The Simpsons: 10 Exceptional Episodes From The Last 10 Years

It might not be as funny as it used to be, but that doesn't mean it can't come close on occasion.

By Adam Woolhouse /

Ask around online, and you€™ll get the general consensus that The Simpsons have not been as-funny or as-entertaining since their 10th season, despite it being on the air for 25 years. Citing an overuse of non-sequitur jokes, plots revolving around Homer's "newest job," and storylines driven by the inclusion of a celebrity voice (or more), fans of the show have almost unanimously yearned for the simpler years of monorails, dental plans, and "You 'Choose Choose Choose Me'." While the most-current episodes may not be as great as the golden years of Seasons 3-9, The Simpsons still continues to produce ratings and merchandise revenue for Fox at a respectable rate, and - despite complaints of failing to live up to its own past glories - it still produces laughs. For every dreadful episode in any given season, there is an equally-good one, with the majority of episodes receiving "mixed reviews" from critics: some good, some bad. There have been some very, very good episodes of The Simpsons in the last 10 years that, sadly, many fans of the show may have missed because they no longer feel compelled to catch every first-run-episode right away. Here are 10 Exceptional Episodes of The Simpsons from the last 10 years, episodes that have won awards, earned strong reviews, and have received the most glorious of praise: a positive comparison to those early episodes whose quality we all earnestly yearn for.