The Simpsons Season 29: 10 Excellent Things You Need To Know
6. A Shaq Attack Bounces Into Springfield
Homer's no stranger to sports, and many of his most classic moments involve performing poorly as phenomenal athletes observe him. Shaquille O'Neal joins the long list of famed players roped in to assist Homer in his entertaining antics.
A couple of well-known ball players popped up on the animated show last season. Stephen Curry tossed a paper ball through the Lard Lad donut and into Skinner's coffee during 22 to 30, and Charles Barkley insisted a weak Burns was still better than Shaq in The Great Phatsby. Now Shaquille will enter Springfield for the first time as a guest star, even though a hoops match against Burns is unlikely.
When a Simpsons character asks successful sports stars for help, it tends to generate series-best episodes and industry acclaim. The beloved Bart Star, where Bart receives assistance from Joe Namath, is a uproarious plot about pee-wee football. Meanwhile, Homer at the Bat is a mainstay on the top Simpsons episode lists of viewers and critics. Burns pads his baseball roster with professionals as an oafish Homer waits for his chance to shine, and the build-up to the championship game is packed with priceless jokes and sight gags. Homer at the Bat was so impactful that the National Baseball Hall of Fame honored the episode last May.
The details surrounding Shaq's appearance are minimal, but the Simpsons' sports storylines have a habit of being slam dunks.