In another instance of The Simpsons exploring self-parody, when Bart appears on Krusty the Clown's show he becomes an overnight success and the latest craze to sweep Springfield. Poking fun at the real-life Bartmania, Bart is known for only a single catchphrase, 'I didn't do it!', even releasing a rap single (parodying Do the Bartman). Bart rides the crest of his fame for a while but soon starts to fear that it will wear off. And he's right. One day, he spouts his phrase and its met with deafening silence. In other words, he just didn't do it. As seen in this article, it's a semi-running theme to dissect Bart's popularity out of the show within it but this is the best of such episodes. Funnily enough, The Simpsons team seem to predict here that one day everyone will just get bored with Bart but, while the show is not quite at the top of its game nowadays, Bart's still got his fans.
11. The Best Week Of Bart's Life
From: A Totally Fun Thing Bart Will Never Do Again (Season 23, Episode 19) However, although the show may not be in its heyday, The Simpsons can absolutely still produce strong, character-led episodes, as this next, most recent, addition on our list demonstrates. Bart is bored with doing the same thing day by day and rallies the family together to go on a cruise. The family end up loving it so Bart - fearing that this will be the one good week of his life - tricks the cruise liner into thinking that the rest of the world is infected with a deadly epidemic, meaning they have to stay on the ship. This being The Simpsons, much hilarity ensues. When Bart's fraudulence is revealed and the family have to leave, he reiterates how he wants life to always be as fun as the past week has been. Lisa reminds him that, while life is not often perfect, you have to appreciate the perfect moments when they happen. We then see Bart as an old man, looking back at this time fondly, as one of many perfect memories. As an episode that defies those that say The Simpsons is not as heartfelt as it once was, this is one of few episodes in the show's history that focusses on another aspect of Bart away from his misbehaviour and casts him as a rounded, believable person. Long live Bart and the Simpsons!
10. Oh F...
From: Bart Gets An F (Season 2, Episode 1) From the most recent moment on our list to the oldest, we prove that Bart has always been a great character, right from the (very near) beginning. Told by Mrs Krabappel that he will be held back for another year in the fourth grade unless he passes his next history test, Bart employs teacher's pet Martin Prince to tutor him and works hard to pass. However, on the day, after really trying, Bart is awarded an F. Crushed, Bart breaks down in tears and spouts how he feels like 'George Washington when he surrendered Fort Necessity to the French in 1754.' Proving that he did study, Krappabel gives him another mark which pushes his grade to a D-. Overjoyed, Bart kisses her. 'I passed! I got a D-! I passed! I passed! I... kissed the teacher?!' One of the moments that originally defined that the show had a touching side to go with its anarchic humour (hey, yellow people were seen as anarchic in 1990), this is a terrific demonstration that underneath his 'underachiever and proud of it, man' attitude Bart is as worried about failing as any kid and can, on occasion, pull through. Just about.
