It’s nearly impossible to write something about “The Simpsons,” whether it be a list or a think piece, that hasn’t already been said. On Sunday, the long-running series celebrates its 500th episode, the first sitcom to ever hit that milestone. And with a half-thousand episodes comes 99.5 million Google search results for “the simpsons.”
So, instead of writing “10 Reasons Why Everything’s Come Up Milhouse” (#7. He was originally designed for a Butterfinger commercial, and Butterfingers are awesome) or “15 Great Post-Golden Era Episodes,” I’d rather just celebrate the funniest show of all-time. So: this is a gallery of the Best Simpsons GIFs. While not every scene has been immortalized in GIF-form (how has no one made “Sex Cauldron? I thought they closed that place down” yet?), some Internet folk have uploaded thousands of images online. I don’t say this lightly, but they’re the greatest American heroes.
Please feel free to share your favorite moments in the comments. For the sake of stating personal preferences, my five favorite episodes are: 5) “Lemon of Troy; 4) “Marge vs. the Monorail”; 3) “You Only Move Twice”; 2) “Last Exit to Springfield”; and 1) “A Milhouse Divided.” That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
Episode: “Wild Barts Can’t Be Broken” (Via)
The folks at Ethanol Pictures do good work. They must be in high spirits.
…
A thousand monkeys on a thousand typewriters, and that’s the best they could come up with.
Episode: “Bart Gets Famous” (Via)
“Dad, there’s more to me than just a catch-phrase.”
“How do you figure, boy?”
“Watch “The Conan O’Brien Show,” you’ll see.”
“All right, but after Leno I’m all laughed out, you know.”
Episode: “Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious” (Via)
“Hey, hey! It’s great to be back at the Apollo Theater, and…K-K-K? That’s not good…”
Episode: “Cape Feare” (Via)
Honest question: is “wet noodle” an old-timey slang way of saying “ax”? If so, can we start using it again? I would start watching “Ax Men” if they called it “Wet Noodle Men.”
Episode: “Wild Barts Can’t Be Broken” (Via)
“The Simpsons” called it, all the way back in 1999.
Episode: “I Love Lisa” (Via)
So many nights have begun this way, only to end with me bending my wookie later that evening.
Episode: “Homer Loves Flanders” (Via)
“Lies make Baby Jesus cry.”
Episode: “Lisa the Beauty Queen” (Via)
Episode: “The PTA Disbands” (Via)
One of the best recurring “Simpsons” gags is their love of people jumping out windows and, in one case, off boats. A full list can be found here, but my four favorite are:
4) Homer bouncing off a mattress back into the house, which is on fire.
3) Barney chucking a water fountain out of the hospital, a la the Chief in One Flew Over Cuckoo’s Nest.
2) “We’d like to dedicate this next number to a very special woman. She’s a hundred years old, and she weighs over two hundred…tons.” “This enormous woman will devour us all! Aah!” “Er, I meant the statue…”
1) See above.
Episode: “Lisa’s Substitute” (Via)
Episode: “The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show” (Via)
Episode: “Summer of 4 Ft. 2” (Via)
Episode: “Homer the Vigilante” (Via)
Episode: “Lisa’s Pony” (Via)
“Marge, with today’s gasoline prices, we can’t afford NOT to buy a pony.”
Episode: “The Springfield Files” (Via)
Payback for when Grampa’s teeth fell into a hamburger, and took a bite out of a guy.
Episode: “Homer’s Phobia” (Via)
It’s the pink wallpaper that really sells this scene.
Episode: “Marge’s Fear of Flying” (Via)
Episode: “Homer Loves Flanders”
Episode: “A Star Is Burns”
“Barney’s movie had heart, but Football In the Groin had a football in the groin.”
Episode: “You Only Move Twice” (Via)
It’s tough picking only a single GIF from this episode, so here’s one more:
