Weekend at Burnsie’s" is the sixteenth episode of The Simpsons’ thirteenth season. The episode first aired in the USA on April 7, 2002.
After a bad experience with genetically modified food, Marge decides to plant her own garden. Crows arrive on the new garden, so Marge makes a scarecrow, which scares Homer. Homer destroys the scarecrow, and the crows eventually see Homer as their leader, following him everywhere. But when the crows try to carry Maggie, Homer turns on them and they attack his eyes. He then goes to the hospital, where Dr. Hibbert prescribes him medicinal marijuana.
Homer becomes a stoner stereotype, even asking Flanders to read him the whole Holy Bible. When Flanders offers a petition to have a vote on the ban of medical marijuana in Springfield, Homer unwittingly adds his signature. Homer's stoned state also sees him promoted to Executive Vice-President at the power plant, and so he goes to a rally for the legalization of medical marijuana (but the rally is actually held a day after the ban was approved by voters). Homer is cured of his medical condition and promises he won’t smoke pot again.
Mr. Burns asks Homer to help him with a speech for a crisis shareholders meeting. Homer gives Smithers his last joint, and while Smithers is smoking and dressing in the coat Judy Garland once wore, Burns apparently drowns in his bathtub. So, for the meeting, Smithers and Homer make Burns into a marionette, à la Weekend at Bernie's, and the movement of the marionette inadvertenly gets Mr. Burns' heart working again. The meeting is a success, and another financial crisis at the power plant is avoided.
[edit] Continuity
* Seth and Munchie, the hippies from "D'oh-in in the Wind", and Mr. Mitchell (the blind stoner) from The Canine Mutiny, are in the crowd in the rally for the legalization of medical marijuana.
* The scene where Bart and Lisa smell marijuana and Lisa comments that it smells like the art teacher's office is similar to the scene in the season seven episode Homerpalooza where Bart and Lisa smell marijuana at Hullabalooza and Lisa says it smells like Otto's jacket.
* When Marge takes out some clothes from a box to make the scarecrow, Pop-up Video style captions, with the Comic Book Guy show up when Marge lay them up in a shape of a body. These include Lisa's jersey from 'Lisa on Ice', Bart's jockey pants from 'Saddlesore Galactica', the Jack-o-Lantern from Treehouse of Horror III, IX and XII, and Grampa's fedora from 'Who Shot Grampa's Hat' (this isn't an actual title, but the name is similar to 'Who Shot Mr. Burns?').
* Otto previously lived in the Simpson's house in The Otto Show and You Only Move Twice.
[edit] Cultural references
* Some elements of the episode, as well as its title, parody Weekend at Bernie's.
* When the family first finds out Homer is using marijuana, he is singing “Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple with different lyrics.
* The music used while Homer is smoking his first joint is "Incense and Peppermints" by Strawberry Alarm Clock.
* “Wear Your Love Like Heaven” by Donovan plays in the montage of Homer getting ready for work.
* When Marge is making the scarecrow for her vegetable patch, pop-ups appear on the screen in the style of VH1’s Pop-Up Video.
* The band Phish is singing “Run Like an Antelope.” Later, Phish plays the opening stanza of the Simpsons theme song.
* When Homer is stoned and talks to Ned Flanders he cites his own example of the Omnipotence paradox: "Could Jesus microwave a burrito so hot that he himself could not eat it?". A similar joke appeared in the Annoying Questions to ask your Sunday School Teacher! section of the 1993 book Bart Simpson's Guide to Life.
* When Homer asks for extra cheese on his pizza, Mr. Burns exclaims, "Who do you take me for, Lorenzo de' Medici?!"
* When Smithers mentions Mickey Rooney, Homer replies "You mean that guy on 60 Minutes?", referring to Andy Rooney.
* The scene where Mr. Burns is found dead in his bathtub is inspired by the Dragnet episode "The Big High".
* When Mr. Burns has fallen on the ground, Homer pushes him behind the curtain and states; "Mr. Burns has left the building". This sentence is reminiscent of Elvis has left the building.
* Burn's makes a comment about Louise Brooks and her thin negligee.
[edit] External links
* "Weekend at Burnsie's" episode capsule at The Simpsons Archive
