Episode 1F09
Written by John Swartzwelder
Directed by Jim Reardon
Also starring: Pamela Hayden
Special guest voice: Sam Neill (as Malloy)

Premise: 'You have just been robbed by the Springfield Cat Burglar - est. 1957.' The calling card of the criminal genius who has robbed Lisa of her saxophone, Flanders of his Shroud of Turin beach towels and Principal Skinner of his Stormin' Norman commemorative plates. Can the vigilante posse led by Homer stop him? Or will they just throw their weight around?

Features: Nelson, Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner, Barney, Chief Wiggum, Lou and Eddie, Kent Brockman, Dr John Frink, Otto, Jimbo, Jasper, Kearney, Dolph, Grampa, Apu, Ruth Powers, Moe, Lenny, Captain MacAllister, Herman, Selma, Mayor Quimby, Ruth Powers, Mrs van Houten, Carl, Patty, Ms Krabappel, Milhouse, Lionel Hutz, Miss Hoover, Dr Hibbert, Dr Nick Riviera, Groundskeeper Willie.

Couch: The Simpsons rush in - and explode.

Homage: It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (Stanley Kramer, 1963) provides the frenetic ending (in the movie the search was for a giant W - you can see it behind the giant T in this episode). The Pink Panther movies provide the music for the cat burglaries. The character of Malloy comes from David Niven's performance as Raffles (Sam Wood, 1939), and Homer re-creates Slim Pickens' role from the climax of Dr Strangelove (Stanley Kubrick, 1963) in his fantasy of hippie-bombing. Homer and Skinner's nods outside the museum recall Dragnet.

Notes: 'So, Professor, would you say it's time for everyone to panic?' 'Yes, I would, Kent.' A bit lacking in focus, this episode nevertheless contains a number of satisfying set-pieces - we like Frink's walking house security system - and displays Wiggum at his all-time most useless.