The Simpsons: Each Thanksgiving Episode, Ranked

“The Simpsons” is likely one of the greatest TV exhibits of all time, and definitely one of the widespread and influential. With a whole bunch of episodes throughout 35 years, the present has lined numerous tales, visited many various international locations, and touched on nearly each main vacation. Certainly, holidays are integral to the historical past of “The Simpsons,” because the present’s very first episode was a Christmas particular (changing the unique thought for the pilot), and since then there have been many extra Christmas-related episodes.

After all, the vacation most intently associated to “The Simpsons” by way of episodes is Halloween, as we have had a horror episode yearly for the reason that present’s second season (and a few years even multiple) with varied levels of success. However for as many Treehouse of Horror episodes as there are, the other is true for Thanksgiving episodes of “The Simpsons,” with most simply barely concerning the vacation, and a few (like “Homer vs. Dignity”) being objectively terrible. Nonetheless, there are just a few which can be fairly good and even wonderful Thanksgiving adventures, so we’re right here to rank the perfect turkey day episodes of “The Simpsons.” 

The newest Treehouse of Horror episode (as of the time of this writing) contains one very efficient little Thanksgiving ghost story that takes cues from Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the Home of Usher” (and the superb Netflix present it impressed) in addition to the somewhat maligned movie “Winchester” starring Helen Mirren.

The section follows a Victorian-era Mr. Burns who owns a corn syrup manufacturing facility and is by some means much more merciless towards his staff. After he denies them time without work and a meal on Thanksgiving, Burns is haunted by the ghosts of his abused staff. It is a enjoyable little section with gems like Agnes being Burns’ ex-wife, ugly ghost imagery, and even some social commentary about Black Friday and the mistreatment of staff. Certain, it is barely about Thanksgiving, however it’s set throughout the vacation and feedback on the bizarre distinction between individuals supposedly treating one another properly on Thanksgiving earlier than appearing like jerks the very subsequent day.

Although “Holidays of Future Previous” solely barely options Thanksgiving within the very starting earlier than turning into extra of a Christmas story, it does seize the spirit of the vacation, so it counts right here. The episode largely takes place sooner or later, when each Lisa and Bart are mother and father themselves and understand how troublesome youngsters might be. There are nice gags about the place the characters find yourself like Bart being a divorced mess dwelling on prime of Springfield Elementary and the way they affect the world (like Homer inspiring a no-strangling-your-kids legislation), the episode is usually a somewhat heartfelt story of household.

That is certainly one of essentially the most underrated episodes of “The Simpsons,” and an ideal ending to the present if it ever involves move. Although not strictly about Thanksgiving, it is rather a lot in regards to the thought of giving thanks and accepting individuals’s flaws. The youngsters be taught the issue of parenting, and even Homer appreciates his personal dad regardless of his many flaws.

“The Simpsons” has been filled with nice episodes lately, episodes that both provide one thing new or revisit a number of the flaws of previous tales. Such is the case with “It is a Blunderful Life,” a season 35 episode that’s basically each a sequel to “The Simpsons Film” and likewise an episode that fixes that film’s largest mistake by making Mr. Burns the villain somewhat than a random new character. Within the episode, an aged Lisa recounts on the Thanksgiving desk the story of how Homer was as soon as scapegoated for inflicting an influence outage that affected all of Springfield within the days earlier than Thanksgiving.

It is a heartfelt episode that repeats a lot of the beats of “The Simpsons Film” — largely the mob chasing the Simpsons household out of city and Homer being blamed for all the pieces till Marge decides to imagine in him — however however gives an emotional story about this household coming collectively. Plus, there are some pleasant jokes about Mr. Burns busting unions.

Now this can be a correct Thanksgiving episode, full with a prolonged Thanksgiving dinner, references to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and all the pieces else we affiliate with the vacation. “Bart vs. Thanksgiving” positively seems like an early episode of “The Simpsons,” again when the present was extra like a sitcom a few household than an animated present about cartoonish shenanigans. The episode takes place on Thanksgiving day after Bart destroys the centerpiece Lisa made for dinner by throwing it into the fireside, and he runs away from residence to keep away from apologizing for what he did.

This can be a heartfelt episode with an exquisite depiction of the connection between Bart and Lisa, an episode that asks the viewers to put money into the characters greater than the sitcom hijinks, exhibiting the 2 eldest Simpsons youngsters as precise siblings who struggle however nonetheless care about one another. When Bart lastly comes round and apologizes, it makes for a candy scene and a uncommon second of affection between Bart and Lisa. 

The only greatest Thanksgiving episode of “The Simpsons” is a non-canon episode that takes a web page out of the Treehouse of Horror collection and delivers a implausible, gory anthology of horror segments — this time all centered across the previous, current, and way forward for Thanksgiving. 

The episode begins with a disturbing story the place the Simpsons are reimagined as turkeys being despatched to slaughter in a gnarly sacrificial ceremony, earlier than shifting on to a section the place Homer buys an A.I. of Marge to assist her with the cooking, which makes Marge jealous. Lastly, there is a area journey the place Bart creates a blob-like monster out of cranberry sauce. The episode is crammed with many references, from the primary section being a giant “Apocalypto” parody to the center section being all about “Black Mirror” (largely “White Christmas,” however with references to different episodes), and the ultimate section is about “Alien” and the film “Life.” The sheer genius of the thought of getting a trilogy of Thanksgiving horror segments is matched by how humorous and artistic the segments are, taking totally different components of the vacation and twisting them into horrific tales. The episode even ends with a enjoyable and really meta-reference — footage of the 1991 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade the place an enormous Bart Simpson balloon paraded down the streets of New York.