We Choose The 25 Best Episodes of The Simpsons

10. Homers Barbershop Quartet

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• Season: 5
  
• Episode: 82 (9F21)
  
• First Aired: 30 September 1993
  
• Writer: Jeff Martin
  
• Director: Mark Kirkland
  

Synopsis

We flashback to 1985, when Homer, Apu, Principal Skinner, and Chief Wiggum (later replaced by Barney) were the hit barbershop quartet known as The Be Sharps, which was an obvious spoof of the Beatles. Former Beatle, George Harrison, guest stars.

Memorable Quotes

The Be Sharps – “I’m telling you it’s mighty nice. Each trip’s a trip to paradise with my baby on board!”

Homer – “Rock ‘n’ roll had become stagnant. ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ was seven years away. Something had to fill the void, and that something was barbershop.”

Things You May Have Missed

• David Crosby also appears in “Marge in Chains” (9F20)
• At the swap meet table, Marge sells, a Ringo Starr painting, “Bald Adonis”, and a painting of Burns from the episode “Brush with Greatness” (7F18). She also sells the painting of a sailboat that we usually see hanging above their couch.
• When rummaging through Mrs. Glick’s box, Homer pulls out the Declaration of Independence, a copy of Action Comics #1, a sheet of rare stamps, and a Stradivarius violin

Couchgag

The family does three different couch gags in three takes.

Chalkboard

“I will never win an Emmy”

Guest Voices

George Harrison as himself, David Crosby as himself, The Dapper Dans as the Be Sharpes singing voices

9. Boy-Scoutz ‘n the Hood

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• Season: 5
  
• Episode: 89 (1F06)
• First Aired: 19 November 1993
  
• Writer: Dan McGrath
  
• Director: Jeffrey Lynch
  

Synopsis

Bart discovers the perks of being a geek when he accidentally joins the Scouts. Homer also finds himself having to prove himself as a father figure for Bart when disaster strikes.

Memorable Quotes

Apu – “All done! If you survive, please come again.”

Homer – “Ah, finally a little quiet time to read some of my old favourites. ‘Honey Roasted Peanuts. Ingredients: salt, artificial honey roasting agents, pressed peanut sweepings!’ Mmmm.”

Things You May Have Missed

• Fat Tony appears on a “Wanted” poster in Chief Wiggam’s Office.
• Bart has badges for archery, rent collecting, TV trivia, embalming, and patch forgery.

Couchgag

The family’s eyes all run in in darkness, and when the lights come on, the bodies run in after the eyes. The bodies sit down on the couch and lean forward, sticking their eyes in their sockets with a popping sound.

Movie Influence

When the canoes are sailing down the river they are being watched a la Deliverance and Ernest Borgnine’s camp is attacked by Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th.

Guest Voices

Ernest Borgnine as himself

8. The Last Temptation of Homer

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• Season: 5
  
• Episode: 90 (1F07)
  
• First Aired: 9th December 1993
  
• Writer: Frank Mula
  
• Director: Carlos Baeza
  

Synopsis

Homer becomes attracted to the new female employee at the Plant. He soon discovers that they have so much in common, and he tries to avoid her. However, they end up having to go to a Nuclear Power Convention in Capital City together!

Memorable Quotes

“No, Homer. Let’s do it. Let’s call Room Service!” – Mindy Simmons

Things You May Have Missed

• The marquee at the Capital City Plaza Hotel reads, “Legionnaires’ Disease – Free Since 1990”
• When Homer tries to read the messy message he wrote on his hand to Mindy, he misreads it as a Buddhist chant.
• The sign at the Springfield Power Plant booth at the Energy Convention reads: “As seen on 60 Minutes”.

Couchgag

The Simpsons sit on the couch and find themselves on the set of The Late Show with David Letterman.

Chalkboard

“All work and no play makes Bart a dull boy”

Renaissance Art Influences

One of Homer’s love hallucinations depicts Mindy as Venus in the artist Botticelli’s Birth of Venus.

Guest Voices

Michelle Pfieffer as Mindy Simmons, Phil Hartman as Lional Hutz, Werber Klemperer as Colonel Klink.

7. Homer the Vigilante

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• Season: 5
  
• Episode: 92 (1F09)
  
• First Aired: 4th January 1994
  
• Writer: John Swartzwelder
  
• Director: Jim Reardon
  

Synopsis

While a cat burglar prowls Springfield and evades all law enforcement, Homer forms a vigilante group to protect the city. But the power quickly goes to his head and an unlikely source figures out the identity of the cat burglar.

Memorable Quotes

Homer – “So, Mr. Molloy, it seems that the cat has been caught by the very person that was trying to catch him”.

Homer – “Aw, Dad, you’ve done a lot of great things, but you’re a very old man now, and old people are useless.”

Things You May Have Missed

• A sign next to the bar in Flanders’ basement reads, “Seven Days without a Drink Makes Me Weak.”
• Photos of Fat Tony and Ms. Botz still hang on the bulletin board at the Police Station.

Couchgag

The family collides with each other and disappears in an explosion.

Chalkboard

“I am not authorized to fire substitute teachers”

Movie Influence

Molloy sends the town on a treasure hunt that he buried under a giant letter as in It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.

Guest Voices

Sam Neill as Molloy

6. Cape Feare

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• Season: 5
  
• Episode: 83 (9F22)
  
• First Aired: 7 October 1993
  
• Writer: John Vitti
  
• Director: Rich Moore
  

Synopsis

After Bart starts receiving death threats from his nemesis, Sideshow Bob, the Simpsons enter the Witness Relocation Program and move to Terror Lake, a “Cape Fear”-esque town several miles away.

Memorable Quotes

Bart – “I was wondering if you could sing the entire score of the H.M.S. Pinafore.”

Sideshow Bob – “Very well, Bart. I shall send you to Heaven before I send you to Hell.”

Things You May Have Missed

• Sideshow Bob steps on nine rakes when he emerges from underneath the Thompsons’ car
• Sideshow Bob’s tattoos “Die Bart, Die”, “Ouch Man!” (with Bart’s head on a skateboard), a skull and crossbones, “LUV” on the fingers of one hand, and “HAT” on the fingers of the other hand.
• All of the notes that are sent to Bart are from Bob except for one reading “I Kill You Scum”, which was sent by Homer when Bart had somehow tattooed “WIDE LOAD” on Homer’s butt.

Couchgag

The family perform in a circus line.

Chalkboard

“The cafeteria deep fryer is not a toy”

Movie Influence

This episode is a homage to the 1991 remake of Cape Fear and also contains elements of Psycho.

Guest Voices

Kelsey Grammer as Sideshow Bob

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