When it comes to the best episodes of The Simpsons, there’s no shortage of options to choose from. “Marge vs. the Monorail”, “Homer at the Bat”, “Last Exit to Springfield” – these are just a few of the many episodes you could argue as being the best of the best. However, you’d be hardpressed to find any Simpsons fan who thinks the best episode came from any season after the 10th or so. It’s no secret that The Simpsons has long since become a shell of its former self. Sure, the show still entertains but the writing has taken a noticeable nosedive from its golden age – an era that ended in the late 1990s.
These days, most fans of the show barely pay attention, eagerly awaiting the day when Fox will finally put The Simpsons out of its misery. However, even though the show isn’t what it used to be, it can still deliver a great episode every now and then. With that in mind, here are some of the best modern episodes of The Simpsons you’ve likely never watched.
Barthood (Season 27)
Movie parodies have been a go-to episode format on The Simpsons for years and one later seasons have tackled with mixed success (the less said about “Elementary School Musical”, the better). Following the structure of Richard Linklater’s 2014 coming-of-age film Boyhood, “Barthood” offers snapshots of the Simpson family over a decade-plus time period. Overall, the time-lapse structure offers a unique spin on The Simpsons’ future-look episode ideas and features some moving father-son and grandpa-son scenes. “Barthood” earned writer Dan Greaney a Writers Guild of America Award nomination for his script.
The Saga of Carl (Season 24)
The Simpsons owes much of its success to its extensive cast of supporting characters, who have helped give Springfield a distinct sense of place over the last 30 years. In fact, one of the show’s all-time best episodes features a bunch of microstories from around town (the endlessly quotable “22 Short Films About Springfield”). “The Saga of Carl” may not quite achieve “classic” status, but it’s surprisingly moving look at a character too often given short shrift over the years. Carl Carlson takes center stage here, tracing his family roots to Iceland of all places, while also examining his friendships with Homer, Moe and of course, Lenny.
The DeBarted (Season 19)
While it’s no “Cape Feare”, “The Debarted” is a respectable Martin Scorsese remake in its own right and a true gem of The Simpsons’ late-2000s run. “The Debarted” deserves credit for not going the obvious route with its The Departed parody. Rather than tell a story involving the Springfield police and mob, the episode focuses on a conflict between Bart and a schoolyard rat named Donny (Topher Grace). It’s a fun, low-stakes suspense ride for The Simpsons that also gets in a hilariously quotable dig at Scorsese’s film with the memorable Ralph Wiggum line, “The rat symbolizes obviousness”.
24 Minutes (Season 18)
Aping the format and split-screen style of the Fox series 24, “24 Minutes” is about as mid-2000s Simpsons as it gets. Although the spoof is certainly dated, the episode itself holds up nicely thanks to some great gags that have nothing to do with 24 (Homer’s “This is our life now, Milhouse. We’re Dumpster folk,” is the rare post-golden age quote that deserves to be immortalized). The episode even features Kiefer Sutherland playing his 24 character Jack Bauer, which lends an air of legitimacy to the whole affair. “24 Minutes” was well-received critically and went on to win the 2008 Annie Award for Best Writing in an Animated Television Production.
The Wife Aquatic (Season 18)
Marge-centric episodes have always been an area of inconsistency for The Simpsons, as she’s too often depicted as an over-protective scold. “The Wife Aquatic” offers a more poignant look at Marge’s childhood than Season 8’s disappointing “Fear of Flying”, following her memories of happy summers spent at Barnacle Bay. The episode also serves as a sweet relationship episode for Homer and Marge, as Homer goes to great lengths to try and revive Barnacle Bay’s fishing industry and thus restore life to his wife’s beloved childhood vacation spot. The Simpsons’ post-golden age run has produced few episodes as moving as and heartfelt as “The Wife Aquatic” and it’s a shame many fans have likely never seen it.
Steal This Episode (Season 25)
One of the unfortunate things about The Simpsons now is it too often lacks the biting satire that made its early seasons so treasured. Every so often though, the show puts out an episode that doesn’t pull punches, such as Season 25’s “Steal This Episode”. The episode follows Homer as he goes deep into movie piracy, eventually sharing illegal streams with the rest of Springfield and drawing the ire of the FBI.
“Steal This Episode” is a biting bit of commentary, especially when it comes to Homer’s distaste for the modern movie theater experience (anyone who’s had to sit through 20 minutes of commercials before the previews even start can relate). Toss in guest stars like Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen, and several others poking fun at their own movies and “Steal This Episode” as about as close to a modern classic for The Simpsons as it gets.
The Book Job (Season 23)
“The Book Job” is a clever mashup of two cultural touchstones that have little to do with one another: young adult fiction and Ocean’s Eleven. While that may not seem like the most inspired of setups, this episode works like gangbusters and is arguably one of the funniest Simpsons episodes of the last 10 years. “The Book Job” follows Homer’s foray into fiction writing, as he ghostwrites a fantasy novel about trolls alongside Bart, Principal Skinner, Patty, Moe, Professor Frink, and author Neil Gaiman (playing himself). This setup is funny enough, but when the episode moves into heist territory, it kicks into high gear as a truly memorable modern episode of The Simpsons.
Brick Like Me (Season 25)
The Simpsons’ Lego episode could have very easily been a gimmick with no substance. However, much like The Lego Movie itself, “Brick Like Me” turned out to be wildly inventive, heartfelt, and a lot better than anyone would have thought possible. Visually, “Brick Like Me” is a stunner, as Springfield and its habitants are Legoized in meticulous detail (according to executive producer Matt Selman, “Brick Like Me” took twice as long to make compared to a regular episode).
Although the episode essentially copies The Lego Movie’s narrative beats, it makes up for it with some affecting moments shared between Homer and his kids. It’s a nostalgic ride that does double duty tugging at the heartstrings of those who grew up both watching The Simpsons and playing with Lego.
Eternal Moonshine Of The Simpsons Mind (Season 19)
Although it aired a few years after the release of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, this episode uses the film’s forgotten memories set up for an emotional and essential character study of Homer. The episode goes over familiar territory, with reminders of Homer’s sad childhood and his loving relationship with Marge, but it’s handled in such an inventive way to not feel like a retread of episodes like “Grandpa vs. Sexual Inadequacy”. “Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind” won an Emmy Award and is cited by showrunner Al Jean as one of the show’s top five essential episodes.
Holidays of Future Passed (Season 23)
The Simpsons began with a Christmas episode, so it’s only fitting that “Holidays of Future Past” was originally written as a potential series finale. Sadly, this didn’t happen but “Holidays of Future Passed” still stands as one of the best Simpsons episodes of the decade. The episode is anchored by a shockingly poignant scene between an adult Bart and Lisa, who get drunk together and bitch about their lives.
The Simpsons has had mixed success with storylines focused on adult Bart and Lisa, but hits a relatable note here painting them as grown-ups filled with self-doubt and dissatisfaction. Overall, “Holidays of Future Passed” is a worthy holiday installment that doubles as a fine would-be series finale … that really should have just been the actual finale.
