Phil’s Top 10 ‘Simpsons’ Episodes of Season 4
1) "Marge vs. the Monorail" (originally aired January 14, 1993) : A fast-talking con man, Lyle Lanley, sells the people of Springfield a monorail, and Homer is thrilled to be the conductor. Marge warns that the monorail is a mistake, and is proven correct when it speeds out of control, with Leonard Nimoy aboard.
2) "A Streetcar Named Marge" (originally aired October 1, 1992) : Marge wins the lead in a musical production of "A Streetcar Named Desire," in which Ned Flanders plays Stanley Kowalksi. Marge is infuriated by Homer’s brutishness and insensitivity during preproduction, until he sees the play and reveals to Marge that he has grasped its meaning. While rehearsing, Marge sticks Maggie in the Ayn Rand Day Care Center, where her pacifier is immediately taken from her, and a la "The Great Escape," she must struggle to win it back.
3) "Last Exit to Springfield" (originally aired March 11, 1993) : Lisa goes to the dentist and learns that she needs braces. At the same time, Mr. Burns tries to remove the dental plan from the plant employees’ benefits, and an upset Homer becomes a union leader, taking the workers out on strike. Burns and Smithers try to run the plant themselves but cannot dent the workers’ resolve. Burns finally agrees to restore the dental plan if Homer will resign as union leader. Voted the best Simpsons episode ever by "Entertainment Weekly."
4) "Homer the Heretic" (originally aired October 8, 1992) : Homer decides not to go to church one Sunday and has the greatest morning of his life. He continues to avoid services, causing Marge to worry about the fate of his soul. Then, one Sunday, Homer inadvertently sets the house on fire and is saved by the heroism of the local fire department, manned by volunteers of all faiths.
5) "Selma’s Choice" (originally aired January 21, 1993) : A death in Marge’s family sends the Simpsons to a funeral and makes Selma wonder if she should have a child before it’s too late. She volunteers to take Bart and Lisa to the Duff Gardens theme park when Homer becomes sick from eating a week-old sandwich. But when Bart gets stuck on a rollercoaster and Lisa goes beserk after drinking the water on a ride, Selma decides that she is not cut out for motherhood... and gets a pet iguana instead.
6) "Kamp Krusty" (originally aired September 24, 1992) : Bart and Lisa go off for the summer to Krusty’s camp for kids, leaving Homer and Marge alone to enjoy a romantic summer. Bart and Lisa are soon put to work making crummy merchandise and eating gruel, until the kids revolt and take over the camp a la "Lord of the Flies." Krusty returns and sets things right by taking the kids to Tijuana.
7) "Itchy & Scratchy : The Movie" (originally aired November 3, 1992) : At a school open house, Marge and Homer learn that the way they handle Bart’s misbehavior now will set him on the path for the rest of his life. Hence, when Bart’s negligence sends Maggie careening down the street in a runaway car, Homer forbids Bart from seeing the new film about Itchy and Scratchy. Homer actually makes the ban stick, teaching Bart a lesson about discipline. A flash forward to the future shows an elderly Homer treating his grown-up son (now Chief Justice of the Supreme Court) to the movie.
8) "New Kid on the Block" (originally aired November 12, 1992) : A single mom moves in next door to the Simpsons, with a teenage daughter with whom Bart falls in love. Unfortunately for him, she has a crush on Jimbo Jones. Meanwhile, Homer sues an all-you-can-eat seafood restaurant when it won’t let him eat all he can eat.
9) "I Love Lisa" (originally aired February 11, 1993) : Feeling sorry for luckless classmate Ralph Wiggum, Lisa gives him a valentine saying "I Choo Choo Choose You." He develops a huge crush on her, which ends unhappily when she tells him that she doesn’t reciprocate on a Krusty the Clown anniversary special. Ralph’s dad, Police Chief Wiggum, tries taking vengeance on Homer, but after appearing in a play about the U.S. Presidents, Lisa and Ralph agree to be friends.
10) "Homer’s Triple Bypass" (originally aired December 17, 1992) : Due to his outrageous eating habits, Homer has a heart attack. He must get a bypass operation but is only able to afford the cut-rate doctor, Nick Riviera. Lisa studies up on cardiology and, with her help, Dr. Nick is able to perform the surgery and save Homer’s life.
There it is – my Top 10 from a season where all 22 episodes are classics. Just barely missing the cut were "Mr. Plow", "Whacking Day" and "Krusty Gets Kancelled."
