# Hardly Kirk-ing > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Hardly_Kirk-ing > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Hardly_Kirk-ing.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardly_Kirk-ing > Source revision: 1325730261 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 13th episode of the 24th season of The Simpsons "Hardly Kirk-ing" The Simpsons episode Episode no. Season 24 Episode 13 Directed by Matthew Nastuk Written by Tom Gammill and Max Pross Production code RABF05 Original air date February 17, 2013 (2013-02-17) Guest appearance Kevin Michael Richardson as Book Store Security Guard Episode features Couch gag A spoof of the Game of Thrones opening sequence (first seen in "Exit Through the Kwik-E-Mart"), but in this version, at the end, a knight chops Homer's head off (and part of Marge's hair) with a sword. Episode chronology ← Previous "Love Is a Many-Splintered Thing" Next → "Gorgeous Grampa" The Simpsons season 24 List of episodes "**Hardly Kirk-ing**" is the thirteenth episode of the [twenty-fourth season](/source/The_Simpsons_season_24) of the American animated television series *[The Simpsons](/source/The_Simpsons)*, and the 521st episode overall. The episode was directed by [Matthew Nastuk](/source/Matthew_Nastuk) and written by [Tom Gammill and Max Pross](/source/Tom_Gammill_and_Max_Pross). It originally aired on the [Fox network](/source/Fox_Broadcasting_Company) in the United States on February 17, 2013. In this episode, [Bart](/source/Bart_Simpson) accidentally gives [Milhouse](/source/Milhouse_Van_Houten) a haircut that make him look like his [father](/source/Kirk_Van_Houten) while [Homer](/source/Homer_Simpson) develops a skill for finding hidden objects. The episode received positive reviews. The first time the episode aired in the United States, the opening was shortened to allow time for Fox to air *[Maggie Simpson in: The Longest Daycare](/source/The_Longest_Daycare)*; there was no chalkboard gag, and the couch gag consisted only of the knight cutting off Homer's head. ## Plot [Marge](/source/Marge_Simpson) takes the family out on a TV-free day after finding Maggie watching a [DVD](/source/DVD) from the *Baby Poindexter* collection, which, according to the news, was pulled for being ineffective in educating children (even though Homer likes it because it is not [merchandise-driven](/source/Toyetic) like so many kids' shows today). A flashback reveals the material in question sent a younger [Bart](/source/Bart_Simpson) into a drooling fit while [Lisa](/source/Lisa_Simpson) turns the presentation's packaging into an interactive diorama. The family goes to a bookstore, where [Homer](/source/Homer_Simpson) becomes fascinated with hidden-object puzzles and begins using his skills to find people and common objects in the real world. Meanwhile, Bart hangs out at [Milhouse](/source/Milhouse_Van_Houten)'s place. While bored, Bart squirts some epoxy in Milhouse's hair. Bart gives him a haircut to remove it, but he removes most of Milhouse's hair as a result, making him look just like his father [Kirk](/source/Kirk_Van_Houten). With Bart's help, Milhouse dresses up like his dad, becoming taller with the help of homemade stilts made from paint cans and making his voice sound like Kirk's by tying a tie tightly around his neck (though if the tie is put too tightly around his neck, he sounds like Duffman). Bart uses this to his advantage, as Milhouse, looking like an adult, is now able to commit adult activities. They bully Homer, purchase items for school bullies [Jimbo](/source/Jimbo_Jones), [Kearney](/source/Kearney_Zzyzwicz), and [Dolph](/source/Dolph_Starbeam), and participate in municipal voting. When Lisa wishes to go to downtown [Springfield](/source/Springfield_(The_Simpsons)), Milhouse is able to buy tickets for himself, Lisa, and Bart. He collects a portion of the [class action](/source/Class_action) settlement being paid out to people who bought *Baby Poindexter* DVDs, but the money he receives is not enough to buy food for the three of them. They are forced to attend a [condominium](/source/Condominium) sales presentation for a free breakfast, but find that the doors have been locked to prevent them from leaving. The saleswoman, thinking Milhouse is an adult, attempts to seduce him. Homer and Marge, realizing the children are missing, rush to find them. Homer stops by for the free meal, rescuing the three children by coincidence. Milhouse later apologizes to Kirk for impersonating him, and admits that he wants to grow up to be just like him. ## Production The timeslot for this episode was extended five minutes to 8:35 PM so that the animated short *[The Longest Daycare](/source/The_Longest_Daycare)* could air after the episode.[1][2] ## Reception ### Critical reception The episode received mostly positive reviews. Robert David Sullivan of *[The A.V. Club](/source/The_A.V._Club)* gave the episode a B−, saying, "We're still a long way past *Simpsons* episodes with emotional resonance, but plain weirdness works better than the constant cutaways and pop-culture-dropping of last week's episode. Milhouse is not an overused character, and he still has kind of a [Charlie Brown](/source/Charlie_Brown) quality that allows us to see humor in his adult-like, well-articulated neuroses, so that it doesn't feel as if we're laughing at an actual little boy."[3] Teresa Lopez of *TV Fanatic* gave the episode 2.5 out of 5 stars. She stated that not much happened with Milhouse impersonating an adult and was disturbed with Bart having a condom in his mouth. She highlighted Homer's scenes with his improving searching ability.[4] Rob Dawson of *TV Equals* gave the episode a positive review, saying: "'Hardly Kirk-ing' is the kind of episode that I wish *The Simpsons* could pump out every week these days. It's well-constructed and funny, it is what I want late-period *The Simpsons* to be. It keeps itself together, plays off the larger extended universe of Springfield without seeming like a parade of 'hey, I recognize that guy', and is, most importantly, entertaining."[5] ### Awards and nominations [Tom Gammill & Max Pross](/source/Tom_Gammill_%26_Max_Pross) were nominated for a [Writers Guild of America Award for Outstanding Writing in Animation](/source/Writers_Guild_of_America_Award_for_Television%3A_Animation) at the [66th Writers Guild of America Awards](/source/Writers_Guild_of_America_Awards_2013) for their script to this episode.[6] ### Ratings The episode received a 2.0 in the 18-49 demographic and was watched by a total of 4.57 million viewers. This made it the second most watched show on [Fox](/source/Fox_Broadcasting_Company)'s [Animation Domination](/source/Animation_Domination) line up that night.[7] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["(SI-2405) "Hardly Kirk-ing""](http://www.thefutoncritic.com/listings/20130128fox17/). *[The Futon Critic](/source/The_Futon_Critic)*. Retrieved August 20, 2023. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Robbins, Caryn (February 13, 2013). ["FOX to Broadcast Oscar Nominated Short Film MAGGIE SIMPSON: THE LONGEST DAYCARE, 2/17"](https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/FOX-to-Broadcast-Oscar-Nominated-Short-Film-MAGGIE-SIMPSON-THE-LONGEST-DAYCARE-217-20130213). *[Broadway World](/source/Broadway_World)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230820210919/https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/FOX-to-Broadcast-Oscar-Nominated-Short-Film-MAGGIE-SIMPSON-THE-LONGEST-DAYCARE-217-20130213) from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved August 20, 2023. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Sullivan, Robert David (February 18, 2013). ["The Simpsons: "Hardly Kirk-ing""](https://www.avclub.com/the-simpsons-hardly-kirk-ing-1798175851). *[The A.V. Club](/source/The_A.V._Club)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130329152201/http://www.avclub.com/articles/hardly-kirking%2C92270/) from the original on March 29, 2013. Retrieved February 19, 2013. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Lopez, Teresa (February 17, 2013). ["The Simpsons Review: Hardly Laughing"](https://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/02/the-simpsons-review-hardly-laughing/). *TV Fanatic*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20211219155131/https://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/02/the-simpsons-review-hardly-laughing/) from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2023. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Dawson, Rob H. (February 18, 2013). ["The Simpsons Season 24 Review "Hardly Kirk-ing""](https://web.archive.org/web/20130220192104/http://www.tvequals.com/2013/02/18/the-simpsons-season-24-review-hardly-kirk-ing/). *TV Equals*. Archived from [the original](http://www.tvequals.com/2013/02/18/the-simpsons-season-24-review-hardly-kirk-ing/) on February 20, 2013. Retrieved April 15, 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Milligan, Mercedes (December 5, 2013). ["'Simpsons' & 'Futurama' Dominate WGA Nominations"](http://www.animationmagazine.net/events/simpsons-futurama-dominate-wga-nominations/). *[Animation Magazine](/source/Animation_Magazine)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210122124825/https://www.animationmagazine.net/events/simpsons-futurama-dominate-wga-nominations/) from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Bibel, Sara (February 20, 2013). ["Sunday Final Ratings: 'Once Upon a Time', 'The Amazing Race' & 'The Mentalist' Adjusted Up; 'The Good Wife' & 'Bob's Burgers' Adjusted Down"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130223024252/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/02/20/sunday-final-ratings-once-upon-a-time-the-good-wife-bobs-burgers-adjusted-down/169848/). *[TV by the Numbers](/source/TV_by_the_Numbers)*. Archived from [the original](http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/02/20/sunday-final-ratings-once-upon-a-time-the-good-wife-bobs-burgers-adjusted-down/169848/) on February 23, 2013. Retrieved April 15, 2014. ## External links Wikiquote has quotations related to ***["Hardly Kirk-ing"](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Simpsons/Season_24#Hardly_Kirk-ing)***. - [The Simpsons portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:The_Simpsons) - ["Hardly Kirk-ing"](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2710778/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) v t e The Simpsons episodes Seasons 1–20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Season 21–present 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 Season 24 "Moonshine River" "Treehouse of Horror XXIII" "Adventures in Baby-Getting" "Gone Abie Gone" "Penny-Wiseguys" "A Tree Grows in Springfield" "The Day the Earth Stood Cool" "To Cur with Love" "Homer Goes to Prep School" "A Test Before Trying" "The Changing of the Guardian" "Love Is a Many-Splintered Thing" "Hardly Kirk-ing" "Gorgeous Grampa" "Black Eyed, Please" "Dark Knight Court" "What Animated Women Want" "Pulpit Friction" "Whiskey Business" "The Fabulous Faker Boy" "The Saga of Carl" "Dangers on a Train" See also Treehouse of Horror list The Simpsons episode guides "The Simpsons Guy" Category --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Hardly Kirk-ing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardly_Kirk-ing) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardly_Kirk-ing?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.