“Oh no!” This is the only appropriate answer to the question: What is the best The Simpsons Episode of all time? Despite the enormous question, Vanity Fair‘s TV analysis podcast Still watching will attempt to answer the question with a three-part series that will culminate with hosts Hillary Busis, Richard LawsonAnd Chris Murphy Ranking the five best Simpsons episodes of all time. Open a Duff beer and find out if your favorite The Simpsons Episode made it into the cut.
The Simpsons has been the benchmark for comedy since its premiere on FOX on December 17, 1989. Created by Matt Groening and developed by Gröning, James L. BrooksAnd Sam Simon, The Simpsons has satirized life in the American suburbs for over three decades through the hilarious escapades of the married couple Homer and Marge Simpson, their children Bart, Lisa and Maggie, and the citizens of Springfield. 35 seasons later The Simpsons is still producing new episodes, making it the longest-running animated series, the longest-running sitcom, and the longest-running scripted primetime series in America.
So what of the 768 possible episodes The Simpsons episodes are in the running for the best Simpsons episode of all time? The first contender is episode 2 of season 5, “Cape Feare,” which premiered on October 7, 1993. Written by legendary author John VittiCape Feare is an all-time classic an episode with one of the The SimpsonsThe best recurring characters, Sideshow Bob, voiced by Kelsey GrammerWhile Sideshow Bob plans to murder Bart after his release from prison, the Simpsons enter the witness protection program in Cape Feare as “the Thompsons”.
“Cape Feare” is Busis’ favorite The Simpsons episode of all time, but all three presenters agree that it shows the best of what The Simpsons has to offer: the combination of true absurdity (Sideshow Bob stepping on rakes is an all-timer) and clever satire (in this case of Martin Scorsese film Cape Fear). And for the musical-loving presenters, the climax with the reference to Gilbert and Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore was just the icing on the cake of a delicious episode.
The next candidate is Season 7, Episode 14, “Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield,” which aired on February 4, 1996. It was written by Jennifer Crittenden and followed Marge as she spontaneously purchases a Chanel dress at a thrift store and then becomes obsessed with joining Springfield’s exclusive country club. Murphy’s favorite episode, “Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield,” stands out to him for its astute and caustic class commentary – an important and sometimes overlooked trademark of The SimpsonsFrom Marge, who works overtime at her family’s expense to fit in with the bar crowd at the country club, to moneybag Monty Burns, who doesn’t know he’s bad at golf because his underling is constantly cheating him, Class Struggle in Springfield skillfully takes aim at the elite.
The last episode, which was in the first part of the Still watchingThe Simpsons series is season 6, episode 8 “A Millhouse Divided”, which aired on December 1, 1996. Written by Steve Tompkinsthe episode focuses on supporting character Millhouse’s parents, LuAnne and Kirk VanHouten, who are going through a divorce after a terrible game night at the Simpson household. LuAnne’s blossoming compared to Kirk’s decline is played for maximum comedic effect until the end of the episode, where for a brief moment it looks like Kirk will win back his divorced wife. (He doesn’t.) “A Millhouse Divided” highlights The Simpsons‘s skillful wordcraft devotes an entire episode to the parents of a minor character, making it one of the best episodes of the series. Even though things don’t end well for LuAnne and Kirk, “A Millhouse Divided” is also a wonderful Homer and Marge episode, highlighting Homer’s underlying sweetness and affection for Marge beneath his idiocy.
How would you rate these three? The Simpsons episodes? And what other episodes should be in the running for the best Simpsons episode of all time? Listen to the full conversation above or wherever you download podcasts. Stay tuned to see what other The Simpsons Episodes crack the top 5 and email [email protected] with questions, comments or your favorites The Simpsons Consequence.
