Simpson and Delilah (S02, E02-015)

Livin' the bald man's dream.

Plot Summary
Learning of a new miracle breakthrough in hair growth known as Dimoxinil, Homer makes haste in acquiring some.  Without $1000 to purchase the drug, though, Homer has to use shady insurance dealings to acquire it, but when he does, its works wonders, somehow growing his hair to hippie-like lengths in just one night.

Its just in time for the nuclear plant's mandatory promotion from within!  Mr. Burns is impressed with Homer for some reason, and promotes him.  In Homer's search for a secretary, a man by the name of Karl pushes Homer to be more self-confident, to take pride in what he's doing, and that he deserves everything he's got.  In a meeting, Homer suggests that worker's will be happier if they had more tartar sauce at lunch, and upon getting tartar sauce, productivity is up and accidents are down (coinciding with Homer's departure from the working sector, hmm).  Homer is given the key to the executive bathroom, which is the last straw from the increasingly neglected Waylon Smithers.

Looking into matters, he finds that Homer charged the company for the Dimoxinil and goes to fire him over it.  However, Karl takes the fall, allowing Homer to keep his position... just in time for a big speech the next day.  What's worse, Bart's dreams of a beatnik goatee causes him to accidentally spill all of the Dimoxinil.  Just as quickly as it grew, Homer's hair falls apart by morning.  Karl tries to keep his spirits up by giving him a phonetically correct speech and a man kiss, but the speech doesn't go well as people are unimpressed by a bald man's ramblings.  Mr. Burns, somewhat understanding of Homer's baldness, lets Homer regain his old job afterward.

Quick Review
I really enjoyed this episode.  Karl, voiced by Harvey Fierstein, did wonders for Homer's confidence and career and was a true to him up until the end.  We also get to see a defensive Smithers for the first time as well, willing to do whatever it takes to remain Mr. Burns' right-hand man.  You had to feel for Homer as well, who was as happy as can be when he got his hair back, only for it to fade as quickly as his hair did after Bart's mishap.  Simpson and Delilah was the first truly great episode of Season 2.

Final Score: 8.3