Top 10 Homer Simpson Freakouts

After watching Homer repeatedly lose his temper, Bart came up with the character, Angry Dad, around which he developed a comic book and later an internet cartoon series. Angry Dad looked and sounded exactly like Homer, and reacted to misfortunes in much the same way, except more exaggerated. For example, upon reading an incendiary newspaper headline, Angry Dad’s eyeballs bulge out and explode. The internet cartoon was so savage in its mockery of Homer’s poor anger management skills that it convinced Homer to try to overcome the issue altogether. Of course, being Homer, he did a whole lot of panicking and freaking out along the way.

When Smithers is forced to take vacation on Mr. Burns’s orders, he chooses Homer as his replacement so that he won’t get shown up. Homer tries his best to fill Smithers’s shoes, but that proves to be difficult. As Homer carries out Smithers duties, Burns wears him down by constantly insulting him. After days of taking abuse, including having various things thrown at him, a sleep deprived Homer decides that he can’t stand it anymore and punches Mr. Burns in the face. Though he only knocked out Mr. Burns, he fears that the blow may have killed his aging boss, so he takes off and runs home.

Taking out the family to a nice restaurant, Homer volunteers to be part of a hypnotist’s act. The hypnotist makes Homer believe he’s different people, including a famous historian and “Angie” Dickinson. It’s all in good fun until the hypnotist makes Homer think he’s 12 years old, which prompts Homer to revisit a traumatic episode from adolescence where he found a dead body at a quarry. As a result, Homer goes into a screaming fit, which causes the hypnotist to bail. The fit goes on to last for the rest of night and into the next day. We gotta say… Homer can do an impressive number of things while screaming.

Remember how Homer decided to give up anger after watching the Angry Dad cartoon? We all knew that wouldn’t last long, right? To get Homer to return to his angry ways, Bart builds a trap which causes Homer to fall into a pool of green paint. As a result of the prank, Homer comes off looking like The Hulk. He even begins to sound like The Hulk, speaking in short sentences. Following this transformation, Homer goes on a short rampage, punching random objects before being quickly subdued by police. Green is not a good on him, but hey, better a meltdown than for Homer to succumb to his rage boils.

In this episode, Bart lies to his family about going to a National Grammar Rodeo so that he can go on a roadtrip with his friends. When he gets stranded in Knoxville, Tennessee, Bart calls Lisa for help. However, since she can’t think of any other way to get him home, Lisa ends up telling Homer the truth about Bart’s situation. At first, Homer seems really calm about the problem, but he’s actually suppressing his anger, which he vents into a hazmat helmet. It makes for a nice variation on his usual outbursts. After he’s done with his tantrum, he hangs up the helmet and calmly tells Lisa just what he intends to do.

Homer lunging at Bart and strangling him is one of the longest running gags that has been used in the show. He’s been strangling Bart for his misbehavior ever since Bart was a baby, often for something as minor and trivial as the boy talking back to him. Obviously, strangling a child is never acceptable. But if it’s Bart … No, not even then. This running gag is perhaps the most consistent example of Homer having poor impulse control. He gives in to his extreme emotions at the first sign of a problem. Unfortunately, his kids seem to be learning by example.

After having been shot in the previous episode, Mr. Burns recovers in the hospital. When he comes out of a coma, all he can say at first is “Homer Simpson,” which naturally leads the authorities to believe Homer was the shooter. Angry over this wrongful accusation, Homer goes into Mr. Burns’s room and starts shaking him. However, despite everything that’s happened Burns still doesn’t recognize him, which, as we know all too well, is a sore spot for Homer. This final insult sets Homer off in a fit of rage, prompting him to take Chief Wiggum’s gun and hold it to Burns’s head - nearly committing the crime of which Burns accidentally accused him.

Anyone who’s struggled with a DIY home improvement project can relate to this meltdown. Homer tries to assemble a BBQ pit that he bought at a hardware store, but has trouble when all of the parts fall into wet cement. In a last ditch attempt to get it assembled, he mindlessly fits together random pieces, hoping they’ll connect. Needless to say, this doesn’t work out at all. Frustrated by the end result, he takes out his anger on the monstrosity by attacking it with a crowbar. Meanwhile, Bart casually sits back in the house, just like the viewers at home, enjoying the undeniably entertaining expression of mindless rage and frustration.

“Treehouse of Horror” episodes are meant to be dark; consequences of the storylines have no effect on the show’s continuity. It’s an opportunity for “Simpsons” characters to be even more outrageous and extreme than usual, but no one embodies this concept better than Homer. One such example of Homer freaking out in a Halloween special is “Treehouse of Horror V”, in which he finds himself in a perfect timeline, except for the fact no one knows what a donut is. DUN-DUN-DUN!!! In the same episode, there’s also a “Shining” parody where Homer takes on the Jack Torrence role and goes all out as a deranged lunatic.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Homer & the Swear Jar, “Bart the Lover”
Old Habits Die Hard.

Die/Diet, “The Springfield Files”
As Homer Knows, There Are Fates Worse Than Death.

Lego Homer’s Fleshy Reflection, “Brick Like Me”
It’s Not Always Helpful to Take a Look in the Mirror.

“Stupid Sexy Flanders!”, “Little Big Mom”
Flanders in That Outfit Would Be Impossible to Ignore.

Night Terrors, “The Parent Rap”
Peace Doesn’t Come, Even in Sleep.

Ever wonder how Homer got to be bald? Well, according to this episode, it’s because of his kids. Each time Marge announced that she was pregnant with one of their children, Homer would tear out large pieces of his hair in devastation. With the announcement of Bart, Homer had a full head of hair, and by the time it came to Maggie’s announcement, he was left with a few strands. Not only does this freakout look hilariously painful, but it led to a signature trait we associate with Homer, his hair loss. And that makes it a truly iconic freakout.