After skipping church one Sunday morning, Homer decides to quit church altogether and spend Sundays worshiping in his own way -- with cigars and beer.
Religious satire fuels 58 jokes at 3.17 per minute—the densest Simpsons episode yet.
Directed by Jim Reardon · Written by George Meyer
WAR
57.1
Wins Above Replacement
“Homer The Heretic” ranks #78 of 226 The Simpsons episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 82.0 — Elite. The episode packs 58 scored jokes at 3.2 per minute, averaging 7.1 on craft and 6.9 on impact, with Homer landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Hmm, you've got a point there.
You can't wait six months?
God Dark/Subversive Misdirection ★ Rewatch You know what I really hate about church? Those boring sermons. Oh, I couldn't agree more. That Reverend Lovejoy really displeases me. I think I'll give him a canker sore.
Homer God Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch 'And he left them and went out of the city into Bethany and he lodged there'? Yeah. Think about it.
The, uh, Feast of Maximum Occupancy.
Homer Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy ★ Rewatch All Jokes — 58 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Ah, another beautiful day in the womb.
Homer Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch I'm all naked and wet!
Homer Cringe/Discomfort Absurdist ★ Rewatch Oh, stupid, itchy church pants. One size fits all, my butt!
Homer Observational Character Comedy 'Resting' hungover, 'resting' got fired? Help me out here.
Bart Character Comedy Observational ★ Rewatch Ahhh, I'm just a big, toasty cinnamon bun. I never wanna leave this bed.
Homer Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch I'm whizzin' with the door open, and I love it.
Homer Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy ★ Rewatch You bet your sweet... ass!
Homer Setup/Punchline Misdirection The perfect chance to make my patented, space-age... out-of-this-world moon waffles.
Homer Absurdist Character Comedy Oooh, waffle runoff.
Homer Observational Character Comedy Mmm, fattening.
Homer Character Comedy Observational ★ Rewatch Ahhh, I'm there.
Homer Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch The door's frozen shut, and it's the only way out!
Homer gasps and immediately knows the radio trivia answer
Homer Character Comedy Reaction Beat This Things I Believe
Homer Character Comedy Observational Miracles are your department, Reverend.
Card table for sale. Top badly damaged. Leg missing. Otherwise fine. One dollar or best offer.
Moe is their leader.
Homer Observational Character Comedy Come on, TV. Give me some of that sweet, sweet pap.
Homer Character Comedy Observational ★ Rewatch Yes!
Homer Reaction Beat Character Comedy Give it a little more gas. [Pedal Banging] No, no, that's too much. You know what I think would help? What? What would help? Nothing.
I found... a penny! Could this be the best day of my life?
Homer Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Like fun I don't. Marge, I'm never going to church again!
Homer Character Comedy Escalation No. No, no, no, no, no, no. Well, yes.
Homer Misdirection Character Comedy ★ Rewatch I mean, isn't God everywhere? Amen, brother.
And what if we pick the wrong religion? Every week we're just making God madder and madder. Testify!
Thou has forsaken my church! Well, kind of, but-- But what?
God Homer Character Comedy Misdirection ★ Rewatch You know, sometimes... even I'd rather be watching football. Does St. Louis still have a team? No, they moved to Phoenix.
God Homer Character Comedy Observational ★ Rewatch Hmm, you've got a point there.
You know what I really hate about church? Those boring sermons. Oh, I couldn't agree more. That Reverend Lovejoy really displeases me. I think I'll give him a canker sore.
Homer God Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to appear on a tortilla in Mexico.
God Absurdist Observational ★ Rewatch Dad, can I ask you a question? / Sure, honey. / Why are you dedicating your life to blasphemy?
Don't worry, sweetheart. If I'm wrong, I'll recant on my deathbed.
Homer Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch He appeared before me in a dream... and I knew that was special because I usually dream about naked... Marge.
Homer Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Perfect teeth, nice smell, a class act all the way.
Homer Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch 'And he left them and went out of the city into Bethany and he lodged there'? Yeah. Think about it.
The, uh, Feast of Maximum Occupancy.
Homer Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Sorry, Homer. I was born a snake handler, and I'll die a snake handler.
Moe Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Kids, let me tell you about another so-called 'wicked' guy. He had long hair and some wild ideas... and he didn't always do what other people thought was right. And that man's name was-- I forget. But the point is-- I forget that too.
Homer Escalation Character Comedy ★ Rewatch He used to drive that blue car.
Homer Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch There you go again. Always taking someone else's side-- Flanders, the water department, God.
Homer Escalation Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Our unabashed dictionary defines I.U.D. as... 'love springs internal.' I don't get it.
Homer Character Comedy Observational Last year, tornadoes claimed the lives of 75 Jewish clowns. The worst incident was during our convention in Lubbock, Texas. There were floppy shoes and rainbow wigs everywhere. It was terrible.
Wait a minute. Is this a religious thing? / A religious clown thing, yes. / Sorry.
No offense, Apu, but when they were handing out religions... you must've been out taking a whiz.
Homer Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Boy, everyone is stupid except me.
Homer Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch D'oh! The song, the song. [Singing] D'oh!
Homer Physical/Slapstick Running Gag Little Jamshed, the store is in your hands. How I have waited for this day. [Shotgun cocking]
You ducks are really trying my patience! But you're so cute.
Help! Help! [Laughing] That's right, old friend.
Hey, what are these axes for? I don't know. Chopping stuff. Gotcha.
Well, the Picasso, my collection of classic cars-- Sorry. This policy only covers actual losses, not made-up stuff.
You know, I have a feeling there's a lesson here. Yes, the lesson is-- No, don't tell me. I'll get it.
O Spiteful One, show me who to smite, and they shall be 'smoten.'
Homer Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Hindu. There are 700 million of us. Aw, that's super.
Don't feel bad, Homer. Nine out of ten religions fail in their first year.
God Observational Meta/Self-Referential ★ Rewatch You can't wait six months?
God Dark/Subversive Misdirection ★ Rewatch Well, okay. The meaning of life is--
The meaning of life is-- [Cut to credits]
God Misdirection Meta/Self-Referential ★ Rewatch Top Episodes — The Simpsons