2. Maggie Shot Mr. Burns - "Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part 2)" (7.1)
In a clever riff on Dallas' infamous "Who Shot Jr.?" plotline, the finale of The Simpsons' sixth season left fans lingering on a mind-blowing cliffhanger, as Mr. Burns is shot having attempted to block out the sun. The reveal didn't come 'til season seven, when it turned out that little Maggie Simpson did it by accident, after near-on everybody in Springfield had been poised as a suspect. The shocking thing, of course, was that she was pretty much the last character fans expected; a truly clever bit of anti-climaxing, if ever there was one, because it felt true to the series and wasn't at all disappointing.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
