Worst Episode Ever
The three worst episodes in Simpsons history, all from Season Nine.
by Robert Flaxman

   Some Simpsons episodes are downright hilarious.  Some are funny but too preachy.  Some just blow.  Here they are: pound for pound, the three worst Simpsons episodes in history.   And hey, they're all from Season Nine?  Coincidence?  I think not.

3. The Principal and the Pauper (4F23)
    Gee, there's nothing better than when writers take a show and completely destroy it by revealing one of the characters to be a fraud.  So basically, what you're saying is that everything Principal Skinner (I mean Armin Tamzarian) ever said in any previous episode is basically a blatant lie?  Sorry.   Since at the end of this show they say that nobody is to ever speak of this again, it should tell you that it should never have been made in the first place.  The only thing this episode has going for it is a fair share of funny lines.  Too bad they were wasted on a turkey of a plot.

2. Trash of the Titans (5F09)
    With special guest voice Steve Martin, you might have expected more out of the series' 200th show.  But boy, do you not get it.  In addition to being a show that contradicts established personalities (Homer can't handle the easiest job at the power plant, so how could he run for office - and win?), the ending, like many in recent years, was just a flat-out copout.  At a loss to fix the situation of garbage burying the town, the Springfieldians decide simply to pick the town up and move it five miles down the road.  Excuse me?  Don't make the plot device if you can't get out of it in a legitimate way

1. Miracle on Evergreen Terrace (5F07)
    Not that the other two Christmas episodes (1989's "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" and 1995's "Marge Be Not Proud") were any better, but this one takes the cake as the "Worst Episode Ever" in the parlance of the Comic Book Guy.  It's not much worse than "The Principal and the Pauper", but with a completely ludicrous plot and maybe two funny lines in the entire episode, this one just completely blows.

Some "honorable" mention horrible episodes are also from the more recent years:
    - My Sister, My Sitter (4F13) - I can't stand how annoying Bart is in this episode. (Season Eight)
    - Bart Star (5F03) - Homer as annoying as it gets. (Season Nine)
    - All Singing, All Dancing (5F24) - Couldn't think of any ideas this week, eh? (Season Nine)
    - Simpson Tide (3G04) - Yeah, whatever.  Who wrote this dreck? (Season Nine)
    - Bart the Mother (5F22) - Completely pointless. (Season Ten)
    - Mayored to the Mob (AABF05) - Again, why is Homer getting important jobs?  Also just annoying. (Season Ten)
    - The Old Man and the "C" Student (AABF16) - Not bad after the first five minutes, but makes this list for "The Patriotic Comedy Stylings of Bart Simpson" alone.  What the hell was that supposed to be? (Season Ten)
    - Beyond Blunderdome (AABF23) - Call me crazy, but I prefer stupid Homer to annoyingly stupid Homer. (Season Eleven)
    - E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt) (AABF19) - The plot billed in the ads doesn't appear until 8:22 and the show just isn't funny. (Season Eleven)
    - Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder (BABF02) - The Natural homage was good, but the show falls apart after five minutes - or possibly less.  (Season Eleven)

    For information on these episodes, you can visit www.snpp.com.