Episode 9F01
Written by George Meyer
Directed by Jim Reardon
Also starring: Maggie Roswell

Premise: Homer elects to avoid church, much to Marge's consternation. But then he receives a message from God in his dream - it's OK to skip church! Could this be the start of a new religion?

Features: Rev. Lovejoy, Ned Flanders, Maude Flanders, Todd Flanders, Rod Flanders, Helen Lovejoy, Grampa, Groundskeeper Willie, Moe, Krusty, Apu, Dolph, Kearney, Jimbo Jones, Mrs van Houten, Chief Wiggum, Barney, Kent Brockman, Otto, Mr van Houten.

Couch: The sofa swivels round into the wall, and an empty sofa assumes its place.

Homage: Homer sings Delilah, a 1968 hit for Tom Jones and Short Shorts a hit for the Royal Teens in l958. His underwear dance around the empty house recalls Tom Cruise in Risky Business (William J. Cassidy, 1983).

Itchy and Scratchy in: Flay Me to the Moon - one of the very goriest.

Mmmmm: ...fattening.

Notes: A brilliant episode, underlining everything that The Simpsons is about. Homer hates church (his argument to God makes a lot of sense, really), Marge wants the kids to see Homer as an example, and everyone pulls together in the end. Good stuff, and if God really is like that, he's a groovy kind of guy.