Be it a piece of timeless comedy, or an act of inimitable character, or a display of true affection...or something else entirely! what are each of the five Simpsons' greatest moments in the illustrious history of this fine show?
Maggie: This one is easy, albeit a bit shallow. In "Lisa on Ice" Homer is going on about how Marge can't possibly love Maggie best, cause she's done "nothing for nobody." As he's saying that, someone has thrown a beer bottle in Homer's direction, and she jumps up into the air and catches it, saving him from a nasty bump on the head. (Good thing THAT didn't happen.) A close second would be her first word: Daddy. I'm inclined to wonder if kid number three might just follow in the footsteps of her father. There's a thought!
Bart: Another easy one. In "Separate Vocations" Bart takes the wrap for his sister's sick, twisted pilferage of the school's Teacher's Edition books. Rarely does Bart get a chance to do something nice for Lisa while remaining in character. I've been there, trust me: it's not easy for a ten-year-old to do anything nice for his little sister. Bart has had many opportunities to shine in the show's history, but I am convinced that what he did for Lisa in this episode will rank as one of the greatest moments of his entire lifetime, especially if that damned Simpson Gene further awakens in him.
Marge: Marge's character was never fleshed out to its full potential. Episodes not directly about Marge left her little room for character development, and in the present period of The Simpsons, any additional character development would be bad character development. So, from what we do have to pick from, I think Marge's greatest moment was the time she ushered in that Golden Age in Springfield, after neutering Itchy and Scratchy and impelling the children of Springfield to go outside and truly live. Not just any screwball can do that!
Lisa: I know I'm in the minority here, but I was moved by Lisa's ability to retain her spiritual values (whatever those may be) yet be the only one in Springfield to doubt the authenticity of that angel in "Lisa the Skeptic." (Just read or watch "Contact," by Carl Sagan, and you'll understand.) Her character integrity here speaks well of her character, but this is not her greatest moment. I mention it to cite a contained instance of greatness on her art, because her actual greatest moment is spread out over many episodes: these being the myriad times she overcomes her own prejudices and finds a reason to love her father. She may have more in common with Marge, but Lisa Simspon shares more with her dad than the surname.
Homer: And what about Homer? Given his propensity for being either a jerk or an oaf, the positive things Homer does accomplish stand out all the brighter. The many sacrifices he makes for his family, especially Marge and Lisa, compete for the title of Homer's Greatest Moment. (And I'm oh-so-tempted to cite that time he took a baptism for Bart--truly, a sacrifice among sacrifices.) Ultimately, I pick his actions when facing death in "One Fish, Two Fist, Blowfish, Blue Fish." If he's capable of that level of adoration for his family and life, then maybe there's hope for him yet.
Just some of my thoughts. None of these are necessarily my favorite Simpsons moments, but they are among the characters' greatest.
And, yes, for those of you who remember and/or care, I am still working on that paper of mine about the theory of why people like which third of the show they do. I'll finish it before too long.
~Josh