Best Episode of The Simpsons? Season 10: Mom and Pop Art

In an attempt to get completely up-to-date on one of my favourite TV-series The Simpsons, after I watch each season, I will choose my favourite episode...

It appears that the last time I wrote a "Best Episode..." post was in October 2012. That can't be good if, in nearly two years, I have only watched one season. In any case, with the FXX marathon everywhere, I missed watching the show. I scrolled through the Season 10 guide. I read over the episodes I watched intermittently in the past year and a few happy memories came to mind. Ralph tasting the snow in Lard of the Dance, the make-up shot-gun in The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace and Pinchy in Lisa Gets An "A" are all memorable moments that make Season 10 such fun. And I'm sure Viva Ned Flanders is, pretty much, The Hangover nearly a decade before. It's fair to say that despite these highlights, Season 10 wasn't as memorable as the previous seasons. 

But, I'm an art teacher so choosing my favourites wasn't too difficult. The references, talking points and fun in Mom and Pop Art won me over. The enormous rubber that "erases" Homer after he criticises the art of (Simpsons-creator) Matt Groening only to reveal two workmen holding a large (Claus Oldenburg-like) pencil, with a rubber on the end, hitting Homer in the face is funny on multiple levels. The perfect "it's funny for the whole family" joke, as the situation looks funny it appeals to children, while we know the art reference and the play on an old animation-trick we've seen as long ago as Disney's Saludos Amigos in 1943.

For something as mainstream as The Simpsons, it maintains it's ambiguously open-stance. While it's critical of contemporary art and it's elitist buyers ("Smithers, years ago I blew the chance to buy Picasso's Guernica for a song. Luckily that song was 'White Christmas' and, by hanging on to it, I made billions!"), it is also appreciative of the nature of ready-made's and art as a way to express oneself. Indeed, "Outsider Art" is a real movement that focuses on artists outside of the art scene - "mental patients or a hillbilly or a chimpanzee" could fit the criteria. The incredible art-dream referencing Warhol, Dali and Leonardo Da Vinci, and the surrealist finish as Springfield becomes a lake unto itself, are moments that whatever your opinion on art, is simply unique to the show. Even a Jasper Johns cameo is a nice touch. Chris Barsanti of Filmcritic.com wrote it best, saying "the episode concocts a knowing satire – but also warm appreciation – of modern art".

Favourite joke? It comes in the episodes closing moments as Springfield wakes up to Homers final art piece...

Ned Flanders: What the flood?! Maude, it's a miracle! The Lord has drowned the wicked and spared the righteous.

[Maude gasps as she see's Homer row by on a raft]

Maude Flanders: Isn't that Homer Simpson?

Ned Flanders (annoyed): Looks like Heaven's easier to get into than Arizona State...

Best Episode of The Simpsons? Season 8: Homer's Enemy

In an attempt to get completely up-to-date on one of my favourite TV-series The Simpsons, after I watch each season, I will choose my favourite episode...

I think this has been the longest period of time that it has taken to watch a series. Obviously, I have to be careful not to OD on the The Simpsons, but the best use for it, is either multiple-episodes-while-ironing or a quick-episode when eating dinner. But I was torn when choosing a best for this season. It was either "Homer-Phobia", "You Only Move Twice" or "Homer's Enemy". Though I love the James Bond references in "You Only Move Twice" and, at the same time I love the moral centre to "Homer-Phobia", the character of Frank Grimes is simply incredible.

I'm not on my own here - it is the favourite episode of Matt Groening himself and Ricky Gervais. The genius behind the character is how he despises Homer because Homer is a complete dumb-ass - and yet has achieved so much in life. Opposed to Frank Grimes, who has struggled for everything and rarely has anything go his way.

Simply a great story - but also a great tale about attitude. As someone who is Irish (Attitude is: Any bad things happen you just laugh it off - it "happens") and yet has spent the majority of my life in England (Attitude is: Cynical and sarcastic towards things), my attitude to life is very different to Americans - whom I have always considered see's things always in a positive light. I know these are huge generalisations but this episode, I believe, taps into these approaches. Homer's contentness and mixture of all of these attitudes are what is to be admired - opposed to Frank Grimes, who simply cannot stand the sheer luck of Homer. Frank's negative attitude is the problem - but luck really doesn't run in his favour in fairness. Based originally on Michael Douglas' character in Falling Down, Hank Azaria channeled William H. Macy (Possible his nervousness in films like Fargo?) to create the character who is more like us than the characters in Springfield.

Okay, favourite lines? Seriously, another favourite - this time from Wiggum (
I'm laughing just writing it down!) ...

[It's the children's model-making contest and Burns is finishing his speech ... ]

Mr Burns: ... and the bold new ideas these tiny tykes unveil for us today could
make thousands of jobs like yours -- obsolete!
[The first contestant, Ralph Wiggum, unveils a "power plant" that is really just a relabeled Malibu Stacey Dream House.  Smithers likes it, but Burns eyes the hot tub and media room and dismisses it.] 
Mr Burns: "It's supposed to be a power plant, not Aunt Beaulah's bordello,"
[Ralph remains on the stage...]
Chief Wiggum: [From the audience] Eh, Ralphie, get off the stage sweetheart.
[Ralph exits the stage]

Best Episode of The Simpsons? Season 7: 22 Short Films About Springfield

In an attempt to get completely up-to-date on one of my favourite TV-series The Simpsons, after I watch each season, I will choose my favourite episode...

I had three which I considered. Alongside this episode, I considered 'Marge Be Not Proud' (An episode whereby Bart stole a computer game) and the final episode of the Season, 'Summer of 4ft 2' (Lisa gaining some new friends when on Holiday, including Christina Ricci). Personally, (possibly because I just bought the Blu-Ray of Pulp Fiction) to see reference to such a favourite film of mine was great to see - and the concept of 22, roughly-1-minute-films, crammed into one-episode was daring and brave. But worked!

Written by vitually everyone involved in the series (the credits completely dominate the screen in the first minute of the episode), it was inspired by a add-on sequence at the end of a Season 4 episode: 'The Front'. In 'The Front', an extra minute of the episode became 'The Adventures of Ned Flanders'. This segment combined with Pulp Fiction became the basis for the episode, with multiple skits 'introduced' with titles (E.g "Cletus the Slack Jawed Yokel", "Skinner & The Superintendent" and "The Tomfoolery of Professor John Frink").

This is what The Simpsons can do so well. Taking something 'of the time' and twisting it into a parody. It is one thing if you turn a single parody into an entire film - Date Movie, Epic Movie et al - but, in one twenty minute episode, with characters we know and love, it becomes so much fun.

The stories are endless. A great plot which we come back-and-forth from is Lisa who has bubblegum thrown in her hair while Marge's 'solution' is to add more - peanut butter, mayonnaise, etc. My favourite character remains as 'Comic Book Guy', and we see him briefly as Milhouse desperately needs the toilet and hopes the comic-book shop will let him use the toilet. I can't list them all here, and it is the fluidity of the episode which makes it so strong. Not to mention how they flip-around the Nelson 'Ha-ha' joke to completely destroy Nelson.

Best sequence/lines ... and it has to be an obvious Pulp Fiction reference: 

Lou: You know, I went to the McDonald's in Shelbyville on Friday night --
Wiggum: [interrupting] The McWhat?
Lou: Uh, the McDonald's.  I, I never heard of it either, but they have over 2,000 locations in this state alone.
Eddie: Must've sprung up overnight.

Lou: You know, the funniest thing though; it's the little differences.
Wiggum: Example.

Lou: Well, at McDonald's you can buy a Krusty Burger with cheese, right?  But they don't call it a Krusty Burger with cheese.
Wiggum: Get out!  Well, what do they call it?
Lou: A Quarter Pounder with cheese.
Wiggum: Quarter Pounder with cheese?  Well, I can picture the cheese, but, uh, do they have Krusty partially gelatinated non-dairy gum-based beverages?

Lou: Mm-hm.  They call 'em, "shakes."
Eddie: Huh, shakes.  You don't know what you're gettin' -- Don't think you want to know,

Nb - I think my personal favourite joke of the entire season is not in any of the episodes I've mentioned but most people will never forget it if they have seen, and know who, Lester and Eliza are...

Best Episode of The Simpsons? Season 6: Two Dozen and One Greyhounds

In an attempt to get completely up-to-date on one of my favourite TV-series The Simpsons, after I watch each season, I will choose my favourite episode...

It was either this episode or Lemon of Troy (an episode about a Lemon Tree and the rivalry between Springfield and Shelbyville). I chose this one episode because I simply adore Santa's Little Helper - and I wouldn't be suprised that my current obsession with Disney plays a part as the episode references Beauty and the Beast, One Hundred and One Dalmations and Lady and the Tramp. In fact, Matt Groening has always been happy to admit how much he himself loves Disney - and One Hundred and One Dalmations specifically was a huge interest for Groening due to how the characters were "cartoons who watched cartoons" - much like The Simpsons watched Itchy and Scratchy.

The episode seems to flow so well with some perfectly-timed jokes. Starting with the exciteable Santa's Little Helper in the house - as Bart and Lisa try to tire him out by throwing a ball, he continues so much that the dog literally picks up Bart and Lisas hands to continue the game. Then we have a more shocking moment when Santas Little Helper "mounts" a female greyhound at the race track. We see Bart and Lisa confused: "It looks like he's trying to jump over her but can't quite make it. Come on, boy! You can do it!". Absolutely brilliant.

Then the finale - as Burns steals the dogs to reveal that he has taken them to create a puppy-tuxedo! In one of the best songs in the entire series, he sings "See My Vest" -  a parody of "Be My Guest" from Beauty and the Beast - before his plan is foiled by Bart and Lisa. Unforgettable Simpsons indeed. My favourite moment doesn't have much talking - but I'll place the description below. Seriously a laugh-out-loud moment for all!

The family and the puppies all watch TV. A woman in a bikini suns herself on a boat, and one of the puppies gets up on its hind legs and paws at the screen. Marge chuckles, "Look at Branford II! Isn't that cute? He thinks he's one of the Models, Inc.!" The family join in their laughter. Snowball II, listless, tries the same stunt as Branford II, only to be rebuked angrily by Homer: "Get that cat out of the way!"

But, we do need a best line ... so ...

Bart: Hey, boy, you want to play fetch?

[Santa's Little Helper looks up, tired, then puts his head back down]

Aw.  Me and Santa's Little Helper used to be a team, but he never wants to play any more since his bitch moved in.
Marge: Bart, don't ever say that word again!
Bart: Well, that's what she is.  I looked it up.
Marge: Well, I'm going to write the dictionary people and have that checked. Feels like a mistake to me...

Best Episode of The Simpsons? Season 5: $pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)

In an attempt to get completely up-to-date on one of my favourite TV-series The Simpsons, after I watch each season, I will choose my favourite episode...

Season 5 has many memorable episodes ('Cape Feare', 'Rosebud') and rarely have I seen this episode mentioned as 'one of the best'. Despite some great references to Howard Hughes and Stanley Kubrick alongside a story that breaks down Marge's do-gooder image by portraying her as a addictive-gambler, this truly is my favourite of the fifth season. As a film-fan, it is always the film references that I love - almost as if the creators of the show and I are sharing a private-joke.

In this episode, there is a laugh-out loud moment when the episode references Rain Man. The characters portrayed by Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise visit the Burns Casino and, as in the film, Hoffman's Raymond Babbit reacts uncontrollably when at the black-jack table ... but this time Homer responds in the same fashion, shouting and screaming in the exact same manner. Furthermore, the episode completely changes Mr Burns character into a Howard Hughes obsessive. We see his crazed cleanliness and obsessed attitude over ideas - such as a plane called the 'Spruce Moose'. It was a whole decade later that Leonardo DiCaprio would portray Howard Hughes in the Oscar-nominated The Aviator.

Anyway, my favourite joke refers to the second picture I have chosen, whereby Homer reflects on the town-meeting ...

Marge: Hi Homey.
Homer: Hey Marge, after your big tantrum against legalised gambling, I bet it feels pretty weird to be in a casino.
Marge: I was for the casino.
Homer: Strike three, Marge!  I remember that meeting and I have a photographic memory.

[In Homer's memory, Marge wears a blue dress and has green hair [See Above] . She holds a rolling pin. Homer's arms are massive]
Marge: Legalised gambling is a bad idea.  You can build a casino over my dead body.  Blah blah blah blah blah.  Blah blah blah, blah blah blah blah blah.

Man: For you: it's the President.  [tentacle hands Homer a phone]
Homer: Y'ello?

[back to reality] And then I said to the President -- get this
-- Marge?  Marge?

Best Episode of The Simpsons? Season 4: Whacking Day

In an attempt to get completely up-to-date on one of my favourite TV-series The Simpsons, after I watch each season, I will choose my favourite episode...

Well, you won't see many of these posts any more. I am currently mid-season 5 and slowing down with episode-viewing. At any rate, having recently watched all of season four, I can safely say my favourite episode is 'Whacking Day'.

Funnily enough, Sarah and I didn't feel that Season 4 was as strong as the previous three seasons. Maybe we had watched too many, maybe we simply seek something different from The Simpsons, but reading articles revolving around the 500th episode, many critics claim their favourite episodes are within season four. Namely 'Marge VS the Monorail' and 'Homer the Heretic'. I know, prior to rewatching 'Whacking Day', I considered 'Brother from the Same Planet', but ultimately settled on' Whacking Day' for the pure surrealist element in the celebration - to act like Jebediah, residents of Springfield chase snakes (???) into the centre of town and 'whack' them to death.

Barry White is the cameo role - purely for his deep voice as it apparently lures the snakes away from the centre and two safety at The Simpsons house. I think I'm right in saying that the training-sequence as Homer smashes the wooden-snakes is from Enter The Dragon, but I could be wrong. One of the best parodies is an Itchy and Scratchy episode 'directed by Oliver Stone' whereby the episode pokes fun at his film JFK. The very idea of Itchy and Scratchy suddenly in prestige-picture mode was laugh-out-loud funny.

A brilliant episode with such a strange event taking place - by the time Barry is singing "Can't get enough of your love..." it feels like you are cheering the snakes on - willing them to win.

Best Episode of The Simpsons? Season 3: Radio Bart

In an attempt to get completely up-to-date on one of my favourite TV-series The Simpsons, after I watch each season, I will choose my favourite episode...

I only rewatched this last night when my brother visited. This is an episode that I vividly recall watching multiple times - I'm sure that I recorded on VHS and it then became a regular viewingon a Saturday. This is why many people I'm sure will disagree with my choice for series 3.

The episode, again, broken into two acts. Act 1: Barts Birthday/Playing with Microphone leading Act 2:"Timmy" stuck down the well/Bart gets stuck down the well. I absolutely adore the lack-of-fun Bart has on his birthday and Homer's pride in using the microphone. The 'fun' party with Wall-E the Weasel ... and the Larry-the-Looter game. Brilliant sequences that again, are equally are funny, but additionally hark back to my own childhood birthday parties. The guest appearance, additionally, is Sting when they riff on the Live Aid gig for charity with the chart-topping hit - "We're sending our love down the well!".

Anyhoo - the best sequence (one of my favourite ever) is when Bart tricks Rod and Todd ...

Bart: [Via microphone into radio] Rod, Todd, this is God!
Rod: How did you get on the radio?
Bart: What do you mean how did I get on the radio, I created the universe, stupid kid
Todd: Forgive my brother, we believe you!
Bart: Walk through the wall, I will remove it for you!                               

[Todd runs into the wall, bumping his head]

Bart: - later.. hahaha!

Best Episode of The Simpsons? Season 2: Three Boys and a Comic Book

In an attempt to get completely up-to-date on one of my favourite TV-series The Simpsons, after I watch each season, I will choose my favourite episode...

The next episode, that I believe is the best of the second season of The Simpsons, is Three Boys and a Comic Book. Equally memorable for the first appearance of 'Comic Book Guy' and Radioactive Man, it also includes some flawless sequences between Bart, Milhouse and Martin.

Broken into two different acts - the first-half whereby Bart is working for Mrs Glick and trying to save up enough money to buy the comic, and then the second act whereby Bart, Milhouse and Martin fight over the comic book. By far, the best section of the episode, is when Marge recalls how she saved up money, only to recommend Bart to do the same - he says "Me? Get a Job..." and the show turns into The Wonder Years, sixties-music and all. I remember watching this when I first bought the box set and, alone in my room, I burst out laughing. Brilliant, unexpected gag.

The episode references films including Gone with the Wind (1939) ("Iodine ... anything but the Iodine!", The Treasure of Sierra Madre (1948) and Hitchcock's Saboteur (1942). My personal favourite joke involves Mrs Glick recounting the death of her brother ...

Bart: Who’s that?

Mrs Glick: Oh, that’s my brother Asa. He was killed in the Great War. Held a grenade too long.

[Flashback to Asa in the Great War]
Asa: This one’s for you Kaiser Bill, special delivery from Uncle Sam and all the boys in D Company. Yeah, Johnny, Harris, Brooklyn Bob, and Reggie, yeah, even Reggie, he ain’t so stuck up once you get to- [Grenade explodes off screen]

Best Episode of The Simpsons? Season 1: Life on the Fast Lane

A reference to a dance number in The Gay Divorcee (1934)

In an attempt to get completely up-to-date on one of my favourite TV-series The Simpsons, after I watch each season, I will choose my favourite episode...

The first season is always a strange watch. On the one hand everyone will argue about the strange animation and weird voices - all the characters in opening sequence when Bart skateboards past the bus-stop are unknown (wth an older-Bart amongst the many bus-users), Ralph sounds like Nelson, etc.

But I think this also adds a little charm to the episodes - they are rough and ready. To some extent, Groening and Co didn't know what they had and so the humour is quite brave. I will mention a particular dark episode in Season 2, but considering the episode I chose for Season 1 is Life on the Fast Lane, the central narrative is "Marge considers an affair" so I doubt we need to get any darker than that.

The reference to An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)

To summarise the plot - it is Marge's birthday and Homer buys her a bowling ball which she refuses to give to him - and instead takes bowling lessons from French-seducer Jacque... which leads her to make a very difficult decision.

What makes the episode so great is how it doesn't redeem Homer at all. I think part of what has made The Simpsons last so long is how, depending on the episode, it will utilise the supporting cast (even the family) in whatever way it needs to. So, in this episode Marge is the lead and everyone else is simply comedic in their roles. Homer does not redeem himself - he simply misses Marge and wants her back. What is important is how Marge realises the importance of him - and their marriage and children. Homer doesn't change in the episode at all.

The start - as Lisa and Bart destroy the Kitchen while making a card out of macaroni and create pancakes are the type of things my family would do for birthdays when we were younger. The dream-sequence looks incredible - using pink to highlight features whilst everything else remains in shades of grey. It is flash-backed in Season 4, so it is clearly memorable, but there is a brilliant reference to An Officer and a Gentleman at the end, whilst the best line (and I'll try to find these whenever I write these posts) belongs to Jacque:

Marge: You certainly have a lot of bowling trophies.
Jacques: [Laughs] I like you so much. They're not for bowling, Marge. You're so naïve. They're for lovemaking!

Currently, I have just finished Season 4, so I shall try and release these posts slowly so that there isn't too much of a gap in between, but it is no suprise that this episode - my favourite from the first season is also Matt Groening's second favourite of all time!