The Simpsons: Every Season 1 Episode Ranked

And here we come to the halfway point of the ranks. Bart the General is the middle ground of Season 1 – it boasts plenty of charm and warmth for being an all-rounded good story. From the satirically drawn funeral fantasy to the brilliant military chants that Bart makes his troops practice, Bart the General also offers plenty of laughs to enhance the storytelling.

The topic at hand is bullying. Bart is being tormented by Nelson Muntz. It lays down the foundations of what Nelson’s character plays in The Simpsons lore (thankfully, Nelson would progress to leave the one-dimensional bully persona behind and become a genuine character with real depth and humanity, not forgetting the iconic “Haw-Haw” catchphrase he’d soon develop). It all ends nicely with Bart getting some much-deserved revenge on Nelson before they quash their feud. It’s simple but makes for a good viewing.

So overall, Bart the General isn’t really innovative or creative, it’s just a nice levelled episode to balance out the wackiness/bleakness of the first series.