Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?

"Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?" is the twenty-fourth and final episode of Season 3. Guest star Danny DeVito returns to voice Herbert Powell, and Joe Frazier makes a guest appearance as himself.
==Synopsis==
In this sequel to "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?", Herbert Powell, Homer's once-wealthy half-brother, is now homeless and searching for the next new idea to take him back to the top — and all he needs is Homer's $2,000 prize money he got at a (rigged) award show and a place to stay (the Simpsons' house).
== Full Story ==
Homer and the rest of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant employees are summoned for the annual company physical. Homer's sperm count comes back as incredibly low, due to the radiation at the plant. Realizing that the plant could be sued for millions, Burns considers options for escaping that liability. He and his lawyers settle on the idea of tricking Homer into signing a waiver by pretending that it is an award for "The First Annual Montgomery Burns Award For Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence." Homer asks if he'll get a ceremony (similar to the Oscars) Burns agrees. Even though he's getting the award, an envelope is opened and Homer receives a trophy $2000 as the award.
Meanwhile, Herb Powell, now bankrupt and sleeping on the streets, discusses how he lost his fortune due to his half-brother Homer's stupidity (as shown in "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?") with other homeless people, one of whom claims to be the creator of New Coke. After boldly claiming that all a person needs is a good idea, Herb sees a woman struggling to understand her baby, and seizes on the idea of developing a baby translator. When Herb's fellow bums tell him that even with an idea, he's still a bum, Herb changes his claim to saying that all a person needs is an idea and some money to get it off the ground. Herb finds a newspaper with a photo of Homer winning the Burns award (and accepting the cash prize), and decides to pay him a visit to ask for a chance to make his money back.
Homer, though, has other plans for the award money. After Bart and Lisa destroy the couch during a session of "broom vaulting" in the "living room Olympics," Homer finds a store selling a vibrating chair for $2000, which he immediately falls in love with. Marge talks him out of making the purchase, stating that he could use the money to buy her a new washer and dryer. Meanwhile, Herb, looking for the Simpsons, accidentally goes to the Flanders' house next door. However, he's in luck as they clean and bathe him (Todd want to anoint the sores on Herb's feet which disappoints him when it's his mom's turn) and give him a new suit. After giving his gratitude to the Flanders, Herb then goes to the Simpson home. When Homer answers the door, Herb beats up Homer by punching him in the face. When Homer asks about the beating Herb tells Homer he's still mad at his brother for bankrupting him. He is however happy to see the rest of the family. At dinner, Lisa asks why he never called or wrote to them, and Herb tells her if he did, he would have to explain to her that her dad (Homer) was the reason he has no home or anything. Herb asks them for a second chance and explains his baby translator idea. Marge, Bart, and Lisa convince Homer to give him the money, even though he's still skeptical about the translator. Now with the money as well as the idea, Herb goes to work on his baby translator. After much work with Maggie, he unveils the translator to the family, who are quite overwhelmed by it despite its clunky appearance.
However, the device does work and Herb takes it to a Baby Convention. There, Professor Frink tries to demonstrate his new invention, the "Tu-Fr. No Triplets" to have a baby fly all over the world in it's own airplane. The demonstration proves a failure when he loses his kid after a botched landing. Herb demonstrates his baby translator device and he is inundated by orders from other parents and an offer from a baby goods store to stock thousands of his translators. Herb realizes that he has made his fortune back again, while Professor Frink laments on his own failure and fears his wife's rage.
As Herb leaves the Simpsons, he repays Homer the $2000, then gives everyone gifts. To Lisa, he gives a subscription to "Great Books of Western Civilization"; to Bart, a membership in the National Rifle Association; to Maggie, a promise to get her something nice when the baby translator says she wants what the dog is eating; and to Marge, a replacement washer and dryer, plus $50 which he made from selling the old ones. Cut to a brief scene where at Moe's Tavern, where Moe and the denizens are racing the old, defective washer and dryer. Finally, to Homer, two gifts—his forgiveness and acceptance as a brother, plus the vibrating chair that he wanted so much. Homer is immensely pleased by this gift and the episode finishes with him relaxing on the vibrating chair.
== Citations ==
fr:Le Retour du frère prodigue
pl:Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?
pt:Me dá um dinheiro aí
Category:Homer episodes
Category:Season finales
Category:Episodes featuring guest stars
Category:Professor Frink Episodes
Category:Maggie episodes
Category:Sequels
Category:Episodes with recycled animation
Category:Episodes named after songs
Category:Simpson Family Bonding episodes
Category:Episodes on DVD
Category:Written by John Swartzwelder
Category:Directed by Rich Moore
Category:Highly Rated Episodes
Category:Flashback episodes
Category:Episodes where Maggie giggles
Category:Herb Powell episodes