Homer's Barbershop Quartet
"Homer's Barbershop Quartet" is the first episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on September 30, 1993. It features the Be Sharps, a barbershop quartet founded by Homer Simpson. The band's story roughly parallels that of the Beatles. George Harrison and David Crosby guest star as themselves, and the Dapper Dans partly provide the singing voices of the Be Sharps.
| "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" | |
|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode | |
Promotional artwork for "Homer's Barbershop Quartet", featuring David Crosby | |
| Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 1 |
| Directed by | Mark Kirkland |
| Written by | Jeff Martin |
| Production code | 9F21 |
| Original air date | September 30, 1993 |
| Guest appearances | |
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| Episode features | |
| Chalkboard gag | "I will never win an Emmy" |
| Couch gag | The family rush into the room, crash into each other, and shatter like glass. Then, on take 2, the family morph into one disfigured creature. Finally, on take 3, the family run into each other and explode. |
| Commentary | Matt Groening Mike Reiss Al Jean Jeff Martin Hank Azaria Jon Lovitz Mark Kirkland |
The episode was written by Jeff Martin and directed by Mark Kirkland. It begins with the Simpson family attending a swap meet. There, Bart Simpson and his sister Lisa notice a picture of their father, Homer, on the cover of an old LP album. Homer explains to his family that he, Principal Skinner, Barney Gumble, and Apu Nahasapeemapetilon recorded a barbershop quartet album in 1985, which catapulted them to national fame. He tells his family the story of how the band formed, reached the pinnacle of success, and eventually folded. At the end of the episode, the group reunites to perform a concert on the roof of Moe's Tavern, singing their number-one hit "Baby on Board".
In its original American broadcast, "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" finished 30th in ratings, with a Nielsen rating of 12.7. It was praised for its Beatles pastiche, despite being a leftover episode from the previous season.