My Top 10 Simpsons Episodes

Since 1989, The Simpsons has entertained us. Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, along with their kooky friends and family, have created many memorable pop culture moments.

These are my ten favourite episodes featuring the yellow family.

The Way We Was (2×12)
Homer and Marge have had their troubles, but also their good times. In the 1991 episode, we learn about when laid-back Homer and good girl feminist Marge met as high school seniors. Unfortunately for Homer, he’s got competition from the nerdy Artie Ziff.

It’s an oddly sweet episode that gives us both humour and love. Despite Homer being an idiot, he shows clear devotion to Marge, and we can see why he loves her back.

Best Moment(s): Our introduction to Homer and Marge’s song ‘(They Long to Be) Close to You).’

A Streetcar Named Marge (4×2)
A lonely Marge decides to join a local theatre production of A Streetcar Named Desire. She nabs the lead role of Blanche, whilst neighbor Flanders gets Stanley. Meanwhile, Homer struggles with the kids and puts Maggie in a prison style daycare centre.

The music about New Orleans caused controversy in the Big East, but the episode is lots of fun. It parodies A Streetcar Named Desire for all it’s worth. Meanwhile, the side plot with Maggie is great.

Best Moment(s): The songs from Oh! Streetcar!, Maggie escaping and the Hitchcock homage at the daycare.

Marge vs. The Monorail (4×12)
When the charming Lyle Lanley sweeps into town with the promise of a monorail, Marge is the only one to see through him. While she attempts to gather evidence to stop Lanley, Homer gets a new job.

The late Phil Hartman shines as the smooth-talking Lanley. We also get a brilliant cameo from the departed Leonard Nimoy. Marge is the voice of reason, but Homer remains the silly character we’d all probably be.

Best Moments: Homer’s tree song, The Monorail song, and ‘I call the big one ‘Bitey.’

I Love Lisa (4×15)
After Lisa gives the sweet but simple Ralph Wiggum a sympathy Valentine’s Day card, he starts to fall in love with her. Lisa struggles to let him down as he proceeds to woo her.

I’m partial to this episode because of the President’s Day sequence, but it has plenty of other memorable moments, from Skinner’s Vietnam flashbacks to ‘if you look closely, you can pinpoint the exact moment his heart breaks in two.’ Also, Ralph is a sweetie.

Best Moment(s): The entire President’s Day segment, from BART’s portrayal of John Wilkes Booth to the ‘Mediocre Presidents’ song.

Last Exit to Springfield (4×17)
Homer is somehow elected the new union leader at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, leading the men to strike. Meanwhile, Lisa needs braces.

It’s full of memorable lines, moments and songs. So much goes on but it all fits in perfectly.

Best Moments(s): Lisa needs braces/dental plan, Lisa under anesthesia, The Big Book of British Smiles, Lisa’s song, Homer’s ‘dance’ on the floor and ‘Smithers, I’m beginning to think that Homer Simpson was not the brilliant tactician I thought he was.’

Deep Space Homer (5×15)
NASA is worried about a loss in public interest, so they decide to hire ordinary men to join their next mission. One of these ordinary men is Homer Simpson.

I’m fascinated by space travel, so this is my kind of episode. It’s got some great cameos from Buzz Aldrin and James Taylor, as well as lots of humour. It also gives us the famous ‘I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords.’

Best Moment(s): The insect overlords comment, the cameos, Homer in space, the inanimate rod and the parodies of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Itchy and Scratchy Land (6×4)
Hoping for a perfect vacation, the Simpsons visit Itchy and Scratchy Land, the theme park version of the kids’ favourite cartoon. Unfortunately for them, the robots go berserk.

There’s a lot to enjoy in this episode. It parodies my believed Jurassic Park, as well as Westworld and other classics. The Simpsons truly work together in order to defeat the evil robots. Who doesn’t love some family bonding?

Best Moment(s): Maggie in the ball pit, Bort, ‘your older, balder, fatter son,’ ‘no, that’s too big,’ nobody ruins my family vacation – but me, and maybe the boy!, fighting the robots and European Itchy and Scratchy Land.

Bart vs. Australia (6×16)
After Bart cons an Australian boy into spending $900 to confirm a theory about water drainage, the family is forced to go to Australia to apologise. Hijinks ensue.

It’s my joint favourite episode, simply because it’s so full of great gags and jokes about Australia. The cliches are as you would expect, so much so that some Australians didn’t like it. It’s nevertheless typical Simpsons fare.

Best Moment(s): ‘U r gay’ instead of Uruguay, ‘nine hundred dollarydoos,’ the PM in the lake, knifey spoony, Marge ordering a coffee, Homer gets punched, Hitler in Argentina, mooning the Australians, ‘I’m impressed that you were able to write so legibly on your own butt,’ parody of the Saigon airlift and Bart ruining the ecosystem.

Two Bad Neighbors (7×13)
Bart and Homer become instant enemies with George H. W. Bush moves in across the street. Much to the chagrin of Marge and Barbara, the three engage in wacky hijinks.

My joint-favourite episodes, especially as a nerd about presidents, this is my dream. There’s a lot of gentle Bush bashing because of their previous comments about the show, but it’s all in good fun. While ‘Jeb’ and ‘George Jr’ are shown, the writers didn’t even know the latter existed at the time. Five years later…

Best Moment(s): ‘Grover Cleveland spanked me on two non-consecutive occasions,’ glued-on wig, the Noriega thing, the fight in the sewer, ‘I’ll ruin you like a Japanese banquet’ (which I regularly quote), Gorbachev, and Homer bonds with Gerald Ford.

You Only Move Twice (8×2)
Homer gets a new job working for a corporation, so the Simpsons move towns. His new boss, Hank Scorpio, is a supervillain, but takes a liking to Homer and treats him well. Unfortunately, Homer is the only one in the family to like their new home.

Hank Scorpio is widely regarded as one of the best one-time characters on the show, and Albert Brooks is brilliant. It’s a loving parody of James Bond, with a parody of the famous British spy appearing in the episode. It’s also nice to have Homer get some luck for once.

Best Moment(s): France or Italy, Bond parody and Homer’s football team.