Favourite Episodes: The Simpsons

[Uncle Sam]

If this gains popularity, I'll do more for other shows. Anyway, for some of us The Simpsons lost their way long ago. To others, crack is just a very available drug. But either way, damn near anyone on the planet has a favourite episode of The Simpsons. Here, tell us what it is and tell us why,

NO LISTING, GIVE REASONS​

For me, The Simpsons was utterly superb between series four and eight. Ne'er a bad episode to be had. This just makes it harder for me to pick. Remember kids, Wikipedia is there to help.

Marge vs. The Monorail​

Iconic. There's no other way to put it. I'm not going to summarise you plot, you should damn well know it already. From Homer's parody of the Flintstone's theme tune at the beginning to the Monorail song, to Leonard Nimoy's first guest appearance... It's just all so goddamn perfect. How anybody could dislike this episode is beyond me.

Homer's Triple Bypass​

That's odd. Two episodes from season four, and yet I've confessed that season eight is my favourite season. A great episode that shows The Simpson's sad, emotional side yet performing a miracle in keeping the humour intact (who can forget the heart cam?). Wikipedia says it's the first appearance of Dr. Nick. Fucking awesome.

I need to rethink this. Even unaided by Wikipedia, there's so many episodes I want to include. You carry on while I condense my list.

 

[George Michael]

Season: Eight
Episode: The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie show

Quote:

Raising hand.
Ralph: My knob tastes funny

Best scene: When the kids take part in the focus group. The knob in front of them can be turned left and right to determine what each child liked and did not like in the episode. When a muscled shirtless male appears on the screen Nelson turns Milhouse's knob numerous times, leading those running the focus group to speculate about his sexuality.

Comments: An awesome episode. Incorperates it's own struggles with Fox at the time, and the kind of retooling they wanted to do to the show. This is paralelled in the episode with an Itchy and Scratchy focus group involving the kids of Springfield (Usual Suspects: Bart, Lisa, Nelson, Milhouse, Ralph, and a couple others) to figure out what needs to be fixed on the award winning cartoon Itchy & Scratchy. This episode can represent the crucifixtion of Homer's integrity, as in seasons following this show he has never been quite the same. This implicate that Homer's character as what would be retooled; a move that greatly changed the dynamic of the show.

 

[Shocky]

Season 8, Episode 15: Homer's Phobia.

The Gay episode. Homer keeps thinking all throughout the show that Bart may grow up to be gay. Homer takes Bart to many masculine things, only to run into the worst possible scenario at every location.

Homer needs a job and looks at work at a shop called Cockameme's, or something like that. Finds a new friend named John, that happens to be gay. Homer makes Bart look at Cigarette billboards with women on them, but Bart isn't interested in the women, he wants to smoke something slim, that's brilliant. Then there was the whole Robot Santa Clause which was pretty good.

The best part though is when Bart and Homer go to the Steel Mill. Uh Oh. At the end of the work shift, Rosco is introduced with the line of "We Work Hard, We Play Harder" as the Steel Mill turns into the Anvil, a nightly gay bar. Freaking Hilarious.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Homer needs a job and looks at work at a shop called Cockameme's, or something like that.

Actually, I think you'll find that the family needs money to pay a bill - after they lose their penny jar to China - and so go to the store in order to sell Marge's grandmother's civil war doll (which is not an endorsement of slavery, as Lisa states). However, as new character John points out, it's part of the Liquor Lads collection; a whiskey bottle, a nice reminder of grandma's old drinking habit.

I'd also included this episode on any list of mine. It's just plain awesome.

"We work hard, we play hard."

 

[Matt Phoenix]

I love the episode 'Round Springfield' from Season 6. This is the episode where Bart gets appendicitis from eating a metal Krusty-O and while Lisa is visiting Bart she comes across Bleeding Gums Murphy.
BGM then gives Lisa his sax and Lisa plays at the recital, upon returning to the hospital she discovers that BGM has passed. Bart then sues Krusty and ends up with $500 bucks which he uses to buy Lisa BGM's album because when he was sick Lisa was the only one who believed him.
Lisa then gets the local jazz station to play it but the station's signal is shit when lightning strikes and makes the signal more powerful. A scene at the end with Lisa talking to BGM in the sky, leading to one last duet. Ending the episode with BGM telling Lisa "Oh come on I got a date with Billie Holiday."

Great episode filled with emotion and some kick ass musical sections to it. I like most of the Lisa-centric episodes as they generally have a really good storyline and I like the way that they reinforce the bond with Bart and Lisa. Also great comedy bits like when Bart is showing the other kids his scar, leading to the kids all wanting appendectomies. But my favourite-ist parts of the episode are the jazzman song and the bit at the end where BGM goes 'oh what the heck, one more time from the top' and Lisa says 'Yay!' just so simple but the absoluite joy coming from Lisa always makes me smile, simple but always gets me.
Anyway that is just one of my favourite episodes.

 

[Davi323]

For me, its definitely the Lemon Tree episode, Lemon of Troy. Not only do we get to travel to Shelbyville, and see the Shelbyville equivalents of the Simpsons family, but we get such memorable lines as "shake harder, boy!", the original "team discovery channel", and Milhouse's classic "uhhhhh so this is what it feels like when doves cry..."

 

[simpsons_fanatic742]

LOVE THIS THREAD!

You guys want an iconic episode and one of my favourites, Season 4, Episode 17: "Last Exit to Springfield". This epsiode should be on everyone's list of favouries episodes.

PLOT: Mr. Burns takes away the dental plan from the Nuclear Power Plant Worker's Union and in return they get a keg of beer for every meeting. Sounds good at first, but then Lisa needs braces and with no dental plan they can't afford any of the "proper" braces. Homer finally realizes this and steps up during the meeting, rips up the contract and is voted Union leader. What follows is pure creative genius. He battles Mr. Burns to get the dental plan back and a "battle of wits" takes place if you will. During this, Lisa gets a very ugly pair of braces and a great copy of a scene from Batman takes place. Anyway, Mr. Burns finally cracks and they get the dental plan back (after striking of course) and Lisa gets a proper pair of braces.

"An Entertainment Weekly article from January 2003 looking back at the top 25 episodes of the series chose this episode as the show's greatest episode, saying "this episode is virtually flawless, the product of a series at the height of its creative powers -- when the satire was savage and relevant"[5] and "the stuff of syndication legend: Burns facing down brilliant labor kingpin Homer Simpson; Homer Simpson facing down his own brain (DENTAL PLAN!/Lisa needs braces!); Grampa rattling on about wearing onions on his belt." (source: Wikipedia)

"This is the episode that every self-respecting Simpsons geek must be able to recite verbatim." - and I can

This episode has everything a great cartoon episode should have. It dealt with a real issue in the work force, had some memorable quotes and scenes, and was funny to boot. One of my favourite lines in any Simpsons episodes, "(knock on door)Goons...Who?...Hired Goons...Hired Goons?" and, "you know you could of just called me...yes well you don't get that hands on effort that come with hired goons...Hired Goons?". Honestly one of my favourite episodes.

I have a TON more favourite episodes, but I start school in 3 weeks so I have no time to write more lol.

 

[The Mark of Zur-En-Arrh]

Episode - The Trouble With Trillions

Homer is forced to retrieve a Trillion Dollar Bill from Mr. Burns due to failing to pay his taxes, and ends up giving it to Cuba.

This episode has a number of hilarious moments such as:

1. (Kent Brockman interviews people at the post office during a swarm of citizens who have left it to the last minute)

(Approaches Otto) Kent Sir, why have you left it til now to complete your taxes?
Otto Taxes? Isn't this the line for Metallica?

IRS agent - We know that Burns still has the bill in his house, but all satellite pictures have told us is that it's not on the roof!

Fidel Castro (wanting to steal the trillion dollars) - May I see it?
Mr Burns - Ho Ho! See with your eyes, not with your hands
Castro - We are all amigos here
Homer - Mr Burns, i think we can trust the President of Cuba
Burns - Oh very well. (Hands over the bill) Now, give it back
Castro - Give what back?
Burns - Ohhh

IRS agent - Dammit, we lost them
FBI agent - They'll be back. They'll miss good ol' American TV

There's a million more in that episode, but i can't list them without pages of explanantion.

Other great episodes: Das Bus - Lord of the Flies parody where the Elementary School Model UN club get stranded on an island

(Otto tries to swim for help and gets washed away in the opposite direction)
Otto ZEPPLIN RUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLEEEEEE!

(Voice over at the end of the episode)
And so, the children learned to live in harmony together until eventually, they were all rescued by.... Oh, lets say.... Moe!

The Angry Dad Episode:

Comic Book Guy Stan Lee insulted me. But in Bizarro World, that means he likes me

(Kid is looking at a Batman figurine)
Stan Lee You don't want that action figure son. You want a cool action figure
Kid Uuuhhhh, but only Batman fits in my Bat-mobile
Stan Lee Nonsense, the Thing fits in there perfectly
(Comic Book Guy/Bart dialogue. Lee struggles to fit the Thing in the Bat-mobile and breaks it)
Kid Ahhhh! You broke my Bat-mobile!!!
Stan Lee Broke? Or made cooler?

(What i also love about this episode is that Stan Lee goes around the whole Comic store putting Marvel comics in front of the DC ones.)