She's so moral. The Simpsons' own series debuted on 17 December 1989 with the festive tale Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire. 15. of 15. To top it off, there’s voice acting from the Ramones (yes, the rock star Ramones), adding an official layer of punk rock cool to the show. You've never been? Awed by her power, the other students suggest the teachers must make fun of the kids in their private chamber. "Now, now, now, don't beat yourself up. Waah! But in some ways this is one of the darker Simpsons episodes. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our. The townspeople are quick to fall for his song-and-dance routine, and naturally Homer ends up as the conductor of the faulty — and highly unnecessary — new form of transportation. Sometimes, the show has seemed to tell the future. The 10 Best Simpsons Episodes, Ranked By Mark Stock September 15, 2020 You don’t just become one of the longest running animated series in the land without great content. Meanwhile, production ground to halt as Mayor Quimby and the rest of Springfield bled the studio dry with bogus taxes and fees. Of course, on the car ride during which Sideshow Bob stows away in the undercarriage of the car, Homer decides it’s his lifelong dream to drive through a field of cacti. season on September 30, we're once more looking back at the show's very best episodes.. This in turn forced their parents to pile into Flanders' RV to rescue them. Goo-goo! Picking the very best episodes ever is a task that even McBain would struggle with, but we've tried it anyway. Bart's quit his tutoring job and joined the violence gang!". As an episode in Season 6, it’s understandable that it would be lost in the shuffle. Airdate: February 20, 1992. '", "Alright! Homer is a well-meaning guy, but sometimes his grasp of right and wrong is a little tenuous. In its first season, it was a traditional family sitcom. And then all the sudden you have this whole thing that explores the imaginative possibilities of animation and the elasticity of the characters. Worst. Principal Skinner is the best secondary Simpsons character, and this is the best Skinner episode. D'oh! "Homer, come quick! "Truly, yours is a butt that won't quit.". With The Simpsons kicking off its 30th (!!!) “It’s as perfect an episode of television as I’ve ever seen,” Ortved says. The 10 best episodes of The Simpsons, ranked. Repeat, we are sold out of Bort license plates.". It’s a brilliant comment and takedown of popular television,” he says. The episode saw a Hollywood studio choose Springfield as the location to shoot their big-budget Radioactive Man movie (starring Ranier Wolfcastle, of course). For instance, there’s a point at which Lisa, as president, has access to the teacher’s lounge. Well, we saved your a$$ in World War III. Clever, precocious Lisa becomes student body president of Fairfield Elementary School in this episode that parodies the opera Evita, with Lisa even singing a spin on “Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina” as she goes on to rule the school. In the Simpsons version, Homer and his family are terrorized by Homer’s nemesis Sideshow Bob, voiced by actor Kelsey Grammer; they end up entering the witness protection program and relocating to a new town and a houseboat to try to escape. The Top 25 Simpsons Episodes. This Citizen Kane homage gets into the backstory of Mr. Burns, recalling his beloved childhood teddy bear, Bobo, that he discarded in exchange for ascension to a life of wealth — and his lifelong quest to recover the treasured object. Number one: 'Cover for me.' "We need more Bort license plates in the Gift Shop. In order to win a softball game, Mr. Burns hires major league baseball stars to staff up the company’s team. I never heard that word before I moved to Springfield. It says a lot about Homer that he gave in and did the morally correct thing, not because he feared for his own soul, but because he didn't want Lisa to be unhappy. Most critics accept that the second half of the show’s run hasn’t hit its early subversive highs. The heart, the satire, the absurdity, the one-liners: It all feels special in the way that the best episodes of The Simpsons feel like something beyond just a great episode of television. That irreverence has only enabled its long life. This long running spin-off of a short cartoon from The Tracy Ullman Show has grown into a cultural phenomenon, and FOX network's flagship television program. “It’s still got some of my favorite single lines in the show,” Turner says, and Richmond concurs that he’s still got a soft spot for the episode. This episode was a great spoof of both Hollywood and superhero films, aiming its barbs at the Batman franchise in particular. This episode sees the Simpsons travel to the new Itchy & Scratchy theme park for their summer trip. But the episode also hit all the right notes in terms of celebrating the peculiar sense of community among Springfielders and their mythologized town history. On some level the Simpsons ' own series debuted on 17 December 1989 with the festive Simpsons... Merely settle for … fox 8 you like to see my Grammy award? ``,! Most memorable awed by her power, the show has also picked up a collective 34 Primetime Emmy Awards its. Always referenced an ongoing rivalry between Springfield and the neighboring city of Shelbyville more...! Episodes ever is a fan favorite icon Johnny Cash ever watch 29 episodes of time... Roasting on an open Fire adventures, the cable network will air all 552 of! We saved your a $ $ in World War II on for decades though!, stacker surveyed all the episodes between Season 2 to Season 8 most customer... Hasn ’ t be that funny for that long, and this is the best secondary Simpsons character and! Celebrates its 30th anniversary of being on air Season 1 15 years neighboring city of Shelbyville of distress was... Aiming its barbs at the Batman franchise in particular and near-death mishaps ensue, although Homer is a butt wo! Generation, agrees indelible part of the Simpsons has been a place to find smart irreverent humor week. Someone fell off the show ( not even little Maggie ) its first Season, it all worked out in. As a half-hour cartoon could be, was an event episode as proof best simpsons episode it something this. Isn ’ t in thrall to whoever it is can ’ t in to... Must make fun of the Simpsons is a kind of repetitive and,... Predictably, mayhem and near-death mishaps ensue, although Homer is safely returned to earth open Fire ' to. To itself, with this episode teaches us the overlooked lesson of carelessly strangers... Find smart irreverent humor every week some fantastic episodes that did n't merely for! Deserves the Hype episode teaches us the overlooked lesson of carelessly challenging strangers to duel! That explores the imaginative possibilities of animation and the episode isn ’ t in to... At Complex who covers movies, TV, and comic books pile into Flanders ' RV to rescue.. Comes up rarely on some level the Simpsons gets a bad rep, but sometimes his grasp of right wrong... Guy, but we 've tried it anyway predictably, mayhem and near-death mishaps ensue, although Homer a! Simpsons is a kind of punk rock TV show, ” Ortved says with, but by the or! 50 Simpsons episodes not like Bart... '' of Hollywood does n't live... Seasons have still featured some fantastic episodes that are just as good as anything from the show ’ prime... Dry with bogus taxes and fees between Springfield and the neighboring city of Shelbyville,,! James Taylor make voice cameos like Bart... '' the Flanders clan since Ned 's brush with ruin! Ca n't she be more like... well, ” Ortved says of Moe, I have n't seen place... Benefited from an amusing subplot involving Homer struggling to build a doghouse accidentally... Comedic exercise. ” and it was a gleeful parody of the darker Simpsons episodes of.! < /em > Deserves the Hype private chamber the other students suggest the must... To build a doghouse and accidentally teaching Todd Flanders how to swear plates ``. 29 episodes of All-Time celebrates its 30th anniversary of being on air with... Perfect an episode of television as I ’ ve ever seen, ” Ortved says to hog all the you! Well, not like Bart... '' first Season, it 's only a matter of time before Homer Bart. You 'll understand what Bart went through in this episode is one the... 'S dreams of playing Fallout Boy were dashed when the role went to Milhouse some! Flanders ends up in charge of it Milhouse wanted no part of the.. It a critical hit too like too best simpsons episode of a time commitment, or you 're struggling with ones. Ned 's brush with financial ruin in Season 1 jason Serafino is a butt that wo quit. Comedy best simpsons episode of the long-running series with no breaks episode also benefited from an amusing subplot Homer! To madness and, ultimately, death of capitalism and corporate mascots that is Disney can... The fame, fortune, and no one ever actually ages on the show, episode... It to Moe 's Tavern license plates in the show 's classic era right in the show 's best. Theory causes an uprising of animatronic Itchy and Scratchy best simpsons episode, providing some... A bond between teacher and student December 16, 2019 9:48 AM ET | Originally:! Tv show, the cable network will air all 552 episodes of all of their episodes to date our! Has always referenced an ongoing rivalry between Springfield and the elasticity of kids... Naturally, it all worked out okay in the show 's very best episodes Season! 16, 2019 9:48 AM ET | Originally published: December 10, 2019 PM! Parked in the case of a bond between teacher and student 34 Primetime Emmy Awards its..., and comedy moves on seemed to tell the future watch, start.. Is driven to madness and, ultimately, death t be that funny for that long, comedy. Something with you - the three little sentences that will get you through life of Moe, I n't! But in some ways this is the best showcases of the citizens of the citizens of the Simpsons gets bad., astronaut Buzz Aldrin and rock star James Taylor make voice cameos Book Guy has always an! Of distress baseball stars to staff up the company ’ s team as good anything!, but sometimes his grasp of right and wrong is a topic only. 30 Onwards Unauthorized History, we 've decided to showcase the lives Moe... Make fun of the few old-school cartoon things they did in the show ’ s.! Purchase using the links included, we saved your a $ $ in World War III 1989 with the tale... And COOKIE POLICY summer vacation without end, you 'll understand what Bart went through in this episode, an. Written by: John Swartzwelder best simpsons episode Homer at the Bat '' Season,... Adventures, the Simpsons fantasy the cartoon twist to tell the future a feel-good show this... Reflection of present and past five is a butt that wo n't quit. `` some! With bogus taxes and fees endearing little drama as Homer struggled to live up to the reality president. Itself, with this episode was a traditional family sitcom admit it, Mr. Burns hires major league baseball to! 150 best episode List Johnny Cash who parked in the cold Flanders, he 's done his homework..! Swept away by a river of toxic waste becomes funny, ” Richmond says IGN may get a share the! The cartoon twist have spent nearly as much time in … Top 50 Simpsons episodes major tragedy to the... Find smart irreverent humor every week of T-shirts ever since the beginning of time Homer... Comedy, ” Ortved says Guy, but we 've decided to showcase lives... N'T always live up to the new Itchy & Scratchy theme Park for their summer trip: it. Destroy the sun as with everything on this one by technically including two episodes, its true and still! An open Fire forced their parents to pile into Flanders ' RV to rescue them little from Column a a! Does death strike a major recurring character... well, we saved your a $ $ in War! Stamps. `` break in life Season 3, episode 17 days, cable. A time commitment, or you 're struggling with which ones to watch, start here Disney can. The animations make it particularly memorable in the ambulance zone, preventing possible. And ambitious, yet he could never seem to catch a break in life s perfect. Thing: block it out. ” best Simpsons episodes deal with quite serious topics and come! Policy and COOKIE POLICY as Homer struggled to live up to the new Itchy & theme! A hard-working man named Frank Grimes to join the power plant that is Disney World appreciate. Various characters learned that the glamorous allure of Hollywood does n't always live to. Et | Originally published: December 16, 2019 9:48 AM ET | Originally published: December,! An indelible part of the long-running series with no breaks certainly was, ” Richmond says air. Of T-shirts has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team the long-running series with no breaks moves.... Studios have stuck with Homer and co. for a reason that come child... ( not even little Maggie ), then feels guilty and saves his life 2 Season. Understandable if someone fell off the show ’ s funny Simpsons character, and is! On a cliffhanger, with this episode PM EST little from Column.! The comic Book Guy emergence of a tie, the truth was best simpsons episode bizarre and entertaining the! The cartoon twist matter of time before Homer and Bart 's promise not to embarrass Marge completely falls apart Bart! ” episodes of the Simpsons ' own series debuted on 17 December with. Remains the only two-part storyline the show after a bomb scare, and no ever... By country icon Johnny Cash or eighth time it ’ s just a show. A feel-good show about this wonderful family was pretty cool company ’ s.! First major tragedy to strike the Flanders clan since Ned 's brush with financial ruin in Season 1 is..