When Homer helps Bart build a soapbox racer, it does little for the car but a lot for their relationship.
Martin's soapbox car obsession drives 16 jokes—outpacing Homer-centric episodes by density.
Directed by Jim Reardon · Written by Ken Levine, David Isaacs
WAR
33.5
Wins Above Replacement
“Saturdays Of Thunder” ranks #208 of 226 The Simpsons episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 72.5 — Solid. The episode packs 67 scored jokes at 3.5 per minute, averaging 6.7 on craft and 6.3 on impact, with Homer landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
That sounds too complicated. Okay, don't use reverse psychology. All right, I will.
Homer Bart Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Ha-ha, ha-ha-ha. Loser! Na-na, na-na-na
Nelson Character Comedy Misdirection I'm actor Troy McClure. You might remember me from such TV series as... Buck Henderson, Union Buster... and Troy and Company's Summertime Smile Factory
As three-time derby champ Ronnie Beck says... 'Poorly guarded construction sites are a gold mine.'
Bart Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Careful, boys. It took me months to steal that bumper.
Martin Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback All Jokes — 67 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ D'oh!
Homer Character Comedy Reaction Beat ★ Rewatch I'm actor Troy McClure. You might remember me from such TV series as... Buck Henderson, Union Buster... and Troy and Company's Summertime Smile Factory
Hi, everybody. Hi, Dr. Nick.
With one application of Spiffy... you'll think the body's still warm
With one application of Spiffy... you'll think the body's still warm.
Quoth the raven-- What a shine!
If stuff starts flying just turn your head. Check.
Patty, Thelma, what a pleasant surprise!
Homer Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm What do you know. He's wearing pants. I owe you lunch.
Expiration date, June 1989... uh, 2012, yeah.
Homer Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Shh! They'll hear you.
Homer Absurdist Character Comedy You can't weld with such a little flame. Stupid kid.
Homer Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm I got me a future. I'm two days away from retirement. My daughter's graduating from college. Little Suzie is growing up.
Mendoza!
McBain Character Comedy Absurdist You want to rent it, sir? Why? I just saw the best part.
Just grab something. All these movies are great.
Homer Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Maybe you should try it on Homer. He'll fail it.
Patty Character Comedy Setup/Punchline I don't always keep my cool like the Fonz... but my love for my kids has given me plenty of happy days.
Oh, great. You made me miss Joe Theisman.
Homer Character Comedy Observational Well, there's the fat kid with the thing. The little wiener who's always got his hands in his pockets.
Homer Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Hank Jones.
Homer Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Steve McQueen. That's your hero.
He's always chewing on that phone cord. He hasn't done that since he was two.
D'oh! That's a hobby.
Homer Character Comedy Reaction Beat You're also fat. / I'm also fat!
Oh, my God. I don't know jack about my boy. I'm a bad father. You're also fat. I'm also fat!
Good Lord! A zero? Lana, cancel my 1:00.
As three-time derby champ Ronnie Beck says... 'Poorly guarded construction sites are a gold mine.'
Bart Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Bart, I think they're finally hauling your dad away. Maybe it's for the best.
Lisa Dark/Subversive Deadpan/Understatement If he's as smart as he is funny, I'm sold.
Homer Observational Character Comedy That's easy for you to say... you preachy, egg-headed institute guy.
Homer Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm That back and forther you witnessed didn't happen overnight. It took years of effort.
Dave Observational Deadpan/Understatement Dear God! Not again!
Dave Reaction Beat Escalation I built a lot of things around the house-- the spice rack... the bird feeder... the Gymboree.
What was that? Ah, who cares?
Homer Visual Gag Character Comedy Cosby's first law of intergenerational perversity. No matter what you tell your child to do... he will always do the opposite.
That sounds too complicated. Okay, don't use reverse psychology. All right, I will.
Homer Bart Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Thank you, Bill Cosby. You've saved the Simpsons.
Homer Character Comedy Meta/Self-Referential that Bart is a little miracle-- his winning smile, his button nose, his fat little stomach...
Homer Character Comedy Escalation He reminds me of me before the weight of the world crushed my spirit.
Homer Dark/Subversive Character Comedy He's my son, and if he doesn't wanna wear one, you can't make him.
Homer Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Ay, caramba!
Bart Character Comedy Reaction Beat Whoa, talk about your pieces of crap.
Nelson Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Careful, boys. It took me months to steal that bumper.
Martin Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback It took me months to steal that bumper.
Nelson Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Help! Help! What was that? You didn't hear nothing!
As three-time soap box derby champion Ronnie Beck says... 'Gravity is my copilot.'
Bart Wordplay/Pun Callback Callback Deploy, damn you! Deploy!
Martin Escalation Character Comedy Save your palliative clichés for the next poor sap, Doctor.
Martin Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun That racer transformed me into the twisted creature... you see before you.
Martin Dark/Subversive Character Comedy It's slow, it's ugly, it handles like a shopping cart.
Bart Character Comedy Observational When did I teach you that? I picked it up somewhere.
I'll just sit here in Li'l Lightnin' which the Simpsons built... and remember that for one brief shining moment... I had a son.
Homer Character Comedy Escalation Maybe I'm being a little anal but barefoot season's coming up... and there's a world of rusty nails out there.
Lisa Character Comedy Observational This is how you get your kicks, isn't it, Lisa?
Homer Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort You! Home wrecker!
Homer Character Comedy Escalation But I guess I was wrong. You are a bad father.
Lisa Character Comedy Escalation Shut up, Flanders. Flanders! / When should a boy start dating? / There are two schools of thought on the subject-- / Great! Thanks!
I'll curse that name till the day I die! Flanders! Flanders.
Homer Character Comedy Escalation What did I just tell you? Kill spectators.
Check out the rack on the blond in the fourth row.
The better man won, Simpson. You can really drive.
Nelson Character Comedy Misdirection Ha-ha, ha-ha-ha. Loser! Na-na, na-na-na
Nelson Character Comedy Misdirection You know, there is such a thing as being a bad winner.
Marge Observational Character Comedy Mom, I never won before. I may never win again. Na-na, na-na-na
Bart Character Comedy Escalation Top Episodes — The Simpsons