8. Rescuing Bart & Lisa From Cecil
In another step backwards from the maniacal personality fans had come to expect from Sideshow Bob, No.8 on our list sees the big-haired villain turn hero as he saves Bart and Lisa from his brother, Cecil. In the 1997 episode "Brother From Another Series", we see a recently-released-from-prison Bob move in with his brother, Cecil, as he attempts to put his life of crime behind him. That plan doesn't quite work out however when it is revealed Cecil is secretly harbouring a grudge against Bob for stealing his limelight during an audition to become Krusty's new sidekick. With this envious rage festering away, Cecil plans to take revenge by flooding Springfield by blowing up the dam and frame Bob, with Bart, Lisa and his brother all trapped inside. With Bart refusing to believe Bob has turned over a new leaf, and reluctant to allow his arch nemesis help him, Bob steps in to save the day by foiling Cecil's evil masterplan and actually swooping in to save Bart from being hurled off a cliff. It's nice seeing moments of occasional friendliness between Bob and Bart, and a refreshing switch from the usual, well-played-out murder-plot storylines. Other humorous moments see Bob and Cecil squabbling over who gets the top bunk bed when both are later sent to prison, while the casting of David Hyde Pierce as Cecil, who played Grammer's brother in Frasier, was of course brilliant.