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The Simpsons
S16.E16
All episodesAll
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IMDbPro

Don't Fear the Roofer

  • Episode aired May 1, 2005
  • TV-14
  • 30m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
1.9K
YOUR RATING
Dan Castellaneta in The Simpsons (1989)
Adult AnimationHand-Drawn AnimationSatireSitcomAnimationComedy

Homer meets a new friend, Ray the Roofer, but gets confined to a mental institution when his friends and family think he made him up.Homer meets a new friend, Ray the Roofer, but gets confined to a mental institution when his friends and family think he made him up.Homer meets a new friend, Ray the Roofer, but gets confined to a mental institution when his friends and family think he made him up.

  • Directors
    • David Silverman
    • Mark Kirkland
  • Writers
    • Matt Groening
    • James L. Brooks
    • Sam Simon
  • Stars
    • Dan Castellaneta
    • Julie Kavner
    • Nancy Cartwright
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.4/10
    1.9K
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • David Silverman
      • Mark Kirkland
    • Writers
      • Matt Groening
      • James L. Brooks
      • Sam Simon
    • Stars
      • Dan Castellaneta
      • Julie Kavner
      • Nancy Cartwright
    • 4User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Top cast10

    Edit
    Dan Castellaneta
    Dan Castellaneta
    • Homer Simpson
    • (voice)
    • …
    Julie Kavner
    Julie Kavner
    • Marge Simpson
    • (voice)
    Nancy Cartwright
    Nancy Cartwright
    • Bart Simpson
    • (voice)
    Yeardley Smith
    Yeardley Smith
    • Lisa Simpson
    • (voice)
    Hank Azaria
    Hank Azaria
    • Moe Szyslak
    • (voice)
    • …
    Harry Shearer
    Harry Shearer
    • Kent Brockman
    • (voice)
    • …
    Stephen Hawking
    Stephen Hawking
    • Stephen Hawking
    • (voice)
    Ray Romano
    Ray Romano
    • Ray Magini
    • (voice)
    Tress MacNeille
    Tress MacNeille
    • Knockers Waitress
    • (voice)
    • …
    Karl Wiedergott
    • Additional Voices
    • (voice)
    • Directors
      • David Silverman
      • Mark Kirkland
    • Writers
      • Matt Groening
      • James L. Brooks
      • Sam Simon
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews4

    7.41.9K
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    Featured reviews

    9lesleyharris30

    A Unique, Clever episode with a Great Guest Star,

    Don't Fear the Roofer is a terrific Simpsons episode with a really well written storyline and loads of very funny scenes. It's a very different episode, as we see the family expect Homer may be going insane because of his constant talking of a roofer that no one else has met. There is suspense here as we ourselves wonder if this roofer is real or if Homer really has lost his marbles, and you will be anxious to find out the truth. I think the writers should have taken advantage of Dan Castellaneta and Ray Ramono's talent for improvisation, the scene at the end where they talk about Everybody Loves Raymond was hilarious and clearly ad libbed, I would love to have seen more parts like this. Ray Ramona's guest role as, you guessed it, Ray, is outstanding, without a doubt one of my favourite once off characters in the show's history, his friendship with Homer was fantastic, they also brought Stephen Hawking in to it nicely. A very well written and exciting twenty minutes, Don't Fear the Roofer is a highlight of the sixteenth season for sure.

    Homer makes friends with a roofer who he hires to fix the house, however, the rest of the family suspect he may be crazy as no one else has met him.
    7MarkLynnIreland1294

    Homer may be an obnoxious dimwit, didn't deserve the crap in this!

    Although I can't try another time as released, in UK, in June 2005 - so it's seventeenth anniversary.

    Not Ray Romano guest stars voicing Ray Magini, also Stephen Hawking as himself like in that other episode saving Lisa from gazebo and whole Mensa thing.

    The pub, Knockers, obviously a parody of Hooters. Quite a coincidence Homer meets Ray Magini who works as a roofer.

    Even as Lisa points out Homer's friend "Ray Magini" as anagram of "imaginary" - throw the word "Coincidence" in her face to learn it.

    Then in the end, Ray is definitely a genuine human (not a figment of his imagination), at least has genuine explanations: barman had eye-patch (could have seen Ray), Ray was "hiding" behind the chimney from Flanders? And least Stephen Hawking gives the black hole explanation between Homer and Bart at hardware store.

    So all the electroshock treatment Homer received in mental institution, plus his family disbelieving him about Ray, that's all punishment for nothing?! Forcing Dr. Hibbert to fix the roof is justifiable report Hibbert to GMC / medical board, whatever it's called in USA.

    As for the subplot of Santa's Little Helper at the elderly folks' home - I don't give a damn.
    8arielsiere

    We don't have to fear anything we see around

    The intro starts with the house being flooded by the rainy weather, everything was messed up in Springfield due to the bad weather, so Homer goes to Moe's tavern he destroys a chair this is when the late Stephen Hawkings appears just like in the episode They Saved Lisa's Brain when Homer says that Larry Flynt was right they stink, so he arrives to hooters and meets a new friend named Ray Romano the voice actor of Many (Ice Age) comes to Homer's house and they fix the rooftop, Homer realises that Ray was an imaginary thing or something i don't know well and during the Gracie Films logo Stephen Hawkings says badabing badaboom and we're done.
    9nicofreezer

    A top 50 all Time, worth 9/10 IMDb

    You put this same episode in Season 1 to 10 and it would received to much love, people would be like " another golden age early Simpsons Classic" or " or as good as Homer ennemy" or even " one of the best of all time" , and would have a 9.2/10 rating at least.

    But no, its in Season 16 so the episode got 7.3/10 for no reasons, just because its a late season, Its just a proof rating After Season 10 means nothing anymore.

    Related interests

    Seth Green, Mila Kunis, Alex Borstein, and Seth MacFarlane in Family Guy (1999)
    Adult Animation
    Jodi Benson, Jason Marin, and Samuel E. Wright in The Little Mermaid (1989)
    Hand-Drawn Animation
    Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
    Satire
    Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, and Matthew Perry in Friends (1994)
    Sitcom
    Daveigh Chase, Rumi Hiiragi, and Mari Natsuki in Spirited Away (2001)
    Animation
    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Ray Magini is voiced by Ray Romano who also plays Ray Barone in "Everyone loves Raymond". Homer and Ray discuss this show at the end of the episode.
    • Goofs
      When Homer goes to Moe's, he is walking. But when he leaves, he is driving.
    • Quotes

      Stephen Hawking: I live here now. You are looking at the new owner of Little Caesars. Pizza, pizza. Pizza, pizza. Pizza, pizza. Pizza, pizza...

      [He repeatedly pushes a button on his speaking machine]

      Stephen Hawking: Sorry, that button sticks.

    • Alternate versions
      In the broadcast version, Homer and Ray Magini discuss the series Everybody Loves Raymond - then in its final season - over the end credits. This has been removed from the syndicated release.
    • Connections
      Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Guest Stars on "The Simpsons" (Who Play Characters) (2017)
    • Soundtracks
      Do That To Me One More Time
      (uncredited)

      Written by Toni Tennille

      Performed by Captain & Tennille

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 1, 2005 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • FOX
      • Official Facebook
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • USA
    • Production companies
      • Gracie Films
      • 20th Century Fox Television
      • 20th Century Fox Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 30m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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