When Marge grows upset because she suspects Homer is cheating on her, he must remain faithful to her after Lurleen makes romantic advances toward him.

The episode features cultural references to songs such as "Funkytown" by Lipps Inc. and "There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)" by Herman's Hermits, and the films Deliverance, Look Who's Talking and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.

After Homer makes distracting sounds and loudly reveals the film's ending to the audience, Marge berates him and the other patrons heckle and pelt him with refreshments.

Homer stops at a redneck bar, where an attractive waitress and singer-songwriter named Lurleen performs country songs on stage.

Her song "Your Wife Don’t Understand You" resonates with Homer; he drives to her mobile home several days later to beg a copy.

Her fears increase after Homer becomes Lurleen's manager, and she buys him an expensive white cowboy suit, which he wears at home.

"Colonel Homer" was partly based on Coal Miner's Daughter (1980), which tells the story of country singer Loretta Lynn.

He pitched the idea to the writers of the show, who suggested the parody of Coal Miner's Daughter and that Homer should become a manager of a country singer.

Reiss eventually gave in, but in future episodes the writers tried to develop the explanation that he got fired from the plant and then rehired at the end.

"[This quote needs a citation] Mark Kirkland,[2] said he enjoyed directing the episode because the characters' emotions throughout it are "very human and real".

The actress first met Groening at a party at Frank Zappa's house, and was called in to audition for Lurleen based on her performance as Patsy Cline in Coal Miner's Daughter.

[4] Unlike most other guest stars on The Simpsons who record their lines and then leave to accommodate their schedule, D'Angelo stayed with the production team all day and pitched several jokes for the episode.

[12] Bart's voice actor, Nancy Cartwright, wrote in her autobiography My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy that the episode's script gives the audience a "visual and aural feast".

[2] After arriving home from the Beer 'N' Brawl, Lurleen's song is stuck in Homer's head, and he even sings it to his bowling ball for good luck.

Homer's co-worker Lenny decides to give it a shot and sings "There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)" to his bowling ball.

Meyers added, however, that country music fans might "take offense at Matt Groening's script, which hams up every stereotype imaginable".

[17] DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson said that after the "great" previous episode "Dog of Death", "one might expect some drop-off with 'Colonel Homer', but virtually none occurs.

Homer's moment in the sun creates a fun plot and the program nicely lampoons the country music business.

: "While one must give multiple kudos to Beverly D'Angelo for writing and performing her own witty hillbilly ditties, it's the twisted cornpone [television series Ya-Hoo!

"[20] A reviewer for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram called the episode "heartwarming", and commented that The Simpsons "once again shows that at the heart of this crazy family there is an abiding love".

"[22] Nathan Rabin wrote "As you might imagine, the writers, particularly credited scribe Matt Groening, have a lot of fun at the expense of good honest god-fearing country folk, whether Lurleen is rattling off the titles of some of her songs (you most assuredly do not know her from such unrecorded ditties as 'Don’t Look Down My Dress Unless You Mean It', 'I’m Basting a Turkey With My Tears' and 'I’m Sick of Your Lying Lips and False Teeth') or the writers are taxing their vivid imaginations thinking up an endless series of hillbilly-tastic players for a Hee Haw-style show that features Lurleen in her national television debut.

She looks dishevelled, and speaks with the same harsh, croaky, gravelly voice that Grau provides for lunchlady Doris, rather than the soft, Southern accent she had when she was first introduced.

In the season seven episode "Bart on the Road", Lurleen's name can be seen briefly on a banner saying "playing tonight" in Branson, Missouri.

[24] She made her second full-time appearance in the season nineteen episode "Papa Don't Leech", in which the Simpsons family takes Lurleen into their home after she becomes a fugitive from the Springfield authorities for not paying her taxes.

Matt Groening, Mark Kirkland, cast member Dan Castellaneta, and showrunners Al Jean and Mike Reiss participated in the DVD's audio commentary of the episode.

The set, featuring Homer in his white suit and Lurleen with her guitar, is part of the World of Springfield series of The Simpsons action figures created by Playmate Toys.