The Simpsons: 15 Most Underrated Golden Age Episodes
11. Old Money
In the earlier days, the pop-culture boom The Simpsons created was mainly down to two things: its rebellious, anti-establishment attitude and its extremely grounded and relatable, character-driven plots. In particular, no better example of the latter is showcased in Old Money. Season 2’s most sentimental set-piece of an episode that might just be the most realistically gut-wrenching of them all.
In this episode, which is the series’ first brush with a story centred around the idea of death and how it affects people differently, Grampa Simpson discovers a lady in his retirement home and falls in love just as hastily. Just as Abe's lease on life is reignited thanks to his newly unearthed honey - Bea - his planned date is thwarted by his insensitive, idiotic offspring.
Homer forcibly drags him on a family trip, leading to Grampa subsequently returning to the home after missing their date - only to find that his new flame had extinguished like a proverbial candle in the night.
From one tumultuous moment to another, this episode accumulates sadness in heaps and droves. Fortunately, it culminates in a relatively bittersweet ending that allows Grampa to rejuvenate at least one unresolved relationship, incorporating a valuable message of forgiveness underneath.