Favorite Episode(s) of The Simpsons

[OCGuy81]

Circling back to our mutual roadgeekery, last time I was up in Portland, I snapped pictures from my Simpsons tour of Portland.

I got pictures of Terwilliger Blvd (Sideshow Bob), Lovejoy Street, and Flanders Street.  There was one intersection in NE Portland where somebody had scribbled on a "D" on a NE Flanders St sign so it read Ned Flanders St. I'll have to try and upload these!

Didn't get the Evergreen Terrace.  That is another real Portland street, I believe.

[roadman]

I could probably list almost all of them, but Homer's Enemy stands out as a king among kings, although I liked the Duff Gardens and Itchy and Scratchy land episodes too. I don't think I've ever laughed harder in my life at how Grimey's funeral is ruined by Homer saying "Change the channel, Marge" in his sleep!

"But this was a contest for children!"
"Yeah, and Homer beat their brains out!"

"Well, I just copied the plant we have now.  But I added these racing stripes for appearance.  And these fins make it more aerodynamic, wouldn't you agree?"
"Agreed.  First prize goes to Homer Simpson!"

[ethanhopkin14]

I love the 4th-8th seasons.  Not a bad episode in the batch.  But I am a softy and love the tender ones the most:

Lisa's Substitute
Lisa's Wedding
Bart Sells his soul
Lisa the Vegetarian
Marge be not Proud

Those are on the top of the list

[spooky]

Marge be not Proud

Buy me Bonestorm or go to hell!

[OCGuy81]

Marge be not Proud

Buy me Bonestorm or go to hell!

Young man, in this house we have a little word called "please".

[OCGuy81]

Never realized that there was an entire McBain movie hidden throughout the series.  Ah, the classics of season 1-9 certainly were that, classic, weren't they?

[Desert Man]

The Simpsons animation in their very first season vs. newer episodes shown an evolution of improved quality, in fact the 1980s Simpsons on the Tracey Ullman Show are unrecognizable. What else changed is Homer is dumber than in the past, Marge hasn't aged abit and the Simpsons family: Bart, Lisa and Maggie hadn't grew up. The cartoon world is a different place: be the same age forever...you won't even die.

[jeffandnicole]

The Simpsons animation in their very first season vs. newer episodes shown an evolution of improved quality, in fact the 1980s Simpsons on the Tracey Ullman Show are unrecognizable. What else changed is Homer is dumber than in the past, Marge hasn't aged abit and the Simpsons family: Bart, Lisa and Maggie hadn't grew up. The cartoon world is a different place: be the same age forever...you won't even die.

What also changed was in the beginning the show was mostly centered around Bart.  Homer has been the central character for at least the past decade.   

In similar fashion, Family Guy was mostly about Peter, closely followed by Brian & Stewie.  But those characters remained separate.  I remember reading a story where there was some talk about the characters, and someone mentioned how the relationship between Brian & Stewie should be closer.  Seth MacFarlene said it never crossed his mind how well those two characters could interact with each other, and since then the story lines allow them to interact much more closely.

I wonder how much Mili Kunis gets paid for doing that show, considering her average speaking part is about 2 lines (or less) per episode.

[roadman]

I haven't watched since 2005 (season 16) and am not familiar with anything more recent.

But among the years I know and care about, the best two regular episodes are The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson and Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo.

The best Treehouse of Horror shorts are Homer³ (VI) and Life's a Glitch, Then You Die (X).

Meanwhile the award for best Treehouse of Horror title goes to Easy Bake Coven (VIII).

One of my favorite Treehouse of Horror bits was in the opening credits to Treehouse II, where they briefly show the neighborhood with all the Peanuts characters walking down the sidewalk in Halloween costumes - a subtle but wonderful send-up of It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown (which is still one of my favorite holiday specials)

[Pete from Boston]

The Simpsons animation in their very first season vs. newer episodes shown an evolution of improved quality, in fact the 1980s Simpsons on the Tracey Ullman Show are unrecognizable. What else changed is Homer is dumber than in the past, Marge hasn't aged abit and the Simpsons family: Bart, Lisa and Maggie hadn't grew up. The cartoon world is a different place: be the same age forever...you won't even die.

Tell that to Maude Flanders.

I disagree that Homer has gotten dumber.  Early Homer was all id and stupidity.  One of the factors contributing to the decline (in my mind) since the late 1990s is that whatever is going on in the world, Homer is now hip to it.  He's complicated and sensitive and erudite–all characteristics his comedy thrives on a lack of.

A wonderful example of stupid, stupid Homer, from the episode "Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie":

Homer: Someday you'll thank me for this, son.
Bart: Not bloody likely.
Homer: No, it's true.  When I was a boy, I wanted a catcher's mitt, but my dad wouldn't get it for me. So I held my breath until I passed out and hit my head on the coffee table.  The doctor thought I might have brain damage.
Bart: Dad, what's the point of this story?
Homer: I like stories.

[Pete from Boston]

A timely mention from the dedication ceremony in "Marge vs. the Monorial":

Leonard Nimoy: I'd say this vessel could do at least warp five.
Mayor Quimby: And let me say "May the force be with you."
Nimoy: Do you even know who I am?
Quimby: I think I do. Weren't you one of the Little Rascals?

[TheHighwayMan3561]

A timely mention from the dedication ceremony in "Marge vs. the Monorial":

Leonard Nimoy: I'd say this vessel could do at least warp five.
Mayor Quimby: And let me say "May the force be with you."
Nimoy: Do you even know who I am?
Quimby: I think I do. Weren't you one of the Little Rascals?

Leonard Nimoy: "Well, my work here is done."
Barney Gumble: "What do you mean? You didn't do anything!"
Nimoy: "Haven't I?" *beams away*

[formulanone]

Don't forget his appearance (along with Mulder and Scully) in The Springfield Files.

"Hello.  I'm Leonard Nimoy.  The following tale of alien encounters is true.  And by true, I mean false.  It's all lies. But they're entertaining lies.  And in the end, isn't that the real truth?  The answer is: No."