Storm's top 50 Simpsons episodes

Sideblog for posts counting down Storm's 50 favorite Simpsons episodes, including various trivia about each one. (Seasons 1-8 only.) Main Tumblr.

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#42: Homer's Triple Bypass (Season 4, Episode 11)

"Don't worry, Marge, America's health care system is second only to Japan, Canada, Sweden, Great Britain, well, all of Europe... but you can thank your lucky stars we don't live in Paraguay!"

Showrunner(s): Al Jean/Mike Reiss Director: David Silverman Writer(s): Garry Apple/Michael Carrington

Truly one of the all-time greats. Homer having a heart attack is a pretty inevitable storyline, but this episode treats the issue with enough realism and truthfulness that it's an instant classic. The American medical system is brutally satirized, but more importantly we get a good look at how this affects both Homer and his family. Scenes like Homer praying for God to look after the family in case he dies on the table, or Bart and Lisa giving Homer advise on what to say to the other one ("Lisa, I guess this is the time to tell you that you're adopted and I don't like you. ...Bart! But don't worry, because you've got a big brother who loves you and will always look out for you.") add weight (pun intended?) to the situation.

This episode opens with the famous Cops parody (the first time I can mention the digs the show takes at Fox, and one of the subtler ones too), and an example of a great scene that is easy to forget what episode it comes from. One that is impossible to forget is Homer's heart attack, which is easily one of the best animated sequences in the series (of course done expertly by David Silverman), and has one of my favorite d'ohs by Homer. There's a lot of ways Dan says it, but that slightly hoarse delivery of it is always my favorite version of it. A few more quotes for the road: "Cloud goes up, cloud goes down..." "This ain't make-up!" “Now I know I haven't been the best Jew, but I have rented Fiddler On The Roof, and I will watch it. Anyhoo, can I have $40,000?"

Finally, we were introduced to Dr. Nick in this episode. What more really needs to be said at this point?

Trivia

This is very similar as a "Homer facing his own death" episode to season 2's One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish, but while that episode is great in its own right, I find it a bit too much on the depressing side (and sometimes not depressing enough since for all the characters know, Homer will die that day), while this one balances drama and comedy much more deftly.

Every time I think of Edgar Allen Poe, I think of his house being driven up a hill in this episode, by none other than Moleman.

I love Maggie wagging her arms after Homer spins the "droodle." I imagine it's tough to make Maggie a fun character, but it's those little touches that go a long way.

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#43: Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily (Season 7, Episode 3)

"In the eyes of God, they'll be Flanderseseseses!"

Showrunner(s): Bill Oakley/Josh Weinstein Director: Susie Dietter Writer: Jon Vitti

This episode's title is a mouthful; I can never remember exactly how it goes without looking it up. Anyway, this episode sees the Simpsons family torn apart in a way never depicted before; Marge's reaction to the kids being hauled off is genuinely heartbreaking, and the entire episode is peppered with those little moments that reinforce the family's love for each other: Homer and Marge walking through their empty kids' room, "Simpsons Kids Miss Mom And Dad," and one of the most touching endings in the show, with Maggie looking over the dirty, run-down Simpsons, then the shiny, perfect Flanders, and walking over to the Flanders... only for Marge to appear over the hills, instantly winning Maggie's attention - and heart - as the two reunite. It's a perfect representation of motherhood, done with no dialogue. Just watch. Despite their many flaws and dysfunctions, the Simpsons love each other, and they wouldn't have it any other way.

It's also one of the most well-plotted episodes in the whole series; lots of episodes will have B-plots to pad out the runtime that have absolutely nothing to do with the main storyline, but this one is particularly effective because the two plots (the kids at the Flanders and Marge and Homer attending childcare classes) are given equal treatment and are both necessary to reach the episode's climax of stopping Ned from baptizing the kids (which is probably when Flanders', well, Flanderization became fully complete and he became an unapologetic evangelical Christian, but it's funny enough here to give it a pass).

I know, I know, the jokes. Let's get right to them. "To catch Flanders, I just have to think like Flanders. 'I'm a big four-eyed lameo, and I wear the same stupid sweater every day, and...' The Springfield river!" "Stupid babies need the most attention." "The only thing I'm high on is love: love for my sons and daughters. Yes, a little LSD is all I need." "Saxamaphone... saxamaphone..." "Ha ha, you're gonna be Lisa Flanders! / You're gonna be Bart Flanders... / AHH!"

Trivia

Newsweek is another random target of the Simpsons writers. Summer Of 4'2'' has Newsweek listing Springfield as "America's crud bucket," and in this episode Lisa declares in disbelief that the Flanders "read Newsweek instead of nothing!"

This is the first episode that sees Oakley and Weinstein as showrunners; it's a perfect example of their sensibilities as they've mentioned they use the earlier seasons as inspiration for their storytelling, where things were a bit less wacky and off-the-wall. We also see the John Swartzwelder statue, who is possibly the most famous Simpsons writer for diehard fans, having written more episodes than anybody else in the series and being the rumored inspiration for Ron Swanson on Parks And Recreation (created by former Simpsons writer Greg Daniels). But more on that later.

"Welcome to your new home, neglect-irinos!" Was originally "abuse-irinos," from Groening, but it got shot down as being too cruel. I think the line they went with is much funnier.

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#44: Duffless (Season 4, Episode 16)

"The other day I was so desperate for a beer I snuck into the football stadium and ate the dirt under the bleachers."

Showrunner(s): Al Jean/Mike Reiss Director: Jim Reardon Writer: David M. Stern

Season 4 is a contender for my favorite season of the show (it's either that or 6), and it's a season that is anchored by its heart even when we're kneedeep in the wackiness. This episode takes a very serious (and hilarious) look at Homer's alcoholism, and how after getting an accidental DUI (long story), he decides to take a month without drinking at the request of Marge. This is a low-key episode that still manages to put out tons of classic humor: Homer's "When I was 17" song, mixing up speaking with his brain and speaking with his mouth, a B-plot with Lisa experimenting on Bart, the Duff commercial, you get the idea.

While all of that is fantastic, the episode rises above with one of the best endings in the series: after the month passes, Homer goes to Moe's to resume drinking immediately, but once he sits down with the beer, decides he'd rather go on a bike ride with his wife. Very simple, sweet, and sincere. Despite being a cynical satire, it's difficult to think of a show more earnest than classic Simpsons. I'll just use this great quote from a Slate article: "Episodes that once would have ended with Homer and Marge bicycling into the sunset now end with Homer blowing a tranquilizer dart into Marge's neck."

Trivia

Stanley Kubrick gets tons and tons of homages on the Simpsons, but what is possibly my favorite is in this episode, with Bart trying to reach the cupcakes after Lisa's conditioning (nsfw-ish).

Nice bit of continuity here to see Jub-Jub (Selma's pet iguana) from earlier in this season in a brief scene here. It's uncommon to see continuity referenced in the Simpsons within the same season, since episodes are often produced out of order.

This is one of the very first times Hitler was depicted on the show. Matt Groening hated Hitler jokes, but that didn't seem to stop everybody else.

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#45: Summer Of 4 Ft. 2 (Season 7, Episode 25)

"Lisa's skating with some cool kids! And she looks like Blossom.”

Showrunner(s): Bill Oakley/Josh Weinstein Director: Mark Kirkland Writer: Dan Greaney

Lisa episodes are sometimes looked down upon by Simpsons fans (possibly retroactively because of her gradually becoming a stand-in for the writers' political opinions), but her episodes are among the best in the series and offer an important contrast to the more boorish characters in the show's repertoire. The first of many classic Lisa episodes, Summer is a surprisingly lowkey season finale with lots of slice-of-life observations: the feeling of going away on a family vacation for summer with your friend tagging along, social anxiety and loneliness, the anticipation during the last day of school ("School's out! Up yours, Krabappel!"), you get the idea. It's also a great chance for some Lisa/Marge scenes, as I feel like the show neglects their dynamic the most out of the four core Simpsons family members. Lisa realizing that her new friends liked her despite her facade is one of those rare victories she usually manages to barely miss. The reversal of Bart showing them the yearbook - first to humiliate Lisa in front of them, then so they can sign it - is very sweet, and an example of how well the Simpsons nails the back-and-forth dynamic siblings have.

Mark Kirland also did a bang up job directing this episode; the set design perfectly captures the feeling of beach towns, with some beautiful evening and nighttime visuals to accompany it, and a fun Bart skateboarding sequence, which are always among the show's directing highlights. Then there's the little touches, like Homer's gradual smile in this scene, Homer's shadow over the seashelled car ("SWEET MERCIFUL CRAP! MY CAR!"), Ned's barely contained annoyance at being taken advantage of by Homer again, it's a visual feast despite the down-to-Earth story.

"So it's touchy-feely and well-drawn, is it funny?" Man are you in luck. I was surprised when I rewatched this episode recently at how constantly laugh-out-loud funny it is. I could take up an entire post just listing stuff, but some highlights: Milhouse imitating a sprinkler (this is a great Milhouse episode in general), "boys, Lisa. Girls kiss boys," Homer's fireworks subplot, Skinner trying to get a signature from Bart, Bart getting mad at Lisa for using his catchphrases only for Marge to remind him he hasn't said those things in years, it's sweet and cute and funny all wrapped up in a perfect summer episode.

Trivia

Yeardley Smith has said this is one of her favorite episodes, and it's definitely one of her best performances. Lisa suddenly chewing her brother out at the breakfast table in the third act through grit teeth, then suddenly stopping when Marge walks in, is sublime.

Something I never thought about before listening to commentaries was how cartoon episodes with lots of new locations are difficult to animate due to having to design everything from scratch, and it certainly rings true here. It's a shame to come up with these great scenes and then never being able to use them again.

Dead Homer Society pointed out that a lot of season 7 episodes end on a sunset, but I think it's used best here. A very fitting motif as we're coming into the end of the golden age at this point.

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#46: Bart The Lover (Season 3, Episode 16)

"Dear baby, welcome to Dumpville. Population: you."

Showrunner(s): Al Jean/Mike Reiss Director: Carlos Baeza Writer: Jon Vitti

Sam Simon, Phil Hartman, and Marcia Wallace, man, these episodes are all about dead people, aren't they? Edna Krabappel has always been one of the best supporting characters in the show, as a tired and worldweary teacher that for some reason, keeps trying in spite of everything. Although it's easy to see Bart's behavior as overly cruel, there's a careful filter applied here that makes it clear that he doesn't realize the ramifications of his actions. "I can't help but feel partly responsible." 

The resolution is very well done, too; I'm always a fan of storylines that take the road of not always telling the truth as it's an interestingly unconventional moral, but rather realistic. Of course, Homer's attempts to write the letter are great ("PS: I am gay"), which showcases Jean and Reiss's strength at balancing humor and heart during their tenure on season 3 and 4. Bart and Edna's dynamic is one of my favorites and no episode shows it off better than this (Bart acting like a bartender while he's cleaning the classroom and counseling Edna is one of my favorite visual jokes).

And finally, this has one of my favorite B-plots in all of Simpsons-dom: Homer's swear jar. "I am not going to swear, but I am going to kick this doghouse DOWN!" Text doesn't do justice to Dan Castellaneta's reading of that line.

Trivia

I love how the Simpsons writers will pick targets and make fun of them constantly. I think this started making fun of the Ernest movies with "Ernest Needs A Kidney" being the movie Bart watches while Edna goes on her fake date.

The yo-yo stuff in the first act is such a great time capsule of the 90s. It was exactly like that at my school when yo-yos caught on

This also started another running gag with Flanders calling Lovejoy at improper moments for guidance, only for Lovejoy to end the phone call and realize during the talk whatever he was in the middle of was ruined. "Damn Flanders." Lovejoy is a really underrated supporting character, I find; Harry Shearer brings out such a tired annoyance in the character.

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#47: El Viaje Misterioso De Nuestro Homer (Season 8, Episode 9)

"Look, just give me some inner peace or I'll mop the floor with ya!"

Showrunner(s): Bill Oakley/Josh Weinstein Director: Jim Reardon Writer: Ken Keeler

Although season 8 is the end of the Simpsons' "golden age" (which I like to think of as 3-8), episodes like this prove that the show was nevertheless extremely creative and ambitious even this late into the game. Ken Keeler wrote a handful of Simpsons episodes (including the infamous Principal And The Pauper), but is most notable for having written a huge amount of classic Futurama episodes (Time Keeps On Slippin', Godfellas, The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings, and Meanwhile, just to name a few). That same sort of unconventional spark that made Futurama so fantastic is extremely obvious in this episode, which sees Homer taking an insanity pepper-induced vision quest. Combine that with the work of showrunners Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein (who ran the show for seasons 7-8 and took it into more experimental territory than before, partially because they figured they would be the last ones to run the show... if only), and you get, well... this.

The first two acts of this episode are fantastic; Homer is great as the "pope of chili town," talking down to all of the fools who think they can intimidate him with their faux-five alarm chili ("It's only two-alarm, two and a half, tops. / Daddy, are you going to jail? / We'll see, son. We'll see.") The highlight is of course, the vision quest, which is easily one of the most visually stunning sequences in the series. See for yourself a sampling. Alf Clausen also composes a very fitting soundtrack to the sequence, teetering between a western adventure and a surreal experience.

So where does that leave an episode that's potentially top ten material being all the way at #47? Johnny Cash Coyote tells Homer he needs to find his "soul mate," which leads the rest of the episode to a bog standard Homer/Marge marriage crisis plot that feels very disconnected from the more surreal, adventurous first two acts. Not a terrible third act by any means, but definitely a letdown compared to the rest of the episode nonetheless. Even if after a fantastic 15 minutes my interest drops off, this episode is certainly unforgettable, and I'd be remiss to not include it in some form on here.

Trivia

Although Jim Reardon directed the episode, David Silverman personally drew the vast majority of the dream sequence - aka the chief animator of the Simpsons, who has probably drawn the characters more than anybody else on the planet. It's easy to take the animation for granted on the show, but it can really be a sight to behold and shows off the medium's strength very well. 

When I rewatched this episode, I was surprised how little the coyote was actually in it; he's really there for maybe a minute or two, but damn if Johnny Cash doesn't deliver a fine performance. Possibly the best use of a musician guest star on the show. 

I believe this is the only time live action footage is used outside of stuff like Treehouse Of Horrors. At least pre-Zombie Simpsons, y'know.

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#48: Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire (Season 1, Episode 1) "Jingle bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg! The Batmobile broke its wheel, the Joker got away..."

Showrunner: Sam Simon Director: David Silverman Writer: Mimi Pond

Starting a show with a Christmas episode is extremely unconventional to say the least, but for the Simpsons, it more than worked. The opening scene at the school play gives the perfect chance to introduce the family, and the rest of the episode sets the tone perfectly for the series: a family that gets plenty of setbacks, but pulls through with persistence and love. Homer and Bart taking in Santa's Little Helper (and thus saving Christmas after losing their last chance to buy gifts) is the first of many key emotional moments throughout the series.

Christmas episodes tend to be sentimental bordering on maudlin, but this is an episode that really shows the dark side of the holiday season; maybe nowadays it isn't so shocking, but such an honest depiction of it was mindblowing for television in 1989. It highlights the show's warm, fuzzy heart that much more when these elements contrast each other. There are some viewers who seem to prefer the Simpsons as a jokefest, but it wouldn't be the masterpiece it is without the depth episodes like this provide.

Trivia

Probably one of the more famous trivia bits, but I'll get it out of the way: this was not the intended pilot; Some Enchanted Evening (the season finale) was, but the animation was atrocious so it was sent back. I think everyone will agree that this made for a much stronger opening to the show.

Rewatching this the other day for Christmas, I was surprised that they were already using the "Marge's hair as hammerspace" joke for Marge hiding the Christmas money. It's cute.

I didn't watch the Simpsons until fourth grade, but I vividly remember my third grade teacher describing the scene where Bart gets a tattoo (and getting yanked away when it just says "Moth"), which is probably reflective of how the first couple of seasons are what the older generation remembers the most about the show, while younger fans will remember season 3-10 or so as the more definitive take on the Simpsons.

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#49: The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular (Season 7, Episode 10)

“Yes, the Simpsons have come a long way since an old drunk made humans out of his rabbit characters to pay off his gambling debts.” Showrunner(s): Bill Oakley/Josh Weinstein Director: Pound Foolish (David Silverman) Writer: Penny Wise (Jon Vitti) Nobody likes clip shows. Making them, watching them, they’re just unpleasant (and now a thing of the past). There is one exception, and it’s all because of Phil Hartman talking to us for 22 beautiful minutes. Calling this episode a “clip show” doesn’t really do it justice as it’s just as much a behind-the-scenes look and celebration of Our Favorite Family (with most of the clips being deleted scenes/Tracy Ullman clips), so it’s never a drag to revisit and the constant shots at Matt Groening (who could rival George Lucas as the luckiest person in the entertainment industry in terms of letting everyone else do the work and taking credit for it, but that’s another story) are great.

Again, it’s really a credit to Phil Hartman that he can keep this episode going essentially by himself; many people feel that after he passed away, the show went with him, and it’s hard to not share that sentiment. His line towards the end is all-too relevant: “Who knows what adventures they’ll have between now and when the show becomes unprofitable?” Although we’re in the twilight years of the golden age here, it’s still evident that the show has a lot of life in it yet at this point, and it’s a fun checkpoint flag for a show that has produced, well, 138 episodes and still going strong.

Now I’ll leave you with what we all came here to see: hardcore nudity!

Trivia

Probably the most memorable deleted scenes shown in this episode are the Robotic Richard Simmons from season 5’s Burns’ Heir (“HIS ASS IS GONNA BLOW!”) and the alternate endings to Who Shot Mr. Burns. I find it interesting that they fully animated an entire confession scene with Smithers to throw off the people in production; I’d almost think it was too obvious and the clear fake. 

I don’t believe the Tracy Ullman shorts have ever been officially rereleased, so this as close as you get to seeing them again in DVD quality. Of course, the internet will have all of them in some form.

I really love the couch gag montage at the start of the show: feels very “look how far we’ve come.” It’s too bad as Sam Simon, the original showrunner of the first two seasons, had a falling out with Groening and quit the show by season 5, but he did draw his own picture for this episode, so it’s nice to see one last contribution by him.

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#50: Like Father, Like Clown (season 3, episode 6)

"A Jewish entertainer? Get out of here!"

Showrunner(s): Al Jean/Mike Reiss Director(s): Jeffrey Lynch/Brad Bird Writer(s): Jay Kogen/Wallace Wolodarsky

Krusty is a bit of a strange beast. Even though he's a clown, I wouldn't pin him down as the funniest character by any means; he can be hit and miss, especially Krusty-centric episodes. However, even if this isn't among the most funny or creative episodes, it really struck a chord with me for its up-and-front depiction of Judaism; it's so rare to see it explored in such depth and realism, and as a lost Jewish kid growing up there weren't a lot of positive depictions of it. Hearing a TV character performing a Hebrew prayer (and accurately at that) was shocking to me.

Krusty's reunion with his father is genuinely touching, and Bart and Lisa's attempts to use scripture to win his father over (with Bart sealing the deal with a Sammy Davis Jr. quote) is cute and fun. I particularly enjoy that Rabbi Krustofski and Reverend Lovejoy are depicted as having a healthy friendship and partnership on a religious radio show; it's very reflective of how the Simpsons pokes fun at religion, but ultimately respects it.

Even if this isn't the funniest Krusty episode (Krusty Gets Kancelled has a lot of great use of its celebrity cameos), it's the only one that can truly make you cry for the clown, and for that, it gets its place on the list, and is my favorite Krusty episode.

Trivia

Yes, that's the Brad Bird. Lots of famous people in the industry got their start on the Simpsons, and Brad Bird always loved working on Krusty episodes.

Probably because of all the Jewish writers that have worked on the Simpsons, Judaism is probably taken the most seriously of any religion depicted on the show, even when the Jewish character in question is, well, Krusty. The Judaism was heavily researched and the writers consulted Rabbis to make sure everything was correct.

The Simpsons writers love to use Springfield as a proxy for satire of American culture at large, and the commentary mentions that the reunion was inspired by the real-life reunion of Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin on TV. Not important... but interesting!

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