking a beer, staring at the TV... I've never seen him like that.

Did You Spot...

• Marge and her sisters read ''Idle Chatter'' and ''Peephole'' magazines at the beauty salon.
• The sign at the video store reads: ''VHS Village, Formerly the Beta Barn.''
• Homer double parks at the VHS Village.
• The head of the National Fatherhood Institute drinks from a Super Dad mug.

References/Parodies

• The McBain movie has a similar plot to both ''Lethal Weapon'' and ''Sudden Impact''.
• Bart driving Martin's soap box racer is a similar plot to ''Days of Thunder''. The episode title also parodies this movie.
• The racing scenes where Nelson whips Bart and the blades on Nelson's wheels parodies ''Ben Hur''.
• ''Deathrace 2000'' was another inspiration for the episode.
• When Homer stands up in the crowd to cheer Bart on, the theme from ''The Natural'' plays.

Season 3 quick links

1. Stark Raving Dad
2. Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington
3. When Flanders Failed
4. Bart the Murderer
5. Homer Defined
6. Like Father, Like Clown
7. Treehouse of Horror II
8. Lisa's Pony
9. Saturdays of Thunder
10. Flaming Moe's
11. Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk
12. I Married Marge
13. Radio Bart
14. Lisa the Greek
15. Homer Alone
16. Bart the Lover
17. Homer at the Bat
18. Separate Vocations
19. Dog of Death
20. Colonel Homer
21. Black Widower
22. The Otto Show
23. Bart's Friend Falls in Love
24. Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?