From: Dog of Death (Season 3, Episode 19) We've already shown that Bart is an animal lover, so it only makes sense that Bart's very best friend is his faithful dog, Santa's Little Helper. Sorry, Milhouse. You're just too needy. Since they first met - when Homer and Bart rescued him from a greyhound racing track in The Simpsons first ever episode, fact fans - Bart and his dog have been inseparable. Except when he was adopted by Mr Burns. When Santa's Little Helper suffers from a twisted stomach, the family break themselves to get him treated. Having all suffered from their loss of money, the Simpsons shun the dog and SLH runs away, only to become one of Burnsie's vicious hounds. However, upon setting eyes on Bart, the dog breaks his new conditioning and the boy and pet are reunited once more. The love between a boy and his dog has been explored numerous times in films and TV but that of Bart and Santa's Little Helper, both who bring more trouble than good to the Simpsons family, is one of the best and, as this moment shows, one of the most touching.
5. Four-Fingered Discount
From: Marge Be Not Proud (Season 7, Episode 11) Bart may be a troublemaker - and occasionally says that he hopes to take over Springfield's Mafia from Fat Tony some day - but he still has his boundaries and is not generally a criminal. Most of the time. When Marge refuses to get Bart the latest popular video game, Bonestorm, for Christmas, Bart is egged on by local bully Jimbo to take it anyway, he calls it 'four-fingered discount' (on account of Simpsons characters only having four fingers). Bart does but is immediately caught by the store security guard. After finding out, Homer is angry but Marge simply ignores him, something which crushes Bart. He returns from the store later and Marge accuses him of shoplifting again. Bart then reveals that he has bought her a Christmas gift. A nice picture of himself, as he usually messes them up. While a lot of episode's focus on the animosity between Bart and Homer and the sibling rivalry between him and Lisa, not too many concentrate on mother and son. This is undoubtedly the most touching moment between the two as Marge realises that her son isn't all bad and can redeem himself for his past mistakes. Marge be proud, be very proud.
4. Bart's Girlfriend
From: Bart's Girlfriend (Season 6, Episode 7) It's become something of a go-to plot-line over the years; Bart gets a new love interest, played by a famous female guest star. This example though, while it is not quite the first, is definitely the, uh, definitive episode for this type of plot, providing one of Bart's finest hours. While bored in church one Sunday, Bart falls instantly in love when he sees the angelic Jessica Lovejoy (voiced by Meryl Streep), the reverend's daughter newly-returned from boarding school. Convinced he has to be good to make her fall for him, Bart tries hard but fails to catch her attention. It is only when he is given detention by Principal Skinner that Jessica takes an interest in him; 'you're bad, Bart Simpson. And I like it.' At first, Bart couldn't be happier but soon realises that Jessica is even worse than him, which culminates in her stealing from the church collection plate, something even Bart knows is very wrong. Nevertheless, she frames him and lets him take the rap. Later, Bart, now disillusioned, tells her that though she hurt him at least he is now wiser and less naive. She says that she has learnt that she can make boys do anything she wants and leaves Bart to do her chores for her. When she has gone, he laughs to himself that the joke is on her; he's only going to do a second rate job. A terrific guest character and one of the most important people in Bart's long, animated life, Jessica Lovejoy is rare example of a Simpsons character even more evil than Bart. Although she's not the only one...
