An example of the limitless opportunities of science fiction and animation, The Simpsons use a Wellsian device and Back to the Future logic to create a crazy time travel story. Time travel isn’t horrific in itself, it’s another example of The Simpsons turning to the ever-faithful well of science-fiction–a genre which often comments on the horrors inherent in the human condition–as its source of horror. By returning to the horror of the human condition and a very basic time travel trope–any small disruption in time can have the largest implications–results in the wackiest of possibilities.

So it begins with an ordinary breakfast at the Simpson family table except for one odd detail–Homer’s hand is stuck in the toaster. Rather than simply remove said hand from toaster Homer begins to bash his toaster-gloved-hand against the wall until it comes loose…and then somehow goes onto his hand again. His hand free, Homer is now able to fix the toaster–huzzah!

We know Homer works at a Nuclear plant, but he’s a dullard. So it’s quite surprising when we see the fruits of his repair: this is now no normal toaster. With odd tubes and all sorts of weird circuitry this toaster must be capable of doing more than toast. It doesn’t matter how Homer is able to turn this simple home appliance into something that can rip apart the cosmos and make travel through the fabric of the Universe so fluid. The truth is that Homer doesn’t even know, and besides, that’s not the point.

When Homer takes it for a “test toast” he ends up in what looks like the Cretacious period of the Mesozoic era. Homer’s sharp as a whip and recalls the advice Grandpa gave him on the day of his wedding: “If you ever travel back in time, don’t step on anything because even the tiniest change can alter the future in ways you can’t imagine.” This line is probably my favourite because it seems exactly like advice Grandpa would give Homer.

Advice, nonetheless, that Homer does not heed as he squishes a bug. Upon returning back to his own time Homer enters the kitchen and sees his family as usual. While eating, a giant tv screen emerges with Ned Flanders cordially asking how everyone’s doing, to Homer’s usual spiteful responses. Homer’s unconditional spite towards Flanders earns the entire town a day of “Re-Neducation” in complete fascist fashion–Re-Neducation even comes with a full frontal lobotomy!

Homer runs for the hills–i.e. the basement–and goes back in time again and again and again with varying degrees of “messing with the space time continuum”–space alien Maggie from the first Treehouse of Horror shows up, “This is indeed a disturbing universe,” quips the baritone baby–until he ventures on an almost ideal universe: “Hmm, fabulous house, well-behaved kids, sisters-in-law dead, luxury sedan…woo hoo! I hit the jackpot.” Until he asks for a donut this is Homer’s paradise. Marge is confused by Homer, “What’s a donut?” Homer’s exasperation drives him quickly back to the basement. All of a sudden, after Homer’s left, donuts fall from the sky, or as it’s commonly known in this dimension: “It’s raining again.” Poor Homer.

Giving up, Homer just destroys everything until he hits a remotely close to home rendition of his family, complete with their new serpentine eating habits. “Close enough” he says. But by this point, what are the chances he’ll actually return to his original universe? Scientists may argue it, but that’s not really the point.

The point in the end is the senselessness and unforgiving nature of the universe. Homer just has to deal with the fact that he alone is responsible for ripping the Universe a new space-hole, and by the end of it, “Good enough” works.

Tomorrow: The Homega Man

You can see the previous posts here: Send in the Clones, Citizen Kang, Bart Simpsons’ Dracula