The Simpsons: - TV.com

The Simpsons: Midnight Towboy

« prev episode next » episode

Homer starts working in the towing business, but gets into some trouble when the town sets up Homer to look like he is towing on a rival's turf after he becomes greedy with power. Meanwhile, Marge signs up for a counseling program that teaches parents how to raise young children to become independent, but the program works a little too well on Maggie. Read full recap »

YOUR SCORE

RESET

N/A n/a

Writers:: Stephanie Gillis

Director:: Matthew Nastuk

Stars:: Hank Azaria (Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum, Comic Book Guy, Lou, and others); Julie Kavner (Marge Simpson, Patty Bouvier, and Selma Bouvier); Yeardley Smith (Lisa Simpson); Harry Shearer (Mr. Burns, Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner, Waylon Smithers, Kent Brockman, and others); Nancy Cartwright (Bart Simpson, Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggum, Todd Flanders, and others); Dan Castellaneta (Homer Simpson, Grampa Simpson, Barney Gumble, Krusty the Clown, Groundskeeper Willie, and others)

Recurring Role:: Karl Wiedergott (Additional Voices); Tress MacNeille (Agnes Skinner, Brandine Del Roy, Dolph and others); Pamela Hayden (Milhouse Van Houten, Rod Flanders, Jimbo Jones, and others)

Guest Star:: Matt Dillon (Louie)

Trivia: The Rich Texan has a phobia of beards and mustaches. edit »
Lenny's license plate reads "DUI GUY". edit »
Homer, imprisoned in Louie�s basement, tells the tow truck drivers the plot of two 2007 summer movies, Shrek the Third and Transformers. edit »
Music From This Episode
�Shout!� by The Isley Brothers (Homer and the kids sing it during the Animal House parody.)
�On The Dark Side� by John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band (Heard as Homer drives into Guidopolis.)
"Cochise" by Audioslave (Heard while Homer hitches a ride with Louie in his tow truck.)
�Rock-a-bye Baby� (Heard when Marge cuddles a sack of potatoes in place of Maggie.)
�Under the Boardwalk� by The Drifters (The imprisoned tow truck drivers sing it to Homer, while trapped in Louie�s basement.) edit »
During Homer�s search for milk, the following sign is spotted:
�Mr. T
Is The
Lion
King
Capital City Playhouse� edit »

Blackboard Joke: None.
Couch Gag: The family room is built out of Legos. Using stop motion filming, the family is then assembled out of Legos, one by one. Homer's full head of hair is replaced by a Lego block which more justifies his baldness. Homer responds with, "D'oh!" edit »

Homer: When you married a man who would years later, without warning, become a tow-truck driver, you knew what the deal would eventually be. edit »
Carl: It sure is nice not having Homer around to tell us where we can and can't park.
Lenny: Yeah. Without the crushing rule of law, society will do a better job of regulating itself. edit »
Bed Time Krusty Doll: Don't let the bed bugs bite! Krusty's anti-bed bug spray sold separately; may contain poison. edit »
Lisa: There must be a website that can help you deal with a clingy baby.
Marge: Oh, I don�t want to bother the internet with my problem.
Bart: Aw, come on, Mom. We�ll help you surf.
(Marge sits down at the computer, grabs the mouse and starts clicking away.)
Bart: Click that one, Mom.
Lisa: No, go up.
Bart Keep going--up, up, up!
Lisa: The blue ones are ads.
Bart: That�s the toolbar.
Lisa: No you�ve opened Word; close it!
Bart: Close it. Do-don�t save it!
Lisa: Stop clicking.
Bart: Don�t go there!
Lisa: Why are you buying a freezer?!
Bart: Don�t click the cart or you�ve bought it!
Lisa: Aw, you clicked the cart!
Marge: (Upset) If you�re so smart, you do it!
(Bart pushes one button and finds a baby website; Marge groans.) edit »
(Louie explains the perks of being a tow truck driver to Homer.)
Homer: When you call in sick, who do you call?
Louie: I don�t call in sick, I work when I want to.
Homer: Sometimes you want to work?
Louie: Hey, I get to drive around, eat when I want to, eyeball the highway honeys--(Honks his horn at a woman on the street.)
Woman: I�m your aunt, stupid!
Louie: � and lasso the street cattle.
Homer: Street cattle?
Louie: The cars I tow, I got all kinds of names for them: She-atas, Hebrew canoes, spam cans, Swedish speedballs, and of course, stretch lame-os.
Homer: Some of those were pretty funny. edit »

Justin Timberlake
One of Maggie's dolls is named "Justin Timberwolf". This is a play on pop singer Justin Timberlake's name. edit »
Coke/Mentos Viral Video
When Homer asks Apu what happened to all the milk, Apu responds that he sold it all to teen-agers, because there is a rumor that milk, Mentos and lotto scrapings will make jet-pack fuel. This is an reference to the viral video of two lab-students dropping Mentos into Coke which causes an "explosive" reaction. edit »
Spider-Man
While conversing with Homer, Ned Flanders says: "You know what they say: 'With great power comes great responsibility.'� Flanders' quote is straight from the comic book series and 2002 film, Spider-Man. edit »
National Lampoon's Animal House
At the begining of this episode, Homer, Bart, Lisa, Ralph, and Milhouse are partying in togas singing "Shout." This is a reference to the 1978 comedy National Lampoon's Animal House. edit »
Midnight Cowboy
The title of this episode is a parody of the of the 1969 film, Midnight Cowboy. edit »

7.6
00
Lazlo193456
member since: Jul 8, 2005
Midnight Towboy
The Bottom Line: "Fine example"
Another job for Homer. This time it means Springfield gets the tow. ...Continue »
08/21/08 04:06pm | report abuse
9
00
jimbo_001
member since: Jul 12, 2005
Midnight Towboy
The Bottom Line: "Another great installment"
Homer gets a new job: Tow truck driver! ...Continue »
05/20/08 03:46am | report abuse
10
00
annoyer08
member since: May 14, 2008
Midnight Towboy
The Bottom Line: "Filler episode"
The third episode of the 19th season also includes yet another Homer gets a new job subplot and yet again it's far from a series classic but not far from being one of my favorite.. ...Continue »
05/13/08 09:52pm | report abuse
9
00
BCeagles14
member since: Feb 14, 2008
Midnight Towboy
The Bottom Line: "Exactly why I watch this series"
The best episode of the season so far. Let's hope that all of the episodes from this season are pretty much exactly alike this one. ...Continue »
02/13/08 04:24pm | report abuse
8.7
00
meislost
member since: Mar 30, 2007
Midnight Towboy
The Bottom Line: "Exciting"
Midnight Towboy is an episode of the popular animated TV series The Simpsons. ...Continue »
11/23/07 07:29pm | report abuse