Simpsons

"Uh, hi, Mr. Meyers. I've been doing some thinking, and I've got some ideas to improve the show. I got it right here. One, Poochie needs to be louder, angrier, and have access to a time machine. Two, whenever Poochie's not onscreen, all the other characters should be asking "Where's Poochie"?" - Homer Simpson, "The Itchy and Scratchy And Poochie Show". How prescient. 

Scullyfied Simpsons

With The Simpsons entering it's 25th season, I have decided to take a look back at the greatest episodes of the show from the greatest er...

...I'm sorry. I can't even finish that without cringing at how stupid that sentence is.

What we will be looking at is the era of The Simpsons that sent the show to it's grave, the years where Mike Scully was showrunner. In layman's terms, this is seasons 9-12 (with a few holdovers in Season 13). The plots got crazier and repetitive (at the same time), characterization got sketchier, and the writing got dumber all around.

However, I will be (largely) sticking to the Mike Scully years, as the episodes from this era have a distinct feel. Unlike the Al Jean years (Seasons 13 until the heat death of the universe), which are comparatively uninteresting, these episodes at least are distinct in their insanity. I also want to know if there is any redeeming quality to these episodes, or if they are the disposable wreck that fandom holds these episodes up as.

Also, note that I will be covering the first few episodes of season 9 despite Mike Scully not being executive producer, and will cover the first few episodes of season 13, because he was producer during those episodes.

Season 9: In which Scully takes the helm. It's the season that gave us the heights of Lisa's backstory, the dangers of Real Estate, Krusty's brief foray into standup, and a parody of Lord of the Flies. It also gave us the depths of the Trash scandal, the Carnies, Homer winding up between two parts of a drawbridge, and of course... Armin Tamzarian.

1. The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson
2. The Principal and the Pauper
3. Lisa's Sax
4. Treehouse of Horror VIII
5. The Cartridge Family
6. Bart Star
7. The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons
8. Lisa the Skeptic
9. Realty Bites
10. Miracle on Evergreen Terrace
11. All Singing, All Dancing
12. Bart Carny
13. The Joy of Sect
14. Das Bus
15. The Last Temptation of Krust
16. Dumbbell Indemnity
17. Lisa the Simpson
18. This Little Wiggy
19. Simpson Tide
20. The Trouble with Trillions
21. Girly Edition
22. Trash of the Titans
23. King of the Hill
24. Lost our Lisa
25. Natural Born Kissers

Season 10: The season where the show's quality buckled. It gave us the zenith of Jerkass Homer, insane celebrity cameos, self-driving trucks, and the first "trilogy" episode. It marked the tragic end of Phil Hartman's run on the show.

1. Lard of the Dance
2. The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace
3. Bart The Mother
4. Treehouse of Horror IX
5. When You Dish Upon a Star
6. D'oh-in in the Wind
7. Lisa Gets An "A"
8. Homer Simpson in: Kidney Trouble
9. Mayored to the Mob
10. Viva Ned Flanders
11. Wild Barts Can't Be Broken
12. Sunday, Cruddy Sunday
13. Homer to the Max
14. I'm with Cupid
15. Marge Simpson in: Screaming Yellow Honkers
16. Make Room for Lisa
17. Maximum Homerdrive
18. Simpsons Bible Stories
19. Mom and Pop Art
20. The Old Man and the C Student
21. Monty Can't Buy Me Love
22. They Saved Lisa's Brain
23. Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo

Season 11: The season where the show arguably took the plunge beyond the event horizon. From this season came arguably the worst flash-forward episode ever made (for 14 years), Mel Gibson accepting Homer's advice, the rise of Tomacco, the death of Maude, Marge finally going insane (sort of), Barney going sober, the ill-fated (for fans and characters alike) trip to Florida, and the infamous horse episode. You know the one.

1. Beyond Blundersome
2. Brother's Little Helper
3. Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner?
4. Treehouse of Horror X
5. E-I-E-I-Do'h
6. Hello Gutter, Hello Father
7. Eight Misbehavin'
8. Take My Wife, Sleaze
9. Grift of the Magi
10. Little Big Mom
11. Faith Off
12. The Mansion Family
13. Saddlesore Galactica
14. Alone Again, Natura-Diddly
15. Missionary Impossible
16. Pygmoelian
17. Bart to the Future
18. Days of Wine and D'ohses
19. Kill the Alligator and Run
20. Last Tap Dance in Springfield
21. It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge
22. Behind the Laughter

Season 12: The season where Scully permanently damaged his career. From the writers pens came Krusty's daughter, Homer attempting suicide over area codes, the "Worst Episode Ever" not living up to it's name (thankfully), and of course, "Homer vs. Dignity", which did live up to it's name in that it killed the show's last standards of lowbrow comedy.

1. Treehouse of Horror XI
2. A Tale of Two Springfields
3. Insane Clown Poppy
4. Lisa the Tree Hugger
5. Homer v. Dignity
6. The Computer Wore Menace Shoes
7. The Great Money Caper
8. Skinner's Sense of Snow
9. HOMR
10. Pokey Mom
11. Worst Episode Ever
12. Tennis the Menace
13. Day of the Jacknapes
14. New Kids on the Blecch
15. Hungry, Hungry Homer
16. Bye Bye Nerdie
17. Simpson Safari
18. Trilogy of Error
19. I'm Going to Praiseland
20. Children of a Lesser Clod
21. Simpson Tall Tales

Season 13: The season where somebody wised up, and Scully wound up leaving. Unfortunately, they replaced him with somebody that was barely better. From Scully's last stand came one of the worst characters ever on the show, Homer winding up in trouble with Moe's (and starting his own bar), Burns falling in love, and the fate of Smithers's dad finally being revealed.

1. Treehouse of Horror XII
2. The Parent Rap
3. Homer the Moe
4. A Hunka Hunka Burns in Love
5. The Blunder Years