Mr. Plow (S04, E09-068)

"Oh, I guess you're only familiar with the new Batman movies?  Michelle Pfeiffer?
Ha!  The only true Catwoman is Julie Newmar, Lee Meriwether, or Eartha Kitt.
And I didn't need molded plastic to improve my physique.  Pure.  West."

Plot Summary
Oh hey look, its a Simpsons episode without a holiday theme that features snow!  There's a lot of it this time around, and unfortunately for the Simpsons, Homer accidentally crashes his car into Marge's car trying to drive through the mess.  Now without a car, Homer attempts to get another car for cheap, but those attempts do not pan out.  Instead, the family attends a car show in hopes of winning or otherwise acquiring a car there.  After a rather odd encounter with Adam West, Homer stumbles upon a large plow truck.  A salesman is easily able to pressure Homer into buying the truck, with the premise that Homer plows snow-covered driveways to help pay for the cost of the truck.  While Marge is upset Homer went and did this, Homer - or should I say Mr. Plow - is officially in business.

Homer attempts to get his name and his new plow business known, but multiple advertising attempts come up flat.  Lisa suggests he try to put on a cheap commercial, and Homer does so.  Even though the commercial airs late at night on a throwaway network, it apparently does its job, and soon Homer's plow business takes off.  He does such a great job plowing streets and everything that soon he even gets a key to the city.  At the bar, Homer advises a downtrodden Barney to get out there and be the best Barney he could be.  Then the next day, after another snowfall, Homer sees that all the driveways have already been plowed for.  Turns out, Barney took Homer's advice and started up a competing plow business - The Plow King - with a bigger plow than Homer's.

Soon, its Barney that becomes Springfield's new plow kingpin (thanks in part to an ad campaign featuring Linda Ronstadt whom Barney previously knew somehow), and Homer's key is given to Barney instead.  As another huge snowfall hits and a collection agency eager to reclaim his plow, Homer desperately tricks Barney into plowing a dangerous mountain-side road.  After a day's worth of plowing, Homer learns on the news that Barney has been caught in an avalanche.  Feeling responsible, Homer works his way to the mountain and is able to plow his way to Barney, rescuing him.  The two agree to work together in the plow business and that, together, not even God himself could stop them.  God then, of course, brings in a record heat wave, melting all the snow and ruining both of their plow businesses, and Homer's plow is taken away by repo men.  Good times.

Quick Review
Another fun episode, and another excellent entry in Season 4, Mr. Plow continues a strong streak of great episodes.  The Adam West appearance, the two Mr. Plow commercials, and Homer's experiences plowing all made for great, hilarious situations, and the episode is strong throughout.

Final Score: 8.9