To stream some of the best episodes of The Simpsons included here, FXX kicks off a 15-day long marathon of 661 episodes of The Simpsons from the first 30 seasons starting Tuesday. The Simpsons has had a run that no other show of its kind can match, what with its 25 seasons and 550 episodes (and counting). This is what Richmond calls the “ultimate Sideshow Bob episode.” It’s primarily a play on the Oscar-nominated 1991 movie Cape Fear, a psychological thriller from Martin Scorsese. The writers had to make their reaction to something this big make sense, which is a tribute to them.” From the musical numbers to a cameo from the legendary Leonard Nimoy (who plays himself, but with his role referencing Mr. Spock) to the comic spin on dangerous group psychology, it’s an eminently thoughtful episode that has stood up over time. Ultimately, Homer’s quest leads him to question his relationship with Marge — but by the end of the episode, he has seen the light and re-confirmed Marge as his soulmate, a touching moment of romance in a show not always best known for its sensitivity to love. Like any show that's gone on for decades, though, it's understandable if someone fell off the show after a point. Of course, on the car ride during which Sideshow Bob stows away in the undercarriage of the car, Homer decides it’s his lifelong dream to drive through a field of cacti. Airdate: February 20, 1992. So death is a topic that only comes up rarely. And naturally, it's only a matter of time before Homer and Bart's promise not to embarrass Marge completely falls apart. To Surveil, with Love . The episode ended on a cliffhanger, with Burns shot and dozens of Springfielders as potential culprits. An unexpected error has occurred with your sign up. It’s a brilliant comment and takedown of popular television,” he says. But the most recent seasons have still featured some fantastic episodes that are just as good as anything from the show's classic era. The animated show is one of the most beloved TV series of all time. “E-I-E-I Annoyed Grunt” Season 11. I shall do the next best thing: block it out.”. The Simpsons … Originally created as an offshoot of cartoon interludes on FOX’s Tracey Ullman Show by Matt Groening in 1987, it is developed by James L. Brooks, Matt Groening and Sam Simon. The heart, the satire, the absurdity, the one-liners: It all feels special in the way that the best episodes of The Simpsons feel like something beyond just a great episode of television. In typical Homer fashion, he manages to mess up the navigational instruments with a smuggled bag of chips and unleashes an ant farm upon the shuttle, which he erroneously ends up believing are giant, alien ants. It had to happen sometime. Strap in, because it doesn't end until Labor Day is over. I never heard that word before I moved to Springfield. 15. of 15. Principal Skinner is the best secondary Simpsons character, and this is the best Skinner episode. Fox 8. Burns?" Please attempt to sign up again. “Even at its lowest, it’s been greater than almost every comedy,” Richmond says. Making Bart and Skinner friends seems like a pretty hacky concept for an episode, but it works because Skinner is just so kind and sincere (if still hilariously lame). To top it off, there’s voice acting from the Ramones (yes, the rock star Ramones), adding an official layer of punk rock cool to the show. Some great The Simpsons episodes are about Homer's job at the nuclear power plant while other good episodes focus on Bart and Lisa at school. With as much alcohol as Homer consumes, it wasn't too surprising to learn in "Flaming Moe's" that he can mix a mean drink or two. He also encounters a coyote spirit guide, voiced by country icon Johnny Cash. Classic Episode. And you realize that these people have become not only OK with it, but charmed by it — and so have you.” Ortved calls it the “Hannah Arendt episode” for its wry portrayal of the banality of evil — a timeless term originally coined by the German-American theorist following the Holocaust. Why can't she be more like...well, not like Bart...". In the Simpsons version, Homer and his family are terrorized by Homer’s nemesis Sideshow Bob, voiced by actor Kelsey Grammer; they end up entering the witness protection program and relocating to a new town and a houseboat to try to escape. These are the episodes that didn't merely settle for … By Jason Serafino. "There's something wrong with that kid. It showed viewers that sometimes life really is unfair, and some people just don't get what they want out of life, no matter how hard they struggle. WandaVision Deserves the Hype. Awed by her power, the other students suggest the teachers must make fun of the kids in their private chamber. An English boy, huh? For instance, there’s a point at which Lisa, as president, has access to the teacher’s lounge. The Simpsons wasted no time slashing into politics and corporate greed: Blinky, the mutant three-eyed fish of this episode, became an enduring image of environmental negligence. As with everything on this show, the truth was more bizarre and entertaining. Anyone who has experienced the overwhelming assault of capitalism and corporate mascots that is Disney World can appreciate this episode. "Flaming Moe's" is just an all-around great episode, with a steady stream of gags and one-liners and some nice character growth for Moe, who up till that point had mostly just been the surly bartender who always fell victim to prank calling. CES 2021 Highlights: The Biggest Announcements From The Show, Netflix's 2021 Movie Release Lineup: New Films From Chris Hemsworth, Dwayne Johnson, and Zack Snyder Revealed, PS5 Scalpers Used a Loophole to Buy Stock Before It Was Live in the UK, Every Monster in the Godzilla MonsterVerse, Disney Parks to Change Jungle Cruise Ride Over Longstanding Racism Complaints, GameStop Traders Share Why They Went Big on the GME Stock Squeeze, Here's Why Kong is So Big in Godzilla vs. Kong, No, Konami Hasn't Shut Down Its Gaming Division, Platforming Modern Classic Celeste Gets a Surprise Semi-Sequel, Things Ghost of Tsushima Doesn't Tell You. And some of the most memorable conflicts on this show have come when the far more mature and morally pristine Lisa struggles to reconcile her beliefs with her father's actions. Movies. Some of the best Simpsons episodes deal with quite serious topics and few come more serious than Homer having a massive heart attack. Sometimes, the show has seemed to tell the future. The Simpsons: The Best Episode Of Each Season (From Season 1 To 10) Most of The Simpsons' greatest episodes land in its first ten seasons. With that in mind, we've decided to showcase the best of The Simpsons' modern era. Bart's quit his tutoring job and joined the violence gang!". If you only ever watch 29 episodes of The Simpsons … There used to be no question that The Simpsons was the greatest show on television.It had all the best jokes, the best characters, the best storytelling – it was just the best thing on the box, period. As much as Homer is portrayed as an ordinary slob of a lower-middle class guy, he's had some pretty grand adventures and lucky breaks over the years. While Bart was stuck indoors with a broken leg and little but bad TV to keep him entertained ("Ugh... Klassic Krusty..."), Lisa was able to bask in her newfound popularity as the girl with a swimming pool. The 50 Best "Simpsons" Episodes Of All Time. It says a lot about Homer that he gave in and did the morally correct thing, not because he feared for his own soul, but because he didn't want Lisa to be unhappy. It upset his comfortable, squeaky-clean world and allowed for an extended character arc to play out over the course of many seasons as Ned adjusted to the single parent lifestyle and started dating again. "The Every.Simpsons.Ever. Here are ten of the most memorable of the show’s episodes according to those who have studied the iconic show over its run, focusing primarily on its acclaimed first 15 years. The Simpsons episode voted the best ever by IMDb's users is also, without question, the absolute darkest installment of the whole series: season 8's "Homer's Enemy," in … We encourage you to read our updated PRIVACY POLICY and COOKIE POLICY. I miss my fly-fly, Dada! '", "Alright! One of the most memorable parts of the episode is a comic bit that’s become Simpsons legend: Sideshow Bob keeps stepping onto rakes that continually whack him in the face. Homie The Clown (Season 6, episode 15, 1996) Perhaps more than any other Simpsons episode, it’s difficult to talk about 'Homie the Clown' without just ending up quoting lines from it. If that sounds like too much of a time commitment, or you're struggling with which ones to watch, start here. Fox via Getty Images Some of us have spent nearly as much time in … "Truly, yours is a butt that won't quit.". The episode saw a Hollywood studio choose Springfield as the location to shoot their big-budget Radioactive Man movie (starring Ranier Wolfcastle, of course). This is what Richmond calls the “ultimate Sideshow Bob episode.” It’s primarily a play on the Oscar-nominated 1991 movie Cape Fear, a psychological thriller from Martin Scorsese. Updated: December 16, 2019 9:48 AM ET | Originally published: December 10, 2019 5:26 PM EST. Seeing her father so brazenly violate the Eighth Commandment caused Lisa no small amount of distress. The Simpsons gets a bad rep, but 20th Century Studios have stuck with Homer and co. for a reason. This episode explores what happens when reality — or something like it — bumps up agains the Simpsons fantasy. And the episode featured a guest appearance by Aerosmith, which was pretty cool. "Moe, I haven't seen the place this crowded since the government cracked down on you for accepting food stamps.". Top 50 Simpsons Episodes of All-Time. Could Amsterdam's New Economic Theory Replace Capitalism? Well, we saved your a$$ in World War III. In the end, nobody won, especially not Wolfcastle as he was swept away by a river of toxic waste. But despite the dire context, they’re still able to mine plenty of comedy out of the circumstan… Write to Raisa Bruner at raisa.bruner@time.com. ", “Ever since the beginning of time, man has yearned to destroy the sun. But the episode also hit all the right notes in terms of celebrating the peculiar sense of community among Springfielders and their mythologized town history. ", "I don't know why. It’s really held up.” Thanks to the nine players who contributed, it’s an iconic episode that showcases the power of the Simpsons‘s allure to draw in unusual cameos. Written by Conan O’Brien, it’s a fast-paced, joke-filled episode that turns The Simpsons from a quirky sitcom into a surreal social critique. You've never been? And rarer still does death strike a major recurring character. The 10 best episodes of The Simpsons, ranked. * The request timed out and you did not successfully sign up. The Simpsons has been on the air for over thirty years, churning out some of the most iconic pieces of American television comedy ever. “The Shining,” which is the segment that’s most well-remembered, sees the family get hired by Mr. Burns to take care of his mansion. ", "A little from Column A, a little from Column B. Please try again later. It’s a combination of character development, great guest stars, sight gags and homages to the past and to films,” he explains of its longstanding appeal.” As for its future? "Embiggens? This episode also benefited from an amusing subplot involving Homer struggling to build a doghouse and accidentally teaching Todd Flanders how to swear. I'm the one who provoked the lethal barrage of T-shirts. The first episode closed out Season 6, as Mr. Burns managed to piss off just about every resident of Springfield by stealing oil, blocking out the sun, firing Smithers and still, through it all, never remembering Homer's name. He sulked for a week and then closed his detective agency. You know, we saved your a$$ in World War II. Edna Krabappel's romantic misadventures have often been a focus on the series, as have her clashes with Bart, every teacher's worst nightmare. ", "Oh-ho! "Yes, that's me, and the guy standing next to me is President Gerald Ford… And this is when I was on tour with the Smashing Pumpkins… Oh, and here's a picture of me in outer space. “The fact is, you can’t be that funny for that long, and comedy moves on. For more. And it was a gleeful parody of the infamous "Who Shot J.R.?" “It will never go out.”. It was definitely amusing to see Grimey lash out at a man too happily obtuse to realize he had made a mortal enemy. Stacker presents the best “Simpsons” episodes of all time. It's a perfectly cromulent word. And sure enough, when Lisa peeks in on the teachers, she discovers Willie the groundskeeper making fun of the students — a cutting commentary on the cruelty of adults, as explored by a child. Grimes was intelligent and ambitious, yet he could never seem to catch a break in life. I admit it, I am the Lindbergh baby! Number three: 'It was like that when I got here. The episodes where the Simpsons dive into the past often rank among the show’s best, but this refines that formula to a tee as the show bounces back … In one of the show’s finest homages to classic theater, a traveling salesman named Lyle Lanley, voiced memorably by Phil Hartman, comes to Springfield and sells the town on the concept of a monorail, á la the musical The Music Man. The result was an endearing little drama as Homer struggled to live up to the man Lisa wanted him to be. “Cape Feare” from season five is a fan favorite. Number one: 'Cover for me.' “There’s no single episode after that that holds up as well,” Ortved says. That’s three “D’oh-” and donut-filled decades of Homer’s mishaps alongside Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie as they scheme through the years in Springfield in brilliant cartoon color. In this foray into a newly surrealist realm — or a “spirit quest acid trip,” as Turner describes it — Homer wins a hot-pepper-eating contest only to start hallucinating due to the strength of the peppers. Homer sends Barney into an avalanche, then feels guilty and saves his life. Journalist John Ortved, who wrote The Simpsons: An Uncensored, Unauthorized History, considers it one of our most powerful cultural forces in television. For the list, Stacker surveyed all the episodes’ IMDb user ratings and ranked them accordingly. Share. The episode: A parody of VH1’s Behind the Music, the episode re-imagines the Simpsons as a real-life TV show, complete with behind-the-scenes interviews with Homer (the creator of … For his part, Milhouse wanted no part of the fame, fortune, and constant hassle that come with child stardom. Picking the very best episodes ever is a task that even McBain would struggle with, but we've tried it anyway. “Homer’s Enemy” also has its share of critics who see it as a bit too on the nose in its unusually clear-eyed depiction of Homer’s faults, making it one of the show’s more controversial episodes. ... Homer opens a snow plow business only to have his best friend Barney open a rival outfit, with commercials by Linda Ronstadt. This week, The Simpsons celebrates its 30th anniversary of being on air. on a quest to retrieve Springfield's beloved Lemon Tree from Shelbyville's miscreants. Homer quickly deteriorates under the circumstances, to murderous effect. But their comedy has grown up around us and become an indelible part of the American cultural landscape. Comments Share your thoughts and debate the big issues. It is an ensemble episode … "Homer, come quick! “It was one of those things where they were almost testing the theory that anything repeated enough becomes funny,” Turner says. In the case of a tie, the episode with more user votes was ranked higher. Case in point, this Season 2 episode where Homer became the most popular guy in town after getting an illegal cable TV hookup (this being a time when cable TV was still considered a luxury). If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission. "Now, now, now, don't beat yourself up. "Homer at the Bat" Season 3, Episode 17. “It’s both prescient and really critical.” Turner agrees: “It’s a satire of the show itself in a lot of ways. “On some level The Simpsons is a kind of punk rock TV show, or certainly was,” Ortved says. But when Grimes is stuck with Homer, he is driven to madness and, ultimately, death. By signing up you are agreeing to our. Homer's bizarre creation, The Flaming Homer, brought a new level of success and prestige to Moe's Tavern. Ever. The show has also picked up a collective 34 Primetime Emmy Awards over its expansive run, making it a critical hit too. If you've ever been trapped in a boring summer vacation without end, you'll understand what Bart went through in this episode. storyline on the 1980's soap opera Dallas. It lies right in the show’s prime.