The Simpsons: Every Season 1 Episode Ranked

13. Homer's Night Out

When looking at the debut of any long-running popular television series, it’s important to take into account that every show starts off finding its voice in order to produce greater content in later years to come and therefore, the writing and stories are often experimental in order to see what works for the show in the future.

In the case of The Simpsons, they eventually came to develop an entertaining, heartfelt cartoon sitcom centred around a family who were relatable and actually felt like a real-life family because of the trials and tribulations they faced in life. Conclusively, it’s important to give some leeway when judging the first series from a current standpoint.

That being said, it’s hard to make an exception for Homer’s Night Out, which really goes against all the qualities that have made the sitcom so beloved over the years.

Aside from its sheer lack of comedy, it contains a weak story with lame melodrama. The basis is that Homer gets ‘merry’ with an exotic dancer at a bachelor party and Marge eventually finds out through a photo of the act gone viral. She claims it’s an image of filth and objectifying women which leads to her tearfully kicking him out the house. Marge’s character particularly grates because it’s a real overreaction on her behalf, especially when she’s let Homer off for greater wrong doings.

The ending is weak and rushed – Homer makes a heavy-handed speech in a strip club about not objectifying women and everyone gets tear eyed, including Marge who instantly reconciles with her husband and it finishes there with no afterthought.

The message itself is not bad, it’s just executed poorly. Jon Vitti presumably had good intentions when writing this but the final product just leaves you with frustration.