Top Nine Friday – “Up and AT THEM” Edition
For this edition of Top Nine Friday I wanted to examine a television show that has been close to my heart ever since I was just a youngster playing with GI Joe and avoiding getting my ass beat by my older brothers. That show is M.A.S.H… just kidding, I hate that fucking show. Just hearing the first few notes of the opening song of M.A.S.H makes me wish the Korean War never happened, just so that show was never made. Anyways, the show I am really referring to is The Simpsons.
I watched it religiously all through grade school and into high school. Then it became syndicated and I was able to watch it every day. This continued through high school and even into college where the 2 hours that the reruns played were dedicated solely to Simpsons viewing. In college my house would literally shut down during this time of the day. To be honest though I have not watched a new Simpson’s episode in a few years and disavow all knowledge of any new episodes being created after 2002. My hours of couch time spent watching this show has given me an encyclopedic knowledge of any Simpsons episode from seasons 3-13 (the early episodes have not aged well). So in honor of Marge Simpson appearing on the cover of Playboy I am examining the best of the best Simpsons episodes from those years:
9 – Rosebud – October 21st, 1993
“64 slices of American cheese…”
Turning the tables on someone who has more power over you is always fun… except when you are an idiot and you have no idea how to use that “something” to your advantage.
8 – Itchy and Scratchy Land – October 2nd, 1994
“We have another jumper on the roof of TGI McScratchy’s”
Of all of the episodes I may have watched this one the most. I happened to tape this one sometime in high school and watched it whenever there was nothing else on. One thing though, Marge says “See Homer, that’s why your robot never worked” (pointing to the circuits in the head of an robot Scratchy), I still don’t get that joke – but for some reason I laugh at it.
7 – Take My Wife, Sleaze – November 28th 1999
“When in an interview, try not to call your employer a punk or a skank.”
Not much to say about this episode other than can’t think of a better name for a biker gang than Christ Punchers. Also, any time someone says the word resumé, I immediately think of the biker gang members…
6 – Lisa the Vegetarian – October 15th, 1995
“Another Whopper for the COPPER!”
A part of me always knew… but this episode confirmed that “You don’t make friends with salad… you don’t make friends with salad.”
5 – El Viaje Misterioso De Nuestro Homer – January 7th, 2009
“In your face Space Coyote!”
This episode reminds me of college and gave me some indispensable advice, specifically I knew exactly what to do if I ever woke up hungover in a sand trap. As well as that you never kick a turtle in the ass if he is trying to lead the way to your spirit guide.
4 – You Only Move Once – November 3rd, 1996
“Did you ever see a guy talk to a pair of shoes?”
This episode never shows up on any of people’s favorites list but for me it is one of the best. I watched this many times in college and it helped me develop my skewed view of what the job world awaiting me would be like. Add that to making fun of developmentally disabled schools “They think I’m slow because I’m from Canada”, make this one a winner.
3 – Homer Goes to College – October 14, 1993
“NNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRDDDDDDDDDDDDSSSSSSSS!”
This episode was one of Conan O’Brien’s last episodes and one of the best of the series. For the simple fact that this introduced the word “Nerdlinger” into my vocabulary it is essential on this Top 9 list.
2 – $pringfield – December 16, 1993
“That’s a right triangle, you idiot!”
I love gambling and to see an unlikely target for vice, Marge, get sucked into Gamblor’s evil neon claws is especially rewarding. To this day I still want to see the episode of The Gong Show with the break dancing robot that caught on fire.
1 – Deep Space Homer – February 24th, 1994
“I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords”
This episode typifies the intelligent commentary on media, politics and everyday life that drew so many people to the series (and still sneaks in a joke about Mr. T). It was a show that exemplified the truth about the world we live in more than any show before it. It paved the way for the age of entertainment we live in today where we are more likely to get our news from comedians and laugh at politicians. In the end this episode may be truly prophetic “Wait… that was our Planet!”
As I started to write this article I had no idea how difficult this was and I know I missed a bunch. Are there any glaring omissions?
What about the Monorail episode?
“Mono means one, and rail means rail….this concludes the 3 week course.”
Yes – also very similar to Acapulco “Mystery Fluid” “Mystery because you don’t know where it comes from and fluid means fluid… thus ends the 1 day course”