| "Homer Loves Flanders" | |
|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 16 |
| Directed by | Wes Archer |
| Written by | David Richardson |
| Production code | 1F14 |
| Original air date | March 17, 1994 |
| Episode features | |
| Chalkboard gag | "I am not delightfully saucy"[1] |
| Couch gag | The family walks in, seeing two couches, and the family split in half, with half of each member choosing a couch.[2] |
| Commentary | Matt Groening David Mirkin David Richardson Wes Archer David Silverman |
"Homer Loves Flanders" is the sixteenth episode of the fifth season of The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 17, 1994.[2] In the episode, Ned Flanders invites Homer to a football game and the two become good friends. However, in a reversal of their usual roles, Ned soon grows weary of Homer's overbearing friendship and stupid antics, and actually begins to hate him.
The episode was written by David Richardson and directed by Wes Archer. It was the last episode to be pitched by writer Conan O'Brien before he left The Simpsons. It references films such as Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The Deadly Tower, Vertigo and The Ten Commandments, and songs such as "Two Tickets to Paradise", "Macho Man", and "Helter Skelter".
Since airing, the episode has received positive reviews from television critics. It acquired a Nielsen rating of 10.9, and was the third highest-rated show on the Fox network the week it aired.