The Simpsons Homer for the Holidays by Matt Groening

While at the airport, Bart and Homer meet recruiters for the Movementarians, a new religious movement, who invite Homer and many Springfield residents to their compound. Club featured 'The Joy of Sect' in lists of important episodes of The Simpsons. 'The Joy of Sect' was later analyzed from religious, philosophical, and psychological perspectives books on The Simpsons compared the Movementarians to many of the same groups from which the writers had drawn influence.īoth USA Today and The A.V.

The show contains many references to popular culture, including the title reference to The Joy of Sex and a gag involving Rover from the television program The Prisoner. The writers drew on many groups to develop the Movementarians, but were principally influenced by Scientology, Heaven's Gate, the Unification Church ('Moonies'), the Rajneesh movement, and Peoples Temple. In the episode, a cult takes over Springfield, and the Simpson family become members.ĭavid Mirkin conceived the initial idea for the episode, Steve O'Donnell was the lead writer, and Steven Dean Moore directed. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 8, 1998. ' The Joy of Sect' is the thirteenth episode of the ninth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. Tiny versions of the Simpsons climb on the couch, and a normal-sized Santa's Little Helper comes up to the couch, takes Homer in his mouth, and runs off with him. 'Shooting paintballs is not an art form' 13th episode of the 9th season of The Simpsons ' The Joy of Sect'

The Simpsons Homer for the Holidays by Matt Groening