12 Times The Simpsons Went Dark

Have you ever really looked Death right in the face?

In season 2, the Simpson clan want to try something new for their palate, so they go to this new sushi place called The Happy Sumo. They sample some of their menu until Homer wants to try something called the Fugu Blowfish, despite warnings from the chef.

See, the Fugu Blowfish is actually a popular Chinese dish but it also contains a lethal tetrodotoxin. If the dish isn't properly prepared, it can be lethal to the consumer. Well, that's what happens to Homer after eating the dish. The chef informs him their was a mistake with his meal and he only has 24 hours to live.

Instead of finding the humor in it, the show actually decides really dive into what it means to face your own mortality. When he learns of his fate, he decides to make a list of everything he wants to do before his demise. He has a man-to-man talk with Bart, he listens to Lisa play her saxophone and he even reconciles with his emotionally distant father.

It all comes to an end when he quietly gets out of bed at midnight, goes downstair, puts on Larry King reading the bible and decides to die peacefully on his own terms. Obviously, he doesn't succumb to the poison but the way the episode handles the subject material is both grim and endearing.