The Simpsons (TV Series) Homer the Heretic (1992) User Reviews

A Class Act All The Way!

[zacpetch · 10/10 · 21 February 2015]

This is one of the show's earliest satires on religion (something that would be repeated many times after this) and it's also one of the best TV episodes of any show of all time. It's the one where Homer gives up on church, believing it to be a waste of time, much to the annoyance of his wife. Then he has a vision from God which inspires him to start his own new religion.

This episode has some brilliant moments. Homer's vision of God (I have to appear on a tortilla in Mexico), Homer & Marge's evening with the Reverend (He went to Bethany and he lodged there) and Homer's patented Space-Age Moon Waffles are some of the show's all time classic moments that no true fan cannot quote word for word but it's the Flanders' efforts to "win (Homer) back to the flock" with a rendition of "Arky-Arky" across presumably several hours of their time that steals the show, especially as it culminates in a car chase that ends with Homer's car being taken to Garbage Island.

This episode is literally flawless. I like the way God is shown to have five fingers, unlike everyone else to feature on this show, and how he tells Homer the meaning of life but is interrupted by the familiar title music. As he himself says "Nine out of Ten religions fail in their first year" but what doesn't fail is this episode. It's emotional, funny, entertaining and it manages to deal with a difficult subject matter in a sensitive way. You really do care about what happens to Homer throughout this episode and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone. This episode deserves at least 13/10 and that's if I'm being harsh.

"Homer the Heretic" ... is such an awesome episode, it's worth missing church just to see it!

[Zabon · 10/10 · 5 June 2011]

Homer attempts to go against church and pretty much religion by saying it's a waste of time to get up and go to church... and he'd rather just stay at home and do squat instead. He says he can give God all the attention at home and still love him and what not without going to church and wasting an hour or so of his life there. His wife seems to be completely against this notion and wants to force him to go. Homer is adamant to stick to his perspective... so he stays at home... where a fire starts and Flanders attempts to save his life. Homer finds a newfound belief in God... and sees a vision with God where he complains that he'd rather die and be in heaven rather than suffer through life. God tells Homer to wait as he will die soon enough. This is an awesome episode that questions fanatical religious thinking mentality.

Beautiful......Just Beautiful!

[g-bodyl · 10/10 · 1 January 2015]

This is the third episode of the fourth season of the Simpsons and frankly, this may be the best episode of the entire series to date. It's incredibly funny as we see Homer become a lazy bum and later pay for his actions. The film has more of a religious theme as it advises people to attend church of their own religion(Christianity, Judaism, etc). I also loved the cultural reference to Ron Howard's Backdraft.

In this episode, "Homer the Heretic," Homer decides to skip church one day and he ends up having the best day of his life, while Marge and the kids are stuck in a frozen church and dealing with a stalled car. Marge prays for Homer and God appears to Homer in a dream telling him to worship however he would like. Even with the help of Flanders and Reverend Lovejoy, Homer does not go to church.....until it's too late.

Overall, this is a fantastic episode with some religious overtones, and good ones too. The episode is really funny and it has some jokes spread throughout. There is also an emotional moment or two near the very end. I rate this episode 10/10.

What if we picked the wrong religion?

[snoozejonc · 9/10 · 5 August 2022]

Homer dodges church on Sunday and has an enjoyable day.

This is a memorable episode with some strong religious satire and character moments.

Homer has some of his most memorable moments enjoying himself in an empty house as the rest of the family brave the cold weather and boredom of Reverend Lovejoy's sermon. This is the basis of great humour.

The second part of the episode where Homer attempts to enact his own religion is just as good, increasing the satire. I particularly like the sequences involving Ned Flanders.

Could this be the best day of my life?

[frankelee · 10/10 · 22 April 2022]

I had forgotten this was a season 4 episode, there's something about the sensibilities of it, the humanism, that has carried over from season 3. Except unlike season 3, it's laugh out loud hilarious from start to finish.

Homer rips his pants and so decides to not go to church, setting off a series of events which really don't have a lesson or a theme, despite the show really leaning into the subtext that it will (with a joke at the end by Homer to tie up that bow). There's too many great gags and sequences to name them all, though Homer's unconscious body bouncing off the mattress and back through the bay window is probably my personal favorite.

I also appreciate that the show really emphasizes that the Simpsons are strongly Christian as a family, especially Marge, which is part of what makes this whole show work. They are that culturally conservative, "good" American family, that people in 1990 were still fetishizing because they couldn't tolerate the 60s and 70s actually happening. It mattered that the Simpsons were this, or else they couldn't satirize it.

Religion and Stupidity

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 24 April 2022]

Lazy lump that he is, Homer decides to stay home instead of going to church. Hard to blame him when we hear that windbag preacher going on and on. I don't disrespect religion. It's when a person trained in all the dogma just throws it all out there with no respect for his (or her) flock. Does Marge really listen to this or is church just something you do? Homer probably has the right idea. Fundamentalism is probably the most dangerous thing on this earth (that includes all religions) because these people follow dictates handed down and use what is comfortable to them to bully others. While Homer is really stupid, he had every right to say, "I don't get it." That said, there are several hilarious elements to this story. Yes, the neighbors come to his aid. But it would seem, grudgingly. I did enjoy the collection for Jewish clowns thing.

Thoughtful

[safenoe · 9/10 · 15 January 2024]

The Simpsons is sometimes accused of being anti-religious or the like, but surprisingly, the writers take the characters on the path where mainstream religion can be explored in a mature and thoughtful way, and we see that here in Homer the Heretic, where one of the most hilarious scenes (that takes The Simpsons up to a new level) is when Homer's neighbor Ned rescues him and bounces on the mattress back into the house and that was hilarious for sure.

For me, Homer the Heretic is part of the golden era of The Simpsons, which in my humble opinion is the first 10 seasons although some episodes after that are worth watching.

Mixed

[gabrieldfortel · 6/10 · 22 December 2021]

This is one of the funniest episodes of the show but it has a terrible message. So I don't know. Wish that these great character interactions worked toward a better overall package.

Not the best message

[christianblaschek · 4/10 · 31 January 2024]

I can appreciate most jokes made in the episode, however, I really take issue with the general theme of the episode. The entire time it feels like Homer is made out to be in the wrong, not wanting to go to church and I really don't understand why. When he gives reasons towards the beginning of the episode why he doesn't want to go to church he honestly makes valid points yet I feel like they get ignored. Of course you shouldn't disrespect anyones religion unless it's actively harmful, but at the same time you shouldn't try to convince someone to be part of yours. The way Flanders penetratively persues Homor to persuade him to participate in church just feels plain wrong to me. And when his house burns down it is definitely portrayed as devine punishment (even if later they say it wasn't), but he hardly did anything wrong besides being disrespectful towards Apu. While he did look down on religion he did it privately.

Also, two other issues I have with this episode: 1. The scene where the dog takes chocolate out of Homers pocket should have been changed since it implies that dogs like chocolate while it is actually poisonous for them.

2. When Flanders rescued Homer, why wasn't he at church? He is the most Christian person I know from the Simpsons, it's a major part of his character, yet for some reason he wasn't at church and it was never explained? It just doesn't make sense.

To coclude this review, I think the message of this episode was rather poor and is definitely outdated now. I don't know how religion was 30 years ago but I'm talking about this from the perspective of someone living in the year 2024.

This ain't it.

[doritoarmy · 6/10 · 21 October 2022]

It's one of the most overrated Simpsons episodes for me. I enjoy the humour quite a bit, but the story is just weak. This episode fails to bring up any valid points about religion. Homer is not wrong in this episode, it's his choice to decide if he wants to go to church or not. Most of the story is just characters obsessively demonising Homer, or them trying to get Homer to "see the error of his ways". It's just frustrating to watch. If this is supposed to be a satire, it sure isn't presented as one. You probably think I'm nitpicking, but this episode just feels painfully dated, I really don't get the hype surrounding this episode. The episode isn't funny enough to make up for the weak story, and poor morals.

Ham-fisted and badly dated-go ahead Homer join the majority who are unchurched

[CubsandCulture · 5/10 · 27 August 2021]

I think at one point this episode played a lot better but frankly the central plot element of Homer *gasp* not going to church isn't really a concern for most of us at this point-only 41% of Americans attend church weekly, more than half of all Americans do not belong to a church. I don't know why the writers decided to make an episode with this premise but if they were reacting to the long term decline of the American church that makes me dislike the episode even more. In 2021 the episode has a nasty reactionary vibe.

I think my main problem with it is the episode is very sour. The final act is explicitly divine punishment. And Marge vastly overreacts to Homer's decision.