# EW's Top 25 Simpsons **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 3, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570 "2003-02-03T19:50:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wolverine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba9def/32.png) [@Wolverine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolverine)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570/1 "2003-02-03T19:50:53Z")
Entertainment Weekly has picked their 25 favorite Simpsons episodes. The link is here at [Top 25 Simpsons](http://www.ew.com/ew/article/commentary/0,6115,417748~3~0~wepick25best,00.html). I thought the list was well put to together. My favorite episode “Marge versus the Monorail” was at number 4. They give fairly accurate descriptions of what’s good about the episodes. The biggest condemnation against the Simpsons is that most of the favorites were early ninties. There was only one from 2000 on. ---
**Author:** ![PigArcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@PigArcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PigArcher)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570/2 "2003-02-03T22:45:22Z")
They left out “Bart the General” from the first season. One of the best Simpsons episodes ever, IMHO. “Last Exit to Springfield” and “Marge v. the Monorail” are pretty good, but “Cape Feare” and “Homer’s Phobia” in the top five? Definately third-rate episodes, at best. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570/3 "2003-02-03T23:20:34Z")
Did you notice that a lot of the screencaps looked like they were taken off bad videotape copies? Pretty sad for a national magazine. ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570/4 "2003-02-03T23:31:50Z")
Cape Feare doesn’t belong there, nor does the Spinoff Showcase–great idea, so-so execution. I was always fond of the the one with Marge in the musical version of A Streetcar Named Desire–“A stranger’s just a friend you’ve never met!” And, just to show I don’t hate _all_ the more recent episodes: the Behind the Laughter episode should be on that list. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570/5 "2003-02-03T23:43:55Z")
Well, I give their list a big thumbs down because it doesn’t even contain what I consider the: funniest-episode-ever: **Homer’s Enemy** (the first Frank Grimes episode). Unceasing, overbearing, unstoppable, abusive sarcasm from start to finish! ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570/6 "2003-02-03T23:46:39Z")
I’m shcked that the casino episode didn’t even make the list. That episode is one of my all time favorites. The Treehouse of Horror with the killer krusty doll also deserved to be on there ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570/7 "2003-02-03T23:52:16Z")
> [@](#): > > But ‘‘The Simpson Family Smile-Time Variety Hour’’ is the strongest of the three spawn – a searing homage to one of the most dreadful spin-offs ever, ‘‘The Brady Bunch Hour.’’ I liked the first two, but that one was **too** good - I was utterly repulsed. I can’t even watch that segment anymore. Any top 25 list of mine would include **In Marge We Trust** in the top five. IMO, Mr. Sparkle is the funniest sub plot of any Simpsons episode. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570/8 "2003-02-04T00:31:13Z")
My only comment on this list is how could they have included “I Love Lisa” but not made any mention of the “Mediocre Presidents” song? That is still my favorite Simpsons song. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570/9 "2003-02-04T00:52:21Z")
Not a bad list. I would definitely have excluded the Spin-Off Showcase and included “El Viaje Myseterioso de Nuestro Jomer”. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570/10 "2003-02-04T00:52:26Z")
I’ve always thought that “Lisa the Vegetarian” was one of their best efforts. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570/11 "2003-02-04T01:14:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DoctorJ \* > \*\*Not a bad list. I would definitely have excluded the Spin-Off Showcase and included “El Viaje Myseterioso de Nuestro Jomer”. \*\* Exactly. How could have I forgot the epic performance from Johnny Cash? ---
**Author:** ![Flymaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@Flymaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flymaster)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570/12 "2003-02-04T01:23:16Z")
No “Lemon Of Troy”? Heresy. ---
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570/13 "2003-02-04T01:38:05Z")
Major props for including “Flaming Moe’s,” but “Lisa’s Substitute” shoulda been on there too. ---
**Author:** ![Skid\_Row](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/779978/32.png) [@Skid\_Row](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skid_Row)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570/14 "2003-02-04T01:44:57Z")
Anyone for… **[color=blue]KRUSTY GETS CANCELLED?!?!?!?!?!**[/color=blue] (…that oughta hold the little s.o.b.'s…) ---
**Author:** ![whiteboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@whiteboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiteboy)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570/15 "2003-02-04T01:54:15Z")
The Mr. X episode was my favorite ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570/16 "2003-02-04T03:14:51Z")
**You Only Move Twice** was not included. I cannot, therefore, take this list seriously. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570/17 "2003-02-04T03:38:44Z")
I thought Cape Feare was a pretty good episode. I think it placed unnaturally high, but I’d put it on the list somewhere. But Homer’s Phobia? Dear God no! That’s just wrong in so many ways. Overall I think the list is really quite good, better than a lot of Simpsons lists I’ve seen. I do have issue with How I Spent My Strummer Vacation, though. Average at best. I think that and Homer’s Phobia should have been replaced with Lisa’s Substitute and A Streetcar Named Marge. ---
**Author:** ![Fang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/96bed5/32.png) [@Fang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fang)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570/18 "2003-02-04T03:55:55Z")
I’ve always been partial to Lord of the Flies and the Stonecutters (actually called Homer the Great), and was disappointed to see that neither of them made the list. ---
**Author:** ![JDeMobray](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@JDeMobray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JDeMobray)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570/19 "2003-02-04T04:06:54Z")
Needs more **Deep Space Homer** , needs more **Homer’s Enemy** , needs more **Call of the Simpsons** , needs more **Trilogy of Error**. And maybe most of all, needs a lot more **Bart’s Friend Falls in Love**. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2003, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570/20 "2003-02-04T05:45:37Z")
“Last Exit to Springfield” is my favorite episode, and it made their list at #1. 🙂 “Behind the Laughter” was a glaring exclusion. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ews-top-25-simpsons/152570.md?page=2)