Blood Feud

Episode Information
Episode Number	35
Production Code	7F22
Original Airdate	July 11, 1991
Main character(s)	Homer Simpson Bart Simpson Mr. Burns
Chalkboard Gag	"I will not sleep through my education."
Couch Gag	Falling Couch couch gag
Show Runner	James L. Brooks Matt Groening Sam Simon
Written By	George Meyer
Directed By	David Silverman

General	References/Trivia	Gags	Appearances	Gallery	Quotes	Credits

← "Three Men and a Comic Book"

"Blood Feud"

"Stark Raving Dad" →

I'm with you, Homer! Fight the power!Barney Gumble

I could crush him like an ant, but it would be too easy. No, revenge is a dish best served cold. I'll bide my time until... Oh, What the hell, I'll just crush him like an ant.Charles Montgomery Burns

Blood Feud is the twenty-second episode of Season 2, and the show's 35^th episode overall. Though this episode is listed as the Season 2 finale, "Stark Raving Dad" is considered the last episode of Season 2, but ended up being a Season 2 holdover episode that aired in Season 3, marking the first time that a previous season's episodes were brought over to the next season.

Synopsis

Homer discovers that Bart has a rare blood type that can save Mr. Burns' life, Homer convinces Bart (who was the only Springfieldian that has the blood type) to give blood (in the hopes that Burns will give the Simpsons a cash reward), but when all Burns gives Bart is a "Thank You" card, Homer writes a nasty letter to Burns which ends up getting sent to him by Bart.

Full Story

Mr. Burns becomes seriously ill and is diagnosed with hypohemia, an infection that leaves a person without enough blood to sustain life. Desperate to save his boss, Smithers issues a plea to the plant's employees for a double-O-negative blood donor. Thinking Burns will reward him richly, Homer volunteers, but he does not have the right blood type or the other Springfieldians (including his wife, his father, or his two daughters) has the right blood type, double-O-negative. Bart happens to be a match because he was the only Springfieldian who has the blood type that can save his father's boss, and Homer has him donate blood to his boss. Bart is reluctant to do so, despite Marge's coaxing that one human being should help another. Bart is finally won over after Homer tells him of a concept that "save a rich man's life, he will shower you with money". After the transfusion, Burns is more alive than ever. He even plans to pen his autobiography.

Homer deems Burns' meager thank-you card to be an inadequate response to the gift of life. He immediately writes Burns a venomous letter, but Marge prevents him from mailing it. The next morning, Homer is grateful that Marge's cooler head prevailed and goes to tear up the letter. Unable to the find the hate-filled note, he discovers that Bart has already mailed it. Homer tries unsuccessfully to retrieve the letter, but Burns sees it. Furious, Burns vows to make Homer's life miserable.

Xtapolapocetl (and Snowball II)

First, Burns signs Homer's pink slip, then he orders Smithers to have Homer beaten to a pulp, but Smithers refuses, explaining that he is unable to harm the man who saved his boss' life. Coming to his senses, Burns realizes the good deed the Simpsons have done, and buys them an extravagant present, a rare Olmec Indian head statue. Bart thinks it is cool, but Homer does not think it is a fitting reward. The family is unable to choose on the moral of the story or even if it has one. However, they do agree that it has been a memorable few days and it's all thanks to Bart's blood type, double-O-negative that saved Mr. Burns' life.

Behind the Laughter

The episode was written by George Meyer and directed by David Silverman. Executive producer Sam Simon and writers Al Jean and Mike Reiss came up with the idea for the episode. A co-worker had recently needed a blood transfusion and the writers thought it would be funny if Mr. Burns had one. Although Meyer was credited with writing the episode, Jean and Reiss re-wrote and polished the script.

The episode includes the debut of the Olmec head Xtapolapocetl, which would become a common background prop in the Simpson home.