Top Ten The Simpsons Episodes

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Top Ten The Simpsons Episodes

The Simpsons is a show that has run for decades. I personally watched the first fifteen seasons, but honestly creating any top ten episode list for this show is almost always going to include only the episodes from the first eight seasons, which is the case with my list as well. This is where the show shined the most and was at its funniest and most sophisticated. I tried to include many different types of episodes and character showcases, but above all else, this is a very personal list where I set out to include all of those episodes that made me content the most and those that got stuck in my mind the longest.

10. Marge on the Lam

The tenth slot belongs to this Season 5 classic. It follows Marge on the run from the police along with her friend Ruth Powers. It’s such a fun, endearing, hugely entertaining ‘Thelma and Louise’ parody, and a great feminist episode that finally gave Marge something great to do. It’s not only consistently fun and exciting, but also a genuinely great character showcase for her.

9. Homer the Smithers

Homer the Smithers is an absolute classic coming from Season 7. It explores just how much not only Burns depends on Smithers, but how vice versa is also the case. The whole episode very dramatic and hugely engaging with the Smithers scenes at the gay resort finally solidifying his sexuality in a very amusing fashion.

8. Bart the Lover

Bart the Lover is a Bart masterpiece. It’s also a phenomenal Edna storyline. 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 Season 3 episode that went from being mean to being sweet quite deftly. It’s the finest episode featuring these two characters.

7. Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy

The very diverse sixth season features this Grampa classic. Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy is a wonderful father-son storyline. Finally we here got a great story with Homer and Grampa who is usually sidelined by his family, but we get to the core of their tumultuous relationship in this instance, and that culminated with a truly beautiful finale.

6. Radio Bart

Radio Bart belongs among the greatest Bart episodes of them all because it explores his character so well. It deals 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. It’s a great concept that was mined for genuine emotion and drama stupendously.

5. Mountain of Madness

The eighth season is the last great season of The Simpsons and Mountain of Madness is a terrific showcase of that. It is one of my all-time favorites from my childhood. Mr. Burns takes all his employees to a mountain retreat, and the pairing of himself with Homer produced many fun moments, and the setting was gloriously utilized. It just might be the most purely entertaining episode on this list.

4. Flaming Moe’s

Flaming Moe’s is by far the greatest Moe episode of all time. It gave Moe an episode worthy of him as he’s always been a very interesting supporting character. It explores his selfishness and greed, but ultimately he and Homer 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.

3. Treehouse of Horror IV

Picking out the best Treehouse of Horror episode was difficult, but ultimately I went with this undeniable classic. Yes, Treehouse of Horror IV is probably the best Treehouse of Horror episode of them all. The first part with the devil is an absolute classic with the doughnut part being unforgettable, and Lionel Hutz being an indispensable comic relief. The second part parodies ‘The Twilight Zone’ brilliantly and is a great mix of horror and comedy whereas the third part with vampires and Burns is also a lot of fun.

2. Cape Feare

Being such a nostalgic piece for me as I watched it so many times during childhood, Cape Feare easily gets the second spot on this list. Sideshow Bob has never been better used, his plans are all memorable here, many action set pieces here are bloody fantastic and his slapstick gag with the rakes is a classic. It’s probably the most entertaining Simpsons episode ever and a great example of the show doing a childlike comedy episode gloriously.

1. Homer the Heretic

Homer the Heretic is by far the greatest episode of the entire show, and the one episode that needs to get much more love, especially in the confines of the uneven fourth season. Homer doesn’t want to go to church during Sunday, so he stays, thus angering Marge. This episode explores faith and responsibilities beautifully, and it’s just so damn relatable. It deserves the first spot for utilizing Homer’s character so magnificently and for being a great example of a thematically interesting drama episode that works through and through.

Honorable Mentions:

Homer Alone – This undisputed classic depicts Marge going on a vacation and a family stumbling in the process. It shows just how important she is to the entire Simpson family.

Lisa’s Date with Density – This one is among the best Lisa episodes as it deals with her short-lived romance with Nelson very interestingly. It also features a very fun, pathetic Milhouse.

Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? – This one introduced to us Herbert Powell, Homer’s long-lost half-brother so gloriously voiced by the great Danny DeVito. He’s a complex, great character.

Separate Vocations – This episode switches the roles between Lisa and Bart, and the result is genuinely original and different, but still working. It’s a very moving sibling storyline.

Lisa’s Wedding – I do not get why many dislike this future episode, but I adore it as getting to see Lisa, Bart and everyone in the future was a lot of fun, but also believable throughout.

You can get the first seventeen seasons of The Simpsons on Amazon in this massive collection.