The Simpsons: 10 Exceptional Episodes From The Last 10 Years

8. "Springfield Up" - Season 18

Plot: British documentarian Declan Desmond returns to Springfield to finalize his ongoing documentary "Growing Up Springfield," focusing on Springfield elementary students Homer Simpson, Marge Bouvier, John Frink, Moe Syzlak, Barney Gumble, Lenny Leonard, Carl Carlson, and Eleanor Abernathy (who would grow up to become the Crazy Cat Lady) amongst others. The documentary shows them at varying stages of their development, ending with Homer, who has become exceedingly wealthy (he invented a pen that houses several different condiments) although his ruse is sabotaged by Mr. Burns; Homer admits he just wanted to impress the snooty Desmond, but eventually Homer realizes that is life isn't so bad the way it is. Monty Python-legend Eric Idle made his third appearance on The Simpsons as Declan Desmond, and his calming if not snarky voice helps narrate the backstory of several of Springfield's residents' childhoods in a fun, sarcastic way. For all of the flashback episode of The Simpsons, the documentary-style look is the most clever, and the unconventional manner makes for a stand-out episode. There have been a lot of "Homer is depressed about his life, but eventually ends up OK" episodes of The Simpsons, but with Desmond taking his film, editing in clips of people like Moe and Krusty the Clown sharing their envy and gratitude towards Homer and his family life, and then re-showing the edited version to Homer is the most heart-warming trip to get to that conclusion. Funniest Moment: The interviews with the regulars as children are all great, and the fact that they are shot in black-and-white adds to the documentary feel. In particular, one short snippet with a young Carl Carlson and Barney Gumble stood out in its simplicity. Carl: "I wish for world peace!" Barney: "I wish for world war!" Carl: "Hey... that is cooler!"