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"Homer's Enemy" is the twenty-third episode of the eighth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It was first broadcast on the Fox network in the United States on May 4, 1997. The episode's plot centers on the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant's hiring a new employee named Frank Grimes. Despite Homer's attempts to befriend him, Grimes is angered and irritated by Homer's laziness and incompetence despite leading a comfortable life. He eventually declares himself Homer's enemy. Meanwhile, Bart buys a run-down factory for a dollar. "Homer's Enemy" was directed by Jim Reardon and the script was written by John Swartzwelder, based on an idea pitched by executive producer Bill Oakley. The episode explores the comic possibilities of a realistic character with a strong work ethic hired for a job where he has to work alongside a man like Homer. He was partially modeled after Michael Douglas as he appeared in the film ''Falling Down''. Hank Azaria provided the voice of Frank Grimes, and based some of the character's mannerisms of actor William H. Macy. Frank Welker guest stars as the voice of the Executive Vice President dog. In its original broadcast on the Fox network, "Homer's Enemy" acquired a 7.7 Nielsen rating. It was viewed in approximately 7.5 million homes, finishing the week ranked 56th. "Homer's Enemy" is considered to be one of the darkest episodes of ''The Simpsons'', and it split critical opinion. It is a favorite of several members of the production staff, including Bill Oakley, Josh Weinstein and Matt Groening, but it is one of the least favorite of Mike Reiss. Although Grimes makes his only appearance in this episode, he was later named one of the "Top 25 ''Simpsons'' Peripheral characters" by IGN. He has since been referenced several times in the show, most notably in the season fourteen episode "The Great Louse Detective", in which his son plots to kill Homer. ==Plot== In a new segment of "Kent's People", Kent Brockman tells the heartwarming story of Frank Grimes, a man who had to struggle for everything he ever got, including a correspondence degree in nuclear physics. After seeing the show, Springfield Nuclear Power Plant owner Mr. Burns is so happy that he asks Smithers to hire Grimes as his Executive Vice President. However, the following day, Burns sees a sentimental story concerning a heroic dog and demands that it instead be appointed Executive Vice President. Consequently, Grimes is shuffled into Sector 7G, where he must work alongside Homer, Lenny, and Carl. Settling into his new job, Grimes is amazed and aghast at Homer's bad manners and general irresponsibility. When Grimes prevents Homer from drinking a beaker of sulfuric acid, dramatically slapping it out of Homer's hands into a wall, a passing Mr. Burns admonishes Grimes for destroying the wall and spilling his acid. Grimes is demoted and later angrily declares to Homer that the two of them are now enemies. Homer attempts to appease Grimes by inviting him to his home for a lobster dinner. Grimes' visit to the Simpson house only fuels his resentment; he is incensed by Homer's ability to live such a comfortable life despite his slothful and ignorant ways. Declaring Homer a "fraud", a bitter Grimes storms away in anger. The following day, Homer, after getting advice from Marge, makes further attempts to earn Grimes' respect by acting as a model employee, but his efforts fail. Grimes rants about Homer to Lenny and Carl, both of whom insist that Homer is an essentially decent person. To prove Homer's lack of intelligence, he tricks Homer into entering a nuclear power plant design contest intended for children, by carefully cutting away all references to them in a promotional poster which he leaves at Homer's control panel. Homer, unaware that the contest is only open to kids, eagerly takes on the challenge to prove his professionalism. At the contest, Mr. Burns awards Homer first prize for his model, which is a basic copy of the Springfield Nuclear Plant with a few modifications, beating Ralph Wiggum, who used a Malibu Stacy dream house, and Martin Prince, whose model was supplying power to the room. The audience's applause and cheers for Homer cause Grimes to finally snap and he runs amok through the plant, mimicking Homer's habits. Then in Homer's office, Grimes sees a machine labeled "Extremely High Voltage", declares that he does not need safety gloves, grabs the high voltage wires and is electrocuted. At Grimes' funeral, Homer falls asleep and in a drowsy state tells Marge to change the TV channel, causing all the attending mourners to laugh as Grimes' casket is lowered into the ground. Meanwhile, Bart becomes bored during a visit to Springfield Town Hall and buys "35 Industry Way" for a dollar during a foreclosure auction. It turns out to be a run-down old factory. He and Milhouse spend their days wrecking the factory until one morning Bart returns to find it has collapsed during the night while Milhouse was on watch duty. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Homer's Enemy」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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