Ten Defining Episodes

I feel the avalanche of latter-era episodes has kind of tainted the spirit of this blog a bit, and my return to continue and cover season 21 certainly didn’t help. Sure, those episodes deserve to get taken down every peg possible, but through it all, we can’t forget the amazingness that is the show in its prime, The Simpsons, as it is, the greatest comedy to have ever air on TV. And so, in what may be this blog’s final post (maybe), I’ve decided to do… a list. Yeah, real original. Now, I didn’t want to do a top 10 best, and certainly not a top 10 worst. This is a little different. It may shock you to hear this, but there are some people out there who have never watched the show before. It’s true, I’ve met them. Now surely everyone has heard of the show, and can identify a few of the main characters, or at least the Simpson family. Also, I think everyone has at least seen a small bit of at least one episode in their lifetime of channel surfing. But in terms of sitting back and seriously watching an episode? We take that luxury for granted, but some people aren’t so fortune. So how does one introduce another to The Simpsons? Can you even imagine it? Where do you start? What episodes would you show that can fully illustrate the show’s utter genius? Well, that’s what this list is: the ten episodes that represent the greatness of The Simpsons.

1. I Married Marge (season 3, episode 12)
This episode serves almost like a prologue to the Simpson family, and the bumps and sacrifices taken in order to create the semi-stable household that it is in our series proper. As their younger selves we can profile Homer and Marge perfectly, the former a loving husband who tries to do right despite his crippling idiocy and short attention span, and his lovely wife, who is sweet, gentle, and who he’d do anything for. This is also one of the sweetest episodes of the series, with multiple moments that pack an emotional whollop, but also we’re shown that the funny never stops, and more importantly, doesn’t interfere with the tone of a scene. We can be touched by Marge reading Homer’s simple, yet truly heartwarming proposal, and laugh as we see his butt crack in her face as he continues to fish around the seat for it. Now needing to support a pregnant wife, Homer’s arrested development is shaken as he strong arms his way into a grown-up job, thrust into responsible adulthood, which explains his sometimes childish outlook. This episode sets up a lot, and given that everyone at least has a cursory knowledge of the series, it’s not alienating as a prologue, and is my ideal starting point.

2. Dog of Death (season 3, episode 19)
This is my idea of a “normal” episode, as we watch the family as they manage through a true-to-life situation, in this case what to do when their dog falls ill and his operation comes with a high price tag. After the emotion-heavy introduction, this episode easily shows off the series’s strongest asset: humor. In my opinion, this is one of the funniest episodes ever, with so many absolutely hysterical bits. All the lottery hysteria at the beginning feels very real, but then you also have crazy shit like the frenzy the town gets whipped up in, and the King Homer dream, perhaps the best dream sequence of the whole series. Doggie heaven, Burns training Santa’s Little Helper to be a killer, Brockman becoming a smug asshole after winning the lottery, the laughs keep coming hard and fast. But the foundation of a solid, relatable story is still there, and while we feel good when Bart and his dog are reunited, we then laugh at Homer scoffing at the idea of petting the cat (“What’s the point?”)

3. Three Men and a Comic Book (season 2, episode 21)
At this point, I figure we’d examine each Simpson on their own adventure, and their role in the show. First up is Bart. To me, the best Bart episodes are when he’s just a precocious, devious youngster, be it struggling in school, playing pranks, or engaging in idol worship with his TV hero Krusty the Clown. In this episode, a limited edition comic book is like the holy grail to our favorite spiky haired ten-year-old… but unfortunately he’s got to work for it. This episode also shows how the tone of a show can turn on a dime, but still feel like a cohesive story. We open with the big comic book expo set piece, rich with satire, then we have Bart working under Mrs. Glick, then by act three it turns into a Treasure of the Sierra Madre parody with heightened action and drama. But even through all that, the plot still flows and nothing seems like it’s coming out of left field. It’s like a twenty-two minute roller coaster, and it’s one hell of a good ride.

4. A Streetcar Named Marge (season 4, episode 2)
Now it’s Marge’s time to shine, in an episode that also further examines her relationship with her husband. From the start we see Homer is forgetful and inattentive to Marge’s new creative and social venture, but never do we feel his rude behavior comes from any sort of malice. In one of the most telling lines in show history, when Marge asks him why he never told her he never had any interest in her hobbies in the past, he responds, “You know I’d never say anything to hurt your feelings.” That sums it up right there; Homer may occasionally say hurtful things, but he never knows what he’s saying is hurtful. Meanwhile, Marge proves to be a powerhouse performer in “A Streetcar Named Desire,” channeling her anger at her husband, and also showing off her own talents, which gives her some sense of identity outside of the house. Also critical is the music; one of the great pillars of this show is its amazing songs, and this episode, turning the ultimately somber Tennessee Williams play into a rousing, show-stopping musical, is the king of them all. The upbeat “You Can Always Depend on the Kindness of Strangers” may be the most brilliant thing this show has ever done ever. And remember, a stranger’s just a friend you haven’t met. You haaaaven’t meeeeet… Streetcar!

5. Lisa’s Substitute (season 2, episode 19)
I see this one a lot on people’s top episodes lists, and while I don’t know if I’d put it amongst my absolute favorites, in terms of illustrating Lisa’s character, it’s the perfect representation. She’s the eternal big fish in a small pond, trapped in a town full of idiots and a family that may support her, but will never truly be able to reach her on an intellectual or emotional level. Since by nature of her character, she must remain somewhat miserable in the status quo, so most Lisa episodes involve her finding happiness and it being taken from her, in this case the enter and exit of the brilliant and sensitive substitute teacher Mr. Bergstrom. He’s everything Lisa could ever want in a teacher, nay, a human being, and their emotional connection only makes it tougher to see them part ways. Also running through the episode is depicting Homer’s disconnect with her daughter; if anyone in the family has less of a chance reaching her, it’s him. But we once again see the critical element of Homer in that he loves his family, in an ending where he attempts to make amends, and succeeds, in his own simple-minded way.

6. Homer’s Triple Bypass (season 4, episode 11)
Last up is the big man himself, in a hysterical episode involving a father of three suffering a heart attack and needing to undergo a serious operation. A big part of Homer is his incredible gluttony, and here we see it finally come around to bite him in the ass. This episode is a crowning example of the show dealing with truly devastating subject matter, but remaining consistantly funny with absolutely no clash in tone. We go right from Lisa hugging her father and sobbing when he announces his operation, to Homer saying how Abe Lincoln sold poisoned milk to school children within three seconds, and you can still laugh. We get our fill of great moments, with the always hilarious Dr. Nick, Homer’s childish glee over his adjustable hospital bed, and visits from Moe, Barney and Krusty (“This ain’t make-up!”), but we also can truly appreciate the tender moments of Homer’s nighttime prayer, and his maybe final words to his children, which again is peppered with great moments of humor with Bart telling him what to say (“And Lisa, I guess this is the time to tell you… that I’m adopted and I don’t like you. …Bart!!“)

7. Brush with Greatness (season 2, episode 18)
Another Marge episode, kind of in the same vein of “Streetcar” in displaying her talents apart from her normal housewife identity. It’s a bit more prominent in this one, showcasing her artistic talents, a trait that’s continued through a few token episodes. There’s a lot more great stuff here though, like the Mt. Splashmore opener and Homer attempting to lose weight. But more importantly, this episode illuminates one of the greatest members of our supporting cast, C. Montgomery Burns. He’s at his most fiendish here, but we also see a more vulnerable side to him (I love his earnest “Can you make me beautiful?” to Marge). As despicable as he is, he’s still human, as explained in the final reveal of Marge’s painting, one of the show’s best examples of blending outrageous humor with a genuine meaning. This series certainly wouldn’t be the same without its secondary characters, and the finale to this show almost acts as a thesis statement on Mr. Burns.

8. You Only Move Twice (season 8, episode 2)
In terms of its emotional core, this episode kind of complements “I Married Marge” and the other flashback episodes, in showing that in the thick of it, Homer will always choose his family over himself. He finds himself in a cushy job, a great house and a boss that seemingly respects him, but he finds he can’t be truly happy if his family isn’t. But on top of all that is mountains and mountains of humor, with Hank Scorpio at the top of them all. Albert Brooks has voiced many memorable characters over the series, but Scorpio tops them all, the elaboration on the great premise of what if a James Bond villain were the world’s greatest boss? Every line of his is hysterical, thanks to the sharp writing and Brooks’s own ad-libs. This episode is to highlight the show’s ability to create one-off characters that truly stand the test of time, and Scorpio definitely is at the front of the line.

9. Bart vs. Australia (season 6, episode 16)
This is a series that skewers every facet of American life and culture, but that’s not even enough. Nowhere on Earth is safe from ridicule. There seemed to be a lot more travel episodes in later seasons, all of which were mostly toothless, and at worse lightly culturally offensive, but this episode rules because it tackles a foreign country and foreign policy simultaneously. The United State and Australia end up both coming off like idiots, attempting to calm an international incident accidentally caused by a ten-year-old. We get Phil Hartman playing his best one-off role as the American ambassador (“Then it’s agreed: during the bargaining session, we each get two candy apples… all right, one candy and one caramel,”) the legendary game of Knifey Spoony, and Bart mooning the highest ranking Australian officials, only to be escorted out by helicopter in a shot in a reference to the famous photo of Americans retreating from Vietnam. What more could you want out of an episode?

10. Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily (season 7, episode 3)
At its core, The Simpsons is about… well, the Simpsons, this family whose members never seem to find real acceptance or happiness out in the world, but remain a strong unit in themselves. Sure, they bicker and squabble, but deep down Homer and Marge love their kids, and vice versa. Nowhere is this better displayed than this episode, where parents and children are separated thanks to an avalanche of misunderstandings. Playing amongst the humorous bits of bizarre life at the Flanders house and the dimwits at the proper parenting course, we get amazing scenes of Homer and Marge sadly walking past their children’s empty rooms, and Bart and Lisa in bed reminiscing about fond memories with their parents. For better or for worse, they all belong together. The shot at the end is a perfect encapsulation of this, a beautiful shot of Marge cradling her baby (“Maggie, you’re a Simpson again.”) Followed by Maggie removing her pacifier and belching. As crude and dysfunctional as they may be, the Simpsons are happy just as they are.

Whelp, I guess that’s it. For real this time, I can conclude I have no interest in anything from season 22 on. I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to read and comment throughout my journey. Hopefully you enjoyed my exuberance and my suffering, and I hope I’ve inspired some of you to go back and revisit great moments from this truly tremendous series. Smell you later!