21.1 Homer the Whopper
Bart and Milhouse recruit Comic Book Guy to help them turn their comic book into a movie.
Homer is cast for his everyman persona, but the studio insists he get in shape with the help of a trainer (Seth Rogen).
Once the trainer leaves, Homer reverts to his old habits and the movie is a spectacular failure.
This is a fun critique of the then-nascent super hero genre.
I always love a Matt Groening cameo.
Rogen and his partner Evan Goldberg wrote the episode after learning James Brooks was a Superbad fan; their enthusiasm is infectious and led to a great start to season 21!
21.2 Bart Gets a “Z”
After Edna takes away cell phones in class, the angry students conspire to have her humiliated and fired. She’s replaced by a younger teacher, Zachary Vaughn. While initially thrilled with the change, Bart feels guilty and works to help a depressed Edna. He encourages her to pursue her dream of opening a muffin store, but when she reveals her real dream was to retire as a teacher, Bart confesses his part in her firing. She responds by cruelly telling him he was the only one of her students who was “bad on the inside.”
A contrite Bart admits his malfeasance to Skinner and works to get her reinstated.
Edna centric episodes are always fun, especially episodes which take her seriously and don’t make her the butt of the joke. She’s a compelling figure, a stand in for those who saw the dreams of their youth waste away (like a reverse Mr. Holland). Her dynamic with Bart is one of the best the show has to offer.
It’s crazy the show aired an episode about the difficulties of navigating phones in classrooms sixteen years ago and we’re still struggling with the same issue!
This was a good episode in a rejuvenated season.
21.3 The Great Wife Hope
When MMA fever sweeps Springfield, Marge, predictably, leads a protest against the violence.
She winds up accepting a challenge to step into the ring with the sports promoter Roy Englebrecht.
After an extensive training session, the match goes horribly until Bart is attacked and her momma bear instinct takes over.
MMA fighter Marge is not something I knew I needed, but it’s funny and her training montage is top notch.
The episode really takes it up a notch with an ending parodying the Rocky franchise: Bart and Lisa enter the ring and the camera freezes as they prepare to throw punches.
It’s a very good entry in the canon, one of the better Marge protest episodes.
21.4 Treehouse of Horror XX
Another excellent episode and a fantastic addition to the Treehouse canon.
The bumpers with classic Universal Horror monsters in the opening and Kang and Kodos making their annual appearance in the closing are fun.
The first segment is a pitch perfect parody of Strangers on a Train with Bart and Lisa promising to do each other’s dirty work. I love Hitchcock, so this checked a lot of boxes.
The second segment is an amusing send up of the zombie genre (particularly 28 Days Later), but it’s the weakest segment; zombie Simpsons has been done way too many times.
The final segment is a fun parody of Sweeney Todd with Moe discovering that Homer’s blood makes a perfect microbrew. A full musical segment of The Simpsons parodying one of the darkest musicals in Broadway history? — sign me up for more of this.
21.5 The Devil Wears Nada
Marge gets tipsy during a charity calendar shoot and her risqué photos leads to increased attention from Springfield’s men and an increase in her libido.
Meanwhile, Carl is promoted to Homer’s boss and becomes a task master (like Miranda Priestly). Carl’s demanding behavior causes strain on the Simpson marriage, especially when Carl coerces Homer to go on an extended business trip to France.
I enjoyed randy Marge. Typically the Simpson physical intimacy is pushed by Homer. Carl as the hard driving boss was a nice character development and the parody of French president Sarkozy was a harder punch than the show typically throws – a pleasant surprise for me.
In an amazing piece of fortuitous timing, this unusually edgy episode was in the pipeline and premiered when Marge appeared on the cover of Playboy.
A fun episode in a fun season.
21.6 Pranks and Greens
When Bart learns about a previous wild child / prankster at Springfield Elementary, Andy Hamilton (Jonah Hill), he goes to meet him, hoping to find inspiration in a kindred spirit. However, Andy’s life is unspectacular and proves a cautionary tale about the dangers of being a lifelong prankster/ slacker. Determined to help Andy, Bart gets him a job working with Krusty. Lisa wryly observes TV writers and pranksters have similar, unimpressive skill sets.
Meanwhile, Marge is mom shamed for her family’s eating habits.
Mom shaming has been done far better elsewhere, and the Bart / Andy story doesn’t really go anywhere.
I loved seeing Jonah Hill in the show. Anytime a lifelong fan cameos, it makes me happy, but when the episode they’re in is subpar it’s disheartening.
21.7 Rednecks and Broomsticks
Lisa is entangled with a couple of Wiccan girls, while Homer bonds with Cletus over moonshine.
Casting Neve Campbell of The Craft as a Wiccan was funny stunt casting. Cletus is an underused character and giving him depth is always appreciated.
This was a fun episode and the two storylines intertwined in a satisfying way.
21.8 O Brother, Where Bart Thou?
Bart is jealous of the bond shared by Lisa and Maggie and decides he wants a little brother. When Homer and Marge refuse, Bart unofficially adopts an orphan as a replacement sibling, which provides a lesson in responsibility.
References to famous brothers (real and fictional), cameos from The Mannings and Kim Catrall, and a Plow King appearance? This is a lot of fun.
21.9 Thursdays with Abie
When journalist Marshall Goodman (Hank Azaria) publishes Grandpa Simpson’s stories in the paper, Homer is jealous of the relationship and retaliates by transcribing Burns’ stories, but is rejected for publication. While at the paper, Homer uncovers a manuscript revealing Marshall intends to kill Grandpa; he rushes to save his dad and the two are (briefly) reconciled.
Meanwhile, Bart takes possession of the class’s stuffed lamb and has a harrowing weekend adventure.
It was fun to see Mitch Albom guest star in a clear parody of his Tuesdays with Morrie, and having Hank Azaria (who played Albom in the film adaptation) play Marshall (the Albom parody) was clever.
While Grandpa / Homer episodes have a spotty track record, this was a hit and found a fun way to organically incorporate Grandpa’s rambling stories.
Although the Bart side plot was lackluster and aimless, this was a very good episode.
21.10 Once Upon a Time in Springfield
Krusty hires a young woman to help his show’s ratings with girls. It works, but changes the tenor of the show considerably, infuriating his boy fans.
Along the way, he falls in love with the new costar, Princess Penelope (Anne Hathaway).
Meanwhile, the workers at Springfield Power Plant briefly take a job elsewhere when Mr. Burns cuts their daily doughnut allotment to save costs.
Anne Hathaway is wonderful. She’s a self-avowed mega fan of the show and shines here. Eartha Kitt as one of Krusty’s former wives was a delightful surprise. As a nerdy child of the 80s and 90s who grew up with The Far Side, a Gary Larson cameo was perfection. Larson + The Simpsons defined my comedic sensibility and the mashup is a dream come true.
I loved this episode.
21.11 Million Dollar Maybe
On a massive lucky streak (including free vending machine food and a found CD), Homer stops to get a lottery ticket on the way to a wedding. He misses the event and winds up in the hospital only to discover he won the lottery.
Afraid to tell Marge he missed the wedding to buy a ticket, he avoids telling his family about his good luck and burns through his winnings, before eventually confessing to Marge who is remarkably unfazed.
In the B-plot, Lisa encourages the seniors at Grandpa’s home to be more active, but is met with resistance from their caretakers who prefer lethargic, lazy seniors.
I enjoyed seeing successful Homer for once and the Retirement Castle subplot was very funny. This episode famously featured fan designed character, Ricardo Bomba. It’s disappointing the show didn’t let Bomba make more than one appearance, but it’s cool they were willing to engage.
21.12 Boy Meets Curl
Homer and Marge bumble their way onto the US mixed doubles curling team with the Skinners (Seymour and Agnes). Together, they travel to the 2014 games in Sochi.
While the family is at the games, Lisa becomes obsessed with collecting Olympic pins.
I enjoyed the focus on one of the more mysterious Olympic sports, but it’s a lackluster episode. The Agnes / Seymour dynamic is good, but we’ve seen strains in the Homer / Marge relationship done better.
21.13 The Color Yellow
The Simpsons takes on racism and America’s history of slavery.
This weird episode tells via flashbacks and contrived plot devices how the Simpson family helped a slave, Virgil, escape and ends with a “shocking twist,” the family matriarch married Virgil making the Simpsons 1/64th black.
There’s relatives of the Van Houtens and Burns (because no one in Springfield ever lives anywhere else).
It’s convoluted and awkward. I commend the show for trying to tackle something substantive, but I wish it had been good.
21.14 Postcards from the Wedge
To the surprise of no one, Bart falls behind at school. In order to catch up, he’s assigned extra homework. This causes a riff between Homer and Marge which Bart exploits to his advantage. When Homer and Marge reconcile they go back to ignoring Bart’s problems.
Bart, realizing he wants his parents’ attention, plots an elaborate scheme to reclaim it.
There’s not enough laughs. A sitcom is supposed to be funny.
“Bart is a bad student” is old hat. Homer / Marge ignoring Bart is boring. Plus the finale is a little too elaborate and dark; Bart plans to destroy the school? Yikes!
Not one of my favorite episodes.
21.15 Stealing First Base
Bart develops a crush on Nikki (Sarah Silverman), but her over protective parents immediately demand the school become an affection free zone to thwart their budding romance.
Nikki, however, continues to send very mixed signals to an increasingly confused Bart.
Meanwhile, after Lisa gets a test mixed up with Ralph she’s briefly popular for being dumb, but when the truth is revealed, she’s once again ostracized for being smart. A desperate Lisa reaches out and none other than Michelle Obama arrives to encourage the kids to respect overachievers.
I enjoyed this episode. Bart with a crush is a bit played out, but this was a nice dynamic and Silverman was game. I really enjoyed the kissing montage (a clear homage to Cinema Paradiso).
The only minor quibble: I wish Michelle had voiced herself: a missed opportunity on her part.
21.16 The Greatest Story Ever D’Ohed
The Simpsons and Ned go to Jerusalem. After a fight with Ned, Homer develops a case of “Jerusalem syndrome,” preaching that the Abrahamic religions have more in common than different.
I enjoyed this entry in the “Simpsons abroad” canon; the tour of Jerusalem and Sacha Baron Cohen were both excellent.
This was a fun episode with some meat to it.
21.17 American History X-Cellent
After Burns is arrested and Smithers proves a horrible replacement boss, Homer, Lenny and Carl plot to break their old boss out of prison, but he chooses to stay with his cellmate and his new found religious life.
Bart and Lisa fight over an ant farm, but their struggle is rendered moot when Santa’s Little Helper eats the ants.
I always enjoy a Fat Tony appearance. and the parodies of Shawshank and Green Mile were in my wheelhouse.
The Lisa/Bart subplot was silly, but I really like the rest.
21.18 Chief of Hearts
Homer and Chief Wiggum bond after Homer gives him a candied apple. The two becomes fast friends, then briefly fall apart, only to reconcile during a perilous encounter with Fat Tony.
Meanwhile, Bart’s brief obsession with a Japanese game show concerns Marge and Skinner who mistakenly suspect he might be on drugs.
Homer / Wiggum is a fun pairing the show should utilize more often.
The Bart subplot was mildly amusing, but it feels like the show’s “Japanese is funny” schtick is a bit of a cliche now.
I love a Fat Tony episode, but this was countered by my distaste for Judge Constance Hamm (my least favorite of the later regular additions to the cast).
It’s not a horrible episode and there’s stuff to like, but not enough to make it stand out.
21.19 The Squirt and the Whale
Homer goes off the grid with a wind turbine. and a beached whale lands in Springfield. Of course, Lisa is compelled to help the whale (nicknamed Bluella) and this, predictably, leads to a Simpsons parody of the infamous Oregon beached whale blown up in the 1970s.
This goes poorly and inexplicably ends with Lisa (assisted by Homer) leading Bluella’s calves to freedom while fending off a pack of sharks.
It feels lazy and paint by numbers.
One of my least favorite episodes.
21.20 To Surveil with Love
A British producer uses a nuclear incident to surreptitiously convince Springfield to install security cameras; which, he then uses to create a reality TV show for Queen Elizabeth II with Ned and Marge serving as hall monitors spying on their fellow citizens.
I like Eddie Izzard as the British producer and the royal family jokes were very funny, but the episode was disjointed and Lisa railing against blonde stereotypes feels like a misuse of her character.
The ending, with Grandpa wrecking his car into the school gym, was very dumb.
It’s slightly better than the previous episode, but only ever so.
21.21 Moe Letter Blues
Homer, Apu, and Reverend Lovejoy receive a letter from Moe telling them he has seduced one of their wives and is planning to run away with her. As the three men take turns recounting their recent marital issues, each is convinced their own marriage is on the rocks.
When they get home, the three husbands are relieved to find their spouse waiting for them and learn the whole incident was a ruse by Moe to encourage them to appreciate their wives.
I really liked this episode and Moe’s altruism was a pleasant surprise. I especially liked the earnestness of the ending.
21.22 The Bob Next Door
After a face transplant with his cellmate Walt, Sideshow Bob is released from prison under Walt’s identity. He buys a house next to the Simpsons and plots (once again) to kill Bart.
Bart recognizes his voice and is convinced it’s Bob in disguise, but the rest of his family is slow to believe him and a trip to the penitentiary seems to upend Bart’s theories.
Eventually Bob takes Bart to the Five Corners and tries to kill him in a legal loophole, but is (once again) thwarted.
Sideshow Bob is one of the most enduring or the Simpsons coterie of characters. Kelsey Grammer is always game and his deeply sonorous voice (especially singing Gilbert and Sullivan) is always amusing.
This is one of the better Bob episodes and the parody of Face/Off absolutely landed for me.
Bravo.
21.23 Judge Me Tender
Moe discovers he’s a really talented judge and begins a side hustle passing judgement on everyone.
As his career moves forward, he gets a shot to work on American Idol but is sabotaged by a jealous Simon Cowell.
With Moe’s bar closed, Homer stays home, putting stress on his marriage.
The cameos from the American Idol folks were excellent and Rupert Murdoch was very funny.
The Homer / Marge stuff was good, and they highlighted Santa’s Little Helper in a fun way.
A good episode.
| 1 | Homer the Whopper |
| 2 | Treehouse of Horror XX |
| 3 | Once Upon a Time in Springfield |
| 4 | O Brother, Where Bart Thou? |
| 5 | The Bob Next Door |
| 6 | The Great Wife Hope |
| 7 | Moe Letter Blues |
| 8 | Thursdays with Abie |
| 9 | Judge Me Tender |
| 10 | The Devil Wears Nada |
| 11 | Million Dollar Maybe |
| 12 | Rednecks and Broomsticks |
| 13 | The Greatest Story Ever D’ohed |
| 14 | Bart Gets a ‘Z |
| 15 | Chief of Hearts |
| 16 | American History X-Cellent |
| 17 | Stealing First Base |
| 18 | Boy Meets Curl |
| 19 | To Surveil with Love |
| 20 | Postcards from the Wedge |
| 21 | The Color Yellow |
| 22 | The Squirt and the Whale |
| 23 | Pranks and Greens |