Mr. Plow
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| The Simpsons episode | |
| "Mr. Plow" | |
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| Episode no. | 68 |
| Prod. code | 9F07 |
| Orig. Airdate | November 19, 1992 |
| Show Runner(s) | Al Jean & Mike Reiss |
| Writer(s) | Jon Vitti |
| Director(s) | Jim Reardon |
| Chalkboard | "A burp is not an answer" |
| Couch gag | The family sits on a single chair. |
| Guest star(s) | Adam West and Linda Ronstadt as themselves |
| DVD commentary by | Matt Groening Al Jean Jon Vitti Jim Reardon |
| SNPP capsule | |
| Season 4 September 24, 1992 – May 13, 1993 |
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| List of all Simpsons episodes... | |
"Mr. Plow" is the 9th episode of The Simpsons' fourth season.
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
It is snowing badly in Springfield, so Marge calls Homer at Moe's Tavern and tells him to come home right away. Homer drives through a snowstorm and both cars are destroyed as a result. He lies to an insurance claims adjuster about his whereabouts before the accident in order to cover the fact that he was drunk at the time.
Homer goes to a car show to get a new car, where a salesman talks him into getting a snowplow because he can pay the higher debt by using it to plow snow off the roads. Homer starts his snow plow business as "Mr. Plow" with the help of a late-night ad and becomes a success, even being given a key to the city.
Barney asks how he can be a success so Homer says to go out and be the best Barney he could be. The next day Barney has bought a bigger plow, and with Linda Ronstadt's help, creates an ad as "The Plow King", which steals all of Homer's customers. Mayor Quimby takes back the key from Homer to give it to Barney. To get revenge Homer tricks Barney into going on a fake plow job.
Without Barney around Homer begins to plow driveways again, but the news reports there has been an avalanche on the mountain that Homer sent Barney to. Homer, feeling guilty, sets out to rescue him, and in the end they agree to become partners. Their claim that not even God could stop them brings about a response from God - the melting of the snow. Homer's plow is repossessed at the end of the episode.
[edit] Trivia
- This episode was submitted for the overall comedy program Emmy as opposed to the animation category in 1993 (along with A Streetcar Named Marge) although ultimately, it wasn't nominated.
- This episode was mentioned in the Family Guy episode 8 Simple Rules for Buying My Teenage Daughter during Stewie's rant about people like LaDawn's boyfriend who shop at Abercrombie and Fitch, play hacky-sack, smoke sticky buds out of a soda can, watch downloaded episodes of "The Simpsons," and think they're smart and hip because they know the "Mr. Plow" jingle.
- Kumatsu Motors and Repo Depo from Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? and I Married Marge are mentioned.
- Linda Ronstadt's Spanish version of the Plow King jingle translates to English as "Mr. Plow is not manly. He is only a drunk."
- Homer entices Barney into going to the mountain by claiming he lives in a cabin with a long road and will pay Barney a $10,000 bill as compensation. Barney, attempting to verify the story, asks which president is on the $10,000 bill. Homer quickly replies "All of them! They are having a party. Jimmy Carter's passed out on the couch." Barney accepts that as genuine "Wow! This I gotta see!". In actuality, the $10,000 bill does not feature a U.S. President, but Supreme Court Justice Salmon P. Chase.
- The opera sung by (a caricature of) Maria Callas in the second Mr Plow TV ad is the famous cavatina "Casta Diva" from Vincenzo Bellini's Norma.
[edit] Cultural references
- Batman - Adam West has a large part in this episode, which references the Batusi as well as Catwomen Julie Newmar, Lee Meriwether and Eartha Kitt. West's Batmobile even sports the TV series' license plate number: 2F-3567 (although it says Springfield instead of Gotham City.
- Circus of the Stars - "Carnival of the Stars" (hosted by Troy McClure) is a direct spoof of the annual specials that aired on CBS (from 1976-1994), featuring celebrities performing circus acts.
- Citizen Kane - The Mr. Plow commercial featuring the snow dome being crushed is inspired by the shattered snow dome in the 1941 film.
- Raiders of the Lost Ark - The scene where the snowmen melt during the sudden heatwave is similar to the way the Nazi soldiers melt in the 1981 film.
- When Homer claims that when two friends work together, not even God Himself can stop them. The merger of their businesses is short-lived however, as a heat wave melts all the snow. Although this was a positive comment by Homer on the power of teamwork and friendship, it was also construed as similar to the oft-referenced quote to the RMS Titanic; "God Himself cannot sink this ship!"
- Sorcerer - The 1977 William Friedkin film is briefly parodied as Homer crosses a rickety bridge. The scene is scored with Tangerine Dream-like music that was featured in the movie.
- The Godfather - The scene in which Bart is ambushed by snowballs is similar to Sonny Corleone's death at the toll-booth.
[edit] External links
- "Mr. Plow" episode capsule at The Simpsons Archive
