25 Best Simpsons Episodes of All Time

Posted by , Updated on March 25, 2024

Do you have a favorite Simpsons episode? Some of our fellow Simpsons fanatics might be saying “just one?” After all, there are plenty to choose from.

The Simpsons is the longest-running animated series. For over 30 years, this working-class family has cracked us up with their antics, as well as the antics of their fellow residents in Springfield.

The creator of the show, Matt Groening, creates a world of satire, absurdity, and politics. The Simpsons isn’t afraid to “go there.”

Since its creation, many people have come up with their own adult animation. While a lot of them are great, there is only one original. Here are the 25 Best Simpsons Episodes of All Time.

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25

Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?

herbpowellpichttps://www.wired.com/2014/07/homer-simpson-car/

In this episode, Danny Devito voices the character of Herb, Homer Simpson’s long-lost (highly successful) brother.

When Herb asks his brother to come up with a car design for the future for his business, Homer creates a fiasco as usual.

24

The Flaming Moe

flamingmoepichttps://news.avclub.com/how-to-make-a-flaming-moe-and-other-cocktails-from-the-1798259345

When Homer gives Moe the Bartender an idea for a best-selling drink, Moe tells people the drink was his idea.

Moe quickly turns into a celebrity for the invention of “The Flaming Moe” while Homer is left feeling jealous and betrayed.

23

Two Bad Neighbors

bushsimpsonspichttps://deadline.com/2017/10/the-simpsons-showrunner-al-jean-george-h-w-bush-1202196474/

In 1992, President Bush was quoted as saying that he wanted “to make American families a lot more like The Waltons and a lot less like The Simpsons.”

Of course, the creator of The Simpsons, Matt Groening took this as an opportunity to poke fun at the former president. He recast Bush as an old grumpy neighbor, constantly at war with Homer.

22

Summer of 4 Ft. 2

lisacoolpichttps://tv.avclub.com/the-simpsons-summer-of-4-ft-2-1798181332

If ever there was a perfect example of yin and yang it would be Bart and Lisa Simpson. Bart is a wild child and plays by his own rules. Lisa is intelligent and always does what she’s told.

In the episode “Summer of 4 Ft. 2” Lisa decides to reinvent herself. She ditches her nerdy behavior and begins to dumb herself down. It works. She is instantly popular with a group of beach kids. However, Bart becomes jealous of her new popularity and tries to ruin it.

21

Lisa's Substitute

lisasubpichttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701164/

When Lisa’s teacher, Miss Hoover, thinks she has Lyme disease, a substitute teacher, Mr. Bergstrom, fills in for her.

Lisa becomes infatuated with the substitute and his style of teaching. When Miss Hoover returns, however, it means that Lisa’s favorite teacher has to leave.

20

Homer's Phobia

homersphopbiapichttps://tv.avclub.com/the-simpsons-classic-homer-s-phobia-1798183248

When this episode aired, homosexuality was still not really talked about on television. So, the idea of bringing in a gay character was pretty risky at the time.

What makes this episode entertaining is that not only does it deal with the absurdity of bigotry, but it also has a heartfelt message at the end. Done, of course, with The Simpsons hilarity.

19

Bart After Dark

bartfaterdark2https://tv.avclub.com/the-simpsons-classic-bart-after-dark-1798182005

Imagine that you’re a 10-year-old boy, and after you destroy property at an old house, you have to make up for it by working there. Now imagine the house is actually a “gentleman’s club.”

If you’ve watched this episode, you definitely remember the big musical number at the end.

18

King-Size Homer

kingsizehomerpichttps://quotational.com/tv/the-simpsons/07x07/

Any time Homer goes on a mission to embrace laziness, you are sure to get a laugh.

When he discovers that he can get paid to not work simply by getting on disability, Homer decides to gain as much weight as possible so he is immobile.

17

Bart Sells His Soul

barsoulpichttps://simpsons.fandom.com/wiki/Bart_Sells_His_Soul

Believing there is no such thing as a soul, Bart sells his to his best friend Milhouse for $5.00. He quickly realizes this is a mistake and does whatever possible to get it back.

One of the best parts of this episode is when Lisa taunts Bart with a prayer, “God bless my soul, and mom’s soul, and dad’s soul.”

16

Homer's Enemy

homersenemyhttps://tv.avclub.com/the-simpsons-classic-homer-s-enemy-1798183411

Nobody can drive somebody as crazy as Homer Simpson can. In this episode, we are introduced to Matt Grimes, a new employee at the nuclear power plant.

He instantly becomes annoyed at Homer’s laziness and lack of work ethic. When he tricks Homer into entering a contest for children, Grimes realizes that no matter what Homer does, he usually comes out on top.

15

Lisa's Wedding

lisaweddinghttps://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/TheSimpsonsS6E19LisasWedding

Although The Simpsons are frozen in time, they still have episodes that show what the characters would look like 15-20 years later. In one particular episode, we see Lisa fall in love and get engaged.

Lisa is embarrassed about her family meeting her fiance, but she soon discovers that her fiance is not the man she thought he was.

14

Lisa the Ironclast

lisaironclasthttps://simpsons.fandom.com/wiki/Lisa_the_Iconoclast

Lisa Simpson discovers the diary of Jebediah Springfield (the founder of Springfield). She learns that he is not the hero the people think he is, but rather a ruthless murdering pirate.

When she tries to tell everyone, they refuse to believe her. She ends up getting proof but decides to keep the secret; she realizes that even if it is a myth, the story gives people hope.

13

Homerpalooza

homerpaloozapichttps://simpsons.fandom.com/wiki/Homerpalooza

In this episode, Homer takes Bart and Lisa to Lollapalooza. During the concert, he is hit in the stomach very hard. He is asked to join the tour’s freak show and hits the road showing off his stomach of steel.

Fun fact: There were many celebrity musical guests in this episode such as Cypress Hill and Kid Rock.

12

The Itchy, Scratchy, and Poochie Show

homerpoochiepichttps://simpsons.fandom.com/wiki/The_Itchy_%26_Scratchy_%26_Poochie_Show

When the creators of  “The Itchy and Scratchy Show” decide to add another character named Poochie to the mix, they get Homer to provide the voice.

However, fans of the show don’t like the new character as much as Homer hoped they would.

11

Homer the Smithers

homerthesmitherspichttps://simpsons.fandom.com/wiki/Homer_the_Smithers

When Smithers, the assistant of Homer’s boss, goes on vacation, Homer fills in. The boss, Mr. Burns, makes Homer’s life miserable until Homer finally snaps.

When Smithers returns from vacation, he finds Mr. Burns completely self-sufficient.

10

You Only Move Twice

homerscorpiopichttps://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Hank_Scorpio

This episode paid homage to the James Bond movie Goldfinger. Homer is offered a new job at Globex Corporation, run by Hank Scorpio.

Scorpio is the dream boss – friendly, outgoing, and even offers Homer a new position and high salary. Scorpio is also an evil international villain set on world domination. Meh, nobody’s perfect.

9

Rosebud (The Simpsons)

rosebudsimpsonspichttps://simpsons.fandom.com/wiki/Rosebud

We get to see in this episode a back story of Montgomery Burns. He was once a poor child who lived with a loving family and had a teddy bear named Bobo.  Mr. Burns leaves his family to go live with a rich billionaire but accidentally leaves his teddy bear behind.

Throughout the entire show, we see the journey of Bobo. The bear eventually ends up with Maggie Simpson.

8

Whacking Day

whackingdaypichttps://simpsons.fandom.com/wiki/Whacking_Day

There is a long-standing tradition in Springfield. It’s called Whacking Day. The town lets out a bunch of snakes, and the residents whack them with hard objects.

Everybody is on board with this, except Lisa Simpson, who is a lover of all animals.

7

Homer vs. The 18th Amendment

homerprohibitonpichttps://tv.avclub.com/the-simpsons-classic-homer-vs-the-eighteenth-amend-1798183373

When it’s discovered that alcohol is still illegal, the town of Springfield goes into a panic. A new chief of police comes in and takes over from Chief Wiggum.

Homer and Bart discover a way to sneak alcohol to the residents and help Wiggum get his job back.

6

A Streetcar Named Marge

margestreetcarpichttps://simpsons.fandom.com/wiki/A_Streetcar_Named_Marge

Marge joins a community theatre and wins the part of Blanche from “A Streetcar Named Desire.”

She begins to notice similarities between a character from the play and Homer.

5

Mr. Plow

homermrplowpichttps://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/mr-plow-at-25-how-simpsons-classic-pushed-new-boundaries-helped-cement-shows-legacy-1033685

Homer starts a snowplow business and calls it “Mr. Plow.”

Unfortunately, his best friend and drinking buddy, Barney, also begins his own snowplow business, thus setting off a war of the plows.

4

Radio Bart

bartradiopichttps://simpsons.fandom.com/wiki/Radio_Bart

Bart Simpson will always be simultaneously linked to the word “trouble”. When he is given a Mr. Microphone gift, he uses it to fool people, making them believe that a little boy has fallen down a well.

As usual, chaos erupts in Springfield as Bart’s trick takes on a life of its own.

3

I Love Lisa

ilovelisapichttps://simpsons.fandom.com/wiki/I_Love_Lisa

Feeling bad that social outcast Ralph Wiggum didn’t get a Valentine’s Day card, Lisa Simpson quickly makes him one. Ralph now believes that Lisa is his girlfriend, and begins to drive her crazy.

Not being able to take it anymore, Lisa blows up at Ralph in front of a live studio audience.

2

Who Shot Mr. Burns?

mrburnsshotpichttps://www.avclub.com/the-original-who-shot-mr-burns-almost-had-a-very-di-1823700573

Who shot Mr. Burns? It was a question that many Simpsons fans were asking.

The town of Springfield thought it was Homer. However, many people had a motive for killing Montgomery Burns.

 

1

Krusty Gets Busted

krustybustedpichttps://simpsons.fandom.com/wiki/Krusty_Gets_Busted

Bart’s icon, Krusty the Clown, is framed for armed robbery. Everybody believes he is guilty, but not Bart.

He goes on a mission to prove that his hero is innocent and will not give until he has done so. This episode also set up Bart having a reoccurring nemesis on the show, “Sideshow Bob.”



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