"Homer vs. Patty and Selma" is the seventeenth episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons.

Sarandon had wanted to guest star on The Simpsons because her children were fans of the show; she made a later appearance in the series in the episode "Bart Has Two Mommies" as the voice of a computer.

Mel Brooks also makes an appearance in "Homer vs. Patty and Selma", and had previously accompanied his wife Anne Bancroft to the recording studio when she had a role in the episode "Fear of Flying".

Chris Turner cites scenes from the episode in describing Homer's characteristic qualities in his book Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation.

Homer goes to the DMV to obtain one, but is horrified to discover his evaluators will be Patty and Selma, who mercilessly fail his driving and written test.

Bart insists on wearing a mask to conceal his identity, fearful that he will be taunted and beaten up; however, he manages to put on a performance that delights the audience.

[2] Due to a traffic jam, she was late for the recording session, but once she arrived, she fell into character and worked very hard on getting her accent accurate.

[8] Turner comments, "Homer is carrying the full symbolic weight of twentieth-century America on his shoulders, and no garden-variety doofus could manage that task.

"[8] Turner writes that this "revelatory moment" is illustrative of "several of the best-known aspects of Homer's character: his impulsiveness, his inherent silliness, his evident, even physical stupidity".

[8] Writing in I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood said, "Patty and Selma have rarely been more evil than here — they are fabulously cruel.

"[1] In a review of the sixth season of The Simpsons, Colin Jacobson of DVD Movie Guide writes, "Homer’s disdain for Marge’s sisters – and vice versa – has always led to terrific sparks, and “Vs.” provides another great round in their eternal battle.

[12] In Latin America, the figure and concept of "Niño Rata", which means "Ratboy" (the nickname Homer ascribes to Bart in a scene in this episode) in the Spanish language dubbed by Humberto Vélez, slowly became an Internet meme, particularly on YouTube.