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One of the main things that setThe Simpsonsapart from other animated sitcoms is its social commentaries. Sure, there are funny jokes and satirical aspects, but many of the episodes (mostly the earlier ones) often have a point that the showrunners try to drive home.
RELATED:The Best ‘Simpsons’ Episodes According to IMDb
These morals are often critiques or commentaries on society, the entertainment industry, or family life and are pretty valuable lessons most of the time. Usually, amid all the jokes, there are some pretty touching moments, too, which add to the episode and help make the point more apparent to the viewer.
Updated on January 18th, 2023, by Hannah Saab:
The ongoing 34th season ofThe Simpsonscontinues to highlight a marked improvement in the long-running animated sitcom. Already being dubbed as the “Simpsons renaissance” by enthusiastic fans, episodes like “Not It” and “Treehouse of Horror XXXIII” are generating discussions about the series' future. There’s no doubt that there will be more profoundSimpsonsepisodes in the coming months.
“Homer’s Enemy”
Season 8, Episode 23 (1997)
“Homer’s Enemy” introduces a new character called Frank Grimes (Hank Azaria), who was created in response to viewers' complaints. Most of these complaints were because Homer (Dan Castellaneta) always seems to have things work out for him despite being the pinnacle of laziness. Frank Grimes appears to be the only one who notices this, which upsets him because he is overworked and underappreciated.
Frank, sadly, doesn’t last very long and dies that same episode after he snaps and accidentally electrocutes himself. During Frank’s funeral, Homer falls asleep, and as Frank’s eulogy is read, Homer sleepily says, “change the channel, Marge.” This, of course, prompts everyone in attendance to laugh at him, even as Grimes is lowered into his grave. It’s a truly tragic tale because Grimes doesn’t get recognition even on the day of his funeral, and all the attention is on Homer again. That is, quite literally, the final nail in the coffin.
“Bart Gets an F”
Season 2, Episode 1 (1990)
It’s no secret that Bart (Nancy Cartwright) isn’t an academic. He never seems to take school seriously, which is central to his character. However, there have been a few instances where Bart had no choice but to try as hard as he could. With the threat of being held back looming, Bart has to pass a history test: he studies intensively for the test, which is odd for him, to say the least. Sadly, Bart flunks the test anyway and breaks down crying at his failure.
Not only is it sad, but it’s familiar for many students and teachers alike. Sometimes, no matter how hard a student studies or prepares for a particular subject, they cannot do better. Yet, the episode does make an additional point: even though the student may not excel at one particular area, they perform well in others. Bart successfully passed the test due to his extended knowledge of the material, earning him extra credit. Even though Bart may not be good at repeating the information back, he is still good at applying it in other areas.
“Barthood”
Season 27, Episode 9 (2016)
Emotional moments are something of a rarity in newer seasons ofThe Simpsons, which makes this episode a welcome surprise. ‘Barthood’ shows Bart’s future as he grows. His relationship with his father begins to deteriorate when Bart reaches the age of twelve, and the passing of Grampa (Dan Castellaneta) certainly doesn’t help things.
Bart drops his famous catchphrases, finds a passion for bicycles, drops out of school, and eventually makes amends with Homer when they both realize they’re trying their best. Bart ends up running a custom bicycle shop and seems relatively content in his life. Though there are several messages to take away from the episode, the emotion ultimately comes from seeing familiar characters age and find peace, one way or another.
“One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish”
Season 2, Episode 11 (1991)
This episode ofThe Simpsonswas less funny and more extremely morbid. Homer runs into trouble when he accidentally eats highly-poisonous pufferfish, which is often lethal if improperly prepared. After a quick visit to Dr. Hibbert (Harry Shearer), Homer finds out that he has less than twenty-four hours to live.
Homer spends what he assumes to be his last day on Earth with his family, tucking them all into bed and kissing them goodnight before waiting for his death in the living room. The episode does make it seem like he’s dead for a brief moment, but luckily, Homer survives, and the family rejoices. Homer may rag on his family life at times, but this near-death experience showed Homer exactly what he had and what he would be leaving behind.
“The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show”
Season 8, Episode 14 (1997)
Season 8 ofThe Simpsonsis when the showrunners were receiving a plethora of complaints from viewers, prompting them to craft pretty well-made responses. Whereas Frank Grimes is a way of personifying the criticisms, “The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show"is a way of addressing it head-on. The episode centers around a writing team behindthe popular in-universe cartoon, “The Itchy & Scratchy Show.”
Fans of the show are interviewed, revealing that nothing is wrong with the show; it is growing stale. The fans' demands are also impossible, as, like many Simpsons fans, they simultaneously want outlandish plotlines and more realistic plotlines. The writing team introduces a new character called Poochie, voiced by Homer Simpson, but he is quickly removed due to plummeting approval ratings. When the show is back to normal, Bart and Lisa (Yeardley Smith) still search for other things to watch. The message here is simple: with television, you cannot please everyone, the show will eventually grow stale to many, and viewership will fall, which is precisely what happened withThe Simpsons, ironically.
“Grift of the Magi”
Season 11, Episode 9 (1999)
ThisChristmas-themedSimpsonsepisodeaddressed some of the main criticisms behind the public schooling system, at least in the US. Many who have gone through public school in America believe that school does not nurture a child’s creativity or other talents and teaches them things that may not always be applicable in everyday life, such as advanced algebra. The showrunners' response was to have a toy company take over Springfield Elementary and parody these criticisms.
The toy company exploits the children’s creativity to make the perfect toy for Christmas and punishes Lisa when she is seen doing math in class. It’s the antithesis of what many feel public schooling is. The show seems to point out that what’s important is a mixture of both creativity and practicality. Imagination is great, but it’s equally important to know math and science, and if kids exceed in these areas, nurture them. Another main point is that maybe kids shouldn’t be punished for showing skill in areas outside of the perceived status quo.
“Moaning Lisa”
Season 1, Episode 6 (1990)
One of the earliest episodes of the season sees Lisa in a state of melancholy. She is irreversibly glum and mopes around for nearly the entire episode. Marge (Julie Kavner) wants to fix her daughter, and her solution to this is to scold her, in a sense. She repeatedly tells Lisa to cheer up and feel better without offering any real answers.
Towards the end of the episode, Lisa explains to Marge that there doesn’t necessarily have to be a reason but that people need to feel sad sometimes. It’s part of being human. Marge finally understands and states that she will always support Lisa, no matter how she feels. The point here is simple: it’s okay not to be okay sometimes.
“Radioactive Man”
Season 7, Episode 2 (1995)
Radioactive Man is a fictional superhero that appears inThe Simpsons. He is the favorite superhero of Bart and many other kids at Springfield Elementary. So, when it is announced that filmmakers for a Radioactive Man movie are coming to the school to search for potential actors for the superhero’s sidekick, Fallout Boy, fans are naturally excited.
Bart auditions but doesn’t land the part despite being the director’s favorite in terms of performance. The only thing wrong is that Bart is deemed an inch too short for the role. Despite never auditioning, Bart’s best friend Milhouse (Pamela Hayden) is selected instead. Milhouse is subject to everything Hollywood actors go through on-set injuries, exhaustion, extremely long days, and loneliness. Aside from being a critique of Hollywood, the episode shows just how powerful envy is. Bart wants nothing more than to be a Hollywood actor, whereas Milhouse would do anything to be an average kid again. It’s a powerful commentary on the effects of fame on one’s personality.
Season 12, Episode 9 (2001)
HOMRis an episode that completely changes the show’s main protagonist. Homer is found to have a crayon in his brain, and when it is surgically removed, he becomes a genius. He is noticeably smarter, much to the surprise of everyone around him. This deepensHomer’s bond with Lisa, naturally. Not everyone is pleased by this, and he begins making more enemies than friends.
Homer slowly becomes aware that he is running short on friends. He opts to have the crayon reinserted to return to his normal dopey self again. The moral of the story here is that personal improvements are worth nothing if it means losing the ones you love.
“Mona Leaves-a”
Season 19, Episode 19 (2008)
This episode doesn’t necessarily have a powerful narrative, but it is incredibly tragic. In this episode, Homer is visited by his mother, Mona (Glenn Close), who abandoned him and his father when Homer was just a child. This is the first time he has seen her in years, so he is thrilled yet naturally apprehensive of her showing up so suddenly.
He still harbors bitter feelings towards her for leaving him and expresses his contempt directly. That night, he decides he may have been a little harsh, and goes to speak to his mother to apologize, only to be confronted with the fact that she sadly passed away in her sleep. It’s a painful glimpse into Homer’s emotional past, and it’s even sadder knowing the last thing Mona knew was that her son resented her.
