The Simpsons: 20 Greatest Songs In The Show's History

6. You're Checkin' In

Episode: The City Of New York vs. Homer Simpson When Homer has to collect his car from New York, his family throw themselves into the plethora of big budget, star-studded Broadway productions that the city has to offer. And Kickin' It: A Musical Journey through the Betty Ford Centre seems like the perfect way to spend a couple of hours. The only musical number we're lucky enough to catch is 'You're Checkin' In', unquestionably one of the best (read: most ridiculous) songs about rehab you'll ever hear. Its protagonist, a washed-up celebrity turned cocaine addict, has to contend not only with cold turkey and an overzealous medical team but also a show-stealing judge whose verdict €“ ''I should put you away where you can't kill or maim us/But this is LA and you're rich and faaaaaamous!' €“ neatly summarises the entire play/problem. No wonder it won both an Emmy and an Annie.

5. They'll Never Stop The Simpsons

Episode: Gump Roast Many of The Simpsons' greatest gags stem from its inability to take itself seriously, as the above image shows. And so while 'Gump Roast' might not be a particularly memorable episode €“ yes, it's another clip show €“ it nevertheless redeems itself in the closing moments by practically admitting to its flaws. For reasons never quite made clear, Dan Castellaneta, who co-wrote the episode, chooses to end the show with a parody of Billy Joel's 'We Didn't Start the Fire'. ''They'll Never Stop the Simpsons'' is as much a threat as a mark of reassurance, in which moments from the previous twelve seasons are revisited through song, before our attention is turned to its future. There's plenty of ground still to cover, argues the show, you just might not like it. For example, how about ''Marge becomes a robot? Moe gets a cellphone? Has Bart ever owned a bear?'' This continues for some time, with plausibility stretched beyond breaking point. But the show's self-deprecating humour abounds throughout. For example, after Castellaneta pitches ''a crazy wedding'' in which we see Patty, Selma and Abe each wearing a bridal gown, he follows this up with the hilariously weak ''Where something happens and doo doo doo doo doo... Sorry for the clip show! Suddenly, all is forgiven.