History Recap / TheSimpsonsS10E13HomerToTheMax

* SpitTake: At the garden party, Homer happily eats a fish while Trent Steel gives a speech. When Trent mentions that with privilege ComesGreatResponsibility, however, Homer spits.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: In-universe: Police Cop Homer Simpson starting as a competent cop and being later changed into a BumblingSidekick.

** Back in the earlier episode "Bart the Mother," Bart [[IDidntMeanToKillHim felt terrible about shooting a bird]]. In this episode, however, when Homer tells Bart to kill a cat, he gladly complies without even a trace of uncertainty (on the other hand, we don't actually see if Bart went through with it).
** There's also Chief Wiggum mocking Homer's intelligence [[JugglingLoadedGuns while scratching himself with a loaded gun]].

* JugglingLoadedGuns: Chief Wiggum scratches himself with his gun... right after [[HypocriticalHumor calling Homer "that stupid cop from TV"]].

--->'''Marge:''' [[EpicFail He didn't even have a clock.]]

* RealityEnsues: After being humiliated from the ShowWithinAShow ''Police Cops'', which features a character called Detective Homer Simpson, who is heroic and suave in the pilot but becomes a fat, bumbling idiot in the series proper, Homer decides to sue the producers for improper use of his name, which the judge immediately throws out as individuals do not own exclusive rights to their names, and simply sharing a name with a fictional character does not give you the right to sue over how that character's creators use them.

* ReTool: An InUniverse example with ShowWithinAShow ''Police Cops'' changing the character Homer Simpson from a Sonny Crocket-style super-cool cop to a Chris Farley-style {{fat|ComicRelief}} WalkingDisasterArea levels of bumbling idiot in between the pilot episode and second episode, which being so close to Homer's InUniverse RealLife persona, causes him a whole lot of grief.

** Homer's "Max Power" song is sung to the tune of the title theme of ''Film/{{Goldfinger}}''.

** At the environmental party, Homer refuses to talk to ''SNL'' producer and co-creator Creator/LorneMichaels, who was actually voiced by ''Simpsons'' regular and former ''SNL'' cast member Creator/HarryShearer.[[note]]Shearer has gone on record in stating that he didn't like his time on ''SNL'' during the fifth season (and later, the tenth, under Dick Ebersol) and begged NBC to make him showrunner for season six so he can mold ''SNL'' into what he wanted it to be. When Shearer learned that NBC hired Jean Doumanian (a decision they would later regret), he left the show along with the remnants of the "Not Ready for Primetime" cast.[[/note]]

** The joke about nobody knowing who Jeremy Piven is.

* TooDumbToLive: Chief Wiggum pointed a gun at himself while [[HypocriticalHumor insulting Homer's competence]].

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: In-universe: ''Police Cops'' wasn't originally supposed to be a series. It was supposed to be a comedy ("''Film/{{Titanic|1997}}'' [[JustForFun/XMeetsY meets]] ''Series/{{Frasier}}''") about a psychologist on-board the ''UsefulNotes/RMSTitanic'' starring Creator/AnniePotts and Jeremy Piven, but was scrapped because the idea scared the hell out of them, so they came up with a cop drama. Also, ''Police Cops'' was supposed to be called ''Badge Patrol'', but they didn't like the title or [[SciFiGhetto the idea of hi-tech badges that shoot laser beams.]]

* TheOtherDarrin: InUniverse: PlayedForLaughs -- During the joke about how networks love animation because they don't pay the actors squat, Ned Flanders comes in and adds, "Plus, they can replace the voices and no one can tell the diddly-ifference." For the sake of that joke, Karl Wiedergott (a featured voice actor who joined the show during its tenth season) voiced Ned Flanders (who is regularly voiced by Creator/HarryShearer). Played a bit straighter with changing the actor playing the ''Police Cops'' Homer Simpson between the pilot and the second episode from a handsome guy to a Creator/ChrisFarley {{Expy}} -- this alongside turning the character into a complete idiot.

* ObliviousToHisOwnDescription: Homer's unaware that his description of the new BumblingSidekick version of the Homer Simpson "Police Cops" character matches him as well.

* RealityEnsues: After being humiliated from the ShowWithinAShow ''Police Cops'' features a character called Detective Homer Simpson, who is heroic and suave in the pilot but becomes a fat, bumbling idiot in the series proper. Homer decides to sue the producers for improper use of his name, which the judge immediately throws out as individuals do not own exclusive rights to their names, and simply sharing a name with a fictional character does not give you the right to sue over how that character's creators use them.

** BitingTheHandHumor: Homer's line about networks loving animated shows because they don't have to pay the actors' anything (and a newly-voiced Ned Flanders adding that networks can also change the characters' voice actors and no one can tell the difference). At the time of the episode's premiere (February 7, 1999), ''The Simpsons'' voice actors ''were'' in a pay dispute and ''were'' threatened with being replaced by soundalikes if they didn't agree to FOX's offer.
** At the environmental party, Homer refuses to talk to ''SNL'' producer and co-creator Creator/LorneMichaels, who was actually voiced by former ''SNL'' cast member Creator/HarryShearer.[[note]]Shearer has gone on record in stating that he didn't like his time on ''SNL'' during the fifth season (and later, the tenth, under Dick Ebersol) and begged NBC to make him showrunner for season six so he can mold ''SNL'' into what he wanted it to be. When Shearer learned that NBC hired Jean Doumanian (a decision they would later regret), he left the show along with the remnants of the "Not Ready for Primetime" cast.[[/note]]

* IResembleThatRemark: Homer's attempts to prove that he's nothing like (the new) Homer on ''Police Cops'', only causes him to act ''more'' like him.

** The retooled "Police Cops" show has DaChief yelling "SIMP-SOOOOOOOON!" at the new, dumbed-down Homer Simpson, similar to how on ''WesternAnimation/TheJetsons'', Mr. Spacely would yell "JET-SOOOOOOOON!" at George Jetson.

* RealitySubtext: Homer in the earlier seasons of the show was a relatively normal BumblingDad, but over time the need to one-up his antics resulted in TookALevelInDumbass with the show as a whole becoming DenserAndWackier. This episode compresses that with the Homer Simpson of "Police Cops," who started off as a suave ''Series/MiamiVice''-style officer for the first episode but [[DroppedAfterThePilot became an obese imbecile for the second episode on]] more cartoonishly inept than Chief Wiggum. Even Homer doesn't want to be associated with the Homer Simpson of that show and talks about wanting to be treated with some dignity.

-->'''Lisa:''' Producers fiddle with shows all the time. They [CharacterDerailment change characters]], [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome drop others]], and [[DemotedToExtra push some into the background]].

-->'''Lisa:''' Producers fiddle with shows all the time. They [[CharacterDevelopment change]] [[CharacterDerailment characters]], [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome drop others]], and [[DemotedToExtra push some into the background]].

** Homer's singlehanded demolition of an entire forest (including the smashing of a patrol car and killing an eagle) when he tries to prevent the cops from macing him as a protestor against the forest's destruction. InUniverse, the ''Police Cops'' version of Homer mistakes a "guns-for-toys" exchange program for the reverse, and so he ends up giving away guns to criminals.

* PoliceBrutality: When the cops try to deal with the protesting celebrities (and Homer), Wiggum orders that the cops use pepper spray. Or rather, a mixture of pepper so strong that the bottle guarantees will ''probably destroy the eye'', and needs a massive swab for it to be applied (so they chase after Homer in order to hold him down so they can do so). Him being chased by the cops around the tree that he's chained to causes the DisasterDominoes mentioned above.
* QuipToBlack: After the newly rechristened Max Power walks into a cactus after defining the "Max Power way", Lisa remarks, "We should really put that in the corner." Cue commercial break.

* HypocriticalHumor: Back in the earlier episode "Bart the Mother," Bart [[IDidntMeanToKillHim felt terrible about shooting a bird]]. In this episode, however, when Homer tells Bart to kill a cat, he gladly complies without even a trace of uncertainty (on the other hand, we don't actually see if Bart went through with it).

* JugglingLoadedGuns: Chief Wiggum scratches himself with his gun... right after calling Homer "that stupid cop from TV".

* TooDumbToLive and HypocriticalHumor: Chief Wiggum pointed a gun at himself while insulting Homer's competence.

!! This episode provides examples of...

* AwesomeEgo: InUniverse: Ed Begley Jr rides a go-kart powered by his own sense of self-satisfaction. It goes as fast as a race car, too.
* AwesomeMcCoolName: Homer has his name changed to "Max Power" because it was the only one he spelled correctly. His other options were "Hercules Rockefeller", [[MysteriousMiddleInitial "Rembrandt Q. Einstein", and "Handsome B. Wonderful"]].

** Homer's single-handed demolition of an entire forest (including the smashing of a patrol car and killing an eagle) when he tries to prevent the cops from macing him as a protestor against the forest's destruction. InUniverse, the ''Police Cops'' version of Homer mistakes a "guns-for-toys" exchange program for the reverse, and so he ends up giving away guns to criminals.

-->'''Lisa:''' Producers fiddle with shows all the time. They [[CharacterDevelopment change]] [[CharacterDerailment characters]], [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome drop others]], and [[DemotedToExtra push some into the background]].\\
''([[LeaningOnTheFourthWall Mr. Largo and the Capital City Goofball walk by in the background outside the house as she says this.]])''

* IResembleThatRemark: Homer's attempts to prove that he's nothing like (the new) Homer on Police Cops, only causes him to act ''more'' like him.
* JerkassHasAPoint: Lenny when he tells everyone Homer was about to do something stupid. On one hand It isn't really being a good friend to follow a friend about waiting for him to mess up, but on the other hand, Homer 'did' cause a huge accident trying to cook fondue on his work console.

** Marge mentions an unspecified time when Anthony Michael Hall stole Homer's car stereo.

* TheOtherDarrin: InUniverse: PlayedForLaughs -- During the joke about how networks love animation because they don't pay the actors squat, Ned Flanders comes in and adds, "Plus, they can replace the voices and no one can tell the diddly-ifference." For the sake of that joke, Karl Wiedergott (a featured voice actor who joined the show during its tenth season) voiced Ned Flanders (who is regularly voiced by Creator/HarryShearer). Played a bit more straight with changing the actor playing the ''Police Cops'' Homer Simpson between the pilot and the second episode from a handsome guy to a Creator/ChrisFarley {{Expy}} -- this alongside turning the character into a complete idiot.
* RealityEnsues: After being humiliated from the ShowWithinAShow ''Police Cops'' features a character called Detective Homer Simpson, who is heroic and suave in the pilot but becomes a fat, bumbling idiot in the series proper. Homer decides to sue the producers for improper use of his name, which the judge immediately throws out as individuals do not own exclusive rights to their names, and simply sharing a name with a fictional character does not give you the right to sue over how that character is used by the creators.

* ScarfOfAsskicking: The cool Detective Homer Simpson wears a scarf on the "Police Cops" show to highlight just how badass he is, which prompts the real Homer to wear one as well. The character still wears it after being retooled into an idiot, but it's much less asskicking then.
* SelfDeprecation: Lisa suggests that mid-season is just a dumping ground for shows that weren't good enough for the fall line-up. Guess [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons what show]] premiered in December of 1989, well after the fall premieres.

* ShowWithinAShow: ''Police Cops'' and the other mid-season shows, like ''The Laughter Family'', ''Admiral Baby'', and ''America's Funniest Tornados''.
* SpitTake: At the garden party, Homer happily eats a fish while Trent Steel gives a speech. When Trent mentions that with privilege comes great responsibility, however, Homer spits.

** BitingTheHandHumor: Homer's line about networks loving animated shows because they don't have to pay the actors' anything (and a newly-voiced Ned Flanders adding that networks can also change the characters' voice actors and no one can tell the difference). At the time of the episode's premiere, ''The Simpsons'' voice actors ''were'' in a pay dispute and ''were'' threatened with being replaced by soundalikes if they didn't agree to FOX's offer.
** At the environmental party, Homer refuses to talk to ''SNL'' producer and co-creator Creator/LorneMichaels, who was actually voiced by former ''SNL'' cast member Creator/HarryShearer.[[note]]who has gone on record in stating that he didn't like his time on ''SNL'' during the fifth season [and later, the tenth, under Dick Ebersol] and begged NBC to make him showrunner for season six so he can mold ''SNL'' into what he wanted it to be. When Shearer learned that NBC hired Jean Doumanian [a decision they would later regret], he left the show along with the remnants of the "Not Ready for Primetime" cast.[[/note]]

-->'''Bart:''' [[SarcasmMode Right, coincidence.]]

* TitleConfusion: This episode shouldn't be confused with "'''Max'''imum '''Homer'''drive", which happens to be a Homer-focused episode that happens to be part of the same season as this one.

* UnfortunateNames: Homer has Marge's name changed to "Chestie [=LaRue=]" he says if shes not completely satisfied she can be [[AllMenArePerverts "Busty Saint Clare" or "Hootie McBoob"]]
-->'''Marge:''' I don't want to be "Chestie [=LaRue=]" or "Busty Saint Clare".\\
'''Homer:''' Fine, "Hootie [=McBoob=]" it is.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: In-universe: ''Police Cops'' wasn't originally supposed to be a series. It was supposed to be a comedy about a psychologist on-board the ''R.M.S. Titanic'' starring Creator/AnniePotts and Jeremy Piven, but was scrapped because the idea scared the hell out of them, so they came up with a cop drama. Also, ''Police Cops'' was supposed to be called ''Badge Patrol'', but they didn't like the title or [[SciFiGhetto the idea of hi-tech badges that shoot laser beams.]]

-->'''Trent Steel:''' You like Thai?\\
'''Homer/Max:''' Tie good, you like shirt?

** TitleConfusion: This episode shouldn't be confused with "'''Max'''imum '''Homer'''drive", which happens to be a Homer-focused episode that happens to be part of the same season as this one.

!! Tropes:

* CatchPhrase: TV!Homer gets one before and after his retool. "And that's the end of that chapter." Then "Uh-oh, Spaghetti-O's!"

-->'''Lisa:''' Producers fiddle with shows all the time. They [[CharacterDevelopment change characters]], [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome drop others]], and [[DemotedToExtra push some into the background]].\\

** The celebrities are all dedicated enviromentalists. This terrifies Homer, who ''only'' wanted the self entitled benefits of celebrity.

--->'''Marge''': [[EpicFail He didn't even have a clock.]]

-->'''Homer''': Hey, what's going on? That guy's not Homer Simpson. He's fat and stupid!

* {{Retirony}}:
-->'''Chief Wiggum:''' That car only had one day until retirement.
* ReTool: An InUniverse example with ShowWithinAShow ''Police Cops'' changing the character Homer Simpson from a Sonny Crocket-style super-cool cop to a Chris Farley-style fat EpicFail levels of bumbling idiot in between the pilot episode and second episode, which being so close to Homer's InUniverse RealLife persona, causes him a whole lot of grief.

* IResembleThatRemark: Homer's attempts to prove that he's nothing like (the new) Homer on Police Cops, only causes him to act ''more'' like him.

* ShoutOut: Homer's "Max Power" song is sung to the tune of the title theme of ''Film/{{Goldfinger}}''.

* TakeThat and BitingTheHandHumor: Homer's line about networks loving animated shows because they don't have to pay the actors' anything (and a newly-voiced Ned Flanders adding that networks can also change the characters' voice actors and no one can tell the difference). At the time of the episode's premiere, ''The Simpsons'' voice actors ''were'' in a pay dispute and ''were'' threatened with being replaced by soundalikes if they didn't agree to FOX's offer.

-->'''Bart''': [[SarcasmMode Right, coincidence.]]

-->'''Trent Steele:''' You like Thai?\\

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: In-universe: ''Police Cops'' wasn't originally supposed to be a series. It was supposed to be a comedy about a psychologist on-board the ''R.M.S. Titanic'' starring Annie Potts and Jeremy Piven, but was scrapped because the idea scared the hell out of them, so they came up with a cop drama. Also, ''Police Cops'' was supposed to be called ''Badge Patrol'', but they didn't like the title or [[SciFiGhetto the idea of hi-tech badges that shoot laser beams.]]

* CassandraTruth: When Homer tells trent where he got the idea for the "Max Power" name from, Trent assumes it's a joke.

* UnfortunateNames: Homer has Marge's name changed to "Chestie LaRue" he says if shes not completely satisfied she can be [[AllMenArePerverts "Busty Saint Clare" or "Hootie McBoob"]]

* AwesomeMcCoolName: Homer has his name changed to "Max Power" because it was the only one he spelled correctly. His other options were "Hercules Rockefeller", "Rembrandt Q. Einstein", and "Handsome B. Wonderful".

* {{Catchphrase}}: TV!Homer gets one before and after his retool. "And that's the end of that chapter." Then "Uh-oh, Spaghetti-O's!"

** An InUniverse example (either that or it was too funny an inspiration to pass up) happens when Homer begs the writers to stop making the ''Police Cops'' Homer Simpson an idiot because they are mocking him as well, only for the next episode to have that Homer repeat the plea word for word, complete with copying Homer's "D'oh!", before falling [[GroinAttack groin-first]] into a cactus.