Episode Recap: I Won’t Be Home For Christmas

Oi oi oi… how y’all doing? One of the features we like to have on the site is Episode Recaps of the newest Simpsons episodes. Of course with all the holiday goodness, we’ve fallen a little behind but with this recap, I think we’re actually caught up. You can see previous recaps here.  This one is for Season 26, Episode 9: “I Won’t Be Home For Christmas”. I know some people prefer to watch these on their own so only click more if you don’t mind SPOILERS. I know everyone can’t watch them so sometimes reading them can be a nice replacement. Also fun to see what others took away from an episode.

I know Christmas has come and gone but I’m finally getting around to recapping this episode.  All in all I really enjoyed it even if some of the storyline tugged at my heart strings.  Without further ado… let’s get to the recap:

The opening is righteous. The animators basically took the previous HD Christmas goodness and added extras to it. Really fun. Loved the differences with Santa Rich Texan, Willie, Maggie and Baby Gerald, Bumble, Sea Captain, etc. Lots of fun and we got the Obligatory Frozen reference…

It’s Chirstmas Eve in Springfield as the children skate on the frozen irradiated pond outside the Power Plant. Comic Book Guy is about to watch the worst half hour of television EVER with Kumiko. Gotta love the Cosmic Wars Holiday Special. For anyone who has seen the Star Wars Special… this joke is amazing. Happy Life Day Everyone! (Moleman’s holiday card is great too.)

Homer is locking up the power plant for the evening and headed home to the family. Mr. Burns shows up with some scrooge jokes. Homer actually plans to go straight home but Moe waylays him pretending to be a biddy with a baby. Homer really wants to just have a beer and head home but Moe waylays him further with his depression. He lost his Ma at Christmas. She took him to the mall and he never saw her again. Moe will never forget the image of her bolting for the door. Homer agrees to stay with him.

Meanwhile the family misses Homer. Bart is afraid a precedent will be set for fat guy’s being late. Moe set the clock wrong and Homer is super late. Patty & Selma are busy convincing Marge to leave Homer so when he comes in super late, she angrily sends him away and says she doesn’t want to see him on Christmas. Oh no! Amidst my despair, I gotta love Homer calling Selma the ghost of Marge future. Nerd bonus: I looked it up and Homer’s claim that Christmas is Isaac Newton’s birthday is false. He was born on January 4th.

As Homer drives away, Homer and Marge have a thought conversation of sorts. While Marge puts a picture of the Grumple over Homer’s face, Homey wonders if there are birds on the moon. Also… Lego Simpsons 90% off and Wiggum is a bad person to have as a secret Santa. One corn cob holder? Really Clancy?

Homer drives to Moe’s but he’s closed up for lonely Christmas karaoke. Homer left his wallet inside too. Off to the Kiwk-E-Mart for bread and wine… ok wine and wine. Homer tries to change his luck with Lottery tickets. Apu has to stop him because his religion keeps him from taking advantage of a fool more than ten times. The money doesn’t even go to schools and the hot dogs at the K-E-M began life as twinkies. Willy also wipes his bum with Starbucks napkins.

Bart can’t sleep on Christmas Eve and he’s had so much cocoa his pee smells like a ski chalet. Thankfully Lisa appears to discuss the story of jazz but she can’t let Bart sleep. She’s worried about hearing Marge sobbing. Lisa needs Christmas to be great so she doesn’t end up a jaded 10-year-old like Bart. Marge is trying to cure her woes by stringing popcorn while Maggie eats off the string lol. Moe comes down the chimney like a creeper to let her know he is the reason Homer is late. Marge is happy it’s not completely Homer’s fault. Now Moe needs to stop kissing Marge under the spiderweb lettuce.  Marge tries to call Homer but his battery is dead and his car got towed and frozen over. She heads out to find Homer while we see him wander the Towne Centre at Springfielde Glenne where everything is closed… even the anchor store.

The movie theater is open but all the movies are sad. Homer opts for the concentration camp one because that’s certainly not gonna add to his depression. Misery loves company I guess because he’s not completely alone. Willy, Crazy Cat Lady, Kirk and Gil are there too. Gotta love Gil’s description of two of them. The guy with the smelly pants (Kirk), the lady that carries empty cans in a PBS tote bag (CCL)…Homer leaves and gives them his popcorn and soda. He runs into Flanders at his Leftorium Express kiosk. Poor Flanders is sad and mentions the loss of Edna… even sadder. Homer cheers him up by buying something. They actually have a moment and then Homer quickly runs away lol. He’s made everyone happy but himself… Feliz Navidad.

Marge checks for Homer at the Retirement Castle and Grampa is stoked. All the other oldies are thrilled at having visitors too. They stay to listen provided there’s no casual racism. Meanwhile, Homer is woke up by a Nutcracker security guy. The cracker shows Homer a party where mall employees are being festive, including the Grumple.

Homer’s not in the neon sign store but the clerk wonders if Marge’s husband is into parties with people dressed like food? Marge finds Homer at the weird holiday party next to the puking drunken Santa.  I love the gag with Homer eating some of the gingerbread house. Showrunner Al Jean tweeted the open door falling over Homer without hurting him is an homage to Buster Keaton.

Marge and Homer reunite in a sweet moment and we discover Homer can make the chirping sound alarmed cars do. Moral of the whole episode… a Christmas message you should never forget… the place to get drunk is at home.

It all ends with one last bit with Maggie making a star for the tree shaped like her head. Bart is sick of waiting to open presents. It’s 9:10 AM and Marge and Homer are busy watching rebroadcasts of the Hollywood Christmas Parade aka cuddling asleep in bed. Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Jesus… enjoy those walkie-talkies.

Nerd note: For anyone who thought they’d previously seen the Rigellian multiple birth scene before… a clip of it was included at the end of this episode.

I found it curious that Al Jean also said this episode was “to explore the lives of those who are lonely on Christmas, or who have to work…” and he also “wanted to show every character (within reason) going one non characteristic nice thing. Even Moe.”  I think with those goals in mind this episode was a massive success.  Honestly, it had emotion, some jokes and a heart-warming-ish ending. As Christmas episodes go… not shabby at all.

Well fellow addicts, like a holiday present… this one is all wrapped up.  Now comment away and wrip the wrapping to shreds if you like.  Hope y’all had a great holiday period and that the next year brings an even better one.  Stay classy and TTFN… Wookiee out!