paige_keegan_32233
New member
http://www.tvguidemagazine.com/feature/woo-hoo-the-simpsons-celebrate-20-years-3416.html
Do you agree or disagree with the list?
Do you agree or disagree with the list?
TV Guide Magazine picks 20 best Simpsons episodes
- Thread starter paige_keegan_32233
- Start date
MountaineerMan7
New member
I'm only going to list the episodes I flat out disagree with being on there:
* Eternal Moonshine: While the "progressively revealing new layers about the night Homer can't remember" plot was done well enough, there's very little in the episode that makes me laugh. If you're going to pick a season 19 episode, "I Don't Wanna Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" is a much better choice. (although technically it came from the S18 production line)
* Three Gays of the Condo: Meh. They did the gay themes better in "Homer's Phobia". In this one, everyone felt like a stereotype. And I didn't feel the Marge/Homer "marriage in trouble" plot at all.
* Moe’N’A Lisa: I think their reason for why it made the list is flimsy at best. So The Simpsons got a bunch of prestigious authors. So what? They didn't make the episode any funnier, and we've seen the "character takes credit for another character's help" plot before. About the only highlight in this one is the J. Jonah Jameson parody.
Also, "I Am Furious Yellow" is a fairly amusing outing but it wouldn't be in my top 20 by a long shot.
* Eternal Moonshine: While the "progressively revealing new layers about the night Homer can't remember" plot was done well enough, there's very little in the episode that makes me laugh. If you're going to pick a season 19 episode, "I Don't Wanna Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" is a much better choice. (although technically it came from the S18 production line)
* Three Gays of the Condo: Meh. They did the gay themes better in "Homer's Phobia". In this one, everyone felt like a stereotype. And I didn't feel the Marge/Homer "marriage in trouble" plot at all.
* Moe’N’A Lisa: I think their reason for why it made the list is flimsy at best. So The Simpsons got a bunch of prestigious authors. So what? They didn't make the episode any funnier, and we've seen the "character takes credit for another character's help" plot before. About the only highlight in this one is the J. Jonah Jameson parody.
Also, "I Am Furious Yellow" is a fairly amusing outing but it wouldn't be in my top 20 by a long shot.
hellcityhooligan
New member
I don't know this list seemed to be made up by fairweather fans.
3 gays and a condo wasn't so great and Homer Phobia while funny is not top twenty let alone number 1. Moe’N’A Lisa what were they huffing that episode was one of my least favorite episode because how terrible it was. The authors were lackluster and all they did was make cruddy jokes.
TVG needs to re-evaluate although the episodes I would keep are.
Bart of Darkness
Marge Vs. The Monorail
Lisa V. Malibu Stacy
Behind the Laughter
Homer the Great.
But i really feel none of the episodes after season 13 deserve to be on anybodies favorites list IMO.
3 gays and a condo wasn't so great and Homer Phobia while funny is not top twenty let alone number 1. Moe’N’A Lisa what were they huffing that episode was one of my least favorite episode because how terrible it was. The authors were lackluster and all they did was make cruddy jokes.
TVG needs to re-evaluate although the episodes I would keep are.
Bart of Darkness
Marge Vs. The Monorail
Lisa V. Malibu Stacy
Behind the Laughter
Homer the Great.
But i really feel none of the episodes after season 13 deserve to be on anybodies favorites list IMO.
cory_e_555
New member
I was wondering when this would get discussed. It's a pretty bad list. Why is VI their favorite Treehouse of Horror and not V?
karateprincess
New member
A pretty balanced list I would say, but the following should not be in a top 20 (maybe top 50, but not top 20)
. Three Gays of the Condo
Homer?s Phobia
Moe?N?A Lisa
I Am Furious Yellow
Mr. Plow
Mom and Pop Art
And the following were placed to high,
Behind the Laughter
Homer?s Phobia
Two Dozen and One Greyhounds
King-Size Homer
Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind
. Three Gays of the Condo
Homer?s Phobia
Moe?N?A Lisa
I Am Furious Yellow
Mr. Plow
Mom and Pop Art
And the following were placed to high,
Behind the Laughter
Homer?s Phobia
Two Dozen and One Greyhounds
King-Size Homer
Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind
jojomckinlay
New member
Strongly disagree. It nails a couple of my top eps but misses most of them. Obviously when a show has nearly 500 episodes in the can, top 20 lists compiled by different people are going to have a lot of differences, which if anything is a testament to The Simpsons' remarkable longevity and ability to connect with a variety of audiences. No matter how much people say the new episodes suck, it's difficult to keep a show so old so fresh, and while I agree that the show has lost a step, considering the difficulty level of keeping things alive they've done a remarkable job. Still worth watching even though my short list of 80 episodes that were contenders for the top 20 of all time doesn't contain a single episode from Season 14 or beyond.
First a short list of what I agree/disagree with:
Homer's Phobia (Disagree)
- Were these arranged in order? This is really the best episode of all time? It wasn't a bad episode, but come on.
Two Dozen and One Greyhounds (Disagree but made my Top 80)
- I'll give them credit for "See My Vest", but nothing else about the episode particularly stood out.
Behind the Laughter (Agree)
King-Size Homer (Disagree)
- Not a bad episode, lots of funny moments but easily outclassed by too many other episodes.
Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind (Disagree)
- I guess they only picked this one for the special effects. I'd rather have great writing and laughs, personally.
You Only Move Twice (Agree)
Cape Feare (Agree)
Three Gays of the Condo (Disagree)
- Someone at TV Guide thinks it's really funny when The Simpsons pokes fun at gay people, I guess. Don't know how else both this and Homer's Phobia made the list. I'd say I was surprised that There's Something About Marrying didn't make the list, but on the whole that one was more about accepting gay culture than the other two... at least this one had the fantastic cameo by "Weird Al" Yankovic going for it.
Flaming Moe's (Agree)
Homer the Great (Agree)
Moe'N'A Lisa (Disagree)
- Definitely not a good episode at all. I don't care how big the big shots involved in the episode are when it's not funny. To be more specific, Moe is only likeable when they play up how unlikeable he is. When they try to humanize him (with the exception when they play it ridiculously over the top as in Pygmoelian) it just doesn't work.
Bart of Darkness (Disagree)
- I didn't see anything special about this ep, but I'm not a fan of Hitchcock's works, so a lot of the subtle humor was lost on me, I'm sure.
I Am Furious Yellow (Disagree, but made my top 80)
- Decent episode, just not good enough to get close to the top 20 IMO.
Mom and Pop Art (Disagree)
- Pretty good episode but also probably the first major episode of the "Jerkass Homer" period.
Mr. Plow (Disagree)
- Memorable, sure, but was it really that good? I struggle to think of a really laugh out loud moment from this episode.
Marge vs. the Monorail (Disagree, but made my top 80)
- Certainly has one of the best musical numbers of all time. But the rest of it doesn't stand out to me.
Das Bus (Disagree, but made my top 80)
- Like TV Guide, I loved some of the wackiness of this episode, and I definitely remember thinking that the writers had all but given up on the show based on the ending. Actually I guess that's true, but accepting that fact has made the ending funnier over time.
The Crepes of Wrath (Disagree)
- I don't know why people argue so much over The Simpsons not being true to itself over the years when this Season One episode saw Bart learning French just from hearing it spoken without translation for a few weeks' time. Let's face it, The Simpsons was never consistent.
Treehouse of Horror IV (Disagree)
- Really, really disagree with TV Guide's assertion that "no other Treehouse anthology boasts segments as consistently strong as the three here," as you'll see when I get to my own Top 20.
Lisa Vs. Malibu Stacy (Disagree)
- Nothing remarkable here as far as I can recall.
I guess that wasn't that short.
And now for my Top 20. This also won't be short.
1. You Only Move Twice (Season 8)
Plot: The Simpsons move to Cypress Creek after Homer receives a better offer from a competitor of Mr. Burns, who unbeknownst to Homer is literally a megalomaniac.
Why I Love It: Hank. Scorpio. Not that the rest of the episode was bad by any means, but everything Scorpio says and does makes this episode. Every town should have a hammock district.
2. Cape Feare (Season 5)
Plot: Sideshow Bob plots (once again) plans to exact revenge on Bart Simpson, forcing the family to leave Springfield to protect Bart.
Why I Love It: In general, like most Simpsons fans I eagerly look forward to Sideshow Bob episodes. But this one in particular has a hilarious send up of the Witness Protection Program (The Simpsons become Thompsons) and the family is offered a choice of several horrible sounding places to relocate to, eventually settling on Terror Lake. Of course it's one of Bart's best foils of Sideshow Bob ever. And the rakes. I can never watch Sideshow Bob get hit by rakes enough times. To think it was only added after the writers ran out of other material!
3. The Mansion Family (Season 11)
Plot: After deciding to go to the Mayo Clinic for a series of medical procedures, Mr. Burns needs to find a housesitter and chooses... who else? The Simpsons.
Why I Love It: This episode probably has the greatest collection of memorable one-liners out there. First there's Dr. Hibbert's revelation that Mr. Burns has "everything." However, Mr. Burns misunderstands and says to Hibbert, "So what you're saying is, I'm indestructible?" Hibbert clarifies, "No, in fact even a slight breeze could..." and Burns interrupts with a rosy "INdestructible." Then there's the scene where the kids and Homer are racing through the halls of the mansion, Bart in a golf cart (I'm Al Unser Jr.!) Lisa on a horse (I'm Princess Margaret!) and Homer on a riding mower (I'm drunk!) And the boat launch, where Marge worriedly notes "The boat's going sideways!" And the pirates' reference to Hidden Pirate Island, a.k.a. Hong Kong. The Simpsons has always been good with weaving its writing with visual gags, but this is a standout episode for being funny on its own merit.
4. The Springfield Files (Season 8)
Plot: After a sighting of a bizarre glowing creature in the woods, FBI agents Mulder and Scully of the X-Files are called in to investigate Springfield's seemingly paranormal activities.
Why I Love It: Oddly enough I never cared for The X-Files, but the way they interwove it into The Simpsons was genius. The writing team had its work cut out for them keeping things creepy yet funny at the same time (sort of like the lighter side of a Treehouse of Horror special) but it all worked out, and the big reveal at the end is one of the series' defining moments.
5. Hurricane Neddy (Season 8)
Plot: After a hurricane tears through Springfield, demolishing the Flanders' home (and surprisingly, nothing else) Ned Flanders goes into a state of depression, which causes the town to offer to rebuild his house. When it all goes wrong, Flanders flips out and the town is stunned as he is committed to a local mental hospital.
Why I Love It: Everyone has a darker side, don't they? If Flanders can, anyone can, and his hateful, profanity-laced tirade is a standout I-can't-believe-that-just-happened-moment. In a world where Family Guy exists, a scene like that probably wouldn't even cause a stir, but back then it was truly something special. Oh, and let's not forget little Neddy's childhood dark side. "I'm Dick Tracy! Take that, Pruneface! Now I'm Pruneface! Take that, Dick Tracy! Now I'm Pruuuuuuuuune Tracy! Take that..." [Ned is abruptly cut off]
6. Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes? (Season 3)
Plot: Some stuff happens which coincides with the return of Herb Powell, Homer's recently-discovered long-lost half-brother. Down on his luck from their last meeting, Homer helps him get back on his feet.
Why I Love It: Despite downplaying the set-up, the "First Annual Montgomery Burns Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence" was a priceless gag, from Mr. Burns' slow-witted creation of the award to the actual awards ceremony. And everything Herb Powell has ever been involved in is pure gold.
7. Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? (Season 2)
Plot: Homer finds out he has a half-brother he never knew about when Grampa Simpson thinks he's on his deathbed. Rags to riches hijinks ensue.
Why I Love It: Speaking of Herb Powell, his introduction was nearly as great as his follow-up episode. The family bonding moments took time to establish, though, so it pales a little in comparison to "Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes," which had more time to make with the laughs. But even today, that damned Homer (the car) still looks like a monstrosity.
8. Treehouse of Horror V (Season 6)
Plot: "Plot" really isn't the word to use for a Treehouse of Horror episode. But nonetheless, the episode featured "The Shinning" (parody of "The Shining"), "Time and Punishment" (Homer goes time traveling), and "Nightmare Cafeteria" (Bart and Lisa discover that the Springfield Elementary staff are cannibals, killing the schoolchildren and serving them to the remaining schoolchildren for lunch.)
Why I Love It: Mostly for "Time and Punishment," which was absurd but also well put together with some specific gags. Grampa Simpson's advice to Homer on his wedding day turns out to be frightfully accurate as Homer shifts throughout a series of alternate realities caused by his own haplessness in the jurassic ages. Another thing I really loved about this particular sequence of Halloween tales is the constant usage of Willie as a "failed savior" which always ends with him getting killed somehow.
9. Brother From Another Series (Season 8)
Plot: Just when it seemed Sideshow Bob's antics couldn't get any more over the top, he has a change of heart during his latest prison sentence and reforms. Bart and Lisa, not one bit convinced that he isn't out to kill Bart or cause mayhem any longer, spy on him and end up stumbling into the nefarious plot they expected... except the perpetrator is Bob's brother, Cecil. Amusingly, this time Sideshow Bob saves the day (with Bart & Lisa's help) but ends up being implicated for the crime along with Cecil.
Why I Love It: Too much of a good thing can indeed be too much of a good thing, and the writers, perhaps, seemed to realize that Sideshow Bob couldn't be Bart's eternal foil without some sort of character development. That's what made this episode great, besides the obvious cameo and seamless casting of David Hyde Pierce as Cecil. It's only too bad that this was the last truly awesome Sideshow Bob episode. His trip through the Heel Face Revolving Door did not end well.
10. Two Bad Neighbors (Season 7)
Plot: The Simpsons have a celebrity move in across the street, former president George H.W. Bush. Surprisingly, he and Homer don't get along.
Why I Love It: I loved the literal parallels drawn between Dennis the Menace and Bart and George Wilson and George Bush. The series of pranks and oneupmanship between Homer and Bush got progressively more and more outrageous until it all finally had to come to a head.
11. The Simpson's 138th Episode Spectacular (Season 7)
Plot: Plot? Who needs a plot, this is a party! Try McClure hosts a series of special clips, outtakes, trivia and whatnot to celebrate The Simpsons', um, 138th episode.
Why I Love It: The super-extended couch gag is just the start of the greatness in this episode, as the show explores some alternate versions of famous scenes, such as alternate endings to "Who Shot Mr. Burns" and others. But really, there are just too many great things going on in this episode to recap completely.
12. Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment (Season 8)
Plot: After a centuries-old law making alcohol illegal in Springfield is discovered, the whole town becomes a police state of prohibition. Except nobody on the police force really cares, so Detective Rex Banner is brought in to remobilize the force. Meanwhile, Homer becomes Banner's secret nemesis as the Beer Baron, Springfield's chief supplier of alcohol.
Why I Love It: A subtle commentary on the ridiculousness of prohibition and on outdated laws besides, this episode is a winner because Rex Banner is so annoying that you can't help but want to see Homer rise up and be victorious. There are plenty of ingenious gags like the Duff brewery going broke in a day when no one buys alcohol-free Duff, Homer's delivery system to Moe's Tavern, and of course the catapult scene at the end.
13. Homer at the Bat (Season 3)
Plot: The Springfield Nuclear Power Plant has a softball team, and thanks to Homer they make it to the championship game with Shelbyville's top team, likewise from the Shelbyville Nuclear Power Plant. Mr. Burns and the Shelbyville owner place a million-dollar bet on the game, causing Burns to stack his team with MLB pros in an attempt to guarantee victory.
Why I Love It: This episode is a prime example of The Simpsons using guest stars and pop culture correctly, which doesn't happen nearly as often as it should. The creation of Homer's Wonderbat is legendary, as is how quickly it gets dismantled when the pros step in. The way in which the pros join up with the team is off-the-wall, and even more off-the-wall is the way in which they are disposed of. I wonder if Ozzie Smith ever found his way out of the Springfield Mystery Spot?
14. Behind the Laughter (Season 11)
Plot: The cast of The Simpsons (the animated ones, that is) step out of character to look at the show they create together, parodying VH1's "Behind the Music."
Why I Love It: First of all, I love the authentic nature of the parody. It looks and feels like a real episode of "Behind the Music," even though I don't actually like that show. Second, it's bizarre exploratory take on The Simpsons franchise is extremely memorable. And third, it shows how, in reality, anything Simpsons has become (and remains) a virtual goldmine, as evidenced by the Simpsons attempts at recording music. (Which they've actually done in real life.) Unfortunately we have yet to hear the full version of Simpsons Christmas Boogie.
15. Homer the Smithers (Season 7)
Plot: Smithers goes on vacation, and Mr. Burns picks (who else?) Homer to be Smithers' temporary replacement.
Why I Love It: It turns out that not only is Smithers' job completely dehumanizing and thankless, but pointless too, as he handles everything for Mr. Burns. Half the episode's laughs come from finally figuring out what it is that Smithers does all day long, the other half from Homer trying (and failing) to do an adequate job.
16. Homer the Great (Season 6)
Plot: Homer discovers and joins a secret society called the Stonecutters, giving him untold new privileges and powers, and in a surprise twist ends up becoming their leader.
Why I Love It: Mostly the sheer wackiness of the privileges of being a Stonecutter, such as the hidden Stonecutter tunnel. Also, who can forget the Stonecutters' Anthem?
17. Summer of 4 Ft. 2 (Season 7)
Plot: Taking up Ned Flanders' offer to use his summer beach house, The Simpsons visit Little Pwagmattasquarmsettport, where the kids lack of developed reputations ends up with Lisa being the cool kid and Bart being the outcast.
Why I Love It: Not the first time The Simpsons experimented with role reversal for Bart and Lisa, and not the last, but definitely the best, mostly because of how natural it was. Different town, different crowd, different opinions. Bart's childish antics didn't catch on in Little Pwagmattasquarmsettport because they hadn't grown up with him, and Lisa's attempts to be outgoing ultimately proved to be far more interesting.
18. The Trouble With Trillions (Season 9)
Plot: After getting audited by the IRS, Homer is found to have committed tax fraud. In a plea bargain of sorts, Homer agrees to work for the FBI to help them catch a bigger criminal: his boss, Mr. Burns, who allegedly stole the first and only trillion-dollar bill.
Why I Love It: There's something about anyone trusting Homer with any kind of authority that just results in funny things happening. Homer's bumbling attempt to survey Burns' home is matched only by Burns' dull-wittedness. The ending to the episode where they, along with Smithers, leave the country for Cuba, only to lose the trillion dollar bill to Fidel Castro without so much as a fight is a quick but cheap way to bring the series back to status quo, but still played to laughs for maximum effectiveness. Burns' patriotism speech at the end is particularly a lot of fun.
19. Flaming Moe's (Season 3)
Plot: Homer discovers a new mixed drink with an exotic twist that Moe ultimately steals the credit for, causing a rift in their friendship.
Why I Love It: Homer's drink concoction is absurd but fun, and the parody of the Cheers theme song is comedy gold.
20. The Joy of Sect (Season 9)
Plot: Most of Springfield, The Simpsons included, join a cult by the name of the Movementarians, who predict the end times are approaching and only members will be saved.
Why I Love It: While still having fun, the show takes a look at how with enough propaganda, people will believe virtually anything. The most memorable scenes for me are Homer being brainwashed with the reworded Batman theme and the shock and awe on the faces of the cult members when the Leader tries to make his escape in his "UFO", which turns out to be a pedal-powered copter.
First a short list of what I agree/disagree with:
Homer's Phobia (Disagree)
- Were these arranged in order? This is really the best episode of all time? It wasn't a bad episode, but come on.
Two Dozen and One Greyhounds (Disagree but made my Top 80)
- I'll give them credit for "See My Vest", but nothing else about the episode particularly stood out.
Behind the Laughter (Agree)
King-Size Homer (Disagree)
- Not a bad episode, lots of funny moments but easily outclassed by too many other episodes.
Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind (Disagree)
- I guess they only picked this one for the special effects. I'd rather have great writing and laughs, personally.
You Only Move Twice (Agree)
Cape Feare (Agree)
Three Gays of the Condo (Disagree)
- Someone at TV Guide thinks it's really funny when The Simpsons pokes fun at gay people, I guess. Don't know how else both this and Homer's Phobia made the list. I'd say I was surprised that There's Something About Marrying didn't make the list, but on the whole that one was more about accepting gay culture than the other two... at least this one had the fantastic cameo by "Weird Al" Yankovic going for it.
Flaming Moe's (Agree)
Homer the Great (Agree)
Moe'N'A Lisa (Disagree)
- Definitely not a good episode at all. I don't care how big the big shots involved in the episode are when it's not funny. To be more specific, Moe is only likeable when they play up how unlikeable he is. When they try to humanize him (with the exception when they play it ridiculously over the top as in Pygmoelian) it just doesn't work.
Bart of Darkness (Disagree)
- I didn't see anything special about this ep, but I'm not a fan of Hitchcock's works, so a lot of the subtle humor was lost on me, I'm sure.
I Am Furious Yellow (Disagree, but made my top 80)
- Decent episode, just not good enough to get close to the top 20 IMO.
Mom and Pop Art (Disagree)
- Pretty good episode but also probably the first major episode of the "Jerkass Homer" period.
Mr. Plow (Disagree)
- Memorable, sure, but was it really that good? I struggle to think of a really laugh out loud moment from this episode.
Marge vs. the Monorail (Disagree, but made my top 80)
- Certainly has one of the best musical numbers of all time. But the rest of it doesn't stand out to me.
Das Bus (Disagree, but made my top 80)
- Like TV Guide, I loved some of the wackiness of this episode, and I definitely remember thinking that the writers had all but given up on the show based on the ending. Actually I guess that's true, but accepting that fact has made the ending funnier over time.
The Crepes of Wrath (Disagree)
- I don't know why people argue so much over The Simpsons not being true to itself over the years when this Season One episode saw Bart learning French just from hearing it spoken without translation for a few weeks' time. Let's face it, The Simpsons was never consistent.
Treehouse of Horror IV (Disagree)
- Really, really disagree with TV Guide's assertion that "no other Treehouse anthology boasts segments as consistently strong as the three here," as you'll see when I get to my own Top 20.
Lisa Vs. Malibu Stacy (Disagree)
- Nothing remarkable here as far as I can recall.
I guess that wasn't that short.
And now for my Top 20. This also won't be short.
1. You Only Move Twice (Season 8)
Plot: The Simpsons move to Cypress Creek after Homer receives a better offer from a competitor of Mr. Burns, who unbeknownst to Homer is literally a megalomaniac.
Why I Love It: Hank. Scorpio. Not that the rest of the episode was bad by any means, but everything Scorpio says and does makes this episode. Every town should have a hammock district.
2. Cape Feare (Season 5)
Plot: Sideshow Bob plots (once again) plans to exact revenge on Bart Simpson, forcing the family to leave Springfield to protect Bart.
Why I Love It: In general, like most Simpsons fans I eagerly look forward to Sideshow Bob episodes. But this one in particular has a hilarious send up of the Witness Protection Program (The Simpsons become Thompsons) and the family is offered a choice of several horrible sounding places to relocate to, eventually settling on Terror Lake. Of course it's one of Bart's best foils of Sideshow Bob ever. And the rakes. I can never watch Sideshow Bob get hit by rakes enough times. To think it was only added after the writers ran out of other material!
3. The Mansion Family (Season 11)
Plot: After deciding to go to the Mayo Clinic for a series of medical procedures, Mr. Burns needs to find a housesitter and chooses... who else? The Simpsons.
Why I Love It: This episode probably has the greatest collection of memorable one-liners out there. First there's Dr. Hibbert's revelation that Mr. Burns has "everything." However, Mr. Burns misunderstands and says to Hibbert, "So what you're saying is, I'm indestructible?" Hibbert clarifies, "No, in fact even a slight breeze could..." and Burns interrupts with a rosy "INdestructible." Then there's the scene where the kids and Homer are racing through the halls of the mansion, Bart in a golf cart (I'm Al Unser Jr.!) Lisa on a horse (I'm Princess Margaret!) and Homer on a riding mower (I'm drunk!) And the boat launch, where Marge worriedly notes "The boat's going sideways!" And the pirates' reference to Hidden Pirate Island, a.k.a. Hong Kong. The Simpsons has always been good with weaving its writing with visual gags, but this is a standout episode for being funny on its own merit.
4. The Springfield Files (Season 8)
Plot: After a sighting of a bizarre glowing creature in the woods, FBI agents Mulder and Scully of the X-Files are called in to investigate Springfield's seemingly paranormal activities.
Why I Love It: Oddly enough I never cared for The X-Files, but the way they interwove it into The Simpsons was genius. The writing team had its work cut out for them keeping things creepy yet funny at the same time (sort of like the lighter side of a Treehouse of Horror special) but it all worked out, and the big reveal at the end is one of the series' defining moments.
5. Hurricane Neddy (Season 8)
Plot: After a hurricane tears through Springfield, demolishing the Flanders' home (and surprisingly, nothing else) Ned Flanders goes into a state of depression, which causes the town to offer to rebuild his house. When it all goes wrong, Flanders flips out and the town is stunned as he is committed to a local mental hospital.
Why I Love It: Everyone has a darker side, don't they? If Flanders can, anyone can, and his hateful, profanity-laced tirade is a standout I-can't-believe-that-just-happened-moment. In a world where Family Guy exists, a scene like that probably wouldn't even cause a stir, but back then it was truly something special. Oh, and let's not forget little Neddy's childhood dark side. "I'm Dick Tracy! Take that, Pruneface! Now I'm Pruneface! Take that, Dick Tracy! Now I'm Pruuuuuuuuune Tracy! Take that..." [Ned is abruptly cut off]
6. Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes? (Season 3)
Plot: Some stuff happens which coincides with the return of Herb Powell, Homer's recently-discovered long-lost half-brother. Down on his luck from their last meeting, Homer helps him get back on his feet.
Why I Love It: Despite downplaying the set-up, the "First Annual Montgomery Burns Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence" was a priceless gag, from Mr. Burns' slow-witted creation of the award to the actual awards ceremony. And everything Herb Powell has ever been involved in is pure gold.
7. Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? (Season 2)
Plot: Homer finds out he has a half-brother he never knew about when Grampa Simpson thinks he's on his deathbed. Rags to riches hijinks ensue.
Why I Love It: Speaking of Herb Powell, his introduction was nearly as great as his follow-up episode. The family bonding moments took time to establish, though, so it pales a little in comparison to "Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes," which had more time to make with the laughs. But even today, that damned Homer (the car) still looks like a monstrosity.
8. Treehouse of Horror V (Season 6)
Plot: "Plot" really isn't the word to use for a Treehouse of Horror episode. But nonetheless, the episode featured "The Shinning" (parody of "The Shining"), "Time and Punishment" (Homer goes time traveling), and "Nightmare Cafeteria" (Bart and Lisa discover that the Springfield Elementary staff are cannibals, killing the schoolchildren and serving them to the remaining schoolchildren for lunch.)
Why I Love It: Mostly for "Time and Punishment," which was absurd but also well put together with some specific gags. Grampa Simpson's advice to Homer on his wedding day turns out to be frightfully accurate as Homer shifts throughout a series of alternate realities caused by his own haplessness in the jurassic ages. Another thing I really loved about this particular sequence of Halloween tales is the constant usage of Willie as a "failed savior" which always ends with him getting killed somehow.
9. Brother From Another Series (Season 8)
Plot: Just when it seemed Sideshow Bob's antics couldn't get any more over the top, he has a change of heart during his latest prison sentence and reforms. Bart and Lisa, not one bit convinced that he isn't out to kill Bart or cause mayhem any longer, spy on him and end up stumbling into the nefarious plot they expected... except the perpetrator is Bob's brother, Cecil. Amusingly, this time Sideshow Bob saves the day (with Bart & Lisa's help) but ends up being implicated for the crime along with Cecil.
Why I Love It: Too much of a good thing can indeed be too much of a good thing, and the writers, perhaps, seemed to realize that Sideshow Bob couldn't be Bart's eternal foil without some sort of character development. That's what made this episode great, besides the obvious cameo and seamless casting of David Hyde Pierce as Cecil. It's only too bad that this was the last truly awesome Sideshow Bob episode. His trip through the Heel Face Revolving Door did not end well.
10. Two Bad Neighbors (Season 7)
Plot: The Simpsons have a celebrity move in across the street, former president George H.W. Bush. Surprisingly, he and Homer don't get along.
Why I Love It: I loved the literal parallels drawn between Dennis the Menace and Bart and George Wilson and George Bush. The series of pranks and oneupmanship between Homer and Bush got progressively more and more outrageous until it all finally had to come to a head.
11. The Simpson's 138th Episode Spectacular (Season 7)
Plot: Plot? Who needs a plot, this is a party! Try McClure hosts a series of special clips, outtakes, trivia and whatnot to celebrate The Simpsons', um, 138th episode.
Why I Love It: The super-extended couch gag is just the start of the greatness in this episode, as the show explores some alternate versions of famous scenes, such as alternate endings to "Who Shot Mr. Burns" and others. But really, there are just too many great things going on in this episode to recap completely.
12. Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment (Season 8)
Plot: After a centuries-old law making alcohol illegal in Springfield is discovered, the whole town becomes a police state of prohibition. Except nobody on the police force really cares, so Detective Rex Banner is brought in to remobilize the force. Meanwhile, Homer becomes Banner's secret nemesis as the Beer Baron, Springfield's chief supplier of alcohol.
Why I Love It: A subtle commentary on the ridiculousness of prohibition and on outdated laws besides, this episode is a winner because Rex Banner is so annoying that you can't help but want to see Homer rise up and be victorious. There are plenty of ingenious gags like the Duff brewery going broke in a day when no one buys alcohol-free Duff, Homer's delivery system to Moe's Tavern, and of course the catapult scene at the end.
13. Homer at the Bat (Season 3)
Plot: The Springfield Nuclear Power Plant has a softball team, and thanks to Homer they make it to the championship game with Shelbyville's top team, likewise from the Shelbyville Nuclear Power Plant. Mr. Burns and the Shelbyville owner place a million-dollar bet on the game, causing Burns to stack his team with MLB pros in an attempt to guarantee victory.
Why I Love It: This episode is a prime example of The Simpsons using guest stars and pop culture correctly, which doesn't happen nearly as often as it should. The creation of Homer's Wonderbat is legendary, as is how quickly it gets dismantled when the pros step in. The way in which the pros join up with the team is off-the-wall, and even more off-the-wall is the way in which they are disposed of. I wonder if Ozzie Smith ever found his way out of the Springfield Mystery Spot?
14. Behind the Laughter (Season 11)
Plot: The cast of The Simpsons (the animated ones, that is) step out of character to look at the show they create together, parodying VH1's "Behind the Music."
Why I Love It: First of all, I love the authentic nature of the parody. It looks and feels like a real episode of "Behind the Music," even though I don't actually like that show. Second, it's bizarre exploratory take on The Simpsons franchise is extremely memorable. And third, it shows how, in reality, anything Simpsons has become (and remains) a virtual goldmine, as evidenced by the Simpsons attempts at recording music. (Which they've actually done in real life.) Unfortunately we have yet to hear the full version of Simpsons Christmas Boogie.
15. Homer the Smithers (Season 7)
Plot: Smithers goes on vacation, and Mr. Burns picks (who else?) Homer to be Smithers' temporary replacement.
Why I Love It: It turns out that not only is Smithers' job completely dehumanizing and thankless, but pointless too, as he handles everything for Mr. Burns. Half the episode's laughs come from finally figuring out what it is that Smithers does all day long, the other half from Homer trying (and failing) to do an adequate job.
16. Homer the Great (Season 6)
Plot: Homer discovers and joins a secret society called the Stonecutters, giving him untold new privileges and powers, and in a surprise twist ends up becoming their leader.
Why I Love It: Mostly the sheer wackiness of the privileges of being a Stonecutter, such as the hidden Stonecutter tunnel. Also, who can forget the Stonecutters' Anthem?
17. Summer of 4 Ft. 2 (Season 7)
Plot: Taking up Ned Flanders' offer to use his summer beach house, The Simpsons visit Little Pwagmattasquarmsettport, where the kids lack of developed reputations ends up with Lisa being the cool kid and Bart being the outcast.
Why I Love It: Not the first time The Simpsons experimented with role reversal for Bart and Lisa, and not the last, but definitely the best, mostly because of how natural it was. Different town, different crowd, different opinions. Bart's childish antics didn't catch on in Little Pwagmattasquarmsettport because they hadn't grown up with him, and Lisa's attempts to be outgoing ultimately proved to be far more interesting.
18. The Trouble With Trillions (Season 9)
Plot: After getting audited by the IRS, Homer is found to have committed tax fraud. In a plea bargain of sorts, Homer agrees to work for the FBI to help them catch a bigger criminal: his boss, Mr. Burns, who allegedly stole the first and only trillion-dollar bill.
Why I Love It: There's something about anyone trusting Homer with any kind of authority that just results in funny things happening. Homer's bumbling attempt to survey Burns' home is matched only by Burns' dull-wittedness. The ending to the episode where they, along with Smithers, leave the country for Cuba, only to lose the trillion dollar bill to Fidel Castro without so much as a fight is a quick but cheap way to bring the series back to status quo, but still played to laughs for maximum effectiveness. Burns' patriotism speech at the end is particularly a lot of fun.
19. Flaming Moe's (Season 3)
Plot: Homer discovers a new mixed drink with an exotic twist that Moe ultimately steals the credit for, causing a rift in their friendship.
Why I Love It: Homer's drink concoction is absurd but fun, and the parody of the Cheers theme song is comedy gold.
20. The Joy of Sect (Season 9)
Plot: Most of Springfield, The Simpsons included, join a cult by the name of the Movementarians, who predict the end times are approaching and only members will be saved.
Why I Love It: While still having fun, the show takes a look at how with enough propaganda, people will believe virtually anything. The most memorable scenes for me are Homer being brainwashed with the reworded Batman theme and the shock and awe on the faces of the cult members when the Leader tries to make his escape in his "UFO", which turns out to be a pedal-powered copter.
pandaapprovedxx
New member
Here's a few episodes I would have liked to have seen on the list:
First would be Marge and Itchy and Scratchy, in which Marge crusades against cartoon violence. I know it's early in the series, but it covered a lot of things from various viewpoints, and was one of the more intelligent episodes of the series.
Another good Itchy and Scratchy episode I absolutely loved was The Day the Violence Died in which Bart meets the actual creator of Itchy, who turned out to be a homeless man whose work was stolen by Roger Meyers. The Simpsons then help him form a lawsuit to get him his much wanted credit and money that's due to him. During the case, there's mentions of how various cartoons are ripoffs of other shows, including The Flintstones from The Honeymooners and Top Cat from Sgt. Bilko. But in helping the homeless man win the case, Bart unwittingly gets Itchy and Scratchy cancelled as no new cartoons can be made by the studio. Later, he and Lisa try to figure a way to get them back on the air and find a solution. But they find the task at hand has already been accomplished when they're beaten to the punch to two ripoff kids bearing a strong resemblence to them named Lester and Eliza! Absolutely one of the funniest endings of this series.
And speaking of endings, how about Bart the Daredevil? Homer tries to discourage Bart from skateboarding off Springfield Gorge, which does work, but he glides off on his own after they hug and Homer thinks he's going to actually do it. But he's not even halfway across when he drops down and get smacked all over the rocks, trees, etc. and after the ambulance crashes, he gets ejected and goes through the whole process over again!
Another good ending occurs in Bart Gets Famous. This focuses on the catch phrase craze Bart generates when he begins working for Krusty the Klown. I loved the last scene when most of the regular and recurring characters use their various phrases and Lisa gets left in the dust.
They should have also included a couple of more travel episodes. My particular favorite was Bart vs. Australia. And to think all the trouble started with which way the water spins when the toilet is flushed!
First would be Marge and Itchy and Scratchy, in which Marge crusades against cartoon violence. I know it's early in the series, but it covered a lot of things from various viewpoints, and was one of the more intelligent episodes of the series.
Another good Itchy and Scratchy episode I absolutely loved was The Day the Violence Died in which Bart meets the actual creator of Itchy, who turned out to be a homeless man whose work was stolen by Roger Meyers. The Simpsons then help him form a lawsuit to get him his much wanted credit and money that's due to him. During the case, there's mentions of how various cartoons are ripoffs of other shows, including The Flintstones from The Honeymooners and Top Cat from Sgt. Bilko. But in helping the homeless man win the case, Bart unwittingly gets Itchy and Scratchy cancelled as no new cartoons can be made by the studio. Later, he and Lisa try to figure a way to get them back on the air and find a solution. But they find the task at hand has already been accomplished when they're beaten to the punch to two ripoff kids bearing a strong resemblence to them named Lester and Eliza! Absolutely one of the funniest endings of this series.
And speaking of endings, how about Bart the Daredevil? Homer tries to discourage Bart from skateboarding off Springfield Gorge, which does work, but he glides off on his own after they hug and Homer thinks he's going to actually do it. But he's not even halfway across when he drops down and get smacked all over the rocks, trees, etc. and after the ambulance crashes, he gets ejected and goes through the whole process over again!
Another good ending occurs in Bart Gets Famous. This focuses on the catch phrase craze Bart generates when he begins working for Krusty the Klown. I loved the last scene when most of the regular and recurring characters use their various phrases and Lisa gets left in the dust.
They should have also included a couple of more travel episodes. My particular favorite was Bart vs. Australia. And to think all the trouble started with which way the water spins when the toilet is flushed!
pk read pk
New member
I'm confused... are you saying that no episode after 1998 is any good at all? Or that they're just not excellent enough to make your top 20? If the former, I disagree.
nighttrain57
New member
The movie wasn't even that good. There have been many episodes post 98 that have been funnier than the movie.
Well... if I were doing this list, every episode would be pre-season 10 for sure. With the exception of "Behind the Laughter" and maybe a couple of others. But I respect what TV Guide is trying to do here, making a more balanced list that guides the reader through the series and points out the high points along the way.
luke_man40
New member
... The best episode of all time is Homer's Phobia?
Look it's a good episode, but it's not exactly a stunning example of the variety of comedy styles of the Simpsons.
I never understood the praise for Three Gays Of The Condo, either. It's not really that different from Homer's Phobia or many other similar episodes. Moe N A Lisa seems like a really random choice. There are a lot of really good later era episodes, but it seems like the ones they chose were pretty generic choices all around.
I think the best possible choice for #1 would be Lemon Of Troy. That episode really has everything.
Look it's a good episode, but it's not exactly a stunning example of the variety of comedy styles of the Simpsons.
I never understood the praise for Three Gays Of The Condo, either. It's not really that different from Homer's Phobia or many other similar episodes. Moe N A Lisa seems like a really random choice. There are a lot of really good later era episodes, but it seems like the ones they chose were pretty generic choices all around.
I think the best possible choice for #1 would be Lemon Of Troy. That episode really has everything.