After being fired from the nuclear power plant for negligence, Homer becomes a safety activist.
First early Simpsons gem: 44 jokes in 22 minutes hits stride with character-driven irony.
Directed by Wes Archer · Written by Jay Kogen, Wallace Wolodarsky
WAR
46.6
Wins Above Replacement
“Homers Odyssey” ranks #111 of 552 The Simpsons episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 82.5 — Elite. The episode packs 44 scored jokes at 2.3 per minute, averaging 7.2 on craft and 6.9 on impact, with Homer Simpson landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Otto: We all know the tragic story of the young man who stuck his arm out the window and had it ripped off by a big truck coming in the other direction. And I was that boy.
Otto Setup/Punchline Dark/Subversive Misdirection ★ Rewatch Mr. Burns: Mmm. You're not as stupid as you look or sound or our best testing indicates.
Student · Bart Simpson: It means he spends more time yakking and scarfing down doughnuts than doing his job. / Oh, okay. I thought you were putting him down.
Marge Simpson · Homer Simpson: Supervising technician at the toxic waste dump. / I'm no supervising technician. I'm a technical supervisor.
Homer Simpson: Our lives are at the hands of men no smarter than you or I, many of them, incompetent boobs.
All Jokes — 44 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Bart Simpson: Mrs. Krabappel, I didn't unlock that door.
Otto: Uh, sorry, little dudes. Party hardy was tardy.
Otto Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun Bart Simpson: Hey, Otto. Hey, Ottoman.
Otto · Otto: This morning I woke up with this one. / Not till you're 14, my little friend.
Bart Simpson: Oh, please, Mrs. Krabappel, not next to Wendell. He pukes on every bus ride. No offense, Wendell.
Wendell Reaction Beat Cringe/Discomfort Otto: We all know the tragic story of the young man who stuck his arm out the window and had it ripped off by a big truck coming in the other direction. And I was that boy.
Otto Setup/Punchline Dark/Subversive Misdirection ★ Rewatch Student · Otto: Look, there's our school again. / It's a shortcut, Mrs. K. Trust me.
Mrs. Krabappel · Bart Simpson · Mrs. Krabappel: The song will be 'John Henry Was a Steel Drivin' Man.' / Can I pick the song? / No.
Bart Simpson: They took Bart Simpson to the graveyard / And they buried him in the sand...
Bart Simpson: Hey, Wendell, you made it, buddy.
Smilin' Joe Fission: Smilin' Joe Fission. Hi, there, energy eaters.
Smilin' Joe Fission · Uranium Rods · Smilin' Joe Fission · Uranium Rods: And these are rods of uranium 235. Hi, Rod. / Hi. Hey. Good to see ya. / Hey, you guys look hot. / Of course we're hot. We're radioactive.
Smilin' Joe Fission: I'll just put it where nobody'll find it for a million years.
Student · Bart Simpson: Hey, Bart, our dad says your dad is incompetent. / What does incompetent mean?
Student · Bart Simpson: It means he spends more time yakking and scarfing down doughnuts than doing his job. / Oh, okay. I thought you were putting him down.
Homer Simpson: you know, I defy anyone to tell the difference between these doughnuts and ones baked today.
Coworker: Come on, Simpson. If they wanted the kids to see you sitting around on your butt and stuffin' your face, they'd take them on a tour of your house.
Mr. Burns · Mr. Burns: All right. Who's responsible for this? I might have known it was you, Simpson.
Marge Simpson · Homer Simpson: Supervising technician at the toxic waste dump. / I'm no supervising technician. I'm a technical supervisor.
Marge Simpson: You've caused plenty of industrial accidents, and you've always bounced back.
Bart Simpson · Moe · Bart Simpson · Moe: Is Mr. Freely there? / Who? / Freely. First initials 'I.P.' / Hold on. I'll check. Uh, is I.P. Freely here?
Customer · Moe: You'll get that punk someday, Moe. / Ah, I don't know. He's tough to catch. He keeps changing his name.
Homer Simpson · Marge Simpson: You think you can still do that kind of work? / Sure. You never forget. It's just like riding a bicycle.
Bart Simpson: All he does is lie there like an unemployed whale.
Lisa Simpson: There's only one thing we can do: take advantage of the old guy.
TV Commercial: Duff, the beer that makes the days fly by.
Homer Simpson: Beer. Now there's a temporary solution.
Homer Simpson: Wait a minute. Let me count and make sure. Not even close.
Observer: Oh, looks like young Simpson is going to kill himself. Well, maybe not. Maybe he's just taking his boulder for a walk.
Observer Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Homer Simpson: Kill myself? Killing myself is the last thing I'd ever do.
Homer Simpson: boys and girls, retired people with nothing better to do.
Unknown Driver: If they think I'm gonna stop at that stop sign, they're sadly mistaken.
Marge Simpson: Now people won't be caught off guard by that little 'mm-mmm' in the road.
Homer Simpson: Thank you. Unlike most of you, I am not a nut.
Smithers: That's Homer Simpson, sir. He used to work here in the plant, but we fired him for gross incompetence.
Homer Simpson: Our lives are at the hands of men no smarter than you or I, many of them, incompetent boobs.
Homer Simpson: Gee, this guy's desk sure is big. I can't let Marge support the family. This guy's got the cleanest shirt I've ever seen.
Homer Simpson: Mmm, what the hey. I'll take the job.
Mr. Burns · Homer Simpson: you mean, you're willing to give up a good job and a raise just for your principles? / Mmm. When you put it that way, it does sound a little farfetched, but that's the lug you're lookin' at!
Homer Simpson: Of course, I'd have a lot less of those free minutes if you gave me the job.
Mr. Burns: Mmm. You're not as stupid as you look or sound or our best testing indicates.
Homer Simpson: you have to learn that there's a little Homer Simpson in all of us.
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