The Simpsons: 10 Best Episodes Of Season 8, Ranked (According To IMDB)

The series was still right in that sweet spot of iconic episodes, this season gave us several. Here are the 10 best episodes of season eight, ranked according to IMDb. 

10 Bart After Dark – 8.3 

By the eighth season of the show, Bart had pulled all kinds of pranks and had several questionable jobs. So why not have him break a gargoyle and wind up working in a secret burlesque house as punishment? Despite pleas from several in the neighborhood to make him quit, Homer sees no problem with Bart working the door for Madame Belle. Marge tried to raise an angry mob to shut the house down, but Homer’s rousing rendition of “We Put The Spring In Springfield” calms them down, expect Marge who was too busy getting the bulldozer needed to tear the place down. 

9 Treehouse Of Horror VII – 8.5 

The seventh Halloween special featured “The Thing And I” – Bart’s evil conjoined twin Hugo was locked up for years, only to realize that it was good twin who was locked away unfortunately (was that really that shocking?). In “The Genesis Tub,” Lisa and Bart inadvertently create a fast evolving society in a Petri dish.

The society shrinks Lisa down to deal with Bart who they think is the Devil; but they had yet to master the technology to unshrink her. Lastly, in “Citizen Kang,” the aliens abduct and impersonate Clinton and Dole, leaving America to have to vote for one of them.

8 El Viaje Misterioso De Nuestro Jomer – 8.6 

The mysterious voyage of Homer began at the Chili Con Carne festival. The big guy ate the hottest pepper in the world and winds up tripping out from it. He meets a space coyote who tells him to find his soulmate, who he believes is Marge. But she left him at the festival thinking his antics were induced by alcohol, which she asked him not to imbibe. With Marge angrier than she’s ever been, Homer contemplated what the coyote said and resumes his search until finding out that it was Marge all along. 

7 Mountain Of Madness – 8.6 

Thanks to all of his employees heading for the hills during a fire drill instead of properly exiting the plant, Burns forces the company to go on a team building retreat up in the mountains. The employees have to work in pairs to reach the top of the mountain and Homer is paired up with Burns. The boss convinces Homer they should cheat to get to the top first. While they’re enjoying victory, they wind up trapped in an avalanche. Escape caused a few more avalanches. As the employees reach a ranger station, they begin to fear the worst for Burns and Homer, but Burns inadvertently saves them. 

6 Hurricane Neddy – 8.8 

As the town’s unabashed man of faith, Ned Flanders can’t understand why God has forsaken him when a Hurricane rushes into town and only destroys his house and The Leftorium.

Feeling like Job causes Ned to have a mental breakdown and commit himself! When his childhood psychiatrist opens up some old wounds, he enlists Homer to help. Despite being able to, even he thinks Ned might be completely bonkers. 

5 Homer’s Phobia – 8.8 

The family meet John (John Waters), the owner of a pawn shop and become fast friends with him. But once Homer realizes that John is gay, he starts to keep his distance. Bart starts hanging around him, and Homer fears for his son’s heterosexuality and takes him hunting to “save” him. The hunting group winds up in trouble and it’s John that saves them, winning Homer in the process. This episode had garnered a GLAAD award for its depictions of homosexuality. 

4 Homer Vs. The 18th Amendment- 8.9 

After discovering that alcohol has technically been banned in Springfield for decades, Mayor Quimby decides to enforce the law – right around St. Patrick’s Day of all holidays! Prohibition returns to town Moe disguises the bar at a pet shop. Homer starts hiding alcohol inside bowling balls and becomes a Beer Baron. Wiggum is let go since he can’t catch Homer. Marge forces Homer to stop making beer and he and Wiggum discuss how much they don’t like the new chief. Homer allows Wiggum to catch him as the Beer Baron to get his job back. 

3 The Springfield Files – 9.1

FBI Agents Mulder And Scully come to Springfield to investigate a strange “little green man” stalking the woods at night. They test Homer, who claimed to see the alien, but still find no conclusive proof. Bart believes him though and they go into the woods to try and find them again. Despite promising peace, Homer runs off and screams in horror but Bart captures it all on tape. It turns out that the alien was actually Mr. Burns, lethargic from longevity treatments and glowing green from owning the Nuclear Plant. 

2 You Only Move Twice – 9.2

In the pantheon of great Simpsons episodes, “You Only Move Twice,” is one of the best of all time! Homer accepts a job at The Globex Corporation, working for the charasmatic Hank Scorpio (Al Brooks).

The family has to move to the immaculate Cypress Creek. The family is not having an easy transition, despite Homer excelling for Hank, whose the best boss ever. He just also happens to be a megalomaniacal warlord bent on world domination, what’s not to love about that?

1 Homer’s Enemy – 9.3 

After years of being the absolute worst employee in sitcom history, the show introduced Frank Grimes. “Grimey,” as Homer caller him is a very neat and organized person. He’s also Springfield’s own version of D-Fens in Falling Down. He can’t stand Homer’s ineptitude and when he finally snaps, he inadvertently kills himself. It’s quite possibly the darkest episode ever, but it’s still funny, still one of the best, and still Simpsons.