There’s a quote that I forget to mention in my last Simpson’s review that I want to leave a link to because I love it so much: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G8XQA9QFS0
Welcome to the beginning of mid-August. Yeah, I know I’m slightly late but I did mention in my first review that I’m not likely to stick to the schedule I set for myself. Just keep in mind that if there is something I have said I will review and I don’t do it on time that means I will eventually get around to it. It could be months or years but I swear on my mother’s maiden name that I, The Blog Complainer, will review everything that I said I would review. Unless it’s Reality TV and then you’re out of luck.
Here we are back in the early 90’s when The Simpsons ruled the Television land next to Seinfeld and, I guess, Full House. For this review I’m just going to cut straight to the point and talk about the episodes from my least favourite to the best. Why am I doing this? Well, if you haven’t noticed, each one of these reviews I do just get longer and longer. Also the formula I use felt like it was getting old so let’s change it up and yeah I know I’m breaking my own rules, but something you didn’t know about me is that I’ve never been good at following the rules. Well, to be more precise, I’m not very good at following my own rules. But anyway let’s get started.
The BC Does Another Ranking List: Worst To Best Simpson’s Season 4 Episodes.
- Krusty Gets Kancelled
Another Season Finale at the bottom of my list. Just to put this out there I don’t hate any of these bottom episodes they’re all just really meh and that includes this one. So the plot is something bigger than Krusty comes to town and his show gets cancelled. Then Lisa and Bart need to help him get back on his feet. Krusty centric episodes I’ve felt have always being the weakest part of any season, especially this one. This one felt like they were trying to redo Homer At The Bat with all the celebrity cameos but not really using them well. It’s hard to explain but I found the episode very boring and just having celebrities show up because they can and it’s just very mehhhh.
The Saving Grace
- So It Comes To This: A Simpsons Clip show
The first 5 minutes were alright with the April Fool’s shenanigans but then it gets to remembering everything Homer has done and how great he was. It’s just boring and if I wanted to remember what the characters have done I would just rewatch the episodes as I own them all. Clip Shows are just filler, wouldn’t you agree Teen Titans Go!
- Lisa The Beauty Queen
The plot is kicked off by Lisa feeling ashamed of her looks because of a cartoony drawing of her. Maybe if was a student or something I could go along with it, but a drawing! Come on Lisa you don’t see me whining over my drawing of myself, though I do wish my skin was more greener. The rest of the episode is pretty mediocre compared to the top 15 episodes.
- Marge In Chains
Marge goes to prison and it was pretty uneventful. Marge is caught shoplifting and she goes to jail. Isn’t it a bit extreme to send someone to prison for shoplifting, and by accident mind you! But whatever, at least Lionel Hutz returns to be the saving grace of this episode.
- Marge Gets A Job
Another Marge episode where we start out pretty good with the Simpson’s house in a sinkhole so Marge has to get a job. But then Mr. Burns falls in love with her and the episode gets pretty stupid from there where they pointlessly bring Tom Jones into the episode.
- Kamp Krusty
This was the episode that the writers wanted to turn into a movie which they didn’t obviously. I liked the beginning with Bart desperately wanting to get a C average so he can go to Kamp Krusty but he fails anyway and I love Mrs. Krabappel’s stinger line. But Homer lets Bart go anyway only for him to be struck down with irony. I guess it was a cool twist when it turns out that Kamp Krusty is just a cheap cash grab because it’s Krusty we’re talking about. Not a bad episode.
- Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie
Homer finally draws the line on Bart’s behaviour when he bans him from seeing the title of the episode. I quite enjoyed this one. Too bad this episode has no consequences outside this episode and again the opening with the parent teacher interview I found enjoyable.
- Homer’s Triple Bypass
We are finally at the good episodes. Homer has a heart attack and he is also on the verge of death and I would’ve be afraid if this one of the final episodes and not halfway through the season. But it is still a very entertaining episode from Mr. Burns insulting Homer and even causing his heart attack to Dr Nick having no idea what he’s doing.
- The Front
I like the premise of this episode where the kids write Itchy & Scratchy Cartoons using Grandpa Simpson as a puppet. But this one is pretty forgettable besides Homer’s subplot and learning Grandpa’s first name.
- New Kid On The Block
This is the first episode where Bart has a crush on someone, it’s the first appearance of recurring character Ruth Powers, first appearance of The Sea Captain and the first relevant appearance of The Old Jewish Man. It’s also the last season to regularly use Bart’s Crank Calls which is kind of sad. The episode itself is pretty good although the subplot is more interesting than the main one.
- Mr. Plow
The only episode in this season to win an Emmy because of a short catchy song. This is a pretty good episode but it’s one of those episodes you like when your younger but not as much when your older. But this gag here is just the best.
- Brother From The Same Planet
From here on we are at the best episodes of the season. This episode was one my favourites when I was a kid and made me wish I had an older brother like Tom who is played by Phil Hartman but, fun fact, the role was originally written for Tom Cruise. Bet you didn’t know that!
- I Love Lisa
This is the episode where Ralph Wiggum finally gets the spotlight after three years of sitting in the background. This episode is pretty cute, it’s also really funny and every scene with Chief Wiggum is amazing.(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzD1EuIX5Qs) I couldn’t find the clip but when Chief Wiggum shoots Homer’s tail light and Homer says ‘One day we’ll stand up to you crooked cops’ and Wiggum says ‘Oh God, have they planned a date?’ it had me cracking me up.
- Homer The Heretic
Homer The Heretic has always been one of my favourite episodes. This one is basically about Homer becoming an atheist and deciding that staying at home is a better religion than listening to Reverend Lovejoy’s rambling. It’s got a pretty good message at the end and the scenes where Homer interacts with God were also pretty good.
- Whacking Day
This episode might have the best opening of the season where Skinner locks Bart and the bullies in the basement and we’re introduced to one of the best characters on the show Superintendent Chalmers. Chalmers and Skinner’s great chemistry is interrupted by Bart and Skinner expels him. The plot kicks off when Marge decides to home school Bart and he actually starts to do really well and then roughly over half-way through someone mentions Whacking Day. It also ends really good with the best use of a celebrity cameo besides just showing up for no reason and it ends with the reveal that the snake whacking holiday was made-up just so they could beat up the Irish. Nice stuff.
- Duffless
Homer is forced to give up beer which is just a great premise. It was great seeing Homer having trouble getting over Duff along with a good parody of ‘A Very Good Year’ but with a very good beer while listening to Queen. The other plot with Lisa getting revenge on Bart was pretty good, the ending of the episode was very touching and my favourite part of the episode is this scene:
- Lisa’s First Word
Another flashback episode which shows Lisa’s birth, how the Simpsons got their house, Homer meeting Flanders and how Grandpa ended up in the old folks home. It has another touching ending and it’s another entertaining episode. Pretty much from here on I loved every minute of these episodes.
- A Streetcar Named Marge
Marge joins a production for Streetcar Named Desire and it’s provides a commentary on Homer and Marge’s relationship. Jon Lovitz returns with his best performance yet and Maggie gets an entertaining subplot at the day-care. We also see the first appearance of Flanders’s abs which I thought was worth pointing out because he has a pretty good body. Next Episode!
- Selma’s Choice
Selma no longer needs a man in her life, but wants a baby. The opening at the funeral is great, Selma dating Hans Moleman is just hilarious, Homer getting sick over a giant sandwich is really good too and it’s nice to see an ending that actually carries over to the next episode. That’s why episodes like Itchy & Scratchy the Movie were pushed back for me because they had no real consequences.
- Treehouse of Horror III
A fitting spot – not intentional. (I Swear.) The Treehouse of Horror series are always something to look forward to. All three of these shorts are excellent, they’re all hilarious and entertaining. The writers just brought it all into these shorts. I think my favourite is the zombie short because of it being a great parody of the old zombie movies and Homer’s classic line when he kills an zombified Flanders.
- Marge Vs The Monorail
The top 5 were very hard for me to decide since I love all these episodes to death and I eventually decided that this will be my number two. If you don’t know this episode (and if you don’t, then why not?) Mr Burns gives the town 3 million dollars for illegally dumping toxic waste in a park. So a con artist played by Phil Hartman comes to town to offer them a monorail. Homer becomes the conductor with no training or idea on how it works and the episode cleverly leaves all these clues that this Monorail is going to go downhill and I love the ending that this isn’t the first time Springfield invested in one these crazy one off gimmicks.
- Last Exit To Springfield
It’s known as one of the best episodes in the series for a reason. Homer starts a protest against Mr Burns to get their dental plan back. Every scene with Homer and Burns is hilarious how Mr Burns thinks he got Homer in a corner but Homer gets out of it by accident by being confused on what’s going on or just not listening. It’s got great commentary while also being a very funny episode full of great moments. It’s simply just a classic episode.
Man that took longer than I thought and now I realise I don’t know when to shut up. To make this short all I’ll say is Season 4 is the best season so far in this series and from what I remember Season 5 and 6 are even better so I’ll see you all again in a months’ time although no promises.
(To keep one tradition alive) Season Rating: 9/10.
