This was on the other day, and although I've never given it a lot of thought, it is really one of the great episodes. There are just so many funny touches, like the various hairdos Lisa tries out (Marge's, Princess Leia's), or the pictures around the cariacature booth (Farrah Fawcett, the Fonz, Darth Vader!). Or how about the Duff blimp going down in flames, with Kent Brockman exclaiming, "Oh, the humanity!....Anyway, back to the store opening..." And Homer has a classic, yet extremely accurate, observance. "When it comes to compliments, women are like ravenous, bloodsucking vultures, always wanting more, More, MORE!"
And I've decided that Treehouse of Horror IV is my all-time favorite Halloween episode: "The Devil and Homer Simpson", "Terror at 5 1/2 Feet", "Bart Simpson's Dracula". Not a weak spot among them.
This is a great time to be a "Simpsons" fan in Boston -- all the classic episodes are coming off the shelf now.