| "Homer the Vigilante" | |
|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 11 |
| Directed by | Jim Reardon |
| Written by | John Swartzwelder |
| Production code | 1F09 |
| Original air date | January 6, 1994 |
| Guest appearance | |
| |
| Episode features | |
| Chalkboard gag | "I am not authorized to fire substitute teachers" |
| Couch gag | The Simpsons run in and explode on contact, with Maggie's pacifier falling onto the blackened crater. |
| Commentary | Matt Groening David Mirkin David Silverman |
"Homer the Vigilante" is the eleventh episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 6, 1994. In the episode, a crime wave caused by an elusive cat burglar plagues Springfield. Lisa is distraught when her saxophone is stolen, and Homer promises to get it back. The police are ineffective, so Homer takes charge of a neighborhood watch. Under his leadership, it becomes a vigilante group which fails to catch the burglar. With the help of Grampa, Homer discovers that the burglar is a charming senior named Molloy. Molloy is arrested, but he outwits the citizens of Springfield and escapes.
The episode was written by John Swartzwelder and directed by Jim Reardon. Sam Neill guest starred in the episode as Molloy. "Homer the Vigilante" was selected for release in a 1997 video collection of selected episodes titled: The Simpsons: Crime and Punishment. It features cultural references to films such as It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and Dr. Strangelove.
Since airing, the episode has received positive reviews from television critics. It acquired a Nielsen rating of 12.2, and was the highest-rated show on the Fox network the week it aired.