Thank God, It's Doomsday

"Thank God, It's Doomsday"
The Simpsons episode
Homer meets God in his dream
Episode no.	354
Directed by	Michael Marcantel
Written by	Don Payne
Showrunner(s)	Al Jean
Production code	GABF14
Original air date	May 8, 2005
Couch gag	Everyone in the family looks like Moe Szyslak--including the female members.
Guest actors	Baha Men sing "Who Wants a Haircut?" Los Lobos play their version of the end credits
Commentary	Matt Groening Al Jean Don Payne Ian Maxtone-Graham Tim Long Michael Price Matt Selman Tom Gammill Max Pross Michael Marcantel David Silverman Jeff Westbrook
Season 16 episodes November 7, 2004 – May 15, 2005 "Treehouse of Horror XV" "All's Fair in Oven War" "Sleeping with the Enemy" "She Used to Be My Girl" "Fat Man and Little Boy" "Midnight Rx" "Mommie Beerest" "Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass" "Pranksta Rap" "There's Something About Marrying" "On a Clear Day I Can't See My Sister" "Goo Goo Gai Pan" "Mobile Homer" "The Seven-Beer Snitch" "Future-Drama" "Don't Fear the Roofer" "The Heartbroke Kid" "A Star Is Torn" "Thank God, It's Doomsday" "Home Away from Homer" "The Father, the Son and the Holy Guest Star" List of The Simpsons episodes
Seasons 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

"Thank God, It's Doomsday" is the nineteenth episode of The Simpsons' sixteenth season. The episode aired for the first time on May 8, 2005, in the US. Al Jean claims that the recorded commentary for this episode was the last time he saw Don Payne, the writer credited for the episode.

Plot

Marge tries to get the kids hair cut, but is stopped when Homer takes them to get haircuts at a new barbershop in the mall. The kids' haircuts are done so badly, that they hide with Homer in a movie theater showing the film Left Below. In response to the kids losing their hair, Marge later makes them wigs using the leftover hair trimmings. Homer now fears that the Rapture will soon be coming. Despite being consoled by Marge and Lisa (who think God would not end the world unless he announced it), Homer encounters signs suggestive of the Rapture. He uses numerology to calculate the date and time of the Rapture and concludes that it is only a week away.

Homer predicts that stars will fall from the sky, and then there is a blimp accident at the Krusty Celebrity Salute to Specials special and some celebrities fall to their deaths. His prophecy causes many of Springfield's residents to believe that the world will end and they go with him to the Springfield Mesa to wait for the Rapture. However, the hour passes without incident, and the people go home. All of them are annoyed at Homer, particularly Moe, who had sold his tavern to be converted to a Japanese sushi bar. Homer goes home and realizes that he has made an error in his calculation, so he returns to the Mesa with no support. Suddenly, he finds himself naked and ascending into Heaven.

Homer arrives in Heaven, where he is greeted by the tour guide who shows him around. He is then shown to his room where he requests to see his family on the big TV screen in his room. Marge and the children are shown being tormented by the devil. He has a talk with God about saving his family. When God refuses to help, due to Jesus' suffering on Earth, Homer becomes angry. He runs around vandalizing Heaven and gets stopped by security. God finally agrees to undo the Rapture by turning back time. Homer later wakes up on the mesa and is reunited with his family, also discovering Moe's Tavern to curiously be back in its normal set up.

Cultural references

• The title is a reference to the popular saying, Thank God It's Friday.

Reception