Deep Space Homer

If you've ever watched 'I'm a Celebrity' or 'Race Across the World' or 'Big Brother' you'll find that reality TV looks for idiots for the audience to relate to (or possibly laugh at) and 'Deep Space Homer' is a great commentary on that. It also has great gag after great gag.

This classic Simpsons episode feels like a full two hour movie and not just a half hour show. It seems as if every Sci Fi Classic of the last fifty years comes in for the hilarious Simpsons treatment.

Some high points: Homer fielding questions at the press conference. "Wait a minute . . . Statue of Liberty . . . that was really our planet. You maniacs! You blew it up! Oh, damn them all to hell!" (PLANET OF THE APES)

Homer and Barney fighting man to man for a slot as an astronaut, gladiator style, while jaded NASA scientists cheer them on and take bets. (STAR TREK: THE GAMESTERS OF TRISKELION)

Homer floating through space, like a vast spacecraft, crunching potato chips in zero gravity. (2001 SPACE ODYSSEY)

And don't forget James Taylor revealing his less-than-mellow vibe, and Springfield TV anchor Kent Brockman preparing for the inevitable. ("Welcome ANTS!")

Classic Simpsons, with Homer becoming a real hero and not one but two ITCHY AND SCRATCHY cartoons.

Homer and Barney are selected by NASA to take part in a selection process to become astronauts.

This is a very strong episodes with great humour and references to space exploration and sci-fi.

The jokes are quite prolific, starting with all the build up to Homer's space flight. I love the competition sequence with Barney and the inevitable conclusion to his stint of sobriety. Homer's ineptitude as ever is a great source of humour, particularly a great running joke involving inanimate objects.

Everything that happens in space is great fun and there are some great tributes to numerous classic sci-fi pop culture. Buzz Aldrin and James Taylor have memorable cameos.

Episode without particular moral but very funny and entertaining, to watch to spend some time with extreme lightness and without particular attention because in any case it is followed well.

When a radioactive rod beats him out for Employee of the Week, Homer takes advantage of NASA and offers to be an astronaut. Of course, it's a total disaster. But in the process we work through all kinds of SciFi vignettes from Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Them, and others. Lots of fun. Don't miss it.