The Simpsons: 15 Most Underrated Golden Age Episodes
7. Summer of 4 Ft. 2
For a TV show that was both the epitome and pinnacle of the 1990s, the stylistic choices only ever partially convey that fact. Yes, aesthetically The Simpsons of this era clearly predates the time of smartphones, apprentices graduating to presidency and even Tamagotchi's - yes, it has actually been on TV that long - but the vapid, "it's like you know...whatever" attitude of generation Z was present, but never veraciously highlighted until now.
Summer of 4 Ft. 2 is the embodiment of everything the 90s was all about, feeling more like a timeless time capsule than most other episodes. The hardheadedness and total dissidence of 90s youth and the exclusionary social problems it presented are catalysed through Lisa's journey of trying to fit in with the cooler kids.
When Lisa tries to reinvent herself on vacation, she meets a group of preadolescent dudes and dudettes who all talk in this unequivocally empty-headed manner, one that is very out of sync with Lisa's usual articulate nature, creating an interesting character-driven plot.
One that sumptuously closes the season out on such a lovingly sombre note, it gives off the feeling that along with the Lisa Simpson we originally knew, the show provided us with a subtle forewarning that the quality would quickly dwindle after the next season.
It might even be the best season finale of them all, well, if not for...