The 10 Best Episodes of ‘The Simpsons’ Season 6, Ranked

The Simpsons was still a decently reliable source of entertainment by its sixth season (1994-1995). Sure, most of the sitcom’s greatest episodes were behind it, but there was still a good amount of hilarity, satire, and parody to produce. At a whopping 25 episodes, this season boasts an eventful set of stories: Marge (Julie Kavner) becomes a cop; an old tree is stolen by Shelbyville residents; Homer (Dan Castellaneta) becomes indebted to his sisters-in-law; Grampa (Castellaneta) makes a special drink; Bart (Nancy Cartwright) gets a manipulative girlfriend; Homer is let into a special club; and much more. Heartfelt moments include Maggie’s birth and Bleeding Gums Murphy’s (Ron Taylor) passing.

The show also has its first crossover episode here (“A Star is Burns”), as well as its first extended foray into the future (“Lisa’s Wedding”). The typical Season 6 episode generally feels less impressive than, say, the typical entry from Season 4. Nevertheless, these narratives still have enough crackle to show that the enormously comforting fireplace that is The Simpsons was still hot. Furthermore, the best of these stories rival the wit and attention to craft of any Simpsons period. Ranked by their humor, craft, emotional engagement, and everything else, the top episodes of Season 6 are always a joy to behold.

10

“Bart’s Comet”

Episode 14

Bart can be such a disruptive presence that even projectiles from space are obliged to act accordingly when they share his name. In “Bart’s Comet,” poor Principal Skinner (Harry Shearer) can’t catch a break in his early-morning attempts to discover something in space. The guy can’t even destroy that embarrassing balloon that Bart made of him, but his life (and everyone else’s) gets a lot more stressful once the comet found by his unruly protégé is shown to be heading right for Springfield.

It’s large enough to crush the whole town, and only Ned Flanders (Shearer) is prepared for such an ordeal. Or, at least physically, the guy is too selfless for survival, as he’s eventually kicked out of his own shelter. This episode has many laughs, but it also has a surprisingly dramatized ending. The way Flanders is shown singing to himself on a hill movingly conveys his acceptance of impending demise. It’s wholesome that everyone who kicked him out joins him, and the way everything resolves is pretty funny. When scoping out Simpsons episodes, be sure to check this one out.

9

“Itchy & Scratchy Land”

Episode 4

It takes a little while for “Itchy & Scratchy Land” to pick up, but it’s worth the wait. One of the funniest gags in Season 6 is when Homer ignores Marge’s advice about taking a shortcut. It’s also a treat when the helicopter pilot introduces the theme park as a place where “Nothing can possib-lie go wrong.” Homer exchanges real money for Itchy and Scratchy money, only to find out that practically no booths in the park accept such currency. While Maggie gets stuck in the ball pit, Marge reads a hilarious map of the park. Searing Gas Pain Land, anyone?

Of course, Parents Island is just a replica of the 1970s, and who knew that “Bort” was such a common name? That poor guy in the Itchy outfit endures a lot of blows, but the waiter who helps usher in the new year every few minutes is definitely worse off. This solid Itchy and Scratchy episode gets pretty action-packed at the end, as those animatronic robots’ sensors go haywire. As the Simpsons come to the rescue, it feels like the viewers have just experienced a rollercoaster of an episode.

8

“Lisa’s Wedding”

Episode 19

The very first Simpsons episode set in the future, “Lisa’s Wedding” begins at a Renaissance Fair. A fortune-teller proves so omniscient of the present that Lisa trusts her with the future. After an amusing lesson about cards, she gets swept away by a love story about her older self and a young man named Hugh (Mandy Patinkin). After an extended meet-cute, they discover they have similar interests. Fun fact: this episode announces Lisa as a vegetarian one season before “Lisa the Vegetarian” even came out.

The crying robots aren’t funny, but most of the jokes still hold up. The Simpsons’ house is apparently the only one on its block that isn’t beautiful now; Maggie is always on the phone; Mayor Quimby’s (Castellaneta) a cab driver; and Marge has obtained a court order to prevent Homer from planning his daughter’s wedding. There are other delightful details here, but there’s also a tender side to the story. Homer’s one-on-one with Lisa proves very touching, and the end is a skillful mixture of sad and wholesome.

7

“Bart of Darkness”

Episode 1

The sun is usually depicted as a positive force, but sometimes it can be a purveyor of chaos. Look no further than in Season 6’s premiere, “Bart of Darkness,” in which it’s so scalding hot outside that the children rely on going to someone’s pool for social activities. There’s also that one day of the year when Otto (Shearer) drives a mobile pool around the neighborhood, but it’s more of a tease than a relief.

One of the best uses of Homer’s most versatile catchphrase arrives when he and the family try to build a pool. A man of ye olden days appears out of nowhere and tells Homer he built a barn instead, at which point Mr. Simpson says “D’oh-eth!” As Lisa becomes popular from the new pool and Bart sulks in his room with a broken leg, this story becomes a mystery-thriller ala Alfred Hitchcock‘s Rear Window. With the proliferation of amateur sleuths these days, this episode proves to still be culturally relevant with its illustration of confirmation bias by an observer who can only see so much.

6

“Sideshow Bob Roberts”

Episode 5

At this point in the show, Sideshow Bob (voiced by the legendary Kelsey Grammer) has already robbed the Kwik-E-Mart, framed Krusty (Castellaneta) for it, tried to kill Aunt Selma (Julie Kavner), and nearly killed Bart on a boat. This man shouldn’t be let out of prison, and yet he is. However, this time it’s not him who convinces everyone else that he’s harmless; Sideshow Bob has a conservative talk show host tell everyone on his behalf. The pressure builds, and Mayor Quimby lets him out.

Bad move, Quimby. Sideshow Bob wants to be mayor, and the election race is so heavily in Bob’s favor at first that Diamond Joe is compared to Richard Nixon when he squared off against JFK. This episode includes some of the most hilarious political parodies in Simpsons history; the televised ads for each of the candidates are sidesplitting, and Bob’s use of his experience as a clown’s assistant proves amusingly useful for his campaign. By the end, this episode earns the viewer’s vote.

5

“Homie the Clown”

Episode 15

It’s fitting that the laughs keep on coming in an episode about clowns. Krusty is literally burning his money faster than he can make it, so he opens up a clown college in order to keep gambling with the mob. Homer is disturbingly entranced by the billboard for it, prompting a top-shelf reference to Steven Spielberg‘s Close Encounters of the Third Kind and one of the funniest movie Easter eggs ever. He goes on to take terrible notes in class (“Kill wealthy dowager”) and ruin a mini-bicycle seat.

He does graduate, believe it or not, but that doesn’t mean he’s a pro. For instance, he beats up Krusty Burglar because he doesn’t realize it’s just an act, which is a hundred times funnier because of the children’s mortified reactions. Meanwhile, we learn a good deal about Krusty: he gets hammered with the police chief; he can’t get enough of filthy magazines; and he’s a top-tier bullet dodger. Along with the bit about Homer almost getting shot, this goes down as an episode worth studying.

4

“The PTA Disbands”

Episode 21

As the bus ride to school clearly indicates, Springfield Elementary needs money. The chase at the end of their school trip is one of the best scenes of the season (not all the kids make it). The salaries are too low, the supplies need an upgrade, the food has newspaper in it, etc. It’s all too much, and the teachers are mad. The argument that Seymour and Edna (Marcia Wallace) have in the cafeteria leads to the principal revealing to the kids what he thinks of their potential (another highlight).

After Bart clandestinely ruffles their feathers a little more, it’s on: the strike begins, and it’s announced through a hilarious struggle over the intercom. Bart and Lisa have totally opposite responses, yet both proceed to go a little crazy in vastly different ways—at least until some local adults take over as temporary teachers. There are so many splendid moments throughout: the assembly over whether to raise taxes, Bart not understanding Milhouse (Pamela Hayden), and Lisa begging her mother for a grade. Only a few of the jokes don’t land, so “The PTA Disbands” deserves an A.

3

“Treehouse of Horror V”

Episode 6

“The Simpsons Halloween Special V” is easily one of the most acclaimed Treehouse of Horror entries. Things start strong with “The Shinning,” a famous parody of The Shining. The drive to Mr. Burns’ lodge takes comedically long to complete. Homer goes nuts when he discovers there’s no TV and no alcohol in the lodge. Moe is hilariously blunt about wanting Mr. Simpson to kill his family.

Then there’s “Time and Punishment,” which has nothing to do with Dostoevsky. In one of the most hysterical opening scenes in Simpsons history, Lisa points out that her father’s hand is stuck in the toaster. Homer smashes it to break free, and soon learns this was not a toaster worth saving. “Nightmare Cafeteria” rounds things out with some consistently comical cannibalism. The only part that falls flat (and weird) is the fog at the end, making this a must for Simpsons fans.

2

“Lisa on Ice”

Episode 8

The Simpsons knows how to make a sports episode, and “Lisa on Ice” is one of its best. From the Action News to Krusty the Clown’s terrible singing to Homer returning Bart’s turtle “alive and well,” there are so many magical moments throughout the story that it’s hard to know where to begin. The montage of Lisa becoming angrily confident at goal-tending works at building up tension, and the montage of Bart trying to become Lisa’s equal at academics is just as good at making the audience laugh.

Marge holds onto Milhouse’s teeth for some reason, Bart decapitating his own childhood toy doesn’t really make sense, and the detour on Monster Island is a bit bizarre; but this episode is so close to pristine that it’s hard to complain. Homer is a terrible father in this episode, and it’s a blast to watch. His decision to eat a pie that Marge just baked for the family is the least problematic thing he does. In addition to a very heartwarming finale and a powerful message about healthy competition, this episode is peak Season 6.

1

“Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)”

Episode 25

They saved the best for last: “Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One),” which is the superior of this two-part narrative. Springfield Elementary has lost a hamster, and it’s time to put him in the ground. This introductory plot point conveys the surprisingly difficult task of giving this beloved rodent a proper burial. Things get more ominous (but no less funny) when the main story begins: Mr. Burns steals oil from the school, which has a domino-effect that ends with everyone hating his guts (more than usual).

Yes, even Smithers (Shearer) can’t stand by as Monty tightens his grip on the town’s resources. This episode has just as many laughs as any other story in Season 6, and it also has a unique vibe. The tension builds until the finale of this first half feels as ominous as it wants to. Along with the boldness of finishing this season on a cliffhanger (something the series hasn’t done before or since), “Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)” demonstrates what happens when ambition and precise execution align.

NEXT: ‘The Simpsons’ 10 Best School-Themed Episodes, Ranked