Review of Last Exit to Springfield

I just saw this episode again on the season 4 DVD and it's the stand-out in an all-round excellent season (this is the season with Mr Plow, Lisa's First Word, Duffless and so many other greats). The invention is endless. Parodies come thick and fast from Citizen Kane, to Batman TV series, to superb How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Godfather Part 2 riffs - not to mention a wonderful Burton's Batman scene. As with so many of my favourite episodes it is a show with Mr Burns and Smithers front and centre as Homer becomes union chief and fights to keep a dental plan. This episode has so many drifts off the plot - Lisa high on laughing gas, Burns reminiscing about childhood, Homer's Godfather daydream, etc - yet never loses focus. Comic highlights are also constant but watching this on the train home last night a walk with Mr Burns and Smithers through the power plant intent on doing a dastardly deed resulted in a throwaway punchline that had me laughing out loud on the train. Genius is an overused word but when the shoe fits!