The Simpsons: 10 Most Important Episodes Ever Made

10. The Joy Of Sect (13.9)

Whilst most Simpsons fans will recognise The Joy of Sect as that episode of the show in which the writers took aim at crazy, money-stealing religious cults, many will be surprised to learn that the intention of the episode wasn't merely to poke fun at cults in general, but to target a specific cult: that is, The Joy of Sect is all about Scientology. Yes, one brave television show dared to make fun of Scientology as far back as 1998 - a fact that showcases the boldness of its writing staff. No, Scientology is not mentioned outright, but its influence is plainly felt when you revisit this episode (it was also inspired by groups like Heaven's Gate and the Peoples Temple, but to a lesser extent). The Joy of Sect, then, sees the residents of Springfield drawn under the wing of a group calling themselves "The Movementarians," and aside from its lampooning of Scientology's strange practices, it paved the way for others to do the same. As a result, it's a truly landmark episode; a trend-setter in the ongoing campaign to expose Scientology. South Park famously took on the group in their own episode, but The Simpsons got there first.