The Simpsons: 10 Funniest Episodes Ever Made

6. A Fish Called Selma (Episode 19, Season Seven)

"I hate every ape I see/From chimpan-a to chimpan-z..."

For that musical moment alone, A Fish Called Selma justifies its place on this list. Because how can you argue with a line as brilliantly funny and unexpected as that? Sadly, "Planet of the Apes: The Musical" doesn't exist, but at least this episode of The Simpsons does.

A Fish Called Selma sees everybody's favourite Troy McClure (voiced flawlessly by the wonderful Phil Hartman) as he attempts to get his career back together, which paves the way for a whole host of antics. Sometimes everything in an episode of The Simpsons just works, and this was one of those times; not ten seconds go by here without a funny line or sight gag (did we mention "Planet of the Apes: The Musical"? We did? Oh).

There's also Jeff Goldblum as McClure's shady agent, MacArthur Parker, and - for an episode that is relentlessly funny - it still has an emotional weight. But mostly this episode works because Phil Hartman, never better, really delivers the goods as Troy McClure; every line reading feels perfect, thus cementing this as one of the funniest episodes.