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need to see it again, saw it once in the theatre and loved it but thinking back on it I like it less and less... gotta catch it again to make up my mind.
In celebration of the 500th Episode of my favorite TV show of all-time, The Simpsons. I'm counting down my Top 40 favorite episodes.
#20: A Star is Burns
March 5, 1995
PLOT: The town holds a film festival and invites Critic Jay Sherman to sit on the board of judges.
Couch Gag: The family is reversed in size.
Normally, a crossover episode seems really desperate for a series to attempt. But here, it works brilliantly; probably not unrelated to the fact that the Simpsons lost many a writer and showrunner to 'The Critic', so each show was bred from similar DNA. Also, Jon Lovitz was already a regular guest star, so Jay Sherman was sort of like writing yet another guest appearance for him. This episode runs like a well-oiled machine, despite its novelty.
Its fun to see the different takes on filmmaking from the many townspeople in Springfield. From Moe's musical to Hans Moleman's 'Man Getting Hit By Football', each character's unique personality comes through in their submissions.
I am also a big fan of any appearance by Jon Lovitz on the show. Between he, Kelsey Grammar, and Phil Hartman, its hard to choose which one performs best when given a part on the show. And I love the competition that grows out of Homer's jealousy. Because its petty; just like we all know Homer to be. It culminates into an impromptu rendition of the Oscar Mayer jingle by Jay, which is the only way this silly rivalry can reach an apex.
Let us all not forget that the most important part of this episode is that it gave us 'Boo-urns':
Mr. Burns: "Smithers, are they booing me?"
Smithers: "Oh, no, sir. They're saying "Boo-urns, Boo-urns."
Burns: [to crowd] "Are you saying 'boo' or 'Boo-urns'?"
Crowd: "Boooooooooooo!"
Hans Moleman: [to himself] "I was saying 'Boo-urns'."
Bored
This is one of my favs as well, and not just cause I'm a huge fan of the show The Critic. It was just an all around great episode.
On closer inspection these appear to be loafers.
Wow, more power to you for being able to put your favorite Simpsons episodes in order. I could never do that, you know, insert choosing your favorite kid line here and such.
Admittedly, it was an inexact science. The top 1 and 2 of the final list were always the top 2, but everything else has shifted ever so often.
In celebration of the 500th Episode of my favorite TV show of all-time, The Simpsons. I'm counting down my Top 40 favorite episodes.
#21: Lemon of Troy
Original Air Date: May 14, 1995
PLOT: The boys of Springfield are hit with town pride as they band together to take back a Springfield lemon tree from rival Shelbyville.
Couch Gag:The living room is shown in black and white. The Simpsons—animated as smiling, rubber-hosed cartoon characters of the early 1930s—come in and do a stiff dance.
I love Bizarro episodes and this is one of my favorites. Its always interesting to see the animators'/writers' perception of what the opposite of their characters are. In this one you, you not only get to see the Bizarro Homer and Bart, but also a Bizarro Milhouse and Bizarro Duff beer. Truly priceless to see.
Its cool to see the Simpsons do a bit of a take on the Men on a Mission story and it lends itself for some great pairings (Nelson and Martin as Team Discovery Channel). Its just one of the things that is great about the Simpsons: the rich assortment of background characters that once in a while get to share the spotlight. This is also a very strong episode for Milhouse and he has some of the greatest moments in the episode.
One thing that stands out to me about this episode is my personal experience with it. I remember sitting in a class with a friend of mine senior year of high school reciting the dialogue of the Shelbyville Homer. I was really cool in high school... But seriously, I did a dead-on imitation.
Chillin'
Step over this line and say that. I'll kick your butt... at Nintendo.
In celebration of the 500th Episode of my favorite TV show of all-time, The Simpsons. I'm counting down my Top 40 favorite episodes.
#22: Lisa's Rival
Original Air Date: September 11, 1994
PLOT: Lisa becomes obsessed with a rivalry between her and a new girl at school; one that seems slightly better than her in every way.
Couch Gag: The living room floor is a shallow body of water. The Simpsons swim their way to the couch. Once on the couch, Bart removes his scuba mask and Homer dries out his ear by sticking his finger in it.
Again, another fantastic Lisa episode. The writers consistently create amazing storylines for the middle child of the clan. This one is surprisingly darker than the other ones where she is the focal point.
For the first, and probably last, time in the series, Lisa is shown as seriously flawed. She's overcome with jealousy by Allison, played by Winona Ryder in a great guest appearance. Allison is seemingly perfect and bests Lisa in almost everything she holds dear: grades, music, etc. What unfolds is Lisa's obsessive attempt to prove her worth versus this new competition, going as far as enlisting the help of Bart to humiliate the girl at Diorama-Rama.
One of the crowning moments of this rivalry is when Lisa is invited to Allison's home and is introduced to her father; a man who enjoys a good anagram. Lisa is made to look foolish when Allison proves better at Lisa once again, leaving Allison's father without words. "Here's a ball... perhaps you'd like to bounce it."
The B-story is as ridiculous as it gets, as Homer comes into owning an enormous mound of sugar. This story line is one of my favorites because it is home to two of my favorite moments of dialogue:
The first is Homer's nonsensical monologue of why he wants to sell sugar:
Homer: I can't live the buttoned down life like you. I want it all: the terrifying lows, the dizzying highs, the creamy middles! Sure, I might offend a few of the blue-noses with my cocky stride and musky odor - oh, I'll never be the darling of the so-called 'City Fathers' who cluck their tongues, stroke their beards, and talk about what's to be done with this Homer Simpson?
Great piece of voice acting by Dan Castellaneta
And secondly, the the exchange between the beekeepers:
Beekeeper 1: Well, sure is quiet in here today.
Beekeeper 2: Yes, a little too quiet, if you know what I mean.
Beekeeper 1: Hmm... I'm afraid I don't.
Beekeeper 2: You see, bees usually make a lot of noise. No noise - suggests no bees!
Beekeeper 1: Oh, I understand now.
[a bee flies by]
Beekeeper 1: Oh look, there goes one now.
Beekeeper 2: To the Beemobile!
Beekeeper 1: You mean your Chevy?
Beekeeper 2: [pause] Yes.
Chillin'
Een America, first you get da suger. Den you get de money. Den you get de power. Den you get de weemen
Hey, you! Where'd you get the sugar for that tea!?
I nipped it when you weren't looking, and I'll do it again.
In celebration of the 500th Episode of my favorite TV show of all-time, The Simpsons. I'm counting down my Top 40 favorite episodes.
#23: El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer
Original Air Date: January 5, 1997
PLOT: Homer eats a Guatemalan Insanity Pepper at a chili cook-off that takes him on a spiritual journey of self-reflection.
Couch Gag: Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie deploy parachutes as they fall from the sky onto the couch. Homer comes down screaming and lands on his face, as a result of his parachute not opening.
Very few episodes of this series pushes the limits of the medium quite like this one. The Simpsons, despite being animated, are grounded in a reality rarely seen in animation. Its contemporaries like South Park and Family Guy asks more of a suspension of disbelief than the Simpsons do. But in this particular episode, the restrictions of reality are torn down and the animators and writers are given the freedom to do just about anything.
This is a FANTASTIC character episode for Homer. Few episodes reach the emotional depths this episode puts him through. As he spends the entire second act in a foreign world, its basically a one-man show of discovery, both of this alien setting and of himself. As always Dan Castellaneta's voice-work is masterful as this is an episode that requires a ton of range out of Homer.
The animation is also at the top of its game here. This episode is really a showcase for what 2D animation can do. Homer's spiritual journey is a work of art inline with a Salvador Dali painting brought to life.
Chillin'
Same here. I found some commercials, but for the life of me, can't think of movies.
In celebration of the 500th Episode of my favorite TV show of all-time, The Simpsons. I'm counting down my Top 40 favorite episodes.
#24: Radioactive Man
Original Air Date: September 24, 1995
PLOT: Milhouse is cast as Fallout Boy in the new Radioactive Man movie, as the rest of the town gets enamored with movie-making.
This is a great Milhouse episode, who up until this point, save for the episode 'Bart's Friend Falls in Love', is more or less a comic foil for Bart's schemes. Milhouse is one of my favorite characters and its primarily because he a walking punchline, but the character turn here is phenomenal.
This is a character study about a reluctant protagonist coming to grips with unwanted fame. To put on the shoulders of an innocent child such as Milhouse gives this reluctance merit and heart. It is one of the most heartfelt storylines involving a secondary character in the entire run of the series.
Outside of Milhouse's arc, there is a hilarious B story about the entire town gouging the film crew left and right. It's a chance for the writers to snarkily poke fun of the things they dislike about Hollywood.
Also, this episode has a great guest appearance by Mickey Rooney, the biggest box office draw from 1939 to 1940. (Wow! Spanning two decades!)
Chillin'
"Jiminy Jillickers!"
"Now Fallout Boy, there's no need for profanity."
I also did not like Thor.