The Simpsons Season 3 (1991)
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The Simpsons Season 3 Review
The third season of The Simpsons is the best season so far with some weaker installments, but with most episodes being genuinely terrific.
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“You’ve got the brains and the talent to go as far as you want.
And when you do, I’ll be right there to borrow money“
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Stark Raving Dad is at its best when dealing with that Michael Jackson wannabe guy. He is so funny and so amusing throughout the episode, and I loved the relationship between Homer and him. Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington is one political episode too many, and the best example of everything that is wrong with critics reviewing comedy series. They praised this one for being sophisticated which it is, but in actuality, it is never at all funny and is quite dull.
When Flanders Failed isn’t the best Flanders episode, but it is still pretty good and with a very interesting storyline. Bart the Murderer introduces us to Fat Tony who has his very amusing liens of dialogue at times, but overall it’s a gangster episode so I wasn’t thrilled with it. This beginning of the season surely wasn’t great.
Homer Defined explores his character and his imbecile nature so well with a well-crafted plot. Like Father, Like Clown deals with Krusty and his father not accepting his vocation. Yes, that led to a weaker in humor episode, but it’s still emotional and solid in its own way.
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Treehouse of Horror II is so much weaker than its predecessor with not a single memorable storyline in its bunch. Lisa’s Pony is the first truly great episode of this season which explores Lisa/Homer relationship beautifully. I found Homer’s willingness to make her happy both realistic for his character and truly heartwarming. Saturdays of Thunder focuses on his relationship with Bart. Although dated in the game itself, it’s very strong in their lovely dynamic.
Flaming Moe’s is by far the greatest episode of the season and of the show so far. Yes, it’s amazing throughout. It finally gives Moe an episode worthy of him. It explores his selfishness and greed, but ultimately Homer and him are friends, no matter how complicated their friendship is. The storyline is fantastic, and the episode is genuinely compelling and sophisticated from beginning to end.
Burns Verkaufen de Kraftwerk deals with economics a bit too much for my liking, but Burns himself is reliably terrific, and I liked the plot of the second half where it becomes much more interesting. I Married Marge is a pretty good, moving flashback episode that is also grounded in reality as the best episodes of The Simpsons usually are. Radio Bart is easily the greatest Bart episode so far. It explores his mischief and shenanigans so well while genuinely making a very interesting situation out of it where all of Springfield is involved in a very entertaining manner.
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Lisa the Greek is another terrific Homer/Lisa installment where the two share a very interesting, complex dynamic and where the episode asks us whether Homer really is a good father. Homer Alone is fantastic! The subplot with the kids staying with their aunts is so funny and gross, but the emotional meat of the story is Marge leaving for a vacation. The episode showcases just how important she is for this family, being basically the pillar of it.
Bart the Lover is another Bart masterpiece. Also, Edna’s. She is so great here, her story so touching and the way Bart started to care about her toward the end was so moving. It’s such a genuinely nice, wonderful episode that went from being mean to being sweet quite deftly. Homer at the Bat is one of the most overrated episodes of all time as it deals with baseball which I dislike and its stars, all of whom I do not know in the slightest. Thus, it’s dated and boring.
Separate Vocations is amazing as well. This episode switches the roles between Lisa and Bart, and the result is genuinely original and different, but still working. Rarely has their sibling relationship been this well explored with that final moment between the two being so sweet. Dog of Death explores the medicinal cost with dogs heartbreakingly and realistically so.
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Colonel Homer is a very solid, but not the greatest country music-oriented story. Black Widower is a terrific Sideshow Bob story with a great role for Selma too. The Otto Show is a filler episode with this very annoying slacker character. Bart’s Friend Falls in Love presents an interesting new development for Milhouse. Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes? is a very good, thankfully happier story for Herb, but the previous one was infinitely better.
Overall, the beginning and the ending of this season were not great, but the middle part is downright brilliant with many instantly classic, beautiful and sophisticated episodes that are very entertaining to watch and so well-crafted on all fronts. It’s thus a flawed, but mostly commendable season.
Worst Episodes: Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington, Homer at the Bat and The Otto Show.
Best Episodes: Lisa’s Pony, Flaming Moe’s, Radio Bart, Homer Alone, Bart the Lover and Separate Vocations.
