Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming (S07, E09-137)

The bomb, like Bob's plan, is fated to simply fizzle out.

Plot Summary
While watching Sideshow Mel get made a fool of again on Krusty's show, the kids remind Homer of the things Sideshow Bob has done in the past.  At the same time, in the minimum security prison Bob went to after being convicted of voter fraud, Bob becomes increasingly frustrated towards the cesspool of entertainment otherwise known as television.  Soon, the inmates at the prison are forced to clean up an air force base for an upcoming air show (which the Simpson family will be going to much to Marge's dismay).  Bob takes the opportunity to escape just as the air show is about to begin.

Bob is able to pick up on the mannerisms of the base's colonel, and pretends to be him over an intercom to gain access to a bomb storage, where he steals an atomic bomb.  Hiding himself somewhere, a rather high-pitched Bob appears on the jumbotron at the air show to announce his demands: either eliminated TV in two hours, or he'll detonate his atomic bomb.  As panic quickly escalates as everyone evacuates the base, Bart is able to separate from the group and go back in, with Lisa following.  Meanwhile, with such a strict deadline, Mayor Quimby has no choice, despite Krusty's objections, to force all TV to end.  Krusty however isn't licked quite yet, as he realizes that the Emergency Broadcast Network is still live, and makes the trek to the remote location the EBN is at to begin broadcasting himself - the only thing on TV now.

Lisa realizes that Bob is in the blimp at the base, given how high-pitched Bob's voice was during his announcement.  As the two reach the blimp, Bob finds out in horror that Krusty is still on the air.  His campaign to end TV foiled, Bob decides to 'take the easy way out' and detonate the bomb.  However, the bomb is a dud, as it was built in the 50s and Bob was too taken up on the retro look to pass up on it.  His plans foiled further, he tries to take it out on Bart, but Lisa is able to call the police to the scene, foiling Bob again.  In desperation, Bob kidnaps Bart and makes a getaway on the Wright Brothers plane that was on display.  Far too slow to be intercepted by modern jets yet too above the ground to actually grab, Bob is successfully making his getaway, but his mission isn't to escape: its a kamikaze mission to crash into the station Krusty is at, to kill Krusty.

As the plane approaches, Bart is able to warn Krusty to escape, however the plane is moving far too slowly and upon hitting the shack, it only bumps into it and falls to the ground.  Bob is arrested, finding terrible irony in that his plan and its ruination are not unlike a plot devised by some Hollywood TV hack.  Just then, Grampa rolls up on a motorcycle ready to burn rubber, much to Marge's dismay.

Quick Review
This episode is considered a bit of an oddball among the early Sideshow Bob episodes, the premise is kinda screwy admittedly, but there are still plenty of jokes and gags that carry the episode through its premise and makes for another top notch Sideshow Bob episode and another quality Season 7 episode.

Final Score: 9.3