The 16 that we all voted on over the past four months are below, reordered by airdate.
Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington
Bart the Lover
Homer at the Bat
A Streetcar Named Marge
Mr. Plow
Marge vs. the Monorail
Selma's Choice
Cape Feare
The Last Temptation of Homer
$pringfield
Homer and Apu
Sideshow Bob Roberts
Lisa on Ice
The PTA Disbands
You Only Move Twice
Bart After Dark
Note that the post title refers to 18, not 16. Why put 18 items into a runoff when 16 is such a round number? Well, if you watch a particular game show, you know that 18 is also a nice round number if you take things three at a time. Also, I like having a safety valve to avoid snubbing anything that obviously belongs here.
Your mission should you choose to comment here is to name the two best episodes not on the list above. My tentative sense is that those two episodes are in fact "Separate Vocations" and "Bart of Darkness"; however, I'd love to see discussion and even argument.
UPDATE: Don't feel constrained to list only two episodes - I think John is exactly on the right track here. If everyone limited himself to two then we might have an N-way tie at one vote apiece. Comment in particular if you'd second or third someone else's nomination.
Posted by Matt Bruce at November 21, 2005 10:35 AMIf I'm only allowed to name 2 (I know only two will get in, but that's why we should vote for... however many I'm voting for here) then just take the top two.
Lisa the Vegetarian
Kamp Krusty
Bart on the Road
Treehouse of Horror V
Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk
Homer's Barbershop Quartet
And, of course, Homer the Vigilante... but that's probably not allowed. If it were I'd put it at the top of the above list.
In some odd world Lisa's Date With Destiny would get automatically ushered in. But not this one. I have sentimental reasons for liking that ep but it has some issues.
Posted by: John at November 21, 2005 07:10 PMThe best episode not on the list is...
Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming. If I could, I'd vote for it twice. But I can't, so I'll have to think about my second vote.
Posted by: David at November 21, 2005 08:25 PMRe Homer the Vigilante, I see no reason not to allow it. Stranger things have happened on Fox reality game shows alone.
Posted by: me at November 21, 2005 09:46 PMI thought about it for a long time, I read the scene summary, and I have to do it. My second vote goes to The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show. I love the whole episode, but especially Otto & Troy McClure's casting calls, the horrendously bad "The Beagle Has Landed", Roy, and Poochie's death. Plus you have to give it credit for delivering the most famous Simpsons quote of them all - I won't hold it against them that it's become a cliche.
Posted by: David at November 21, 2005 10:32 PMTreehouse of Horror VII. YMMV on Bart's evil(?) twin, but Lisa creating life in a Dixie cup and Kodos and Kang's presidential race are top-notch.
Posted by: Mark at November 22, 2005 02:24 PMI'm intrigued that so far no episode has been mentioned by more than one person. (Unless my reading comprehension is just terrible.)
Of the eps mentioned by exactly one commenter I think "Lisa the Vegetarian" is best. None of the rest strike me as top-18 material but if two or more people agree on something, make the case for it, since this looks to be wide open.
Posted by: me at November 22, 2005 04:39 PMHow about if we just take nominations (2 apiece) and then do preferential voting among all nominated episodes?
Posted by: David at November 22, 2005 08:30 PMI vote for Knoxville.
Posted by: John at November 23, 2005 04:25 PM