While The Simpsons is the funniest show in the history of television, it's easy to get tired of some of the gags after having watched the classic era episodes at least a dozen times each. These thirteen are exceptions. I apologize if the links don't work; as of posting time, they did. I decided to rank these in rough chronological order because I don't really feel like ranking moments that make me laugh uproariously even after I should be long tired of them.
1. I Am Evil Homer--In the Season 4 episode Whacking Day, Lisa cites a moral objection to Whacking Day, a holiday in which Springfieldianites (this is the correct term) hit snakes repeatedly (I realize this was probably meant as a very elaborate sexual metaphor, but in the literal context of what happens, I'm talking about clubbing snakes, as in the scaly slithering kind). Homer then describes the conflict between good and evil within all of us. Perfect voice tone by Dan Castellaneta and beautiful corny animation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ABEQ4vfNGs
2. Worker and Parasite--In Krusty Gets Kancelled, before he's actually cancelled, Krusty the Clown's beloved "Itchy and Scratchy" cartoon is replaced by the Eastern European block's favorite cat and mouse team, Worker and Parasite. This is the result. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyxYdj9dGcI
3. Do You Want Some Brownies?--In Season 5's Cape Feare, Bart is on edge after Sideshow Bob has made efforts to murder him. While in witness protection, Homer decides to offer some brownies to his scared son. This episode has several notable gags (notably one in which Sideshow Bob runs into double digit numbers of rakes in succession), but this just kills me every time. Best line reading in Simpsons history perhaps. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-E5NaWlBuc&feature=related
4. Trambopoline--Bart's Inner Child is the only episode which gets two gags on my list (note: the episode was written by probably the man responsible for the most jokes in the history of the show, George Meyer), and this one opens the episode. It's poor video quality but you shouldn't need HDTV to get this one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKJ3GG6Ch04
5. This Bandstand Wasn't Double Bolted--I'm not even sure if this counts as a joke, but I can't help but laugh out loud whenever I hear guest star James Brown's reading of this pretty damn mundane line. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-oDWblIDbI
6. Box Factory--In Season 5's Bart Gets Famous (I'm not doing an official count, but probably a majority of the gags on this list were show run by David Mirkin, who was probably the best in the show's history at making fairly silly but outright hilarious episodes), Homer goes to a box factory where Bart was reported missing from a field trip group. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II3Wt22rDE0
7. McGarnagle--This Dirty Harry clone has appeared several times, most brilliantly in a movie Bart is watching in The Boy Who Knew Too Much while Bart faces a real-life moral dilemma about whether or not he should report what he knows to the police. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD-LB9z6nxg
8. Rock Bottom--Season 6 gave us Homer Badman, an episode I say with absolutely no reluctance is absolutely brilliant from beginning to end. As far as the best gag from it, I have to go with this. The video isn't great and the volume is terrible, but as long as you can see the clock and hear it kind of, it's still good. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt5QqVlApBg
9. One Clown Per Territory--In the wildly underrated Season Sixer Homie the Clown, I find myself delighted beyond words by Homer Simpson's brilliant stupidity. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4iW--G6mSI
10. Moe Lie Detector--Indisputably the most well-known clip I put here (note the view total), but my God this Season 7 Who Shot Mr. Burns Part 2 clip is hilarious. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-TZ8Z5S9rI
11. Meat and You: Partners in Freedom--Lisa the Vegetarian from Season 7 is generally regarded a more heartfelt and semi-serious episode, and it is, but this Troy McClure educational video sums up everything insane about public school education. I know the video's backwards, but who cares? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bps-xbo8wnA
12. Press Any Key--As far as I'm concerned, the best part of this clip from King Sized Homer isn't the title I gave the clip, but it actually comes later in the clip. Whole thing makes me smile though. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwbAtJmMr9s
13. Le Grill--It's from the mediocre Season 10 episode Mom and Pop Art, but this Act One moment could be rightfully included in any episode from any era. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edLEI1op4Rg
No comments:
Post a Comment