Although I share many of the complaints listed here, they got it right on the money with Last Exit to Springfield in the #1 slot. It’s simply the pinnacle of the Simpsons writing craft…
1.) Timeless satire. This stuff will be relevant for decades to come. Well, we might have to explain the reference to the first Batman movie, but that’s about it.
2.) It takes pot-shots at EVERYTHING. Organized labor, greedy fat-cats, malevolent dentists, you name it, it’s all fair game.
3.) All the memorable one-liners you could ever hope for, one after another after another. Including one of the best uses to date of the word “Yoink!”, as well as “Sorry Mr. Burns, I don’t go in for these back-door shenanigans.”
4.) Greatest use of a day-dream sequence EVAR! It’s worth the price of admission just to hear Homer say “molto benne.”
5.) Non-sequiturs out the wazoo. Why in the hell would Lenny get a diamond put on his tooth?
6.) Who couldn’t possibly love Mr. Burns’ tour of his mansion? “It was the best of times, it was the BLURST of times!?! YOU STUPID MONKEY!”
7.) It’s basically cheap sentimentality free.
8.) Burns Sr’s turn of the century atom smashing factory was simply pure gold.
In short, this is the single best episode to represent the entire series, hands down.
