The Simpsons: Every Sideshow Bob Episode Ranked Worst To Best

The Simpsons go on location was a hoary cliche of the show’s declining years long before this episode, and the motivation for their excursion is particularly flimsy here. Homer is sent by Mr Burns to pick up a sports car the boss has ordered. On a detour through the Italian countryside, they reach a small town and are shocked to discover a familiar face as the mayor.

A flaw here, as with many of this era’s episodes, is that the story takes an age to get to the point. When Bob finally gets in the mix, the character is taken in a refreshing new direction - it’s enjoyable that he’s now as frightened by the Simpsons as they are by him, knowing only too well that he’s going to come out the loser should they tangle.

The episode, however, like many Simpsons abroad episodes, is let down by lazy writing which relies on nothingy observations about the differences between life in Europe and America. There are jokes about kids drinking wine, jokes about Italians talking with their hands. There’s a protracted scene which is little more than Lisa naming Italian cheeses. Rather than a Sideshow Bob episode, it’s a Simpsons on holiday episode that Bob turns up in.