We’ll Really Miss You, Mrs. K. – “Four Regrettings And A Funeral”
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Marcia Wallace was the talented, Emmy Award-winning actress who provided the voice of Bart’s teacher, Mrs. Krabappel, from 1990-2013. Sadly, Marcia passed away due to illness in October of 2013. The creators of The Simpsons consider her irreplaceable, and so they decided to retire the character, rather than recast. As a tribute, the third episode of the show’s 25th season, “Four Regrettings and a Funeral,” featured a moving tribute to Wallace.
In that episode’s opening credits, Bart’s usual gag of writing humorous lines on the chalkboard as punishment was replaced by only a single line, reading: “We’ll really miss you, Mrs. K.” It was a lovely gesture in honor of one of The Simpsons’ best characters and actors.
Do It For Her – “And Maggie Makes Three”
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The granddaddy of all emotional Simpsons moments arrived in Season 6 with the episode “And Maggie Makes Three.” In the episode, the family looked through old photo albums and in the process reminisced about the unplanned birth of Maggie. We see how Homer’s plans for a different life (his dream was to work at Barney’s Bowlarama) are completely tossed out the window by Maggie’s birth. He’s forced to beg for his old position back at the nuclear plant.
He’s able to get the job, but is forced to forever look at a special unmotivational plaque that reads, “Don’t forget, you’re here forever.” At the end of the episode, the kids ask Homer why there are no picture of Maggie in the photo albums and Homer replies that there are pictures, but he keeps them where he needs the most cheering up. All of Maggie’s pictures cover up the plaque so it reads, “Do it for her.” It’s a beautifully devastating moment, even if it’s kind of weird Homer elected not to include Bart and Lisa.
Homer Watches The Stars – “Mother Simpson”
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“Mother Simpson” is the eighth episode of the show’s seventh season, and it deals with the return of Homer’s fugitive hippie mother, Mona (Glenn Close). At that point in the series, she had never been seen before. Mona comes back to Springfield because she thinks Homer is dead, and the two are overjoyed upon reuniting.
After acting suspicious, Mona reveals her past to the family, in particular the fact that she’s on the run for sabotaging Mr. Burns’s germ warfare lab back in the ’70s. Sadly, Burns finds out that Mona has returned and she’s forced to go back on the lam to avoid being arrested. The episode ends with a mostly silent credit sequence accompanied only by composer Alf Clausen’s beautiful score as Homer stares up at the stars and contemplates his life.
Homer’s Last Night – “One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish”
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Homer Simpson’s appetite has always gotten him into trouble, but never was it worse than in “One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish,” the 11th episode of Season 2. While out for sushi, Homer insists on trying fugu, a dish made from poisonous blowfish that must be perfectly prepared to be eaten safely. After eating it, Homer is informed that the dish may have been prepared incorrectly. Dr. Hibbert tells him that he likely only has 22 hours to live.
Accepting his fate, Homer decides to spend his last day wrapping up his affairs, crossing items off his bucket list, and spending time with his loved ones. As dawn approaches, he slumps over in his chair and appears dead, but Marge discovers him to be simply asleep. Homer’s “final” day is full of bittersweet moments, and as he looks at his sleeping family for what he believes to be the last time, the episode really makes you feel that he’s about to die, even when you watch it for the hundredth time.
Maggie Calls Homer Daddy – “Lisa’s First Word”
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One of the longest-running jokes on The Simpsons is that Bart never calls Homer “Dad,” and instead uses his first name. That isn’t the case for all Simpson children, however. In the 10th episode of Season 4, “Lisa’s First Word,” we see what life was like for the family before Lisa was born. Bart is lavished with attention and becomes upset that he will no longer be the baby when Lisa arrives.
Once she does, he does everything he can to get rid of her, but they eventually bond when Lisa’s first word is revealed to be “Bart.” It’s a sweet moment, but the truly moving scene comes at the end of the episode, when Homer puts Maggie to bed. After he leaves the room, we get to hear her first word, “Daddy,” as provided by screen legend Elizabeth Taylor.
Bart Gets His Dog Back – “Dog Of Death”
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“Dog of Death” is the 19th episode of the third season of The Simpsons. The family dog, Santa’s Little Helper, needs an expensive life-saving operation, so the Simpsons all make sacrifices to save up the money. He makes it through the procedure, but the hardship the operation imposed on the family causes them to take their frustration out on the dog. Santa’s Little Helper runs away from home and is picked up by Mr. Burns.
SLH is brainwashed and turned into one of Burns’s guard dogs. Upon finding him missing, Bart desperately looks for Santa’s Little Helper and finds his dog at Burns’s mansion. In a cruel twist of fate, Bart’s own dog is ordered to attack him. As he prepares to pounce, Bart desperately tries to remind him that they are best friends. Just when all seems lost, Santa’s Little Helper recognizes Bart and the two are reunited. It’s profoundly moving and anyone who has lost a pet can easily relate.
Bleeding Gums Passes Away – “‘Round Springfield”
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Bleeding Gums Murphy was Lisa’s saxophone-playing mentor. He first appeared in the Season 1 episode “Moaning Lisa,” but it was his appearance in Season 6’s 22nd episode “‘Round Springfield” that really turned on the waterworks. After Bart is hospitalized for eating a razor sharp Krusty-O, Lisa visits him and stumbles across Bleeding Gums, recovering in a room nearby.
Murphy lends Lisa his saxophone for an upcoming recital and, after putting on a great show, she returns to tell him about it. When she gets back, however, she’s devastated to find out that he’s passed away. Fortunately, with help from Bart, Lisa is able to honor her hero by playing his extremely rare album on the radio. Coming down from the heavens and thanking her like a way cooler version of Mufasa, Bleeding Gums jams with Lisa one last time to the tune of Carol King’s “Jazzman.”
You Are Lisa Simpson – “Lisa’s Substitute”
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“Lisa’s Substitute” is the 19th episode of Season 2 and features Oscar-winner Dustin Hoffman in an uncredited role as Mr. Bergstrom, a substitute teacher for Lisa Simpson. Lisa quickly falls for the intelligent and sensitive teacher as he nurtures her natural gifts and tries to get Homer to do so as well. After becoming very attached to him, Lisa is devastated to find out that Mr. Bergstrom has been reassigned to a school in Capital City.
As she meets him at the train station just before he departs, she tells him how alone she will feel without him. Mr. Bergstrom gives Lisa a note that he tells her she can look at any time that she feels alone in the world and feel better. As the train leaves, Lisa looks down at the note which simply reads, “You are Lisa Simpson.” The note may have comforted Lisa, but it left audiences everywhere in tears.
Grampa Was Santa – “Grampa Vs. Sexual Inadequacy”
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Grampa Abe Simpson is a cantankerous old man who never seems to have a good word to say about anyone, especially his son Homer. In “Grampa Vs. Sexual Inadequacy,” the 10th episode of Season 6, things are looking up for their fractured relationship when the two go into business together and start to bond. Unfortunately, it all unravels when their business fails and Abe tells Homer that he was an accident.
Homer is deeply hurt and refuses to talk to his father afterward, fuming over what a terrible job Abe did raising him. Then, he discovers a childhood photo of himself meeting Santa Claus, and he realizes it was actually Abe in costume. It’s an extremely rare, tender moment for Abe, a character usually played solely for grouchy laughs. It’s a touching memory that shows us Abe is a vulnerable person who makes mistakes, just like everyone else.
Prom Date Do Over – “The Way We Was”
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“The Way We Was” is the 12th episode of The Simpsons‘ second season, and it’s also the first flashback episode of the show. In this heartwarming story, we find out how Homer and Marge met in high school. Homer was smitten immediately and lied to Marge in order to get closer to her and ask her to the prom. Upon finding out, Marge tells him she never wants to see him again and instead goes to the prom with Artie Ziff.
A miserable Homer goes to the prom alone and decides to walk home from the local make out spot after his limo leaves him. After Artie tries to force himself on Marge, Marge decides to go out and pick up Homer. He tells her that he never intends to let her go because he loves her so much. The episode does an incredible job of showing us that, despite their seeming incompatibility, Homer and Marge really do belong together.
Marge Chooses Homer – “Life On The Fast Lane”
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Homer and Marge’s relationship is one of the main reasons The Simpsons works. They’re always there for each other but like in all marriages, they’ve seen their share of rough patches. One of the worst occurred almost right out of the gate in Season 1, episode nine, “Life on the Fast Lane.” Homer completely forgot Marge’s birthday and selfishly bought a present for himself: a bowling ball with his own name engraved on it.
Out of spite, Marge decided to start bowling and met a seductive instructor named Jacques, who asked her to come over to his apartment. A conflicted Marge nearly does so, but upon coming to a fork in the road is reminded of her marital vows. She instead goes to surprise Homer at the nuclear plant and in a tribute to the joyous ending of An Officer and a Gentleman, they leave together.
