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This story was originally published in October 2014.
Weve updated it in honor of the 35th anniversary of The Simpsonss series premiere.
In the ensuing decade,The Simpsonshas kept evolving, and so, too, must this list.
Now there can beSimpsonsepisodes that make you laugh a little but mostly cry a lot.
Thats what Homerpalooza is.
Its the Gen-X, Lollapalooza world, filtered through the lens of the show.
(Dont you ever forget.)
Its a brief friendship, but any time we get to see Nelsons sensitive side is a winning one.
nailsThe Simpsonss mix of bite and heart with one joke.
Lisas Rival shows what happens when she meets her match.
This causes a new side of Lisa to come out.
FewSimpsonsepisode do a better job at capturing Lisas fundamental desire for connection.
(This episode, like so manySimpsonsthings, did it first.)
(Bart and Lisa in particular look a tiny bit like their earliest iterations.)
He is often drunk, he drives drunk, he does lots of things drunk.
But Duffless finally calls him on the carpet for it.
That reliability keeps Duffless grounded, despite an appearance from the Duff Blimp.
Rush Limbaugh fill-in Birch Barlow pressures Mayor Quimby into releasing Sideshow Bob from prison.
And it was pretty great already.
But I Married Marge focuses solely on Marge and Homers firstborn.
(No more Simpsons movies!
One was plenty.)
(I liked this movie more than the one by that little girl because I saw it today.)
Natural Born Kissers(Season 9, 1998)
The Simpsonsgoes sex-positive.
As a non-linear show,The Simpsonssucceeds at creating a portrait of a marriage through a series of snapshots.
Kudos to the show for not pulling any punches here.
The Principal and the Pauper(Season 9, 1997)
The Principal and the Pauper is the WORST.
for manySimpsonsfans who care too much about canon.
They served together in Vietnam, but when Skinner goes missing, Tamzarian takes on his identity.
The episode also works as a meta-commentary onSimpsonsfans themselves and their reluctance to accept change.
Ironically, Pauper is one of the MOST DISCUSSED.
And Maggie Makes Three(Season 6, 1995)
Yet another of Homers dream jobs.
Its simple work, but he likes it and he does it well.
The end of this episode packs one of the series strongest emotional wallops.
Its mean and existentially horrible.
The final moment returns to that sign, now surrounded by pictures of Maggie.
And sometimes its worth it.
Its this sort of balance of dark and light that makes for such a compelling episode.
Though we know Moes life is going to reset, its nice to see him happy.
Utter chaos, thats what.
Just because hes in charge of Sideshow Bobs rakes.
We get it, theres a lot of rakes.
But it wouldnt be on this list if that were simply the case.
Two-thirds of the way through the episode, Homer says, Guys, do you think Carl was right?
What if were not real friends?
Maybe we are just lonely guys who do guy stuff.
Herschel Krustofsky) wouldnt take it seriously.
Her name is Rachel Cohen and she just got into Brandeis.
Apu, of course.
Naturally, this leads him into the home of the man who ratted him out.
The first segment in this sixth entry Attack of the 50-Foot Eyesores is the latter.
Then the gurney is accidentally wheeled into the kindergarten class.
The final segment was memorable at the time for expanding into computer animation.
There, hes … 3-D!
This episode shows that its also the best TV show at figuring out how to use them.
Its a twist that works so well because of how Strummer treats the actual rock gods.
$pringfield is one of the earliest episodes to involve so many Springfield residents.
Its reminiscent ofThe Simpsons Moviein how expansive it feels and how many characters are involved.
Short answer: Homer.
Once the whole thing collapses, Ned cracks and checks himself into Calmwood Mental Hospital.
Its the most unlikely of origin stories: How Ned Learned to Love the Doodily.
Hurricane Neddy is a dangerously funny episode, but its also an intense character study.
Suddenly, all the nonsensical ramblings begin to make sense.
Neds been repressed since childhood, and all the built-up anger came out at once.
The Simpsons is an animated show, but its psychological game runs deep.
Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington(Season 3, 1991)
Its all in the title.
There she sees her local congressman take a bribe to raze a forest in Springfield.
He gets stuck on a roller coaster; she thinks shes the Lizard Queen.
Patty and Selma are everything Marge is not: cynical, mean, un-beehived.
But Selmas Choice does a remarkable job of making us empathize with one of the Gruesome Twosome.
Its proof that the extended Simpsons family can be as complex as the core group.
Then, in that story, Mr. Burns starts telling a story.
Then, in Burnss story, Moe starts telling a story … and so on.
Its one of the best jokesThe Simpsonshas done in its last decade.
This is an episode that rests on its complexity, and the structure is simultaneously silly and beautiful.
1 pick, Cape Feare.)
Jackie Mason (natch) plays Rabbi Hyman Krustofsky, and the episode goes HAM on the Jewish jokes.
Sensitively, of course.
Homer Badman(Season 6, 1994)
Theres not a wasted line in Homer Badman.
Its one classic scene after another.
The episode begins with a trip to a candy convention, where Homer steals a rare gummy.
(Bart: Dont we get to roast marshmallows?
Dolph: Shut up and eat yer pinecone!)
Lisa: I feel like Im gonna die, Bart.
Bart: Were all gonna die, Lise.
Lisa: I meant soon.
Bart: So did I.
), to sing and use his baritone voice to create vibrations that attract the snakes.
It sounds hilariously absurd, but thats the kind of plot The Simpsons thrives on.
Trilogy of Error is a one-of-a-kind marvel.
It doesnt last long, and Homer eventually turns himself in.
Steal This Episode never takes a side in the pirates-versus-producers war it doesnt have to.
The world needs laughter, so Krusty makes the cut, as do religious gossips the Lovejoys.
Its decided that Flanders is the only useless person here, and hes kicked out.
The rest soon join.
The lesson here is that its better to die in peace than to live in disharmony.
Springfield is a true community part of the shows joy is the variety and familiarity of its characters.
Barts Comet is a sterling example of the humor that arises when you bounce them all off each other.
Halloween of Horror is one of those special episodes.
Thats right:Halloweenof Horror, not Treehouse.
After 27 seasons, the show decided to do an actual Halloween episode.
No show has ever done big and small storytelling concurrently as well asThe Simpsonsand this is a masterful example.
The show does a particularly special job with Mindys character (perfectly voiced by Michelle Pfeiffer).
Rather than being lustful or playful, theres a nervousness and a discomfort about her.
Beyond Mindy, the episode succeeds in not selling Homer out, by letting him honestly feel the temptation.
But this ones especially cute.
Bartless takes a very uncomfortable question of course weloveour son, but do welikehim?
and spins it into an argument for Bart as Lovable Sweetie Pie.
Of course, though, the reason everyone remembers this episode is because of the song.
Then Barney buys a bigger truck, and the two become rivals.
But, well, Im Mr.
Plow, thats my name.
That name again is Mr. Its simple, vaguely palindromic, and catchy enough for children to carry with them all their lives.
Lisas Wedding(Season 6, 1995)
The year is 2010.
Shes a college student at Eastern University, which is where she meets Hugh (Mandy Patinkin).
Fortunately, those suspicions couldnt have been further from the truth.
Brick Like Me is heartfelt and ambitious (both in terms of production and storytelling).
52. Who Shot Mr. Burns?
series was when it aired.
Meant to be a parody of Dallass Who shot J.R.?
story arc, Who Shot Mr. Burns?
was arguably just as momentous.
In the season-seven premiere, Lisa worked with Chief Wiggum to find the culprit, parodyingTwin Peaksalong the way.
The show wanted to create an event around its season-six cliff-hanger, and it did just that.
It was a surprisingly good mystery with a perfectly Simpsonian ending.
The Way We Was(Season 2, 1991)
Origin stories are not new.
But here, at least, was a meaningful one.
Its high school, and Marge gets sent to detention for the first time ever.
Homer, a regular there, sees her walk in and falls in love at first sight.
Once you stop this car, Im gonna hug you and kiss you.
And then Ill never be able to let you go.
Rosebud(Season 5, 1993)
Mr. Burns isnt a complete monster.
He can occasionally be a decent guy, so long as he has his Bobo.
In Rosebud, we see Burns at his best and worst.
The good ones, not the leper ones for him.
Its a rare moment of good will for an otherwise bad man.
The Simpsons is a generous show allowing viewers the opportunity to empathize with so many characters.
Here, Burns gets his day.
Then Bart gets injured (Nelson: Ha-ha.
Milhouse: Hey, Nelson, hes really hurt.
I think he broke his leg.
Nelson: I said ha-ha.
), necessitating a cast that will keep him out of the pool for the rest of the summer.
He retreats to his room and Lisa gives him her telescope with which to pass the time.
He observes a neighbor commit a terrible act.
It hasnt been a thing for a while.
Mayor Quimby is impressed by the act of heroism, and he hires Homer as his personal bodyguard.
He agrees to continue working with the mayor, but only if hell arrest the mobster.
And the killer robots.
She snaps at Lisa, and Homer sadly suggests, You kids should thank your mother.
Now that shes a better person, we can see how awful we really are.
Its one of the more cutting lines from the shows first decade.
This doesnt end well.
Homer falls for a comically long, violent time.
Homer tumbles down the Gorge the same way, with the same painful sounds.
Producers fiddle with shows all the time.
They change characters, drop others, and push some into the background.
His catchphrase: Uh-oh, SpaghettiOs.
Homer at the Bat(Season 3, 1992)
Homer at the Bat is a transition episode.
This episode is a Trojan horse hiding an emotional story inside a visually sumptuous package.
To protect himself, Mayor Quimby passes the blame along to someone else: illegal immigrants.
Much Apu About Nothing shows what happens when you put a face to your ignorance.
From then on, everything goes great for Homer until he realizes something: He wants to lose.
By episodes end, hes back with the Simpsons, the best club in town.
Homers Phobia and Much Apu Nothing are maybe the most classic examples.
Homer, like the rest of the family, loves John, until he learns hes gay.
(Most memorably, he takes Bart to a very gay steel mill.)
The reason the episode works so well is because Homer makes the perfect patsy, of sorts.
Homer isnt particularly political; hes just reactionary and, well, stupid.
The Book Job shows that even after two-plus decades,The Simpsonsstill has bite to it.
Instead of Ringo, something something Burt Ward?
Its a classic tale of sibling rivalry thats prompted by the threat of Lisa failing gym.
(Though lets not forget Ralphs Me, fail English?
Homers hilariously bad parenting agitates the situation further, especially when hes flickering the lights and yelling FIGHT!
upon finding out Bart and Lisa will square off in a match.
At the time,The Simpsonswas an anecdote for both.
to iron helps us play.
(Hello, Joe!)
Its a rare instance of a TV-show character being proud of the extra pounds hes put on.
dampen Krustys ratings and move the web connection to cancel him.
Bart: Ed Sullivan?)
the mysterious strobe-flash ads proclaim.)
), but Homer vs. the 18th Amendment is full of bons mots.
Now hold on a minute, missy, he tells Marge.
Its not up to us to choose which laws we want to obey.
If it were, Id kill everyone who looked at me cockeyed!
Sometimes, theRick and Mortyeffect isnt such a bad thing
29.
(The first few minutes show Krusty lighting a cigarette with a copy of Action Comics #1.)
), the subtle moments of body language and expression are even funnier.
(Krustys shifty-eyed expression when Homer exclaims, You came here to save me!
will never not be funny.)
Krustys debt, by the way, is $48.
He pays with a $50; the Don makes change.
HOMR(Season 12, 2001)
AFlowers for Algernonhomage that is arguably better than its source material.
At the least, it is funnier and more touching.
It becomes increasingly apparent to Homer how frustrating and isolating the world is for intelligent people.
The episodes ending is one of the series most poignant moments ever.
Lisa and Abe will always be grouches, but there is value in being the antithesis.
Its also about how being an adult isnt all that its cracked up to be.
Ive never liked you!
The iconic I Choo-Choo-Choose You is one of the series most oft-used quotes.
Homers Enemy(Season 8, 1997)
You?
Went into outer space?
But high up on the list is lucky.
Homers a lucky guy.
Its also Grimess final episode.
The problem is, those secrets end up being Homer and Marges actual marital problems and sexual particularities.
Any of these stories wouldve been enough for a normal show, butThe Simpsonsweaves it all together seamlessly.
In this case, he becomes a mall Santa.
It was actually the eighth.
That isnt a knock on the episode.
Also, the characters didnt necessarily feel settled yet.
Adding, Yes, something to share our love and frighten prowlers.
Theres only one problem: Homer hates New York City.
It was always a well-liked episode.
Then 9/11 happened, and it was taken out of syndication.
and proceeds to give Homer helpful information, all while maintaining that combative New York accent.
Milhouse is unhappy in the role because he only accepted it to appease his money-grubbing parents.
And you’re free to sense it.
Holidays of Future Passed just feels like the show operating at its very best.
It wouldve been a perfect finale.
Homers attempt to discuss this conflict with his boss is interrupted by government troops attacking Scorpios headquarters.
Things only get sillier from there.
A one-thing-after-another gagfest in mid-period Mel Brooks style, You Only Move Twice is one-stop shopping for Bond riffs.
Marge: Mr. Scorpio, this house is almost too good for us.
I keep expecting to get the bums rush.
Theyd be allowed to go at their own pace.)
Nobody ever says Italy, Scorpio says.
The Marx Bros. would approve.
It all happened in 1990, Homer says.
In they go, and out they walk with one saxamaphone.
Bonus points for the baby versions of Lisa, Bart, and especially Milhouse.
Bart chafes at Ned and Maudes God obsession and strictness, but Lisa finds that she appreciates the routine.
Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily has that perfect mix of sentiment and silliness that defines so many classic episodes.
This is a pantheon episode for the shows writers and its musical director, Alf Clausen.
Its as meta as The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show, though in a different way.
Her new persona is an anti-intellectual cool girl.
Girls, Lisa, her mother replies.
Barts Birthday (Season 35, 2024)
Afteryearsdecades of speculation,The Simpsonsfinally airs its series finale.
Most shockingly, Bart is finally aging and inviting people to his 11th birthday party.
Barts Birthday is simply the most audacious episode inThe Simpsonss history of audacious episodes.
And it is audacious in a way that feels both completely new and completely in the spirit ofThe Simpsons.
The episode sits at ten and always will remain ten, just like Bart.
Whats the difference between this lamb and the one that kissed me?
Lisa asks her family, pushing her dinner plate away.
This one spent two hours in the broiler!
But she perseveres in her beliefs.
Eliots The Waste Land.
(Worst episode ever, the Comic Book Guy repeats, undeterred.)
No, good sir, Im on the level!).
Pinafore, the episode has entered the realm of the sublime.
Sounds plausible to us.
