Watch The Simpsons: Homer Knows Best

On Father's Day, Homer responds much more enthusiastiacally to a new tool than he does to Lisa's heartfelt present. Lisa becomes very angry with her father, and so to win back her respect, he becomes the Safety Salamander, a well-loved figure at Springfield Elementary. As the Safety Salamander, Homer becomes so popular, he becomes the leading candidate to replace Mayor Quimby in a recall election. But when the Salamander suit shrinks and falls off during a debate, the voters of Springfield realize they do not like their hero nearly as much out of costume.

Lisa asks Homer for a special new diary for her birthday, but he disappoints her by buying a customized video that gets important facts about her wrong. To learn more about his daughter, Homer hires a private detective, but when Homer refuses to pay the bill, the detective frames Lisa for a crime. Homer and Lisa flee until they can prove their innocence, culminating in a climax reminscent of "The Lady From Shanghai".

The Simpsons are informed that Grampa has died, rush to the retirement castle, and are relieved to learn that he is alive, and beginning a romance with a new woman at the home, Zelda (Olympia Dukakis). After Grampa wrecks Homer's car, Homer refuses to ever let him drive it again, and so Grampa steals Marge's car and takes Bart with him as he pursues Zelda to Branson, Missouri, where the Simpsons see a show starring '70s comic personality Ray Jay Johnson.

Homer fails to buy Lisa a new saxophone reed and she is humiliated at a school concert. To make it up to her, homer buys her a pony, which lives in the Simpson house. To afford the pony, Homer must get a second job at the Kwik-E-Mart, and he can no longer sleep. Finally, Lisa relents and gives up the pony but keeps her father's love.

Homer fails a quiz designed to test how well he knows his son. A trip to the Fatherhood Institute convinces him to help Bart build a soapbox derby racer, but Homer's assistance only makes things worse. Riding a sleek racer designed by Martin Prince, Bart is thrilled to see his father come out to root him on.

Lisa's teacher, Miss Hoover, is stricken with Lyme disease, and Mr. Bergstrom, a cool, witty, substitute teacher takes her place. Lisa is smitten with the smart, sensitive man, who contrasts so favorable; it seems, with her own father. Meanwhile, Bart decides to run for class president where he is expected to easily triumph over class brain Martin Prince. When Lisa comes to school one day, she is shocked to find that Miss Hoover has recovered and Mr. Bergstrom is gone. Meanwhile, Bart celebrates his victory, only to realize that neither he nor his friends bothered to vote, and Martin has won. Lisa tracks Mr. Bergstrom down to the train station, where is leaving for another gig. But before he does, he hands her a note, reminding her "You Are Lisa Simpson." That night Homer cheers up a disconsolate Bart and Lisa, showing he's not such a bad dad after all.