Best. Simpsons Episodes. Ever

July 27, 2007

During it’s golden age (roughly seasons 4-9), there was no show on TV that was more consistently funny than The Simpsons. In honor of the Simpsons Movie’s release, I’m going to list some of my favorite episodes, occasionally adding an MP3 from the show in. Feel free to agree/disagree and add some of your own favorite episodes in the comments. Make sure to follow the link to see the whole list!

Trilogy of Error

This one is probably my favorite of the post-golden age era Simpsons episodes. It has a very unique Tarintino-like storytelling concept where the episode is told from three different perspectives and it also delivers some hilarious gags like 123 Fake Street, Linguo the grammar robot, and the undercover illegal fireworks ring. It also contains the Flanders’ reading of Harry Potter, “and then Harry Potter, and all his wizard friends, went straight to Hell for practicing witchcraft”.

MP3 Theme from Run Lola Run

King Size Homer

Although the characterization and plot of this episode are overall a bit sub-par, I find it brings some of the biggest laughs. The scene where Homer’s trying to figure out how to use a computer (”To start press any key. Where’s the any key?”) cracks me up everytime.

Trash of the Titans

The milestone episodes are usually a let-down to me, but this 200th episode is suberb. It begins with a fun little sequence where the local department store invents a new holiday (”love day”) to boost sales. From there comes Homer’s battle with the garbage men and eventually running for Santitation Commisioner against Ray Patterson, played by Steve Martin. Eventually the town gets so run down with garbage that the entire town has to move five miles down the road. The plot is pretty ridiculous, but it makes for some great scenes (The Candyman Can song is hysterical). The U2 show scenes are also a big highlight, showcasing the band’s most over-the-top tour, Popmart.

MP3 The Garbage Man Can

The Last Temptation of Homer

This is a classic episode where Michelle Pfeiffer guest stars as an attractive woman who works with Homer and shares many common interests with him. The episode is not only hilarious (the examine your scalp for ringworm commercial gets me everytime) but offers some great insight into the character of Homer and his relationship with Marge.

A Fish Named Selma

An episode focuses completely on the character of Troy McClure. How could that not be amazing? Troy marries Selma to try to dispel some rumors about a romantic abnormality (”I thought you said Troy McClure was dead?” “No I said, he sleeps with the fishes”). It’s a great satire on Hollywood, but mostly notable for the Planet of the Apes Musical, which goes down as one of my favorite scenes of all time.

MP3 Stop the Planet of the Apes

Homerpalooza

This episode is a dead-on sendup of youth culture and the alternative music scene with Homer trying to rediscover his coolness by taking his kids to Hullabulooza. The guest stars are also some of the best the show has seen and provide for some pretty humorous scenes (”Billy Corgan, Smashing Pumpkins. Homer Simpsons, smiling politely”). The Homer flashbacks are also a big highlight.

MP3 Smashing Pumpkins – Zero

Marge vs. the Monorail

This Conan O’Brien penned episode has always been a favorite of mine. The Musical Man parody at the town hall meeting (i love when they’re all whispering “monorail. monorail.”) and the scenes where Homer training to become a monorail conductor are brilliant. The Leonard Nimroy cameo is another excellent moment.

MP3 Monorail

You Only Move Twice

As a James Bond parody this episode works great, but the fact that the writers work in a fantastic plot about the Simpsons moving to a new town and make the supervillain Homer’s new age-y boss (flawlessly voiced by Albert Brooks) is what really makes the episode stand out. Homer’s lifelong dream to own the Dallas Cowboys is a hysterical addition.

Lisa’s Date With Density

I love when a show takes two characters from completely opposite spectrums and pairs them together. Lisa developing a crush on Nelson fleshes out both of their characters in pretty realistic ways and provides for some hilarious moments (”Oh, man! You kissed a girl!” “That is so gay!”). It also has some of the most classic Millhouse moments and an ace subplot featuring Homer’s tele-spammer.

Homers Phobia

The one’s a perennial favorite, loved by fans and non-fans alike. Homer’s childish views of homosexuality make for some of my favorite lines from the character. The scene where Marge trying to explain to Homer that John is gay completely inspired:

Marge: Hmm, I don’t think he’s married, Homer.

Homer: Oh, a swinging bachelor, eh? Well, there’s lots of foxy ladies out there.

Marge: Homer, didn’t John seem a little… festive to you?

Homer: Couldn’t agree more, happy as a clam.

Marge: He prefers the company of men.

Homer: Who doesn’t?

Marge: Homer, listen carefully. John is a homo…

Homer: Right…

Marge: …sexual.

Homer: [screams]

Also who can forget “Hot stuff, comin’ through!”?

Treehouse of Horror V

The Halloween specials are always pretty solid but it’s the fifth installment that tops them all. The first act is a spot-on parody of the Shining with the famous “No TV and no beer make Homer something something” scene, but Time and Punishment is really the crowning achievement of the episode. From Homer repeatetedly getting his hand jammed in the toaster to Grandpas time travel advice and the progressively weirder alternative universes (the one where Maggie has James Earl Jones’ voice is great), its some of the best six minutes on television. The teachers-eating-kids third act, while not at same level, has it’s moments as well.

Bart Sells His Soul

Yet another season 7 episode, this one showcases some of the religious satire that The Simpsons have become well known for. The In-Da-Gadda-Da-Vida scene offers a great introduction to the episode and it doesn’t let up, offering both humor and some heart-tugging emotion. The best is the scene when Bart finds out that Millhouse traded his soul for Alf pogs (”Remember Alf? He’s back. In pog form.”), but there’s a number lines that had me rolling in this episode (”Way to breathe, no breath” and Reverend Lovejoy’s “You too, snitchy”). It also has a really cute moment between Lisa and Bart at the end.

The Cartridge Family

This is the episode I’ve probably most often claimed as “my favorite” and while it doesn’t make me laugh as much as it used too, it still features some of my favorite gags in the show. The whole process of Homer buying a gun at Blood Bath and Beyond is just flat-out hilarious (the Waiting is the Hardest Part montage) and it has the funniest Homer fantasy sequence I can remember (What would life be like if I robbed the Kwik-E-Mart) . It also handles the subject of gun control very well, without angering too many people on either sides of the issue. This would be one of the first I’d show to a non-Simpsons watcher.

Rosebud

Mr. Burns-centered episodes are pretty consistentally great, and this is the best one of them all. You don’t have to be familiar with Citizen Kane to be able to follow to the story of Burns and his lost teddy bear, Bobo. The episode has the best characterizations of the characters out of any other show in the series. Burns is greedy but has a playful side, Smithers just wants to make Burns happy, Homer is a bumbling idiot but he cares most about his family. The dinner scene near the beginning of the episode where they “roast”, Mr. Burns is one of my favorites, as is the journey of Bobo the teddy bear, and Homer’s obsession with “boxy”.

Lisa the Vegetarian

While I was rewatching Simpsons episodes this week, this was the one I found myself laughing the hardest at. Lisa, in her free-thinking spirit, decides to become a vegetarian and it throws the family (and the school system) into a frenzy. The opening visit to Storytown Village (for ages 1 to 7 and 1/2) delivered some big laughs and set the stage for Lisa’s activism. The scene at the dinner table where she imagines how food is formed is priceless (who could forget how hotdogs are made and “Ooh, yeah, right, Lisa. A wonderful, magical animal”). The second act of the episode features my all-time favorite Troy McClure educational video (the food chain scenes are excellent) as well as a very eventful BBBQ (the Mr. Burns “when pigs fly” scene!). The episode ends on sweet note with Homer and Lisa both trying to be more tolerant to the others life decisions. A true classic.

Honorable Mentions:
Cape Feare
Mr. Plow
How I Spent My Strummer Vacation
Lemon of Troy
Homers Enemy

Posted by Taylor in Lists, Television