Life is unfair. You have millions of people starving in huge sweeping famine/warzones and then there are lazy people who have it all. Frank Grimes is so amazing at representation that frustration. Sometimes I forget how lucky I am to have it all. I have had to work (unlike Homer Simpson) however I've never had to break my back for my livelihood. Though TARRPF you do have a point. Frank Grimes' point of view is perfectly understandable. I doubt I'd be any different in his shoes. However he really goes overboard with his bitterness. He pushes people away and he does not give others a chance to appreciate his hard work. He tries too hard and is consumed by his envy. Yes Frank should be the one living the dream, not Homer. However it would seem like Frank is his own worst enemy here. If I met Frank Grimes, at first I'd be very sympathetic. However his bitterness might get a little grating at times.
@daro2096 he bought it at a foreclosed property auction. For all we know it had millions in leins and back taxes on it (which is why he bought it for a buck and no one tried to outbid him)
Well he bought it at an auction for $1. And Homer only became an astronaut by NASA trying to find the laziest, stupidest American possible so that they could appeal to more Americans and get more funding, and even then Homer cheated by getting Barney drunk. Grimes is just overworked and holds a personal grudge against Homer. Homer was really being misleading about a lot of those “accomplishments,” and Grimes gets the wrong message that Homer just cruises through life, when in actuality if you know the man personally he’s had to fight every day to provide for his loved ones. He may be lazy and ignorant, but he’s certainly not what’s wrong with America.
Hank Azaria said this episode was unique because it was the equivalent of taking a normal person in reality, and making him have to deal with Homer lol.
@@glossyplane542 Jews mock you, your people, culture, religion, customs as you stuff your face and laugh like an idiot. You’re the joke dips**t. Go have another beer, just like Homer would. Do you not get how propaganda works? You think you’re immune?
What's so sad is that Homer had such high respect for Frank, doing everything he could to impress Frank, but sadly all it did was make Frank's resentment for Homer grow stronger. Homer really thought that making a great impression on Frank by demonstrating his "perfect" family would fix matters between the both of them, but all it did was make things worse.
Sounds about right. They can't relate with each other because they're both blind to the other's experiences. Frank is blind to Homer's life of sacrifise, and Homer is blind to frank's lack of optimism.
@@shaunhunterit342 The "do it for her" episode for example. Frank wants to believe homer gets everything on a silver platter, when homer also had to make sacrifises. Homer just made the best of it, unlike Frank.
John Smith: Burn's only has snivelling Smithers for company and homer has Lenny, Carl, Barney, Moe, his family and I'm not sure whether to add Apu to the list (He did go all the way to India with the guy so that MUST count for something)
But Burns isn't happy. He lost his wife because he was too busy working all the time. Homer on the otherhand has a great family and has achived his life long dreams multiple times
I love how Homer just rubbed off all his accomplishments in those pictures like they were no big deal, but then generally impressed that Frank lives above a bowling ally. Truly an example of not realizing what you have for both of them.
This is still one of the best written scenes (let alone episode) in televison because of this. Works so well because no-one here is the bad guy nor is either of them painted as one. Homer while yes is lazy and unaware how fortunate he is sometimes still remains his happy and optimistic life and just wanted to make friends with Frank whilst Frank yes has had a hard life and is angry how others have it more lucky despite not having as good work ethic (which is totally understandable) and makes a very valid point about it but at the same time is still looking at life in a negative light and is still wallowing in comparing himself to a person he's suppose to hate and not care about.
Dude its the same negative energy he is using to change himself for the better. At the end, the pent up negative energy and made him go insane and eventually electrocute himself. Now he is in a better place from the Simpsons World.
Exactly. And it is not just US as written in title, this is just common thing in world, sometimes there are simply people who work so hard to get places, while then there are others who fly through life easily and get stuff without any effort, nobody can be directly blamed for it, life is full of variety and just because someone has completely different life, that is no reason to be looked upon differently ^_^ In fact the usual mentality goes " The harder you work the better your life will be " and let me tell you, that saying is nothing but lies, it is only a weak sentence that demoralize people into thinking it is okay to wake up at 4 AM and get back at 8 PM just to get some cash next month to pay for taxes or place you live in. As much as people call that " Life " they lack that " Drive " cause every day its the same shit over and over again and one day they realize - wow... 20 years gone and what did i achieve? Nothing... Some individuals may have dreams or think they want to do something and they work hard for it, but it does not guarantee it to go good for them just because " They want it " it just needs to be specifically a thing for them written in the path of life. Its like someone who cannot sing, but WANTS to sing and become famous, so they try and try and try... and they fail... while then comes a random person with no confidence, sings and feels shy and not sure and their voice is amazing and actually have talent which makes everyone go " OK WOW " so really, world is full of variety, but people should always follow their real dreams, that is a fact, if they really know its for them and feel fulfilled, its worth the while. And Homer is amazing example in many cases where - if you get a chance or opportunity to do something, then just DO IT... as long as you obviously feel happy about it and it will be a good thing. Love old Simpsons for these inspirational life moments : )
Frank is wrong. Other Countries have unions that protect workers. A McDonald worker in Norway makes 20 Dollars an hour plus 60 Days of PTO. Some countries have Universal Healthcare. University is Free. In Germany they have 30 Hour work weeks and get the same salary. Better Public Transportation so if gas prices go up you can just take a bus train or walk.
The joke that there would be two bowling alleys in the same building and that a landlord would be as cheap and cruel to rent out an apartment sandwiched between them is incredible.
Watching this on my phone in my single room above a bar between a major intersection and a train station, struggling to pay the debts that allowed me to come even this far. RIP Grimes
6 лет назад+4
"Watching this on my phone".....and still bitching and moaning about all the things you DONT have and how bad your life is. Poor you.
This implication that Homer is lucky and drifts through life is completely unfounded, he basically raised himself with an alcoholic father after his mother left, he worked hard in order to put Marge through university off his own back and works a job he hates in order to provide for his family, having given up his dream job to do so. The difference between Homer and Frank isn't talent or work, its perspective. Homer is open to life, people and is all around a fairly decent guy who tries to be nice to people (including Frank). Frank on the other hand is destructive, bitter and above that is just rude. You'll never get far in life with Frank's attitude.
well i mean its not like he actually knows how to do his job, he gets lucky with it. homer could sleep through an entire shift and itd be fine and he would get a full days pay.
The thing is Home doesn't do his job, gets rewarded anyway. And on top of everything else he's the SAFETY INSPECTOR. One of the most important jobs. This was Franks's biggest gripe.
Well Homer does have a similar attitude towards Ned Flanders, just he does have a limit or a point he realises the obsession isn't worth it (even if he will still take insanely petty levels just to have anything Flanders doesn't).
@@HomoFullyErectus good points. I identify with Grime's character which is why I have such a visceral reaction to someone defending Homer. Having said that, I'm still staunchly a democratic socialist and believe our economic system is fundamentally unfair.
Sort of. Homer acts pretty annoying and out of character in this episode. Plus Burns is uncharacteristically nice to Homer, which doesn’t follow previous episodes. Solid episode though.
The problem with homers attitude to life is because he’s not had to struggle for anything and doesn’t deserve any of it, I despised Grimes as a kid watching that episode for the first time, but the older I get and the harder I’ve had to work to make a living, the more I resonate with Frank Grimes, just a shame that Grimes failed to not be the better person and move on but instead trying to act out his anger and jealousy on Homer which backfired causing him to lose the plot.
I'd like to take a moment to point out how Homer is amazed Frank lived in a single room on top of a bowling alley and bellow another bowling alley Like it's the greatest place in the world
The fact Homer is genuinely admiring him about him living above a bowling alley because we know his humble dream in another episode was to work in a bowling alley for less money.
Kinda shows the problem with grimes, he never wanted to know homer. Homer gave up his dream job to help his family, his mother left him when he was just a kid, his dad was abusive at times, the only reason he met gerald ford was because he fought bush, he was tested for space program, he help his friend with his alcohol addiction. There more to homer then just a idiot, but he only wanted to see that side of him instead of asking about his life.
To be fair, Homer really earned that Grammy Award and risked his life while on tour with the Smashing Pumpkins. EDIT: The point of the comment was while Homer got "lucky" with all his accomplishments, these were the rare times he actually put effort into what he did.
@@whathell6t it’s relevant because it’s homer’s “stupidity” that gets into situations. But he gets out of em and they eventually become memories and some would say accomplishments that homer has done with his life. Because unlike Frank, Homer’s open to new things.
Tbh I think we can all relate to frank grimes since we all know that one person who doesnt put in the work but yet somehow gets the outcome they wanted
Imagine if they did this episode nowadays. Now Homer has awards for both the Be-Sharps and Sadgasm, he won a medal for curling at the Winter Olympics, is recognized as one the most fair soccer referees in the world, became a pie superhero, won a Pullitzer price, was a therapist for athletes, was a succesful bounty hunter, gave a great portrayal of Jesus, played the popular superhero Everyman, boxed against Drederick Tatum, saved Springfield from the dome (he caused it, tho), designed a car, stole the power plant from Mr. Burns, replaced Smithers, was a recognized food critic, was a great opera singer, choreographed the Super Bowl Half Time Show, co-wrote a fantasy book, replaced one of the guys of Cheech and Chong, has a perfect bowling score, got a talk show, composed "Everybody Hates Ned Flanders", created a tomato-tobacco hybrid, was Lurleen Lumpking manager, gave voice to Poochie in Springfield most famous cartoon, worked as Mayor Quimby bodyguard, helped produce a Tom Cruise(i think) movie
The way I see it society was punishing Frank Grimes for being normal. Nobody on The Simpsons ever became successful by acting normal. Even the guest stars tend to be pretty eccentric.
A lot of people missing the reason for Frank Grimes rage. He's not mad at Homer's success itself, he's mad that it's completely UNEARNED. Homer literally does nothing at work, sometimes he actively causes problems. Homer is utterly inept and unqualified for his position; he works neither hard nor smart. Yet, he is rewarded as if he earned it. If Homer was smart or if he worked hard, I don't think Frank Grimes would be mad at his success at all.
yeah, but he's focusing his anger on Homer. which is the problem. Homer's not the cause, he's a symptom, Burns and his sheer lack of oversight and knowledge of his employees is the problem.
You and myself when I first watched it, missed the entire point of this episode. I used to hate this episode until I revisited it again. Optimism VS pessimism
I think that explains everything. Frank cares about Homer, not about the perception of Homer. Only perception cares about credit, accolades and awards. Even so, Frank is looking at this one-dimensionally. Understandable, cartoon caricatures are about simplifying and exaggerating.
weird SAL he is jealous. I dont think he would be necessarily outraged is he too has what homer has, but instead he only has 2 jobs and living under a bowling alley
To be fair Homer had pure intentions to befriend Grimey and even invited him into his home but Frank saw it differently and just envied Homer living a good life.
Homer didn't do himself any favours be taking Frank's lunch, chewing his pens & calling him Grimey when specifically asked not to do so. Nor did his comes to Frank's aide following the acid incident
Frank hasn't gotten ahead because he rubs people the wrong way. He's generally got an unpleasant personality and takes life too seriously. This is an unfortunate product of how his life unfolded. It's a vicious circle where bad things happen and make you bitter, and then the bitterness ensures that more bad things will happen. Homer on the other hand is easy going and gets along well with most people. He is well liked at work, has friends and really doesn't worry too much about life. Consequently he can slide through life and get pretty far despite the fact that he isn't very intelligent or industrious. His wife, his job, and his friendships are all a result of his easy going personality. Unfortunately I've been too much like Frank in my life and not enough like Homer, something I am trying very hard to change about myself.
Completely agree with you, Frank Grimes is a walking self-fulfilling prophecy. That's why I love this episode, it shows the effect your attitude has on your life
@@jojobaggins9224 ...look, I acknowledge it doesn't help your chances, and I even upvoted OP's comment, it's an attitude to have while things aren't directly in our control. But that's not to say we don't need Frank or his perspective, attitude will help some people get into things a little cruiser, but for some people no amount of attitude control will change how a racist treats a black person, how a sexist treats someone of the opposite sex. It does detract from the fact that hard working people should be rewarded for their dedication, when we rely on upper management to do the promoting for people they barely interact with. So someone who was friendly and slacking off chatting with the boss will get a promotion over you who worked overtime. That isn't right. I'm not saying punish people for wanting to take it easy, I'm saying our society and economy could work toward being more fair.
That man just walked into Homer’s house and blatantly disrespected him in front of his family. It’s that kind of behavior that keeps Grimey from succeeding. You catch more flies with honey than you do vinegar.
100%. Grimes' attitude is what held him back, he's just plain rude to Homer here and if that's how he treats someone who's invited them into their own home then it doesn't bode well for him
Didn't Homer do the same to Flanders on multiple occasions? And largely for the same reason, being convinced Flanders is rubbing his success in his face.
1:12 Grimey is basically everyone born after the simpsons first ran. Like how could a single-income working class family afford a 2-story, 4-bedroom house with double garage, huge basement and loft and front and back yards in 2023..
This is the most profound episode of The Simpsons. A life of struggling left Grimes embittered to the one person that ever genuinely wanted to show him kindness. All that work and perseverance and Grimes still managed to miss out on the one thing we all truly want in life. It's one of the tragedies of the human condition. So yes, this is a "good" Simpsons episode.
It doesn't help that he deliberately with malice tried to humiliate Homer. Also if he didn't like working at the plant, he could have just leave. He's been in and out of jobs his entire life so one more wouldn't make a difference. Not to mention he only got the job because of Mr. Burns whims.
@@srichael2713 Homer got him demoted at work. Switching jobs is bad because it makes you look unemployable to them and they won't hire you. Why hire someone who never commits? That's why they ask personal questions like "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?"
@@srichael2713 You are missing the point of this scene: At the very beginning Frank was befriending Homer and even helping him with his work, despite of this Homer was such an idiotic mass of protoplasm that he ended up stealing Grimes properties (even his lunch), messed up his office, interrupted him while he was hard working and the cherry on top (wich made Frank really hate Homer) was when Frank saved Homer's life and as a "thank you" Homer gets him in trouble with the Boss who immediately warns him that he is at the verge of been fired. Is right after this ordeal (all in Homers fault) that Frank starts to really see how idiotic, irresponsible and a true danger he is as a Security Supervisor for the Nuclear Plant. Therefore this scene represents Frank's realization that despite all his faults and complete incompetence, Homer by sheer luck has everything in life and enjoyed some of the greatest oportunities while others, like him, had to work harder than anyone else just to pay the bills. Is just when Homer completly fails to realize how much he had in life for been a sub-par worker that Frank exploded and litteraly EXPLAINS to him what having a good house actualy means. The path of destruction for Frank comes right at the very end when everyone is oblivious on how much of a Danger homer is, wich as we know gets him killed. But the point is: Homer was still working on the power plant because the boss didn't give a shit about security, wich was Franks main point "in any other country you would have starved to death", wich indeed is what actualy would have happened when the plant got owned by the Germans and the only person they fired due to complete incompetence was Homer. His ass got saved ONLY becasue the guy who didn't give a shit about security regained the plant. Plus in that episode when he is fired, instead of recognizing that was all his own fault for been incompetent in the work, he redirected the anger towards his ex boss, you know, the man who gave him everything in life and forgave his stupidity and close calls to destruction to his multi millionare business.
This reminds me of what a coworker told me. Don't work hard. Work smart. Hard work can only take you so far but you have to think outside the box, be creative, and learn to take risks and find opportunities. I'm not implying that homer describes any of these characteristics. This is just to say what Grimes is missing and his own hate has shielded him from seeing the truth so he was his own worst enemy.
Here's a simple one. Homer is married while Grimes is single. I've met guys who are really fat who manage to get women while those who take care of themselves struggle getting a date. Looks may give the advantage but it's not always everything. Who wants to be with a guy who is always angry? Wouldn't it be more exciting to date someone who is more outgoing, always positive, and knows how to relax and have fun? I can understand the frustration from always working so hard and not getting anywhere. Truth is life is unfair and will always be. But instead of worrying about others, you gotta worry about yourself. Build yourself to become a better person. Create your own values.
H Ruiz lol to be fair homer wasn’t fat when he met marge lol so the classic fat guy lucky with girls example doesn’t really apply here They met through the classic high school sweetheart method where in which people probably looked better back then. Shiiit homer was a gymnast in high school in one episode 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
This is what I was thinking as well. Grimes had it rough as a kid, no way to get past that but by the time he was an adult he had the means to get the things homer had (family, adventure, better place to live). There’s no reason a guy like grimes should be working two jobs when he only has to support himself. Simply put he got used to becoming a workaholic and he wastes his time in dead end ventures instead of getting things he really wants.
@@MisterH1992 Yeah, study hard and work hard is not what guarantees you a good life. Also those who are born into poverty, abusive parents or have genetical diseases can ask what they did wrong that they have such hard time. Also there's an oxymoron - a fat person that appears "happy go lucky" on first glance is often hungry and they often have numerous in-between snacks while hating themselves for it. Frank Grimes's character was created because many viewees and the show staff wanted a real life character to appear on Simpsons. Because Homer was so lazy and incompetent yet managed to own a house and support his family, that even as a fictitious person he was unrealistic. From those older Simpsons episodes this one is interesting.
We can all understand Grimes bitterness to a certain extent, but he allows it to consume him. His failure becomes self-fulfilling after awhile. Hard work is absolutely admirable, but you have to get along with people in this world as well. Grimes never grasped the second part of that.
It's also key to know that hard work alone isn't the key to success. Grimes should have pursued opportunities elsewhere rather than wasting time in the dead-end job that Burns gave him.
@@christianjohnson5379 you need luck, but also more importantly just knowing when to cut yourself and the world a break and learn to try new things and have some fun Knew folks who worked themselves to the bone and did nothing but succeed in their lives. All that success leaves you hollow when you never really bothered to learn how to grow or explore other facets of life outside “the main goal” Embrace detours!
Bitterness and resentment will make you enter a dark room, and you struggle to find the switch to turn the light on, not because you cant look around but because you don't bother trying, Frank was fed up with trying he worked because he needed the money, Homer reached out to him and Frank rejected him, because Frank's bitterness and resentment clouded his mind, he struggled to see the possibilitie's he had no friend's, and spent most of his money on hooker's poor man, it's a shame that he died he would've made Simpsons, more watchable this is the darkest Simpsons episode ever.
Life is a gamble. You can work hard (like Grimes), play by the rules, take no risks in life and guarantee yourself the bare minimum. OR You can be lazy (like Homer), take risks, ignore the rules and end up with nothing or everything.
anicetune homer worked hard to get where he is now because he picked himself up when he got children and became responsible, saying that he is lazy is bullshit.
You can tell simply by the sheer amount of discussion every clip from this episode generates that it is easily one of the greatest Simpsons episodes of all time.
This is actually a pretty good representation of how jaded people can get when they realize hard work doesn't mean success. It sucks. And by all accounts they have every right to be angry.
Agreed. A lot of people are slating Grimes in the comments for being rude and/or bitter, but don't appreciate how he is unfairly trodden on by life in general just for trying to get by. They're probably coasters like Homer who don't see how lucky they are. The more optimistic ending for Grimes would've been for him to be more Zen about the whole situation and just realise he can't have any effect on his own Fate, so should just go with the flow and not worry about it so much. The end was more than a little bleak.
@@snnnaaaaaakeeeee4470 Was it a recent episode, as in, from the last ten years? If so it probably sucks. As for your second comment, you're wrong. You're welcome.
@@snnnaaaaaakeeeee4470 Not exactly Golden Era Simpsons then. Sounds more like a pathetic attempt by conservative writers to retrofit the characters to extol their blander, less socially conscious attitudes.
In Homer's defence, his father did sell his own house so Homer could start a family and gave him the money to do so. Same thing with me and my brother. He basically got assistance from my dad to get a lone and some finance to build a three story home, while I still live in a crummy one bedroom the size of a queen size bed (My bad is a single) in a 5 room share house as I left the country to try and make it on my own. So I kinda get where Frank is coming from, and I kinda know that some people like Homer and my brother got where they are from other people who helped them.
This was one of my favorite episodes. It would’ve been so easy just to make grimes or homer jerks to make the title work but grimes has some great points and everything homer does in this is inadvertent-grimes hates him just because he despises how it’s possible for someone like homer to exist.
Same. Homer is a destructive idiot and Grimes is JUST enough of a jerk to make his suffering funny, but it's less about straw morality and more about frustration, dealing with an infuriating situation and becoming increasingly self destructive because of it.
It's almost like the writers realized how derailed the show got. In the early seasons, they were just an average dysfunctional family trying to get by, and homer was an well-meaning oaf with flaws, instead of an idiot that gets a pass and an exciting life and meeting famous people because he's the main character of a sitcom with progressively zanier plots.
2:45 how embarrassed and awkward Marge, Lisa and Bart feel, not just because his dinner was an absolute disaster, but because they also partially agree with what Grimes said about him. LOL.
Frank Grimes reminds me more of my younger self. Thinking hard work and education will help me score big in life. At the same time I was bitter at everyone who had more than me but didn't (in my eyes) seem to earn it. As I got older I became more like Homer. Coast through life, living for myself and not worrying about what others think of me. You know what? My life is way less stressful and my outlook is less bitter.
Mr Burns is to blame for this whole affair, not Homer. His senile decisions to make a dog vice-president which Grimes for was occasional assigned and then letting Homer win a contest for children all hammered nails on Grimes's coffin.
careNsympathy in russia, and others communist country, they tried to replace those psychopat with those honest worker. It turn so great that they had to close the border to prévent people from moving there. The store had so much success that you had to wait in line an entire day for a Loaf of breed. A car was to be deliver in only ten year from the day you ask for one.Talk about a great idéa !
The thing about this episode is that it foreshadowed how the constant factory resets of The Simpsons at the end of each episode, plus the continuity update of subsequent seasons made the Simpsons family become more and more out of touch with the reality of american society. They went from being a declining blue collar family with Homer working at a dead-end job to support his family, to absurdly privileged upper middle class people living at large for no goddamn reason. If the Simpsons household of early seasons could seem relatable to ordinary people worrying about the changes of the last decades of the XX century, the current Simpsons household and the show at large are a middle finger to those same people. Had they wanted to keep them on the same level, the Simpsons dwelling should've been downgraded to a mobile home, Homer's job changed to a menial service job and Montgomery Burns' fortune multiplied by 10. In fact, why not make him governor? They played with that in one episode. Just do it, make him governor and satirize the absurd corruption of US business and politics. You could've made him run for president, made him your parody of Donald Trump instead of just making a cartoon Trump that's as tame and shallow as it was unfunny.
Homer's Enemy with Frank Grimes was such an excellent and great Season 8 episode of The Simpsons. I really love both Homer's Enemy and Lisa's Rival as one of my all time favorite Simpsons episodes, the scene where Frank Grimes comes to Homer Simpson's house was brilliant, and Frank Grimes would also have a field day with Randy Marsh from South Park.
Considering Grimes is ranting about his crappy childhood and life in general, Homer could've mentioned his own childhood. His mother went on the run, and his father didn't really take care of him. And yet he's not mad about it. He was able to make something of his life.
There's something poetic about living this kind of hard life, having 2 jobs, getting home late at night, walking through the streets seeing the moon rise.
After watching this episode, I think Frank Grimes is my number one favorite character in the Simpsons. He's basically the voice of reason, and he's the first person to actually call out Homer for his past deeds (the second being Ned Flanders).
Yeah, would've been cool if they'd made him a semi-regular character rather than unfairly killing him off. He could've added a touch more gritty reality to the show and made it a bit more grounded like Hate comix rather than going in the direction that it did.
I dunno, he's pretty judgemental, quick to draw a conclusion about another person and then doesn't reevaluate his opinion at any point even when presented with more and more conflicting information. He calls Homer out, alright, but when, in reaction to that, Homer actually tries to step up his game, he ridicules him for that. Or take this scene, where he wonders "how can you afford this house?" and then is, in quick succession, presented with the fact that Homer had a former President as drinking buddy, was on tour with a succesful rock band, used to be an astronaut and won a grammy. Also his son has a factory. At no point Grimes goes "oh, maybe there's more to this man than I initially thought", at no point does he think "oh, he's a succesful artist, that must be how he finances his home" or "his son is an industrialist, maybe his business is just quite succesful". No, he instead just gets angrier. He had a sad and unfair life and projects his resentment over that fact unto Homer, which is neither healthy nor fair. Grimes wants Homer to fail, because then that means there's some kind of justice to whether you succeed in life, instead of him just being very unlucky.
Completely disagree. Frank was nothing but a vicious, depressive, pessimistic cunt. He implies homer has done nothin in life to deserve what he has, even though he doesn't know mext to nothing about his upbringing.
2:21 - Actually if you want to get philosophical, Homer is successful because he's always been part of a community with friends and loved ones who look out for him whereas Frank is unsuccessful because he's an atomized individual who almost valorizes his isolation and struggle.
Frank Grimes saying that Homer's place is a palace? That's nothing Frank should see where Ned Flanders lives and his house makes Homer Green with envy.
No dude if you pay attention Marge asked if Homer was sure he (Grimey) wasn't bringing anyone else since they only had 5 lobsters to cover Homer, Marge, Bart and Lisa and Grimey.
WTF? what are you talking about dude? Real nice to see how you extrapolated so many things out of a single comment meant as a joke, I'm a selfrighteous, ignorant, american, except you got it all wrong, I'm neither ignorant nor selfrighteous and not even a U.S. citizen nor I live in the U.S. Check your prejudices before using the internet...
Homer's Enemy along with Lisa's Rival and The Springfield Files are my absolute favorite Simpsons episodes and I really love the first nine seasons of The Simpsons so much. Homer's Enemy with Frank Grimes is my all time favorite Season 8 episode of The Simpsons. The scene where Frank Grimes comes to visit Homer Simpson at his house was great, Frank Grimes had a stellar character arc in Homer's Enemy, and Frank Grimes will also be a brilliant match for Drew Pickles and Charlotte Pickles from Rugrats.
I was a kid when this episode came out, but now I see it through the lens of a 30-something. Yes Grimes is a rigid and bitter man but worse still, he is a hard worker. *Not a hard worker for himself, but for OTHERS.* That's the tragedy here. You'd think he'd be more self-aware.
Does anyone remember the end? At his funeral homer fall asleep and asks to turn the channel. Homer knew how lucky he was and totally set this dinner to mock and berate Frank
He was super nervous about making a bad impression because he wanted to be friends with Frank. What he misunderstood was that presenting them as the perfect family etc didn't warm Frank to him. Making a good impression would have probably worked more with someone in a more equal position.
Had Homer actually just invited him to dinner instead of lying about a work issue, this episode might've had a happy ending. Sure, Frank couldn't attend because he was late for work, but at the very least, he wouldn't have felt so isolated with an act of friendship and kindness.
"Bad guy" no. But a guy who directed his anger at the wrong thing. Homer doesn't decide how the system works. If you had Homer's luck you would absolutely take it.
@@snnnaaaaaakeeeee4470What ever happened to humility? Self-awareness? If I had Homer's luck, I hope I would be responsible enough to say "Hey, I'm really bad at this whole nuclear safety thing, I'm going to resign before somebody gets seriously hurt." Homer is just as responsible for his position as anyone else.
well that he would get and be all well yea your the ceo of 10 companys he likely gets that its seeing someone he thinks of as a dumb lazy nobody haveing this that amazes and pisses him off
Hey! Don't talk poorly about our heroes, heroes of the globalized world! They worked hard to be able to be born in the right family living off of their parents' work!
To be fair, the average American house is absolutely enormous. Over here in the UK we build houses with a similar number of rooms but less than half the floorspace. And not because of overcrowding, just for cost and convenience.
You missed the point, he was not surprised by the home itself but the fact that a lazy person like Homer can own a home like that. No one is surprised by a billionaires mansion because that is to be expected.
Imagine finding out your life sucks and that's because your a one off cartoon character. No wonder he had a mental breakdown at the end of the episode!
Honestly, I think my favourite part is Homer being genuinely impressed that Grimey lives sandwiched between two bowling alleys.
I guess that demonstrates his Happy go Lucky perspective Frank is so jealous of.
@@SRPC21 its also a call back to homers dream of retiring from his job and working at a Bowling Alley. He only went back because Maggie was born.
Remember ,he gifted Marge a Bowling Ball for her Birthday said Homer on it .
He doesn’t like being called Grimey.
Yes, well, that was intentional.
The sad thing is that Frank Grimes turned away the only person who tried to treat him like a friend.
TARRPF thats how destructive people are
TARRPF Oh wow....I never thought of that.
well he had that briefcase... and that haircut.
Life is unfair. You have millions of people starving in huge sweeping famine/warzones and then there are lazy people who have it all.
Frank Grimes is so amazing at representation that frustration. Sometimes I forget how lucky I am to have it all. I have had to work (unlike Homer Simpson) however I've never had to break my back for my livelihood.
Though TARRPF you do have a point. Frank Grimes' point of view is perfectly understandable. I doubt I'd be any different in his shoes. However he really goes overboard with his bitterness. He pushes people away and he does not give others a chance to appreciate his hard work.
He tries too hard and is consumed by his envy. Yes Frank should be the one living the dream, not Homer. However it would seem like Frank is his own worst enemy here.
If I met Frank Grimes, at first I'd be very sympathetic. However his bitterness might get a little grating at times.
So very true.
Little did the Simpson family know that Bart's factory would be gone the next morning, due to Milhouse's poor nightwatchmanship.
But he was watching!! " First it started falling over, then it fell over..."
Wonder where the rats are going now?
*across the street at moe's bar* Alright guys tuck your socks into your pants.
@daro2096 he bought it at a foreclosed property auction. For all we know it had millions in leins and back taxes on it (which is why he bought it for a buck and no one tried to outbid him)
Well he bought it at an auction for $1. And Homer only became an astronaut by NASA trying to find the laziest, stupidest American possible so that they could appeal to more Americans and get more funding, and even then Homer cheated by getting Barney drunk.
Grimes is just overworked and holds a personal grudge against Homer. Homer was really being misleading about a lot of those “accomplishments,” and Grimes gets the wrong message that Homer just cruises through life, when in actuality if you know the man personally he’s had to fight every day to provide for his loved ones. He may be lazy and ignorant, but he’s certainly not what’s wrong with America.
I love that they acknowledged all the crazy things he did in previous episodes.
Hank Azaria said this episode was unique because it was the equivalent of taking a normal person in reality, and making him have to deal with Homer lol.
Lies again? Disgrace America
Oh well mine was is my mom right that jobs are supposed to hire retarded people now n they get paid fairly n not unfairly ? hmm
They didn't mention however that he beat up former president Bush or fought in a major boxing match or voicing an character on an major cartoon show.
I love that Homer has a vanity wall.
Grimey coming back to say "Nice meeting you" to the rest of the family is the cherry on top of this scene.
could be worse Homer could have Russian intelligence🤣🤣🤣
@@xshxr he's dead jim so his gripe is dead to
What a classy Jew, sticking it to the undeserving gentiles. This entire show is propaganda. A grand overarching joke, and you’re the punchline.
@@-Swamp_Donkey-bait used to be believable
@@glossyplane542 Jews mock you, your people, culture, religion, customs as you stuff your face and laugh like an idiot. You’re the joke dips**t. Go have another beer, just like Homer would. Do you not get how propaganda works? You think you’re immune?
I love how homer wasnt trying to gloat, but impress frank, because he has a high regard for him, and it backfired on him
Haha.. Late here but gotta say it was a borderline gloating 😅
Frank Grimes is basically just a normal guy that happens to live in the Simpsons Universe.
Socialist Spinosaurus? What's next Capitalist Triceratops?
*Just this episode's whole point!*
@@stegotyranno4206 or fascist therizinosaurus?
@Gus Fring I see spinosaurus more as a theocrat tho. Tyrannosaurus monarchist. Torvosaurus facist
@@gusfring6887I know about your lab
What's so sad is that Homer had such high respect for Frank, doing everything he could to impress Frank, but sadly all it did was make Frank's resentment for Homer grow stronger. Homer really thought that making a great impression on Frank by demonstrating his "perfect" family would fix matters between the both of them, but all it did was make things worse.
Sounds about right. They can't relate with each other because they're both blind to the other's experiences.
Frank is blind to Homer's life of sacrifise,
and Homer is blind to frank's lack of optimism.
@@apieceoftoast768 Homer's life of sacrifice?
@@shaunhunterit342 The "do it for her" episode for example. Frank wants to believe homer gets everything on a silver platter, when homer also had to make sacrifises. Homer just made the best of it, unlike Frank.
"Had so much respect for frank" lol Homer literally told everyone to change the channel at franks funeral 😂
@@apieceoftoast768 exactly.
I just realized Homer is like super successful and has already had a very fulfilling life.
Ramblin' Bob: He's not SUPER successful, I mean look at Burns' mansion compound compared to Homer's suburban home.
John Smith: True that man.
John Smith: Burn's only has snivelling
Smithers for company and homer has Lenny, Carl, Barney, Moe, his family and I'm not sure whether to add Apu to the list (He did go all the way to India with the guy so that MUST count for something)
Burns also has the hounds
But Burns isn't happy. He lost his wife because he was too busy working all the time. Homer on the otherhand has a great family and has achived his life long dreams multiple times
"You...went into outer space? YOU?!"
"Suuuuurre! You've never BEEN?" HA HAHA
Ba ha ha!
And Homer gets impressed that he lives above a bowling alley.
NO!!! I WOULDN'T!!!
That was such a burn!
I had to work hard everyday of my life. And what i have to show for it? This briefcase and this haircut.
I grew up laughing thinking that I'll be Homer Simpson but only realized that I'm actually Frank Grimes as I grow older.
100%.
Because Frank Grimes is *actually* meant to portray an actual human being whilst Homer Simpson is just a cartoon character.
Good for you.
SUDGE
@@SuperTed19021 who happens to be relatable but so lucky and loyal.
I love how Homer just rubbed off all his accomplishments in those pictures like they were no big deal, but then generally impressed that Frank lives above a bowling ally.
Truly an example of not realizing what you have for both of them.
"You've been to SPACE?!?"
"Yeah, you've never been?"
He didn't just live above a bowling ally, he also lives below another one!
+Brian O'Conner
I wonder if grimes lived next to the bowling alley homer was working in when he wasnt expecting Maggie? 😲
Derek G Did you notice when he received his degree he was standing outside of his house?
Very true.
This is still one of the best written scenes (let alone episode) in televison because of this. Works so well because no-one here is the bad guy nor is either of them painted as one. Homer while yes is lazy and unaware how fortunate he is sometimes still remains his happy and optimistic life and just wanted to make friends with Frank whilst Frank yes has had a hard life and is angry how others have it more lucky despite not having as good work ethic (which is totally understandable) and makes a very valid point about it but at the same time is still looking at life in a negative light and is still wallowing in comparing himself to a person he's suppose to hate and not care about.
according to the comments grimes is the bad guy
is it really wrong to wallow when life's treating you like shit? it's unproductive, but it's not a moral failure in the slightest
Dude its the same negative energy he is using to change himself for the better. At the end, the pent up negative energy and made him go insane and eventually electrocute himself. Now he is in a better place from the Simpsons World.
Simp heaven
Exactly. And it is not just US as written in title, this is just common thing in world, sometimes there are simply people who work so hard to get places, while then there are others who fly through life easily and get stuff without any effort, nobody can be directly blamed for it, life is full of variety and just because someone has completely different life, that is no reason to be looked upon differently ^_^
In fact the usual mentality goes " The harder you work the better your life will be " and let me tell you, that saying is nothing but lies, it is only a weak sentence that demoralize people into thinking it is okay to wake up at 4 AM and get back at 8 PM just to get some cash next month to pay for taxes or place you live in. As much as people call that " Life " they lack that " Drive " cause every day its the same shit over and over again and one day they realize - wow... 20 years gone and what did i achieve? Nothing...
Some individuals may have dreams or think they want to do something and they work hard for it, but it does not guarantee it to go good for them just because " They want it " it just needs to be specifically a thing for them written in the path of life. Its like someone who cannot sing, but WANTS to sing and become famous, so they try and try and try... and they fail... while then comes a random person with no confidence, sings and feels shy and not sure and their voice is amazing and actually have talent which makes everyone go " OK WOW " so really, world is full of variety, but people should always follow their real dreams, that is a fact, if they really know its for them and feel fulfilled, its worth the while.
And Homer is amazing example in many cases where - if you get a chance or opportunity to do something, then just DO IT... as long as you obviously feel happy about it and it will be a good thing.
Love old Simpsons for these inspirational life moments : )
This is probably one of the best Simpsons episodes ever
very realistic too I love how homer how he tried his best to impress frank politely if i was frank i would've appreciate it.
Mickey Deez Probably?it is the best episode out of the...700 episodes made
a lot of people think it’s the worst/beginning of the end.
Frank is wrong. Other Countries have unions that protect workers. A McDonald worker in Norway makes 20 Dollars an hour plus 60 Days of PTO. Some countries have Universal Healthcare. University is Free. In Germany they have 30 Hour work weeks and get the same salary. Better Public Transportation so if gas prices go up you can just take a bus train or walk.
@@undeadblizzard they probably have slim to bill defense budget
I live in a single room above a bowling alley and below another.. bowling alley..
Woow
+betoen lol
Homer sounded generally impressed there as if Frank was the one living the dream.
Considering Homer once worked at a bowling alley and loved it, it actually makes sense.
The single greatest line of The Simpsons and it's not even delivered by a regular character.
The joke that there would be two bowling alleys in the same building and that a landlord would be as cheap and cruel to rent out an apartment sandwiched between them is incredible.
The landlord is Moe
The “see” at 1:02 when Lisa demonstrates her IQ, in Homer’s eyes, by saying “hi” is genius writing. I need to rewatch the Simpsons
Watching this on my phone in my single room above a bar between a major intersection and a train station, struggling to pay the debts that allowed me to come even this far.
RIP Grimes
"Watching this on my phone".....and still bitching and moaning about all the things you DONT have and how bad your life is. Poor you.
@ given that you can get a working smartphone for $40 and bars have free wifi? Check your triggers, they're miscalibrated.
His friends called him Grimey.
"Woow..."
Cool you live above a bar?
This implication that Homer is lucky and drifts through life is completely unfounded, he basically raised himself with an alcoholic father after his mother left, he worked hard in order to put Marge through university off his own back and works a job he hates in order to provide for his family, having given up his dream job to do so. The difference between Homer and Frank isn't talent or work, its perspective. Homer is open to life, people and is all around a fairly decent guy who tries to be nice to people (including Frank). Frank on the other hand is destructive, bitter and above that is just rude. You'll never get far in life with Frank's attitude.
well i mean its not like he actually knows how to do his job, he gets lucky with it. homer could sleep through an entire shift and itd be fine and he would get a full days pay.
Capitalist trite.
The thing is Home doesn't do his job, gets rewarded anyway. And on top of everything else he's the SAFETY INSPECTOR. One of the most important jobs. This was Franks's biggest gripe.
Well Homer does have a similar attitude towards Ned Flanders, just he does have a limit or a point he realises the obsession isn't worth it (even if he will still take insanely petty levels just to have anything Flanders doesn't).
@@HomoFullyErectus good points. I identify with Grime's character which is why I have such a visceral reaction to someone defending Homer. Having said that, I'm still staunchly a democratic socialist and believe our economic system is fundamentally unfair.
Probably the best Simpsons episode ever aired.
Too bad it was so long ago. But yes, they struck a chord with this episode.
Sort of. Homer acts pretty annoying and out of character in this episode. Plus Burns is uncharacteristically nice to Homer, which doesn’t follow previous episodes. Solid episode though.
@@BL-mf3jp well that's the story, it's what if an actual human met Homer Simpson
replace "probably" with "almost certainly" FTFY
Ironic since this episode was panned when it first aired lol
You gotta combine Grimes' determination and work ethic, with Homer's openness to life. That's the best mentality in my opinion.
Whenever I like a RUclips video I keep searching for the underrated comment and here I found it again...
Exactly lol. Living with Frank's attitude, regardless of how true it is, is gonna make your one life on this planet a misery.
just give Frank proper housing 🤷♂
@@DragonZerul hahaha Tru
The problem with homers attitude to life is because he’s not had to struggle for anything and doesn’t deserve any of it, I despised Grimes as a kid watching that episode for the first time, but the older I get and the harder I’ve had to work to make a living, the more I resonate with Frank Grimes, just a shame that Grimes failed to not be the better person and move on but instead trying to act out his anger and jealousy on Homer which backfired causing him to lose the plot.
I'd like to take a moment to point out how Homer is amazed Frank lived in a single room on top of a bowling alley and bellow another bowling alley
Like it's the greatest place in the world
well Homer used to work at a bowling alley
Oh geez, I can only imagine the amount of noise he had to put up with given that fact
@@EdnaK728at least they’re not open 24 hours/day.
That "you never been?" line gets me every freaking time!
The fact Homer is genuinely admiring him about him living above a bowling alley because we know his humble dream in another episode was to work in a bowling alley for less money.
Kinda shows the problem with grimes, he never wanted to know homer. Homer gave up his dream job to help his family, his mother left him when he was just a kid, his dad was abusive at times, the only reason he met gerald ford was because he fought bush, he was tested for space program, he help his friend with his alcohol addiction. There more to homer then just a idiot, but he only wanted to see that side of him instead of asking about his life.
To be fair, Homer really earned that Grammy Award and risked his life while on tour with the Smashing Pumpkins.
EDIT: The point of the comment was while Homer got "lucky" with all his accomplishments, these were the rare times he actually put effort into what he did.
Raphael Quaglio How the hell is that relevant to this thread?
@@whathell6t it’s relevant because it’s homer’s “stupidity” that gets into situations. But he gets out of em and they eventually become memories and some would say accomplishments that homer has done with his life. Because unlike Frank, Homer’s open to new things.
@@SanDhampir "Homer is open to new things"
Homer: ONION?! WITH THE PEAS?! WHAT THE HELL?!
@@whathell6t Ngl you sound kinda like Frank Grimes there to me.
Billy Corgan, Smashing Pumpkins.
Homer Simpson, smiling politely.
Tbh I think we can all relate to frank grimes since we all know that one person who doesnt put in the work but yet somehow gets the outcome they wanted
Just one?
It’s just dumb luck. There are people who put in years of hard work and end up getting overlooked.
Did everyone just forget about the 'Do It For Her' moment where Homer is willing to sacrifice everything to support his family???
I'm homer
Good ol nepotism i ruining america.
Homer sure seems to like Grimes. I'm sure at his funeral Homer will be full of emotion.
Nater K Homer actually fell asleep at Grimes' funeral. Didn't you watch the episode?
+CatMaster90001 I think Nater K was trying to make a joke.
Change the channel Marge!
@@LiamFitch
Homers friends : thats our homer
Everyone laughs while homer sleeps.
Nater K zzzzzzzzzzz Change the channel Marge zzzzzzzzzz🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
The best part about this episode is how Homer isn't trying to do anything to make Frank mad, he's just being himself
Frank is being himself too
@@hi-et1oqsure a selfish asshole
Imagine if they did this episode nowadays.
Now Homer has awards for both the Be-Sharps and Sadgasm, he won a medal for curling at the Winter Olympics, is recognized as one the most fair soccer referees in the world, became a pie superhero, won a Pullitzer price, was a therapist for athletes, was a succesful bounty hunter, gave a great portrayal of Jesus, played the popular superhero Everyman, boxed against Drederick Tatum, saved Springfield from the dome (he caused it, tho), designed a car, stole the power plant from Mr. Burns, replaced Smithers, was a recognized food critic, was a great opera singer, choreographed the Super Bowl Half Time Show, co-wrote a fantasy book, replaced one of the guys of Cheech and Chong, has a perfect bowling score, got a talk show, composed "Everybody Hates Ned Flanders", created a tomato-tobacco hybrid, was Lurleen Lumpking manager, gave voice to Poochie in Springfield most famous cartoon, worked as Mayor Quimby bodyguard, helped produce a Tom Cruise(i think) movie
Holy fuck people would flip the fuck out.
It was a Mel Gibson movie
I haven't seen half these episodes lol.
Frank would probably murder Homer in a blind rage whilst screaming “I DESERVE THAT LIFE NOT YOU ME!!!!”
His son also won an Oscar for a movie starring him lol.
I’ve contended for twenty years that this was the best Simpsons episode of all time.
Oh that's right. Homer
What
didnt expect you here lol
Love your videos!
The way I see it society was punishing Frank Grimes for being normal. Nobody on The Simpsons ever became successful by acting normal. Even the guest stars tend to be pretty eccentric.
_No one is successful being “normal”, look at most part of the celebrities/historical humans from history, they were nothing close to “normal”_
I met a normal person once. They really stood out from the crowd.
*That's* this episode's point. You are not going to survive in such a cartoon world like Springfield, USA unless you act like a cartoon character.
@@SuperTed19021 THANK YOU!👍
A lot of people missing the reason for Frank Grimes rage. He's not mad at Homer's success itself, he's mad that it's completely UNEARNED. Homer literally does nothing at work, sometimes he actively causes problems. Homer is utterly inept and unqualified for his position; he works neither hard nor smart. Yet, he is rewarded as if he earned it.
If Homer was smart or if he worked hard, I don't think Frank Grimes would be mad at his success at all.
yeah, but he's focusing his anger on Homer. which is the problem.
Homer's not the cause, he's a symptom, Burns and his sheer lack of oversight and knowledge of his employees is the problem.
You and myself when I first watched it, missed the entire point of this episode.
I used to hate this episode until I revisited it again.
Optimism VS pessimism
@@YumegakaMurakumo It's easy to see the glass as half full when your cup has been filled for you.
@@davidb5205 the cartoon still takes place in America tho
The sad truth is that life is unfair whether you like it or not.
What’s funny is the Homer’s house is usually portrayed to be dumpy and literally falling apart. I guess it’s all about perspective.
Perspective*
This is single handedly one of the best scenes from The Simpsons ever
it's funny how Frank is jealous of Homer for going into space but homer wasn't credited for his heroism only a rod was the hero.
I don't think it would really matter. Doesn't change the fact that Homer still went into space.
And Frank is not jealous, he's outraged. Plus, imagine how he'd react if Homer told him how he got recruited.
I think that explains everything. Frank cares about Homer, not about the perception of Homer. Only perception cares about credit, accolades and awards. Even so, Frank is looking at this one-dimensionally.
Understandable, cartoon caricatures are about simplifying and exaggerating.
weird SAL he is jealous. I dont think he would be necessarily outraged is he too has what homer has, but instead he only has 2 jobs and living under a bowling alley
Homer : Forrest Gump
Grimes: lieutenant dan
To be fair Homer had pure intentions to befriend Grimey and even invited him into his home but Frank saw it differently and just envied Homer living a good life.
It was to show the line between the haves and have nots and the growing divide of socioeconomic American
1:15 I love the way they show the piano when Frank comes to visit even though it is usually VERY rarely seen! 😂
I love how Homer fucks up Frank's life unintentionally, tries to be his friend, and even tries to be like Frank to earn his trust again.
Homer didn't do himself any favours be taking Frank's lunch, chewing his pens & calling him Grimey when specifically asked not to do so. Nor did his comes to Frank's aide following the acid incident
Earlier in the episode, he did do a lot of ignorant things to Frank Grimes. He already poured fuel on this burning fire.
Frank hasn't gotten ahead because he rubs people the wrong way. He's generally got an unpleasant personality and takes life too seriously. This is an unfortunate product of how his life unfolded. It's a vicious circle where bad things happen and make you bitter, and then the bitterness ensures that more bad things will happen. Homer on the other hand is easy going and gets along well with most people. He is well liked at work, has friends and really doesn't worry too much about life. Consequently he can slide through life and get pretty far despite the fact that he isn't very intelligent or industrious. His wife, his job, and his friendships are all a result of his easy going personality. Unfortunately I've been too much like Frank in my life and not enough like Homer, something I am trying very hard to change about myself.
Completely agree with you, Frank Grimes is a walking self-fulfilling prophecy. That's why I love this episode, it shows the effect your attitude has on your life
I'm sure you'll succeed doing that
@@jojobaggins9224 ...look, I acknowledge it doesn't help your chances, and I even upvoted OP's comment, it's an attitude to have while things aren't directly in our control.
But that's not to say we don't need Frank or his perspective, attitude will help some people get into things a little cruiser, but for some people no amount of attitude control will change how a racist treats a black person, how a sexist treats someone of the opposite sex. It does detract from the fact that hard working people should be rewarded for their dedication, when we rely on upper management to do the promoting for people they barely interact with. So someone who was friendly and slacking off chatting with the boss will get a promotion over you who worked overtime.
That isn't right. I'm not saying punish people for wanting to take it easy, I'm saying our society and economy could work toward being more fair.
The fact that he is a boss in a power plant though means he should be making ALOT more money than some apartment above a bowling alley.
Ashleigh Elizabeth i agree. No matter how competent you are , networking is critical. Who wants to work with someone with a bad personality anyway.
That man just walked into Homer’s house and blatantly disrespected him in front of his family. It’s that kind of behavior that keeps Grimey from succeeding. You catch more flies with honey than you do vinegar.
idiot
100%. Grimes' attitude is what held him back, he's just plain rude to Homer here and if that's how he treats someone who's invited them into their own home then it doesn't bode well for him
You catch even more with manure! What's your point?
Didn't Homer do the same to Flanders on multiple occasions? And largely for the same reason, being convinced Flanders is rubbing his success in his face.
Viktor Navorski The point is whoever controls the flies, controls the world.
What a normal worker feels about a big youtuber.
Darksydephil
It's not just about working hard, it's also about finding opportunities and taking them.
There are no opportunities
You miss the point completely
@@yourmum955 You have the Frank Grimes mindset... 😕
Is it just me or does Frank Grimes reminds me of William "D-Fens" Foster from the Movie, "Falling Down"?
Somewhat
***** I knew...but other people that I know didn't think so.
Some of his mannerisms were also based on William H. Macy's character from Fargo.
At one point Grimes was even going to be voiced by Michael Douglas from the film, but they couldn't make the arrangements in time.
Ah yes the briefcase the clothes the glasses and the haircut...
1:12 Grimey is basically everyone born after the simpsons first ran. Like how could a single-income working class family afford a 2-story, 4-bedroom house with double garage, huge basement and loft and front and back yards in 2023..
I've wasted my life earning an honest living.
TheVahnara but at least you can say you put roof over your head. Food in your belly the occasional treat
Sadly I agree.
When you watched this as a kid, you laughed.
You watch this as an adult, and it's you in the mirror. 😕
Did he ever consider a side hustle? Maybe a project or a book to work on?
This is why gangsters do there own things and make there own rules because life is not fair.
This is probably my favorite episode of The Simpsons by far. I can see both Frank and Homer’s perspectives.
This is the most profound episode of The Simpsons. A life of struggling left Grimes embittered to the one person that ever genuinely wanted to show him kindness. All that work and perseverance and Grimes still managed to miss out on the one thing we all truly want in life. It's one of the tragedies of the human condition. So yes, this is a "good" Simpsons episode.
Like Homer says, never try
It doesn't help that he deliberately with malice tried to humiliate Homer.
Also if he didn't like working at the plant, he could have just leave. He's been in and out of jobs his entire life so one more wouldn't make a difference.
Not to mention he only got the job because of Mr. Burns whims.
@@srichael2713 Homer got him demoted at work.
Switching jobs is bad because it makes you look unemployable to them and they won't hire you. Why hire someone who never commits? That's why they ask personal questions like "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?"
@@srichael2713 You are missing the point of this scene: At the very beginning Frank was befriending Homer and even helping him with his work, despite of this Homer was such an idiotic mass of protoplasm that he ended up stealing Grimes properties (even his lunch), messed up his office, interrupted him while he was hard working and the cherry on top (wich made Frank really hate Homer) was when Frank saved Homer's life and as a "thank you" Homer gets him in trouble with the Boss who immediately warns him that he is at the verge of been fired.
Is right after this ordeal (all in Homers fault) that Frank starts to really see how idiotic, irresponsible and a true danger he is as a Security Supervisor for the Nuclear Plant. Therefore this scene represents Frank's realization that despite all his faults and complete incompetence, Homer by sheer luck has everything in life and enjoyed some of the greatest oportunities while others, like him, had to work harder than anyone else just to pay the bills. Is just when Homer completly fails to realize how much he had in life for been a sub-par worker that Frank exploded and litteraly EXPLAINS to him what having a good house actualy means.
The path of destruction for Frank comes right at the very end when everyone is oblivious on how much of a Danger homer is, wich as we know gets him killed.
But the point is: Homer was still working on the power plant because the boss didn't give a shit about security, wich was Franks main point "in any other country you would have starved to death", wich indeed is what actualy would have happened when the plant got owned by the Germans and the only person they fired due to complete incompetence was Homer. His ass got saved ONLY becasue the guy who didn't give a shit about security regained the plant. Plus in that episode when he is fired, instead of recognizing that was all his own fault for been incompetent in the work, he redirected the anger towards his ex boss, you know, the man who gave him everything in life and forgave his stupidity and close calls to destruction to his multi millionare business.
Whether Homer deserves this luck in life is irrelevant, it’s the problem and insecurities Grimes has with himself that riddles him with jealousy.
I feel like life had already done damage to Grimes as a person and that meeting Homer just made everything worse.
I think we all have a Frank Grimes in us
I think I concur with you on that statement.
The funny thing is that I think that all of us have a Frank Grimes in us...and a Homer Simpson too
And we all have a bit of Homer Simpson as well.
This reminds me of what a coworker told me.
Don't work hard. Work smart. Hard work can only take you so far but you have to think outside the box, be creative, and learn to take risks and find opportunities. I'm not implying that homer describes any of these characteristics. This is just to say what Grimes is missing and his own hate has shielded him from seeing the truth so he was his own worst enemy.
Here's a simple one.
Homer is married while Grimes is single. I've met guys who are really fat who manage to get women while those who take care of themselves struggle getting a date. Looks may give the advantage but it's not always everything. Who wants to be with a guy who is always angry? Wouldn't it be more exciting to date someone who is more outgoing, always positive, and knows how to relax and have fun?
I can understand the frustration from always working so hard and not getting anywhere. Truth is life is unfair and will always be. But instead of worrying about others, you gotta worry about yourself. Build yourself to become a better person. Create your own values.
H Ruiz That's one way of putting it. Work smart , not Hard. I like it, thank you for that.
H Ruiz lol to be fair homer wasn’t fat when he met marge lol so the classic fat guy lucky with girls example doesn’t really apply here
They met through the classic high school sweetheart method where in which people probably looked better back then. Shiiit homer was a gymnast in high school in one episode 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
This is what I was thinking as well. Grimes had it rough as a kid, no way to get past that but by the time he was an adult he had the means to get the things homer had (family, adventure, better place to live).
There’s no reason a guy like grimes should be working two jobs when he only has to support himself. Simply put he got used to becoming a workaholic and he wastes his time in dead end ventures instead of getting things he really wants.
@@MisterH1992 Yeah, study hard and work hard is not what guarantees you a good life. Also those who are born into poverty, abusive parents or have genetical diseases can ask what they did wrong that they have such hard time. Also there's an oxymoron - a fat person that appears "happy go lucky" on first glance is often hungry and they often have numerous in-between snacks while hating themselves for it.
Frank Grimes's character was created because many viewees and the show staff wanted a real life character to appear on Simpsons. Because Homer was so lazy and incompetent yet managed to own a house and support his family, that even as a fictitious person he was unrealistic. From those older Simpsons episodes this one is interesting.
We can all understand Grimes bitterness to a certain extent, but he allows it to consume him. His failure becomes self-fulfilling after awhile. Hard work is absolutely admirable, but you have to get along with people in this world as well. Grimes never grasped the second part of that.
It's also key to know that hard work alone isn't the key to success. Grimes should have pursued opportunities elsewhere rather than wasting time in the dead-end job that Burns gave him.
well said guys
@@christianjohnson5379 you need luck, but also more importantly just knowing when to cut yourself and the world a break and learn to try new things and have some fun
Knew folks who worked themselves to the bone and did nothing but succeed in their lives.
All that success leaves you hollow when you never really bothered to learn how to grow or explore other facets of life outside “the main goal”
Embrace detours!
Bitterness and resentment will make you enter a dark room, and you struggle to find the switch to turn the light on, not because you cant look around but because you don't bother trying, Frank was fed up with trying he worked because he needed the money, Homer reached out to him and Frank rejected him, because Frank's bitterness and resentment clouded his mind, he struggled to see the possibilitie's he had no friend's, and spent most of his money on hooker's poor man, it's a shame that he died he would've made Simpsons, more watchable this is the darkest Simpsons episode ever.
@@theradionicrevival8068 No. Detours are a waste of time. I'm here to do whatever it is I do until I die
Life is a gamble.
You can work hard (like Grimes), play by the rules, take no risks in life and guarantee yourself the bare minimum.
OR
You can be lazy (like Homer), take risks, ignore the rules and end up with nothing or everything.
anicetune I didn't learn that til I was about 24 or so man, wish I knew it earlier.
I used to be Grimes, but college made me Homer
anicetune homer worked hard to get where he is now because he picked himself up when he got children and became responsible, saying that he is lazy is bullshit.
(Touchii) never thought i'd live the day to see someone state that Homer Simpson isn't lazy lol. NANI???
It’s like playing wheel of fortune.
You can tell simply by the sheer amount of discussion every clip from this episode generates that it is easily one of the greatest Simpsons episodes of all time.
This is actually a pretty good representation of how jaded people can get when they realize hard work doesn't mean success.
It sucks. And by all accounts they have every right to be angry.
Agreed. A lot of people are slating Grimes in the comments for being rude and/or bitter, but don't appreciate how he is unfairly trodden on by life in general just for trying to get by. They're probably coasters like Homer who don't see how lucky they are. The more optimistic ending for Grimes would've been for him to be more Zen about the whole situation and just realise he can't have any effect on his own Fate, so should just go with the flow and not worry about it so much. The end was more than a little bleak.
@@snnnaaaaaakeeeee4470 Was it a recent episode, as in, from the last ten years? If so it probably sucks.
As for your second comment, you're wrong. You're welcome.
@@tomread8748 Season 14 it was.
@@snnnaaaaaakeeeee4470 Not exactly Golden Era Simpsons then. Sounds more like a pathetic attempt by conservative writers to retrofit the characters to extol their blander, less socially conscious attitudes.
@@tomread8748 Conservative??? I always thought the writers were Democrat leaning
In Homer's defence, his father did sell his own house so Homer could start a family and gave him the money to do so. Same thing with me and my brother. He basically got assistance from my dad to get a lone and some finance to build a three story home, while I still live in a crummy one bedroom the size of a queen size bed (My bad is a single) in a 5 room share house as I left the country to try and make it on my own. So I kinda get where Frank is coming from, and I kinda know that some people like Homer and my brother got where they are from other people who helped them.
If I can remember, when Homer's old man sold the house, there was an agreement he also lived with the family, & then he got packed off to a home
This was one of my favorite episodes. It would’ve been so easy just to make grimes or homer jerks to make the title work but grimes has some great points and everything homer does in this is inadvertent-grimes hates him just because he despises how it’s possible for someone like homer to exist.
Same. Homer is a destructive idiot and Grimes is JUST enough of a jerk to make his suffering funny, but it's less about straw morality and more about frustration, dealing with an infuriating situation and becoming increasingly self destructive because of it.
It's almost like the writers realized how derailed the show got. In the early seasons, they were just an average dysfunctional family trying to get by, and homer was an well-meaning oaf with flaws, instead of an idiot that gets a pass and an exciting life and meeting famous people because he's the main character of a sitcom with progressively zanier plots.
It just evolved into a cartoon. Originally, Homer was *just* like Grimes, case in point being just like he was towards Ned Flanders.
I don't know, don't ask me how the economy works.
I have no idea how the economy really works🤔🤔
2:45 how embarrassed and awkward Marge, Lisa and Bart feel, not just because his dinner was an absolute disaster, but because they also partially agree with what Grimes said about him. LOL.
I mean, yeah, but also life is absolutely unfair and Grimey is way too old to be realising that imo
The older I get the more I relate to Frank Grimes.
Or 'D-FENS' in Falling Down...
Funny... the older I get, the more I relate to Homer Simpson... 😝
Frank Grimes reminds me more of my younger self. Thinking hard work and education will help me score big in life. At the same time I was bitter at everyone who had more than me but didn't (in my eyes) seem to earn it.
As I got older I became more like Homer. Coast through life, living for myself and not worrying about what others think of me. You know what? My life is way less stressful and my outlook is less bitter.
that "You never been ? " part with him being in space is one of funniest simpsons moments
"My daughter Lisa, IQ 156."
"Hi."
"See?"
Lmao that kills me every time
THAT was the post I was looking for, glad someone else noticed it lol
The story of Frank Grimmers some up "Dont work hard, you will not get ahead".
People like Homer are not what wrong with America. It's people like Mr. Burns.
Mr Burns is to blame for this whole affair, not Homer. His senile decisions to make a dog vice-president which Grimes for was occasional assigned and then letting Homer win a contest for children all hammered nails on Grimes's coffin.
You think psychopaths who are born into extreme wealth and abuse their workers are what "keeps our country going"?
@lightning crashes an old mother dies because it's dumb.
careNsympathy in russia, and others communist country, they tried to replace those psychopat with those honest worker. It turn so great that they had to close the border to prévent people from moving there. The store had so much success that you had to wait in line an entire day for a Loaf of breed. A car was to be deliver in only ten year from the day you ask for one.Talk about a great idéa !
Pretty sure they had one major psychopath running the show back in the old soviet russia...
jokes on grimey, homer now gets 2 lobsters :P
Pinchy
The way Homer says WOW to the bowling alley part, is because it was his dream to work in a bowling alley…
Live above a bowling ally and underneath another bowling ally.
Homer is fascinated XD
1:36 ...and this when I was on tour with Smashing Pumpkins
I Love the 90's alternative rock music, man..I really miss that era :((
I do too, but never much cared for the Pumpkins.
That was the kind of music & band that Homer was on tour with? I would be more impressed if he was with the backstreet boys or something.
I would have been more impressed had he toured with Black Sabbath. But I am old.
The thing about this episode is that it foreshadowed how the constant factory resets of The Simpsons at the end of each episode, plus the continuity update of subsequent seasons made the Simpsons family become more and more out of touch with the reality of american society. They went from being a declining blue collar family with Homer working at a dead-end job to support his family, to absurdly privileged upper middle class people living at large for no goddamn reason. If the Simpsons household of early seasons could seem relatable to ordinary people worrying about the changes of the last decades of the XX century, the current Simpsons household and the show at large are a middle finger to those same people. Had they wanted to keep them on the same level, the Simpsons dwelling should've been downgraded to a mobile home, Homer's job changed to a menial service job and Montgomery Burns' fortune multiplied by 10. In fact, why not make him governor? They played with that in one episode. Just do it, make him governor and satirize the absurd corruption of US business and politics. You could've made him run for president, made him your parody of Donald Trump instead of just making a cartoon Trump that's as tame and shallow as it was unfunny.
You sound a bit like Frank Grimes
In all fairness when Grimes asked him how he could afford all of it, it was a good question that we never got a genuine answer to.
Having Grimes stick his head back around the corner to be polite to Homers family after that monologue is the absolute cherry on the cake
Homer's Enemy with Frank Grimes was such an excellent and great Season 8 episode of The Simpsons. I really love both Homer's Enemy and Lisa's Rival as one of my all time favorite Simpsons episodes, the scene where Frank Grimes comes to Homer Simpson's house was brilliant, and Frank Grimes would also have a field day with Randy Marsh from South Park.
Considering Grimes is ranting about his crappy childhood and life in general, Homer could've mentioned his own childhood. His mother went on the run, and his father didn't really take care of him.
And yet he's not mad about it. He was able to make something of his life.
+Shane Fraley well homer did save Springfield from meltdown before frank Grimes was hired
Which he caused.
And which he only got lucky in pressing the right button by chance of a rhyme.
Yes but, only because he pulled a homer.
Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.
Lucky or not, he still did it.
There's something poetic about living this kind of hard life, having 2 jobs, getting home late at night, walking through the streets seeing the moon rise.
"I live above a bowling alley and below another bowling alley" what a classic!
Homer seemed impressed...
Well, Homer rightfully earned that Grammy.
Yea I was gonna say..... i seriously doubt that earning an award like a Grammy would have been earned by just coasting through 🫠
“Hey, don’t throw your garbage down here!” **tosses**
After watching this episode, I think Frank Grimes is my number one favorite character in the Simpsons. He's basically the voice of reason, and he's the first person to actually call out Homer for his past deeds (the second being Ned Flanders).
Yeah, would've been cool if they'd made him a semi-regular character rather than unfairly killing him off. He could've added a touch more gritty reality to the show and made it a bit more grounded like Hate comix rather than going in the direction that it did.
I dunno, he's pretty judgemental, quick to draw a conclusion about another person and then doesn't reevaluate his opinion at any point even when presented with more and more conflicting information. He calls Homer out, alright, but when, in reaction to that, Homer actually tries to step up his game, he ridicules him for that. Or take this scene, where he wonders "how can you afford this house?" and then is, in quick succession, presented with the fact that Homer had a former President as drinking buddy, was on tour with a succesful rock band, used to be an astronaut and won a grammy. Also his son has a factory. At no point Grimes goes "oh, maybe there's more to this man than I initially thought", at no point does he think "oh, he's a succesful artist, that must be how he finances his home" or "his son is an industrialist, maybe his business is just quite succesful". No, he instead just gets angrier. He had a sad and unfair life and projects his resentment over that fact unto Homer, which is neither healthy nor fair. Grimes wants Homer to fail, because then that means there's some kind of justice to whether you succeed in life, instead of him just being very unlucky.
Completely disagree. Frank was nothing but a vicious, depressive, pessimistic cunt. He implies homer has done nothin in life to deserve what he has, even though he doesn't know mext to nothing about his upbringing.
2:21 - Actually if you want to get philosophical, Homer is successful because he's always been part of a community with friends and loved ones who look out for him whereas Frank is unsuccessful because he's an atomized individual who almost valorizes his isolation and struggle.
Frank Grimes saying that Homer's place is a palace? That's nothing Frank should see where Ned Flanders lives and his house makes Homer Green with envy.
Frank grimes is my single most favorite character.
*If only he had the plot armour to make it in Springfield, USA*
I bet Lisa was angry that Frank never mentioned how high her IQ is. The only Simpson that truly craves admiration.
I feel like frank grimes everyday
You're the guy nobody wants to be around
"I only have 5 lobsters..."
Were... were you giving Maggie a whole ass lobster?
i'm not sure what an ass lobster is but i hope she wasn't getting one.
No dude if you pay attention Marge asked if Homer was sure he (Grimey) wasn't bringing anyone else since they only had 5 lobsters to cover Homer, Marge, Bart and Lisa and Grimey.
@@jesv4026 Doesn't matter. Homer will have eaten it all anyway. Maggie's, Lisa's, Grimey's, Grimey's friend and all.
Frank Grimes is the equivalent of any bitter worker that can see other assholes get so much without doing anything.
Frank Grimes is how the third world sees USA...
WTF? what are you talking about dude? Real nice to see how you extrapolated so many things out of a single comment meant as a joke, I'm a selfrighteous, ignorant, american, except you got it all wrong, I'm neither ignorant nor selfrighteous and not even a U.S. citizen nor I live in the U.S. Check your prejudices before using the internet...
Chris Purolover nonsense, homer worked hard to get where he is now
Joaquín Bustillos Arce as if the US the best country to live in.
Joaquín Bustillos Arce learn how to spell then talk please. Ughh third world countries. America is the best.
He always forgets Maggie's name- ''My wife Marge and our baby..''
I thought Maggie was Homer's favourite.
Homer's Enemy along with Lisa's Rival and The Springfield Files are my absolute favorite Simpsons episodes and I really love the first nine seasons of The Simpsons so much. Homer's Enemy with Frank Grimes is my all time favorite Season 8 episode of The Simpsons. The scene where Frank Grimes comes to visit Homer Simpson at his house was great, Frank Grimes had a stellar character arc in Homer's Enemy, and Frank Grimes will also be a brilliant match for Drew Pickles and Charlotte Pickles from Rugrats.
This episode also has one of the best openings of all time.
"If you would have lived in any other country, you would have starved to death long ago" ahahaha
I was a kid when this episode came out, but now I see it through the lens of a 30-something. Yes Grimes is a rigid and bitter man but worse still, he is a hard worker. *Not a hard worker for himself, but for OTHERS.*
That's the tragedy here. You'd think he'd be more self-aware.
Does anyone remember the end? At his funeral homer fall asleep and asks to turn the channel. Homer knew how lucky he was and totally set this dinner to mock and berate Frank
He was super nervous about making a bad impression because he wanted to be friends with Frank. What he misunderstood was that presenting them as the perfect family etc didn't warm Frank to him. Making a good impression would have probably worked more with someone in a more equal position.
Had Homer actually just invited him to dinner instead of lying about a work issue, this episode might've had a happy ending. Sure, Frank couldn't attend because he was late for work, but at the very least, he wouldn't have felt so isolated with an act of friendship and kindness.
That moment when you realize that Homer Simpson is the greatest American you will ever know.
Growing up I realised Grimes wasn't the bad guy
Neither was Homer.
"Bad guy" no. But a guy who directed his anger at the wrong thing. Homer doesn't decide how the system works. If you had Homer's luck you would absolutely take it.
@@snnnaaaaaakeeeee4470What ever happened to humility? Self-awareness? If I had Homer's luck, I hope I would be responsible enough to say "Hey, I'm really bad at this whole nuclear safety thing, I'm going to resign before somebody gets seriously hurt." Homer is just as responsible for his position as anyone else.
This was a real heavy episode but as Bart said it, “He got ya there, dad”.
If this is who is reacts to a modern american home, I would hate to see his reaction when he walks into a billionaires mansion.
well that he would get and be all well yea your the ceo of 10 companys he likely gets that its seeing someone he thinks of as a dumb lazy nobody haveing this that amazes and pisses him off
Hey! Don't talk poorly about our heroes, heroes of the globalized world! They worked hard to be able to be born in the right family living off of their parents' work!
To be fair, the average American house is absolutely enormous. Over here in the UK we build houses with a similar number of rooms but less than half the floorspace. And not because of overcrowding, just for cost and convenience.
You missed the point, he was not surprised by the home itself but the fact that a lazy person like Homer can own a home like that. No one is surprised by a billionaires mansion because that is to be expected.
That's not the point...
It's Homer Simpson. He's the laziest human being ever.
One of my favourite episodes! I also love the one with the elephant
Stampy!
Frank doesn’t know he’s in a cartoon. It’s like he’s building the fourth wall.
Imagine finding out your life sucks and that's because your a one off cartoon character. No wonder he had a mental breakdown at the end of the episode!