Long-running animated series The Simpsons has been a favorite of the Emmy voters ever since it aired its first season over three decades ago. Even in recent years, as the general quality of the series has rapidly declined, it still gets a more-or-less annual nod for Outstanding Animated Program.
Some episodes that are considered to be the show’s best installments, such as “Marge vs. the Monorail” and “Bart’s Comet,” didn’t receive a nomination. So, Emmy glory isn’t necessarily the gold standard for Simpsons episodes, but it is an interesting indication of where the conversation was that year. Here is Every Emmy-Nominated Simpsons Episode, Ranked.
The Town
An entire episode based on insulting Boston, “The Town” has a couple of chuckle-worthy gags, but the anti-Boston joke is dragged out for far too long and it grows tiresome.
Treehouse of Horror XXIII
By its 23rd Halloween special, The Simpsons writers were clearly scraping the bottom of the barrel for horror stories. This one parodies Back to the Future, perhaps the least scary movie ever made (if you ignore the ominous implications of its plot). Still, the Paranormal Activity spoof was a lot of fun because that movie’s ripe for parody.
Gone Boy
For a later-season episode, “Gone Boy” has a healthy dose of laugh-out-loud moments and a story with energy and forward momentum. But it still needs to be prefaced with the phrase, “For a later-season episode...”
Mad About the Toy
If any show’s 650th episode is even coherent, it’s an impressive feat. “Mad About the Toy” is nothing special, but it does have some interesting new revelations about Grampa’s past, and after that many episodes, should we really be asking for much more?
Angry Dad: The Movie
When a short film based on Bart’s “Angry Dad” comic gets nominated for an Oscar, the Simpsons head to Hollywood. There’s a lot of great film industry gags in this episode, but it’s ultimately pretty weak, story-wise.
Once Upon a Time in Springfield
In this romantic episode, Krusty’s show gets another shakeup as a female character named Princess Penelope (played by Anne Hathaway) is added.
The premise seems to have been constructed to accommodate its guest star, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a fun episode.
Three Gays of the Condo
When Homer fears that Marge only stayed with him because she got pregnant, he moves in with a gay couple, Grady and Julio. The highlight of this episode is “Weird Al” Yankovic’s parody of John Mellencamp’s “Jack & Diane” about Homer and Marge.
Treehouse of Horror XXV
This is a rare “Treehouse of Horror” episode where all three segments have a juicy premise: Bart goes to Hell, Moe leads a gang of droogs in A Clockwork Orange parody, and the Simpsons are visited by their Tracey Ullman Show-era selves.
The Haw-Hawed Couple
The story of Bart’s reluctant friendship with Nelson offers us a glimpse at a different, more sensitive, slightly more mature side of Nelson, which was interesting.
The Way We Weren’t
Every episode that adds a new layer to how Homer and Marge met acts as a detriment to the delightful Season 2 installment “The Way We Was.”
At least “The Way We Weren’t” isn’t as egregious as “That ‘90s Show,” which completely retconned their how-we-met story.
The Seemingly Never-Ending Story
It’s always fun when The Simpsons tries out novel new storytelling techniques. “The Seemingly Never-Ending Story” interestingly toys around with nested storytelling (stories within stories), beginning with Homer getting trapped in a cave.
Treehouse of Horror VI
Any “Treehouse of Horror” episode worth its salt has one great segment, one “meh” segment, and one middling segment that’s weird enough to redeem itself.
This sixth installment in the Halloween series has just that: a segment about billboards coming to life that’s pretty lackluster, a parody of A Nightmare on Elm Street that’s inspired and fun, and an outlandish segment in which Homer enters the third dimension.
Viva Ned Flanders
Flanders asks Homer for advice when he finds that he’s too stuck in his ways, and they end up in Vegas, married to a pair of dancers. It’s pretty fun.
Future-Drama
The Simpsons’ future-set episodes are generally disappointing, but they usually skip straight to Bart and Lisa’s adulthood. “Future-Drama” gives us a heartfelt, funny glimpse at their teenage years.
Trash of the Titans
Guest-starring Steve Martin, “Trash of the Titans” is prime Simpsons absurdism. Homer becomes Springfield’s Sanitation Commissioner, which culminates in Mayor Quimby having to move the entire town five miles over.
Life on the Fast Lane
In Season 1’s “Life on the Fast Lane,” Marge is seduced by a charming French bowling instructor, played by repeat guest star Albert Brooks, after Homer flaked on her birthday present.
It was one of the early episodes to explore Homer and Marge’s relationship, and still one of the most compelling.
Holidays of Future Passed
Ever since “Bart to the Future” messed up the timeline, The Simpsons’ future-set episodes have been very hit-and-miss — and definitely more “miss” than “hit.” But “Holidays of Future Passed” was surprisingly sweet, taking a melancholic look at Bart’s future screw-ups.
Homer’s Phobia
The Emmy voters love episodes that tackle real-world issues. In “Homer’s Phobia,” the Simpsons befriend a gay man named John (played brilliantly by guest star John Waters), and Homer has to get over his homophobia and misconceptions about the LGBT community.
She of Little Faith
This episode is famous for being the one in which Lisa becomes a Buddhist. It’s a smart, contemplative, well-rounded study of the positive values of faith and the importance of finding the right religion.
Radio Bart
Bart learns an important lesson when he lowers his walkie-talkie into a well and impersonates a lost child, getting the town all riled up. The episode has an important ethical message.