Homer's Barbershop Quartet

Season 5, Episode 1, Aired
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Episode Summary

After Bart and Lisa find one of his old records, Homer recalls his days as a member of a Beatles-esque barbershop quartet, told via flashbacks.
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Fan Episode Reviews (12)

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  • Homer's Barbershop Quartet

    10
    "Perfect"
    By futuramarama, Feb 17, 2011 Report Abuse
    At a flea market, Bart finds an album called "The B Sharps" which had Homer on the cover. So, Homer tells the story of how he, Chief Wiggum {who was later replaced with Barney}, Apu, Principal Skinner formed a barbershop quarter, and he explains how they rose to fame and why they do not do it anymore. Their story is closely related to the Beatles and the episode features many allusions to them. This is a great episode with some very funny lines, and I really love the ending for some reason. A very great episode from a good seasonmoreless

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  • Season 5 Premiere!!!!!!!!!

    8.5
    "Great"
    By fenway98, Jun 12, 2010 Report Abuse
    In this season 5 premiere, The simpsons are at a flea market. Bart and Lisa come across a record titled: Meet The Be sharps. On the cover, they see Homer, Apu, Cheif Wiggum and Principal Skinner. On the ride home, Homer tells them how for 5 weeks, The Be Sharps were bigger than Jesus.

    Their agent, Nigel, tells them to get rid of Cheif Wiggum. After holding auditions, only Grampa, Jasper, Willie, and Clancy Wiggum dressed as Doctor dolittle audition. And they all stink. Then they hear Barney singing. He becomes the new 4th member. The Be sharps are now extremely popular, until the day they run out of ideas.

    At the end of the episode, they all get together on the top of Moes to sing Baby on board for old times sake.

    I think this is a very funny episode. I love all of the songs, and the part where the guy jumps in the water when Homer describes Lady liberty as a 200 ton woman.

    Overall Grade:/B+/87%moreless

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  • this was a good ep

    8.5
    "Great"
    By cube2k8, May 16, 2010 Report Abuse
    in this ep of the simpsons the family goes to the flee market and they come acrosss a old album and it shows homer on the cover with others and homer starts to tell the story of how him and skinner and apo came togeather to become aband like the beatles and like the same type of story like the beatles and how they sold so many albums and did alot of things like the beatles and at the end of the ep they go and sing on the roof this was a good ep and i really enjoyed the start of season 5 years agomoreless

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  • The fifth season begins with Homer revealing to Bart and Lisa that in the mid-eighties he was a member of a barber shop quartet named the Be Sharps. The story of the group's short lifespan is told in flashback.moreless

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By meathead704, Sep 06, 2009 Report Abuse
    Since it is painfully obvious who the story of the Be Sharps is modeled after, this episode does suffer from being a bit predictable. Despite that I have given the episode a high score because it's very clever dialouge and funny scenes (I laughed like crazy when the Simpsons had a flat tire. I laughed even harder watching Marge disappear over the horizon to get a spare) help overcome its predictability flaw. Another high point of the episode is the scnes of Homer writing music for the group and the clever sight gags ("US" magazine cover photo.). Very good episode.moreless

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  • Homer tells Bart and Lisa how he was in a barbershop quartet with Principal Skinner, Apu and Barney and about his 'five weeks at the top'.

    7.0
    "Good"
    By Scottstopher28, Dec 30, 2008 Report Abuse
    I liked this episode a lot, however, I didn't find it was as funny as most other Simpsons episodes. I think that the writers were probably concentrating so much on the allusion of the Beatles that they sort of forgot to incorporate the usual funny material, which is a shame because this was one of the best Simpsons storylines ever. Most of the funny stuff was at the beginning at the Springfield swap meet, especially when Homer didn't recognise all of those priceless items! I also liked when Lisa and Bart questioned Homer at the end, because it was funny and the show was poking fun at its own bad continuity. Well-writen with a clever storyline.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • Goof: Santa's Little Helper is seen in the flashback despite the fact that the Simpsons did not get the dog until Christmas when Bart was ten and Lisa was eight. Edit
    • Goof: In the 1985 flashback, when Marge is crying about Homer telling her he must act like he's not married during his tour of Sweden, on the wall over the bed is a photograph of Lisa in her present day and age, despite the fact she would be a toddler. To the right of it is a picture of Maggie, despite the fact she wasn't born yet. Edit
    • Goof: When the Be Sharps are singing at the Centennial Celebration of the Statue of Liberty, the voice of Chief Wiggum can be heard, despite the the fact that he was replaced by Barney Gumble in the group. Edit

  • Notes

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    • At the end of this episode the words "Dedicated to the memory of Michael P. Schoenbrun" shows up before the Gracie Films logo appears. Schoenbrun was a production manager on a number of television projects, including the 1966 series Misson Impossible. For the Simpsons, he was the executive in charge of production on the Season 4 episode, "Kamp Krusty". Edit
    • Blackboard Joke: I will never win an Emmy. Couch Gag: The family shatters like glass when trying to run to the couch (in the original, there are two more takes: one has the family meld together into a blob and the last take has the family explode on contact. These have been removed in syndicated versions). Edit
    • "The Be Sharps" vocals were sung by "The Dapper Dans" who are: James Campbell, George Economou, Shelby Grimm & Dan Jordan. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Groundskeeper Willie:(Singing) When you're alone, and life is getting you lonely, ye can always go, ACK! Doontoon. Apu: Next Edit
    • (Apu returns to work at the Kwik-E-Mart) Apu: It may not be glamorous, but it's good honest work. Customer: How much is this quart of milk? Apu: Twelve dollars. Edit
    • Moe: Hey Barney, what'll it be? Barney: I'd like a beer, Moe! Barney's Girlfriend: I'd like a single plum floating in perfume served in a man's hat. Moe: Here you go! Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • John F. Kennedy Mayor Quimby's '"Ich bin ein Springfield Swap Meet patron" line is similar to a Kennedy quote, "Ich bin ein Berliner." Edit
    • The Beatles The Be Sharps are based heavily on The Beatles. Here are some references you may have spotted: The Beatles played their first gigs at The Cavern Club; The Be Sharps played at Moe's Cavern. A member is replaced. The album ''Meet the Be Sharps'' and its cover. Nigel's line, ''You've just recorded your first number one.'' Apu changing his surname from "Nahasapeemapetilon" to "de Beaumarchais" is a reference to Ringo Starr having changed his name from Richard Starkey. Barney's girlfriend looks like Yoko Ono, John Lennon's girlfriend and the track ''Number Eight'' is a reference to Beatles' track, ''Revolution No. 9.'' The ''Bigger Than Jesus'' joke. The ''Coop coop a-doop'' line from one of the songs is similar to the ''Goo-goo-a-joob'' line from ''I Am The Walrus.'' The final rooftop performance is something The Beatles did; in fact, George Harrison passes by in this scene and says: ''It's been done'', referring to himself. The fans shouting "Wiggum forever, Barney never!" then "Barney forever, Wiggum never!" is similar to when Ringo Starr replaced Pete Best as drummer. Fans of Best would fight at the Cavern Club, shouting "Pete forever, Ringo never!" Other fans shouted the contrary, "Ringo forever, Pete never!" Edit
    • Principal Skinner: Ah, prisoner 24601. The number of Jean Valjean in the famous movie/musical/novel "Les Miserables" (also used as Sideshow Bob's first prison number) Edit

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