The Simpsons: 15 Modern Episodes You Need To Watch
9. The Saga Of Carl (Season 24, Episode 21)
"It says here that Iceland is green and Greenland is icy. The Vikings switched the names to screw with people" - Homer Simpson
Only The Simpsons could take a character's purposely comedic last name and spin it out into a full backstory episode. Carl Carlson - the best friend of Lenny Leonard and one of Homer's put upon buddies at the Nuclear Power Plant - it turns out, was actually raised in Iceland by adoptive parents.
The episode turns out to be one of the best examinations of the bar friendship between Homer, Carl, Lenny and Moe. After Carl runs off with the gang's lottery winnings to clear his family's name in Iceland, the gang follows Carl to his native land and they discover more about their friend than they ever knew. The montage of all the 'guy stuff' the friends do together is particularly inspired.