The Simpsonshas existed for so long in popular culture that it is easy to take it for granted, as the series has helped to raise multiple generations of comedy fans. While many fans would argue that the true “Golden Age” ofThe Simpsonswas between its third and tenth seasons in the 1990s, the show has retained a remarkable level of consistency within its later years; in fact, a recent renewal deal confirmed that it will be at least several more years before the show has to think about putting together a conclusion.
The Simpsonsis distinct from other animated shows aimed at adults because it is not just centered on gags; in fact, the series is often able to tell competent stories with clear beginnings, middles, and ends.Here are the ten bestThe Simpsonsepisode endings, ranked.
The Simpsons
10The Press Ignores Homer’s Heroism
“Deep Space Homer” – Season 5, Episode 15 (1994)
“Deep Space Homer” is a rare example ofThe Simpsonsheading into science fiction territory, as the episode involves Homer being selected to join a team of astronauts that travel into space. After catastrophic events that emerge in the midst of the flight, Homer is forced to rely on dumb luck and problem-solving skills to come home safely.
Homer’s return to Earth is actually pretty emotional, as Marge generally fears for his safety when he is in the midst of a near-disaster. Ironically, Homer’s actions are only acknowledged byBuzz Aldrin, the astronaut who took part in the Apollo 11 mission; the rest of the press decides to focus on a metal rod that was used during the mid-flight mechanics, and seems to forgetabout Homer’s astronaut stintaltogether. While unfortunate, this does help retain the show’s status quo of Homer being anonymous.
9A Dog Joins the Family
“Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire” – Season 1, Episode 1 (1989)
The very first episode ofThe Simpsonsis also one of the most important, as it established that the show’s real intention was to present an honest and often endearing portrayal of what it is like to be a family in America. Although Homer bends over backwards in order to give the best Christmas possible to his family, he is met with continued misfortune when he attempts to select good presents, despite facing economic struggles and the stores being overly crowded.
“Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire” ends with Homer accepting a stray dog into the family, who Bart subsequently referred to as “Santa’s Littlest Helper.” Nearly four decades later,The Simpsonshas changed quite significantly, but “Santa’s Littlest Helper” is still an active part of the show, reminding viewers of the humble origins of where the show began its story.
8Homer Wins Marge’s Heart
“The Way We Was” – Season 2, Episode 12 (1991)
“The Way We Was” is the first flashback episodeofThe Simpsons, and also serves as one of its greatest romantic stories. Set back when Homer and Marge were first in high school together, “The Way We Was” showed how they first fell in love, despite being under pressure from their parents to do something different with their lives. There are homages to classic high school movies likeBack to the Future,Say Anything, andSixteen Candles.
“The Way We Was” ends with the satisfying note of Homer winning Marge’s affections, despite the fact that the villainous Artie was trying to take advantage of her. Although the marital disputes between Homer and Marge have always been an entertaining component ofThe Simpsons, “The Way We Was” reveals that there is still very legitimate affection between them, which may explain why they’ve managed to stay together for over 35 years.
7Marge Is Proven Right
“Marge vs. the Monorail” – Season 4, Episode 12 (1993)
“Marge vs. the Monorail” may be the single funniest episodein the history ofThe Simpsons, asConan O’Briencreated a brilliantly structured series of gags that culminated perfectly by the time that the story wrapped up. After new funds are discovered for the city, Marge proposes that they be used to help improve the public works; instead, the Springfield community votes to invest in an expensive monorail system after hearing a proposal from the charismatic salesman Lyle Lanley (Phil Hartman).
“Marge vs. the Monorail” ends with the chaos of the monorail system breaking down and causing collateral damage, which proves the point that Marge had been trying to make all along. Although Homer does manage to get out safely after being charged with driving the risky system, the episode also includes one of the greatest celebrity cameos in the history ofThe Simpsons, thanks to the brief appearance byLeonard Nimoy.
6Moe and Homer Reconcile
“Flaming Moe’s” – Season 3, Episode 10 (1991)
“Flaming Moe’s” was therare episode to put a spotlight on Moe, a character who is best known for his poor luck and less-than-charming personality. After Moe begins serving a popular alcoholic beverage, his tavern ends up becoming a surprising sensation, which ends up sparking a feud with Homer after a dispute over who was actually responsible for the recipe.
Although their argument does get nasty,“Flaming Moe’s” ends with Homer and Moe reconciling their differencesand becoming friends again. Although it was entertaining to see Moe temporarily attain success and be respected among the citizens of Springfield, the show simply wouldn’t be the same if he was more fortunate; as a character, Moe is often at his best when he is down-on-his-luck, as it is humorous to see the various ways in which each of his friends take pity on him.
5Grimes Dies
“Homer’s Enemy” – Season 8, Episode 23 (1997)
“Homer’s Enemy” is one of the darkest episodes ofThe Simpsons, as it concluded on a shocking note that may have felt more appropriate formore mature animated sitcomslikeSouth ParkorFamily Guy. The episode introduces Homer’s new coworker, Frank Grimes (Hank Azaria), who becomes increasingly agitated by his behavior; although Grimes desperately wants to be treated with respect and do his job in a professional way, he can’t help but get aggravated by the fact that Homer is awarded for doing the bare minimum of what is required.
Grimes dies in a shocking turn of events, and Homer is ultimately present at his funeral, where he continues to distract everyone. While Grimes had turned into an anti-hero by trying to prove Homer’s lack of intelligence to the rest of Springfield, it’s still hard not to sympathize with him given his tragic fate.
4Homer Saves Quimby
“Mayored to the Mob” – Season 10, Episode 9 (1998)
“Mayored to the Mob” featured one of thebest celebrity cameos in the history ofThe Simpsons, as it involvedMark Hamillappearing as a fictionalized version of himself who hires Homer to be his bodyguard at a series ofStar Warsfan conventions. However, the episode turns into a crime caper when Homer is caught in a feud between the corrupt Mayor Quimby and the local criminal Fat Tony.
Homer is ultimately forced to save Quimby from danger, and Hamill urges him to “use the forks” in another cleverStar Warsreference. Although Quimby is able to recover from his injuries after being attacked by Fat Tony and his men, Homer is able to retain his friendship with Hamill by helping to fend him off from the paparazzi and rabidStar Warsfans as he makes another series of convention appearances.
3Sideshow Bob Is Foiled Again
“Cape Feare” – Season 5, Episode 2 (1993)
“Cape Feare” is one of the best parody episodes in the history ofThe Simpsons, as it borrows the plot of the classic serial killer thrillerCape Fear, which had been remade byMartin Scorseseone year prior withRobert De Niro in the lead role. In “Cape Feare,” Sideshow Bob (Kelsey Grammar) escapes from prison and tries to kill Bart, who begins to suffer serious anxiety as he dreams about his impending death.
Bart’s escape from Sideshow Bob in a rapid river is actually rather intense, showing thatThe Simpsonscould be rather thrilling if it wanted to be. Although the episode ends with Sideshow Bob once again being detained for his crimes, it sets up his recurring intention to find and kill Bart, which continues onThe Simpsonsto this day thanks to Grammar’s continued involvement with the show.
2God Melts the Snow
“Mr. Plow” – Season 4, Episode 9 (1992)
“Mr. Plow” was an early sign of the brilliance ofThe Simpsons, as it showed how quickly the show would be able to expand upon a simple premise by escalating the absurdity. After a surprisingly winter storm covers Springfield in cold weather, Homer and Barney start rival snow plowing businesses, and eventually begin a feud as they vie for the employment of the town’s citizens.
“Mr. Plow” ends with a surprising supernatural twist, as God intervenes to melt all the snow so that the rivalry is put to an end. Nonetheless, Homer’s “Mr. Plow” business is still able to help him out in his romantic life, as he discovers that leaving on his outfit makes Marge more attracted to him while they are intimate; it was a surprisingly raunchy joke to end the episode on, especially when compared to how family-friendly earlier installments of the series were.
1Lisa Gets Braces
“Last Exit to Springfield” – Season 4, Episode 17 (1993)
“Last Exit to Springfield” isn’t just one of the best installments inThe Simpsons, but one of the greatest episodes in the entire history of television. After discovering that Lisa’s braces won’t be covered by the family insurance plan, Homer becomes the leader of a labor union at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, which argues against Mr. Burns for better benefits.
“Last Exit to Springfield” is a surprisingly thorough examination of a labor dispute, as Burns decides to lower the strikers spirits by shutting off power, leading them to singa protest song written by Lisa. Although Homer eventually steps down from his position as the union president after his demands are met, Lisa is finally given the opportunity to have pain-free braces, and is able to take pride in the fact that her father was able to push for legitimate change in the workplace all because he cared about how she was feeling.
