CLASSIC Simpsons: Season Four Review
is it the best of the best, or just the beginning?
If you’re reading this, you probably know that every critical conversation about the show arrives at one universally recognized truth: Seasons 4-5-6 are the pinnacle. The peak of the peak. The crest of the wave of the prime of the show. Top of the heap! Some hipsters and/or contrarians will choose maybe something like Season 3 or 7 as their favourite, but -deep down- even they know the truth about what’s best.
Still, when it comes to thinking through how these three seasons of 4-5-6 actually rank in comparison to each other? That’s another question— and one that played a lead role in inspiring me to undertake this project. For ages, I’ve said 4 has been my favourite. But a lot of that is coincidence— as a teenager, I somewhat randomly ended up with 4, 7, and 9 on DVD. 4 being more consistent than 7 (I think… and I guess we’ll see pretty soon) and simply better than at least most of 9 (I think… and I guess we’ll see pretty soon), I watched those DVDs religiously well into my 20s— with friends, with family, with girls I was dating or trying to date, and for many, many hours with myself. Pretty sure my DVD player knew nothing as well as it knew Disc 2 of Season 4.
But that was a long time ago.
This time around, these episodes had me laughing out loud (by myself) way more than I expected, and far more than Seasons 1-3 were able to do for me. But I was pretty surprised to see what episode came out on top in these rankings…
There are 22 episodes in Season Four of The Simpsons. In this post, you’ll first find the CLASSIC Scale episode score for each, listed from best to worst. Then, the season’s cumulative results. Finally, a bit of commentary because why not.
I explain my method here. This is the master document, containing my up-to-date all-time rankings list.
Incredible
Last Exit to Springfield
Marge vs. the Monorail
Mr. Plow
Excellent
Streetcar Named Marge
New Kid on the Block
Marge in Chains
I Love Lisa
The Itchy and Scratchy Movie
Great
Duffless
Homer’s Triple Bypass
Homer the Heretic
Marge Gets a Job
Krusty Gets Kancelled
Lisa’s First Word
Treehouse of Horror III
Very Good
Selma’s Choice
Kamp Krusty
Brother From the Same Planet
Lisa the Beauty Queen
The Front
Almost Good
So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show
Season Four Rankings
Average Category Score + (Change from S3 → S4):
Characters: 8.33 (+0.22)
Laughs: 8.40 (+0.47)
Artistry: 8.35 (+0.16)
Story: 8.26 (+0.25)
Setting: 8.22 (+0.25)
Irreverence: 8.20 (+0.36)
Classic-ness: 8.39 (+0.32)
Total: 8.30 (+0.28)
Average Episode Score: A-
Highest Score & Most Improved Category:
Laughs @ 8.40
(+0.47 from Season 3)
(+0.83 from Season 2)
(+2.13 from Season 1)
For the first time, the show reaches the “Incredible” category— and it does so three times over. Mr. Plow and Monorail didn’t surprise me at all. They have forever shone out as two of the all-timers, and are for sure among the most heavily-quoted in the circles I run in… But if you would have asked me what would round out the top three, based on memory, I probably would have said Streetcar or Homer the Heretic. Somehow, Last Exit to Springfield- even though it so obviously brims with funny moments (including some of the best bits in the show’s history)- had never registered at that same level for me. Maybe because it was all the way on Disc 4 in the DVD set?
Anyway, what matters is that- categorically- Season Four improves on its predecessor (which was also “Great”) in every single way. The biggest improvement is in “Laughs,” which makes sense. I laughed hard and often. And I was by myself. And in no way is that depressing!
So, what’s so funny about the fourth season of The Simpsons?
Impossible question to answer fully. Phil Hartman is at his peak. The small details- like what’s on the TV- are on point. There are massive Broadway style show-stopping chorus numbers, inspiring labour anthems, and- of course- Classical Gas.
The supporting cast, like The Wiggums and the Skinners and the Flanders’s, and and and and and- are all, finally, consistently popping laughs. Still, on top of all of this for me, there is one pretty significant development that stood out. It has to do with Homer.
Before Season Four, the show pretty commonly dives into the imaginations and perspectives of various characters via dream sequences and fantasies. But in Season Four, the writers take this to a new level with Homer:
There are at least 8 moments like the one shown above in the season: Homer forgetting its Valentine’s Day; “Dental Plan / Lisa Needs Braces”; Homer’s conscience telling him to confess to Marge that he never graduated high school but accidentally confessing he “ate the fancy soaps” instead; Homer needing to “think of a lie fast” and telling the insurance inspector he was out buying pornography at Moe’s Pornography Store; Homer accidentally admitting he’s going to the Duff Brewery tour; etc.
We do get shades of this with other characters. Like the carousel of “I've sold monorails to Brockway, Ogdenville and North Haverbrook / Is there a chance the track could bend? / I call the big one Bitey” sequence that whirls around Marge’s head. But the way Homer’s mind enters the scene as its own character ends up contributing to some of the funniest moments of the season.
I’m curious to see how and whether this continues, develops, or recedes in the coming seasons. But for now, Homer’s mind / conscience / psychology / inner monologue announcing itself- occasionally forming a dialogue with Homer, and almost always undermining his best interest- were some of 4’s funniest moments.
This is one development and detail that stood out to me. I’m sure for every S4 lover there are tons of others, too. Either way, it’s hard to see how 5 and 6 can build upon three episodes above “9”, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see one having a higher average than 8.30…
We wait.