Homer and Apu

James Woods as himself

"Homer and Apu" is the thirteenth episode of The Simpsons' fifth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 10, 1994. In the episode, Homer participates in a hidden camera investigation of the expired meat selling at the Kwik-E-Mart. Apu is immediately fired and replaced by actor James Woods, who is doing research for a role in an upcoming film. Apu begins to miss his job at the Kwik-E-Mart, so in an attempt to get it back, Apu and Homer travel to India to talk with the head of the Kwik-E-Mart corporation.

The episode was written by Greg Daniels, and directed by Mark Kirkland. James Woods made a guest appearance as himself. The episode features cultural references to films such as The Hard Way, JFK, and Lawrence of Arabia. Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. It acquired a Nielsen rating of 13.3, and was the highest-rated show on the Fox network the week it aired.

At the Kwik-E-Mart, Apu is selling items to customers at outrageous prices, like normal. Apu scribbles out the 1989 expiration date on a package of ham and then lowers the price instead of throwing it out. Homer buys the meat, eats it, and contracts food poisoning. After recovering, Homer returns to the Kwik-E-Mart to complain, and Apu gives him two five-pound buckets of expired shrimp to placate him. Homer eats the shrimp and becomes ill again. Whilst recovering at home, Homer sees the Channel 6 investigative news program Bite Back with Kent Brockman. Lisa gives him the idea to get the show to investigate the Kwik-E-Mart. Kent gives Homer a giant novelty hat containing a spy camera to expose Apu for selling expired food. Though Homer almost immediately abandons the hat after mistaking the buzzing of the machinery as a bee, the camera catches Apu placing a hot dog that he had dropped on the ground back into the hot dog cooker. Apu is immediately fired by his company (even though he was actually following company policy), and is replaced by actor James Woods, who is doing research for a role in an upcoming film.