The Simpsons: "And Maggie Makes Three" (6.13) (1995)
It's obvious that the best episodes of "The Simpsons" are the ones with an equal blend of comedy and heart -- the episodes that are driven by characters instead of over-the-top, wacky and generally thin plots. This is why the earlier seasons of the show are far superior to the current seasons, because they seem to have removed that "character" element. This episode is one of the finest episodes when it comes to character development and jokes, because it tells the heart-warming story of Maggie's inclusion to the family whilst being one of the funniest episodes of the show ever.
The plot is quite simple but extremely effective -- Marge calls for an hour family time which leads to the Simpsons kids questioning why there is a complete lack of photographs of Maggie in the photo album. Homer goes on to explain why, which is all linked together with the story of Maggie's birth.
The jokes are spot-on, from the opening Knight Boat gag to what happens to the bowling pins when they're knocked down. It's crammed full of so many good jokes, it makes you miss how great the Simpsons used to be in the prime seasons (in my opinion, 3-9). The greatest moment of the episode comes at the end, I feel -- and it's not a joke, it's a simple, heartfelt moment that really pushes the episode into five-star territory. All I'm going to say is, "Do it for her."
RATING: A flawless, perfectly-balanced episode. Funny, heartfelt and classic Simpsons all at once. You really can't get television better than this. (5/5)
It's obvious that the best episodes of "The Simpsons" are the ones with an equal blend of comedy and heart -- the episodes that are driven by characters instead of over-the-top, wacky and generally thin plots. This is why the earlier seasons of the show are far superior to the current seasons, because they seem to have removed that "character" element. This episode is one of the finest episodes when it comes to character development and jokes, because it tells the heart-warming story of Maggie's inclusion to the family whilst being one of the funniest episodes of the show ever.
The plot is quite simple but extremely effective -- Marge calls for an hour family time which leads to the Simpsons kids questioning why there is a complete lack of photographs of Maggie in the photo album. Homer goes on to explain why, which is all linked together with the story of Maggie's birth.
The jokes are spot-on, from the opening Knight Boat gag to what happens to the bowling pins when they're knocked down. It's crammed full of so many good jokes, it makes you miss how great the Simpsons used to be in the prime seasons (in my opinion, 3-9). The greatest moment of the episode comes at the end, I feel -- and it's not a joke, it's a simple, heartfelt moment that really pushes the episode into five-star territory. All I'm going to say is, "Do it for her."
RATING: A flawless, perfectly-balanced episode. Funny, heartfelt and classic Simpsons all at once. You really can't get television better than this. (5/5)