Waiting for Duffman (S26, E17-569)

There's just something so... lifeless... about this whole episode.

Plot Summary
During a cycling function, Duffman injures his hip severely enough that he requires hip replacement surgery.  This forces the current Duffman, Barry, to retire, and Duff to hold a televised competition to find its next Duffman.  Homer decides to enter not (just) to be able to drink free beer, but also to earn some recognition that can be put on his obituary.  In the contest, Homer does well, but winds up as the runner-up.  Luckily for him, the winner has a tattoo of a competing beer brand, and with the winner being disqualified as a result, Homer ends up earning the title of Duffman.

However, Homer is injected with a computer chip that supposedly prevents him from consuming alcohol, as being Duffman is an always-sober endeavor.  Homer tries to drink a little bit of beer to check, but finds the chip really does work.  Regardless, Homer carries on his duties as Duffman admirably, and Duff finds its profits soaring as the public seemingly loves a man who looks worse than them selling them beer.  Homer, however, comes to find that Duff, and beer in general, actually brings ruin to people and the town, something he can only grasp now that he's been sober for so long.

At a racetrack, Homer uses his power as Duffman to have only non-alcoholic beer served, to prove that people can still have fun regardless of  the alcoholic content of their beverage.  Still, people don't like to be tricked into drinking non-alcoholic beer, and a mob forms to take Homer out.  The head of Duffman forces Homer to drink a regular beer to get the crowd off him, telling Homer that the "chip" was a ruse and Homer fell to the simple power of suggestion.  Disgruntled by that news, Homer drinks the beer to avoid the public lynching, and immediately reverts to his old self.  Still, Homer relishes in now being considered a "has been", while a healthy Barry is given back his mantle as Duffman.

Quick Review
This episode was pretty boring for much of the latter portion.  It started off pretty decently, but once it got into the Duffman antics the comedy just wasn't there.  The plot was fairly dry, and there was hardly anything remotely funny to redeem this episode.  The t-shirt cannon reference still stings 15 years later, by the way.

Sorry, Sam Simon, I wish you had a better episode dedicated to you. :(

Final Score: 6.1