10 FAVORITES (21) - The Simpsons Best Episodes PART II

Now we are in Part II of our 10 FAVORITES tribute to the greatest of The Simpsons episodes. I hope you enjoyed reading Part I of our Top 20 countdown, #'s 20-11, AND I hope that some of your favorites were listed there (and that many more of your favorites are listed below!). One more note about this list before I get into the Top 10. Some people have asked me if there are any of the Treehouse of Horror episodes listed in Part I since there were none in Part II. And to answer that: No they are not. And here is why: Now that The Simpsons have been on for over 20 years and they have been airing their annual Halloween episode since Season 2, there are enough of these episodes that they can exist as a whole 10 FAVORITES list unto itself. Also, because they technically fall under the TV trope of a "Holiday special" episode, the characters and their continuity (what little there is!) doesn't apply to those episodes. So, look forward to possibly another Simpsons-themed list when Halloween rolls around! With that said, on with our Top 10!

The photos used below are the copyright of the FOX Broadcasting Company and are reproduced on this blog for informational and identification purposes only.

THE TWENTY BEST SIMPSONS EPISODES (PART II)

EPISODE #10

Krusty Gets Kancelled

Season 4, Original Airdate: May 13, 1993

A new Kids' TV star, Gabbo (a Charlie McCarthy-like puppet), becomes a sensation forcing Krusty the Klown out at the network. To help his career, Bart and Lisa endeavor to get the likes of Bette Midler, Luke Perry and the Red Hot Chili Peppers (but NOT Elizabeth Taylor!) to perform with him in a magnificent television special. This was a landmark episode, especially in FOX's advertising and handling of the series. It was a loving parody of the seminal 1992 episode of The Tonight Show in which Johnny Carson bid a fond farewell to his audience. Carson himself made a brilliant cameo appearance as one of the celebrities willing to help his old pal Krusty.

EPISODE #9

Cape Feare

Season 5, Original Airdate: October 7, 1993

Sideshow Bob (voiced by Kelsey Grammer), the former sidekick of Krusty who was jailed for framing Krusty in a crime, is being released and has vowed vengeance on Bart Simpson, the boy who helped put him away. Therefore, the Simpson family must be entered into the FBI's Witness Protection Program to keep them safe from Bob's murderous clutches. There are so many good things about this episode: the fact it is a parody of Cape Fear (both versions), the whole Witness Protection thing (watch the FBI with Homer, classic!) and Sideshow Bob's rendition of the full score of Gilbert and Sullivan's H.M.S. Pinafore (he even plays Buttercup!).

EPISODE #8

Two Bad Neighbors

Season 7, Original Airdate: January 14, 1996

Evergreen Terrace is a-buzz as the home across the street is sold to a very famous couple: Former President and First Lady, George and Barbara Bush. Bush Sr. hits it off with everyone in the neighborhood except for two people: Homer and Bart Simpson (of course!). And a not-so-neighborly feud ensues. Homer and Bart are truly kindred spirits in addition to being father and son. The fact that these two people can annoy anyone is not that far-fetched and the fact that the person they annoy is Former President George H. W. Bush (who in The Simpsons world is just like Ned Flanders!) is an added bonus.

EPISODE #7

Bart the General

Season 1, Original Airdate: February 4, 1990

Bart is growing tired of being terrorized by the school bully, Nelson Muntz. With the help of Grandpa (and a surly gun shop owner) he begins to gather others to stand up to the brutish boy. This is the earliest episode to appear on this list (it was the 5th episode aired) and it was really where the fledgling show had really come into its own. Each character serves their purpose within this brilliantly written parody of the 1970 classic film Patton.

EPISODE #6

Hurricane Neddy

Season 8, Original Airdate: December 29, 1996

A hurricane approaches Springfield and, despite all the idiotic antics of the townspeople, everyone survives and nothing is destroyed, except for Ned Flanders' house. When the town gets together to rebuild his house, their shoddy work sends him over the edge and he throws an uber-tantrum/tirade. His anger disturbs him to the point where he checks himself in to a mental health clinic (apparently for the second time!). The idea that Ned Flanders is slightly insane has always tickled me. In this episode, we learn about Ned's childhood and we get to hear (through Ned's tirade aimed at the town) what people were thinking about the oafish behavior of many of the characters. Plus, this episode features Homer at his moronic best!

EPISODE #5

Homer Badman

Season 6, Original Airdate: November 27, 1994

After a full (and adventurous) day at the Candy Convention, Homer takes the kids' babysitter home. But a misunderstanding (due to Homer's gluttonous behavior) leads to the babysitter accusing Homer of sexual harassment and a media firestorm is enacted. In the early 1990's, sexual harassment was one of the major phrases seen almost everywhere in the news media (e.g. The Clarence Thomas-Anita Hill scandal, the William Kennedy Smith trial, etc.) and therefore it trickled into television. This episode played with that type of media coverage and lampooned it Simpsons-style (maybe a little too well!). But the most memorable part of this episode is when Homer (at the Candy Convention) steals the rare Gummi Venus de Milo and (in the style of an action movie) gets away from his pursuers. If you can find the clip online (possibly!), watch it because it IS a classic!

EPISODE #4

Bart Sells His Soul

Season 7, Original Airdate: October 8, 1995

The plot is in the title: Bart sells his soul to Millhouse because he does not believe souls exist. He regrets his action as he begins to feel isolated and freakish by just the idea of not having a soul. The story of this episode seems very simple and the subject matter seems a little too serious for the writers to handle, but it is one of the best written episodes in the show's history (especially some of Lisa's speeches which are witty and philosophical). The best moment in the episode comes at the beginning where Bart plays a prank on the entire Church and makes them sing the Iron Maiden rock anthem "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida," one of the longest songs (17 minutes in length!) in music history.

EPISODE #3

Marge Vs. the Monorail

Season 4, Original Airdate: January 14, 1993

The town of Springfield is enthralled when a salesman comes to town and convinces them to spend newly earned money on a Monorail system. The one person against the idea, Marge, is suspicious of the salesman's antics and the system's bad business practices (Homer gets a job as the Monorail driver, 'nuff said!). Springfield may win the prize as one of the dumbest towns in pop culture history (Homer brings the town average down already!). It was inevitable that a sheister-salesman would take the town by storm and force them to forget about real problems. The salesman is so darn charming (voiced by the late Phil Hartman) and his Monorail song is so catchy (pure parody of the Broadway hit The Music Man!), it was just fate. This episode also features a great voice cameo by Star Trek alum Leonard Nimoy (but it's not the only time he made a guest appearance!).

EPISODE #2

Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Parts I & II)

Seasons 6 & 7, Original Airdates: Part I - May 21, 1995 & Part II - September 17, 1995

Mr. Burns has made an enemy of EVERYONE in the town from Springfield Elementary to the Retirement Home to Moe's Bar to his trusted assistant, Waylon Smithers (whom he fires!). At the end of Part I of this seasonal cliffhanger, Mr. Burns his shot by an unseen assailant in the dark...hence the title. I think I have made it very clear that The Simpsons are great at parody and this whole cliffhanger (Season Finale & Season Premiere) is a grandiose parody of the most watched television show in MY childhood, Dallas and their notorious "Who Shot J.R.?" episode. I won't spoil the ending for those who have not seen it but suffice it to say the writers magnificently used every TV trope you will EVER find in a Primetime Soap Opera (tropes that are STILL used today, I might add!).

AND...

EPISODE #1

The Springfield Files

Season 8, Original Airdate: January 12, 1997

A drunken Homer is stumbling home one night and happens upon what he believes is an alien lifeform. As his story gets around, two FBI agents (Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny voice their characters from the FOX hit The X-Files) come to Springfield to verify the man's tale. As I said above, parody is The Simpsons strong suit. FOX was thrilled to have their two most popular shows cross paths and Groening's writers DID NOT disappoint in their delivery. From Anderson and Duchovny poking fun at their TV personas to Homer's behavior with them to the hilarious twist ending to Leonard Nimoy's brilliant cameo, everything in this episode is perfect. It is well-deserving of the #1 spot in my countdown!

It is interesting that a lot of my favorite episodes of the show come from Seasons 6 through 9 which aired from the Fall of 1994 to the Summer of 1998. Those years just also happen to be the years when I was in high school, which at that time seemed to be Groening and Company's target demographic. Despite that fact, these (Parts I & II) are THE TWENTY BEST EPISODES OF THE SIMPSONS. Next week, I begin AWARDS MONTH (in honor of the Academy Awards which announced nominations earlier this week) with a tribute to a surprise subject!

10 FAVORITES (20) - The Simpsons Best Episodes PART I

The Simpsons is one of the most influential Television shows of the last 25 years (if not of all-time). The show debuted on the (at the time) fledgling network known as FOX back in December of 1989. It was a spin-off based on the animated shorts creator Matt Groening produced in between sketches on the short-lived and underrated The Tracey Ullman Show, which was also on FOX. It has now been over 20 years and the show is the pre-eminent Primetime Animated series. It influenced everything from King of the Hill to South Park to Family Guy and many many more. It certainly is one of my favorite shows of all-time having grown up with the entire series (whose characters DO NOT age!!!). So, this week AND next week's 10 FAVORITES, in honor of over 20 years of The Simpsons (AND this being my 20th 10 FAVORITES!), I am listing my 20 FAVORITE episodes of all-time. This week, I am doing Part I: Numbers 20-11.

One special note about this (and next week's) post: Due to FOX's strict copyright rules regarding their TV shows, it was too difficult to get a hold of video clips of my favorite episodes. Therefore, I decided to use pictures from my favorite episodes. And to not anger the FOX legal gods further: All photos are the property of the FOX Broadcasting Company and are reproduced for informational purposes only.

With that said, here are:

THE TWENTY BEST SIMPSONS EPISODES (PART I)

EPISODE #20

The Principal and The Pauper

Season 9, Original Airdate: September 28, 1997

Principal Skinner is being celebrated by the Springfield Elementary school for his years of service until the party is interrupted by a man who is the REAL Seymour Skinner (voiced by Martin Sheen). It turns out that the real Skinner was the fake Skinner's commander in Vietnam and was thought to be M.I.A., so fake Skinner took his identity to spare Mrs. Skinner the pain of a dead son. It is a convoluted story and it makes no sense but it is absolutely hilarious especially when the rest of Springfield (including Mrs. Skinner!) are not pleased with the REAL Principal Skinner and want THEIR Principal Skinner back (he had left to live in Capital City under is real identity, Armin Tamzarian). The episode also features my late mother's favorite line from the entire series. When Superintendent Chalmers is sneaking around Springfield Elementary to plan the surprise party for Skinner (that's the FAKE Skinner people), he says: "Man, the rod up that man's butt must have a rod up its butt!"

EPISODE #19

I Love Lisa

Season 4, Original Airdate: February 11, 1993

It is Valentine's Day and the Second grade is enjoying passing out Valentines to everyone, that is until Lisa notices that poor Ralph Wiggum is not receiving ANY Valentines. To be nice, Lisa gives one of her spare ones to Ralph and, of course, Ralph being Ralph believes it means more than it does. It is a very sweet episode where Ralph develops his little crush on Lisa (not Fatal Attraction-type crush, just cute little impish crush). The best part of the episode is the school's President's Day pageant where Ralph gives a dynamic performance as George Washington to Lisa's Martha.

EPISODE #18

Homer's Enemy

Season 8, Original Airdate: May 4, 1997

After seeing a TV report on him and his self-reliant strength, Mr. Burns hires "self-made hero" Frank Grimes at the Nuclear Power Plant. Immediately, the humorless Grimes' strong work ethic clashes with Homer's, well, let's just say idiocy and Grimes declares Homer his enemy. The hilarity just builds and builds as the more Homer tries to impress and befriend him, the more Grimes can't stand him and (especially) the way everyone just tolerates Homer's buffoonery. I always saw the character of Grimes as a representation of the critics who complained about Homer and his idiotic behavior being too much for audiences to believe. HELLO, it's a cartoon AND the character is surrounded by nut-jobs who can be just as stupid as the writers want!

EPISODE #17

Grade School Confidential

Season 8, Original Airdate: April 6, 1997

At nerdy Martin's birthday party (to which he invited his teacher and his principal!), both Skinner and Krabappel secretly begin a romance. When Bart discovers this and they begin to use him to hide their romantic meetings, he reveals to the entire school the torrid affair. Both Skinner and Krabappel have some of their best lines in this episode and the reveal of their romance is quite funny. The episode also has one of my favorite lines but it is really too hard to describe without a video clip. Let's just say: Watch the episode and wait for the part where Helen Lovejoy confronts Skinner and Krabappel about their affair. It is priceless!

EPISODE #16

Homer and Apu

Season 5, Original Airdate: February 10, 1994

Homer is asked by a Hard Copy-like TV program to help reveal the tainted food practices at the local Kwik-E-Mart. When all is revealed, Apu is fired and forced to live with the Simpson family (in true sitcom fashion!) until he gets back on his feet. The episode features Homer at his idiotic best, a great cameo by James Woods (who applies as Apu's Kwik-E-Mart replacement) and a catchy musical number Apu sings with the Simpsons ("Who Needs the Kwik-E-Mart?"). It also features a Lawrence of Arabia-style quest for Homer and Apu (hence the title) to India to visit a famed guru who will help Apu get his life back on track. Of course, with Homer in tow, things don't quite work out that way.

EPISODE #15

The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson

Season 9, Original Airdate: September 21, 1997

Local drunk Barney is unfortunately (for him) chosen to be the designated driver at Moe's one night and, in anger, steals Homer's car and goes on a bender. Homer receives a fine from the City of New York stating that his car is illegally parked in Downtown Manhattan. Homer HATES New York City but the rest of the family is enthralled to go to the Big Apple. This episode has some of the best parodies (the Broadway show Marge and Lisa attend is Kickin' It: A Musical Romp Through the Betty Ford Clinic!) and Homer being constantly frustrated by the everyday life of New Yorkers (the Klau Kalash vendor!). This episode aired in September 1997, almost exactly four years before the horrors of 9/11 and it features (heavily) the twin towers of the World Trade Center. Since 9/11, this episode has been RARELY shown in reruns for obvious reasons.

EPISODE #14

Team Homer

Season 7, Original Airdate: January 7, 1996

Homer, Moe, Apu and Otto begin their own bowling team, but to get their winning team into a tournament, they need money so they con the money out of Mr. Burns. Burns, instead of crushing them, decides to join their bowling team: The Pin Pals. But there is one problem, Old Man Burns can't bowl. Burns is always funny when he tries to be a part of Homer's life, tries to be his buddy. And Homer, instead of being the complete moron he usually is, seems more like a typical sitcom father who is beleaguered by a frustrating boss (who apparently has leprosy and whose fingers are so flimsy they flap like paper when over an air conditioner!).

EPISODE #13

Bart vs. Australia

Season 6, Original Airdate: February 19, 1995

Bart places a crank call to a little boy in Australia and, it being a cartoon's version of Australia, this sends the ENTIRE country into an uproar. To smooth U.S. relations with the country Down Under, Bart (and the entire Simpson family) are sent to Australia so Bart can apologize for his wrongdoing. This episode is an irreverent and hilarious parody of Australian stereotypes (Knifey, Spoony!; A Prime Minister who lounges naked in a lake; etc.). Also, the Simpsons seem to work best when they travel. They've been to Australia, New York, D.C., London, Brazil, Peru, Japan, Canada, India, China, Amsterdam, France, Italy, Ireland (just to name a few!).

EPISODE #12

The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons

Season 9, Original Airdate: November 16, 1997

Apu, who is enjoying his full single life, is horrified when his mother arrives to force him to marry the girl he was promised to back in India, Manjula. To help him fend his mother off, Homer convinces him to pretend Marge is Apu's wife and hilarity ensues! It's a great episode because it uses a lot of the typical sitcom standards when there's a misunderstanding or a disapproving parent/in-law or a character has to lie about his or her life to someone (see Three's Company for all these tropes). It also established the character of Manjula, who, in end of the episode, becomes Apu's wife and they are now the parents of octuplet toddlers (they had them long before that Nadya Suleman did, but that's another episode!).

EPISODE #11

Bart After Dark

Season 8, Original Airdate: November 24, 1996

Bart accidentally destroys some property and Marge makes him work for the lady owner to make up for it. It turns out the lady uses her large Victorian manor as a House of Burlesque and Marge (along with Ned Flanders and Reverend Lovejoy) are none too pleased when they find out. Among this episodes best parts are the ways we discover the men of Springfield enjoying the house's many pleasures (several hilarious character bits) and an impromptu moment that became one the best musical numbers the series had to offer. When Marge and company want to destroy the house, Homer, Bart and the Madame (named Belle) lead a song titled "The Spring in Springfield" and it becomes a splashy, brassy Vaudeville-style musical sequence (this is where I wish I could have found a clip of the song on YouTube!).

Next week...PART II.

10 FAVORITES (11) - TV's Annoying Neighbors

Television comedies, sitcoms and "dramedies" have delivered some of the most memorable characters in our pop culture history. Out of the pantheon of characters, of which there are many types, there are none more recognizable and sometimes irritatingly endearing as the Annoying Neighbor. This trope has taken many forms and could not be more simple than that of a person in the series whose main existence seems to be nothing more than to annoy, irritate and frazzle the lead character (or characters). But who are the most memorable (or most annoying, as the case may be)? This week's 10 FAVORITES is all about TV's Most Annoying Neighbors.

THE 10 MOST ANNOYING NEIGHBORS ON TV COMEDIES

HONORABLE MENTION

The Residents of Wisteria Lane, Desperate Housewives

Yes, I'm including everyone that lives in Television's sauciest cul-de-sac, including the leading ladies. I am not saying I hate them or anything, I am just pointing out how irritating it would be to live on the same street with these people (all of whom seem to miraculously look like they stepped out of a Calvin Klein or Victoria's Secret ad...not that there's anything wrong with that).

ANNOYING NEIGHBOR #10

Phyllis Lindstrom, The Mary Tyler Moore Show

Ah, the great Cloris Leachman, is there anything she can't do? She has an Oscar (for 1971's The Last Picture Show) and countless Emmy awards, including two wins (and many nominations) for this comic gem role as Mary Richards' scatterbrained and pretentious landlady. She certainly annoyed Mary's BFF Rhoda (the delightful Valerie Harper) and made an enemy of Mary's co-worker Sue Anne Nivens (the legend that is Betty White).

ANNOYING NEIGHBOR #9

Newman, Seinfeld

Everyone remembers Jerry Seinfeld saying (in an irritated tone): "Hello, Newman!." NY mailman Newman (played to perfection by Wayne Knight) seemed to be a nemesis to the titular lead, but since the show was about "Nothing" then that plot point probably shouldn't be applied.

ANNOYING NEIGHBOR #8

Larry and his brother, Darryl and his other brother, Darryl, Newhart

Ever since the success of The Beverly Hillbillies, TV audiences have adored a country bumpkin (think Cletus on The Simpsons, for you younger folks!). Bob Newhart's highly rated and acclaimed 1980's sitcom (set at a remote Vermont inn) tripled the audience's delight by having a set of brothers (Larry spoke, the Darryls did not) who were as hilarious as they were irritating (and even creepy at times!).

ANNOYING NEIGHBOR #7

The Residents of Stars Hollow, Gilmore Girls

Gilmore Girls is one of the more popular of the "dramedies" in the past decades (so I may be angering a large group of loyal fans here!). Lead mother and daughter pair Lorelai and Rory Gilmore (played by Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel, respectively) were surrounded by a loving yet nosey bunch of neighbors that, though well-meaning, could make one rethink the possibility of buying a house in the town.

ANNOYING NEIGHBOR #6

Irwin "Skippy" Handleman, Family Ties

He grew up next door to the Keaton family on the acclaimed 1980's sitcom, but Skippy (well-played by Marc Price) was clumsy, nerdy and a little tongue-tied at times. His apprentice-like friendship with older brother Alex (Michael J. Fox) and his adoration of middle daughter Mallory (Justine Bateman) made him a standard within the trope (inspiring another character who went on to even greater notoriety...but we'll get to him in a bit!)

ANNOYING NEIGHBOR #5

Frank and Marie Barone, Everybody Loves Raymond

Imagine your parents annoy you just when you go to visit them or they come to visit you. Now, imagine this irritation being a daily occurrence, considering they live across the street from you. Ray Romano's successful sitcom took annoying parents to a whole new level by throwing the neighbor quotient into the equation. Marie and Frank (greatly played by Doris Roberts and the late Peter Boyle) certainly made one think violent thoughts.

ANNOYING NEIGHBOR #4

Mr. Harry Bentley, The Jeffersons

George Jefferson, like his counterpart Archie Bunker, seemed to be annoyed by everyone and everything. But George's across-the-hall neighbor (in "the deluxe apartment in the sky"), Mr. Bentley, frustrated him to no end. Bentley (delightfully played by the late Paul Benedict) was a UN interpreter who walked on people's backs (literally, he walked on backs to soothe back pain) and would find himself in the oddest and most bizarre situations on the series.

ANNOYING NEIGHBOR #3

Ned Flanders, The Simpsons

For many, Ned seems to be the definition of this trope and that mainly speaks to the dominance of Matt Groening's groundbreaking animated sitcom. Groening and Co. are constantly receiving letters from fans to find more ways to put Homer and his neighbor-nemesis Ned "Flandiddily" Flanders together (and the stories are becoming more increasingly odd, but that's another blogpost altogether!). From his annoying sayings and positive "Can Do!" attitude to his uber-Christian and slightly effeminate behavior, I would be extremely remiss if I did not include Ned near the top of this list.

ANNOYING NEIGHBOR #2

Gladys Kravitz, Bewitched

Like the ladies on Desperate Housewives know, it is extremely difficult to hide your secrets when you live in the suburbs. Samantha Stephens was trying to do that long before the residents of Wisteria Lane were, yet her results were much more hilarious. Samantha's neighbor Gladys Kravitz would constantly be bewildered and sometimes downright frightened by the magical happenings she would witness from across the street. For Samantha, hiding from Gladys and constantly explaining things had to be a 24/7 job.

AND...

ANNOYING NEIGHBOR #1

Steven Q. Urkel, Family Matters

While Ned Flanders may define the trope, Steve Urkel is most likely the ultimate when it comes to Annoying Neighbors. Flanders only pretty much annoyed Homer Simpson. But Urkel, well, he irritated everyone in the Winslow household from Carl to Eddie to Harriet to that of his "one true love" Laura. The Urkel phenomenon went beyond that of a popular supporting character. He had is own video game, dance steps and cereal! He was so popular that many fans don't believe it when they hear that the character was originally written to ONLY be in one episode. But, of course, response to him was so well-received from audiences that the powers-that-be behind the sitcom demanded he be written in as many times as possible. And the show's focus and dynamic was dramatically shifted from its original intent. But that's TV history for you!

So there you have it: The 10 Most Annoying Neighbors on TV Comedies! Not many surprises, as most of these names popped up immediately when researching this trope. The one thing that most of these characters have in common besides being Annoying Neighbors is that they are beloved by the fans. They each have endearing qualities that make them timeless when watching the shows in reruns. I hope your favorite was on here. If you have suggestions (for future lists) or comments, do not hesitate to drop me a line!