Midnight Rx

Season 16, Episode 6, Aired
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Episode Summary

The power plant's office party is being held at the Springfield Air and Space museum, where amongst other things we learn that Agnes Skinner was a wing-walker back in the 1920s. Mr. Burns is acting unusually nice, and then he makes an announcement that the employee prescription drug program has been canceled. Other companies follow suit, the citizens of Springfield ''At Springfield Retirement Castle, due to the high cost of medication, they cut their residents off cold turkey. Grandpa goes to his son's home with a plan; he has a friend that will help them out. He and Homer go to Canada where they meet the friend that gives them cards that will let them get all the drugs they can carry. They return home and their drugs are in high demand. Ned and Apu accompany them on their next trip to Canada, but an unfortunate incident with Apu and a hot cup of coffee gets their cover blown as they try to cross the border. They are banished from ever returning to Canada. Because he can no longer afford the medication he requires Smithers' thyroid begins to swell causing a concern for Mr. Burns, he doesn't want to have to train anyone else on his filing system. He provides the means, his old wooden plane The Plywood Pelican, for Homer to invoke his plan to fly into Canada. They load up, but on the return flight the plane encounters trouble. Burns bails out, leaving Homer and Grandpa to crash land the plane in Springfield's town square, where their smuggled drugs are hit. Meanwhile, Mr. Burns has cured Smithers and decides to reinstitute the drug program for all his full time employees. Homer comes home from work to report that he is now a freelance consultant, complete with a lump on his throat.moreless
8.1
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Cast & Crew

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  • Julie Kavner

    Marge Simpson, Patty Bouvier, and Selma Bouvier

  •

    Harry Shearer

    Mr. Burns, Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner, Waylon Smithers, Kent Brockman, and others

  •

    Dan Castellaneta

    Homer Simpson, Grampa Simpson, Barney Gumble, Krusty the Clown, Groundskeeper Willie, and others

Fan Episode Reviews (6)

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  • Homer bgins to smuggle drugs over the border is there much more to say to make you believe that this is a great episode???

    8.9
    "Great"
    By Iverson82094, Dec 31, 2007 Report Abuse
    At Homer's office party at the Springfield Air & Space Museum, Mr. Burns drops the news that the employee prescription drug problem is terminated due to rising health costs. Other major companies follow his lead. When the Retirement Castle can't afford their drugs, Abe with Homer's help decides to smuggle drugs from across the border in Winnepeg. Pretty soon everybody comes to Homer for their drugs. Apu, wanting to get away from his family asks to come on Homer's next drug run, and when Ned wants Insulin for Todd, comes along too. Homer is caught at the border and the foursome are jailed. They are asked to leave Canada and never return. Meanwhile Smithers thyroid starts swelling up due to Burns' drug cancellation. Homer, Abe, and Burns fly across the border in Burns' plane to smuggle more drugs. The trio crashland back home but avoid being arrested thanks to everybodys gratification.moreless

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  • Now, there are only three parachutes. This one's for me, and these two are for my nephews. Goodbye!

    10
    "Perfect"
    By NoOneIsAlone, Dec 23, 2006 Report Abuse
    This is one of my favorite episodes of Season 16 (and that is saying a lot since it is not one of my favorite seasons) but still, I must admit that this episode is w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l! I just love this episode, it's storyline might be a little weak, but it is still a really funny episode. Everything begins when drugs are cancelled in Springfield, and Homer and Abe decide to go to Canada to export some illegal drugs to Springfield and to sell them at high prices, eventually Apu and Ned decide to go on with them too. I love the part with Ned and Apu discussing about their gods, and the part where Ned apparently find another person just like him, that apparently is Satan when he offers him a cigarrete. But that is not all, Homer and Grandpa eventually get discover, Smithers gets sick and Mr. Burns uses his plane to take Abe and Homer to Canada and bring down all the drugs they can. When the plane begins getting down, Burns suggests that they lose weigh to which Homer replies that he can get thinner by doing excercise, but eventually gives up and decides to die better (a really hilarious line) and then it gets better when Burns finds three parachutes and says "Now, there are only three parachutes. This one's for me, and these two are for my nephews. Goodbye!" really, really funny line! And the end where Mr. Burns has to kiss Smithers was also great! I love this episode!moreless

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  • Homer becomes a drug smuggler. Need I say more?

    10
    "Perfect"
    By JordanRWasHere, Sep 11, 2006 Report Abuse
    After Mr. Burns takes away his and everyone who works at the Nuclear Power Plant health plan, Homer must find a way to to get medical help for his family. His dad then comes up with a way after the retirement come cuts off his prescription medication. The plan is to go to Canada and smuggle prescription drugs to the town of Springfield. Soon, Ned and Apu join in and thing go wrong from there.

    A funny story and a strange ending to boot make this another great episode from Fox and proves to others this is a great episode and show!moreless

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  • One of TV's best shows doing what it does best

    9.7
    "Superb"
    By Jossfiend, May 06, 2006 Report Abuse
    This was classic Simpsons -- something it\'s been a while since we\'ve seen. Proves that there\'s not only still lots of life left in the show after 16 seasons, but that it hasn\'t lost its sharp satiric bite. Reminds me a bit of the episode in which Homer became a labor negotiator when Burns cut the nuclear plant\'s dental program. Proves that the Simpsons is best when doing social / political satire. Flanders\'s exchange with his Canadian counterpart and his argument with Apu over religion were brilliant. All the while, the show makes fun of arguments for the status quo of America\'s health care system actually bandied about by our ultra - conservative government and populace, holding them up to well - deserved ridicule.moreless

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  • Drug program cancelled

    9.2
    "Superb"
    By jimbo_001, Jan 31, 2006 Report Abuse
    This episode is very creative with Mr Burns acting nice - an obvious sign that something bad is going to happen (unless he's in alen mode again). The episode goes from good to hilarious as Homer and Abe go into the drug smuggling business, Homer dressing up as a mexican when crossing the border and it turns out they're going into Canada. The Ned lookalike was hilarious aswell, showing that the only way you can talk like Ned (diddly) is if you're high. Very well written and an original plot, Midnight Rx is a good episode all around, especially Burns' appearances, taking the remaining parachutes.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • Warning phrases that are printed on prescription containers (flashed on screen during the drug sequence): Two refills remaining. Take as directed. Blood pressure: Normal. Do not operate heavy machinery. Cholesterol: High normal. Edit
    • Music from this episode "I Want a New Drug" by Huey Lewis and the News. "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane (During the drug sequence). "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-A-Lot. Edit
    • Dr. Hibbert's pharmaceutical babes dance was brought to you by these over-the-counter drugs: Allegra - An anti-allergy medicine. Celebrex - Anti-arthritis pills. Prilosec - Used to treat ulcers. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • Blackboard Joke: None. Couch Gag: The family enters the living room and they take their usual places on the couch. Nothing happens, causing Lisa to quip "What can't we sit on the couch without something happening?" Just then Homer gets stabbed by a large spear. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Homer: Drugs! Various drugs! Get your drugs here! Be sure to read the instructions! Uh-oh, where'd I put the instructions? Edit
    • Mr. Burns: (to Homer and Abe) Now, there are only three parachutes. This ones for me, and these two are for my nephews. Goodbye! (Jumps out with all three parachutes) Edit
    • Homer: It's about time trees did something good instead of just standing there like jerks! Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • The Core When the wooden plane Homer and Mr Burns is in descends down into the city, and glides and stops just before it crushes Police Chief Wiggum, is a spoof of the scene in The Core (2003), when the space shuttle makes an emergency landing in the Los Angeles river, and stops just before hitting the bridge worker. Edit
    • Computer: You have defeated the Doombot and sealed the portal, Phobos is safe! This is a reference to the computer game Doom 3. The player assumes the role of a soldier on Mars where he has to disable the portal that would allow creatures from hell to destroy the colony. Edit
    • E.T.: the Extra-Terrestrial Mr. Burns' and Smithers' escape from the mob of angry power plant workers on a pedal-powered aircraft, passing a full moon as they gain altitude, is just like the scene where Elliot and E.T. fly on the bicycle in the 1982 film E.T.: the Extra-Terrestrial. Edit

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