Blood Feud (S02, E22-035)

Homer: "Hello, my name is Mr. Burns.  I believe you have a letter for me."
Postman: "Okay, Mr. Burns.  Uh, what's your first name?"
Homer: "...I don't know."

Plot Summary
Season 2 ends on a strong note with this episode, where we find the frail Mr. Burns dying of hypohemia.  Needing a transfusion of O- blood, Mr. Smithers pleads for anybody at the nuclear plant to give their blood should it be O-, but nobody does.  Homer learns that Bart has O- blood, and hastily recruits Bart to give it so Burns may live.  Reason being, Homer figures that once Burns lives, he'll shower Homer with gold and gifts and money and such.

Bart gives blood, and as soon as Burns receives it his strength and vigor return, his life saved.  As thanks for saving his life, Burns decides to send Bart a reward: a simple "thank you" card.  Homer, displeased by this turn of events, angrily dictates a letter for Bart to write, a nasty, sarcastic letter that insults the old man.  Homer plans to put it in the mail box that night, but Marge is able to persuade him to sleep over it.  Her plan works, as Homer's nighttime thoughts of strangling Burns turn into eating delicious pancakes.  However, Bart, figuring this would happen, mails the letter anyway.

Homer becomes desperate to retrieve the letter.  Attempts to pry the letter from the mail box prove unsuccessful, especially when the mail lady arrives.  Bart's plan of getting the letter directly from the post office, having Homer 'pose' as Mr. Burns, doesn't work.  Homer's last attempt is to grab the letter in Burns' office before the old man arrives.  However, he's too late, as Burns arrives just in time, and reads Homer's letter out loud.  Upon reading the contents, he has Homer thrown out.  He quickly signs off a pink slip and orders Smithers to have Homer beaten to a pulp.  Smithers is unable to carry out that order, as Homer did save Mr. Burns' life one way or another, and he's able to calm Burns down.  Calmed, Mr. Burns decides to give the family a huge, expensive present instead: the giant Olmec head Xtapolapocetl, a present which Bart likes but Homer, knowing its not riches or at least a gadget of some sort, hates.  In the end, no lesson was really learned.

Quick Review
Technically the episode which finishes the 2nd season, Blood Feud ends it on a great note.  Homer's various antics really make for some great entertainment, and the bit at the post office is a classic moment that defines and puts a great cap on Season 2.

Final Score: 8.3