30 Essential 'The Simpsons' Episodes to Watch for the 30th Anniversary

"The Simpsons" has been around longer than many people watching it have even been alive. As the show celebrates an incredible 30-year milestone, we've picked out 30 essential episodes you should watch. This is a mix of the funniest, the most important and the most defining episodes in the show's 30-year run.

'Simpsons Roasting On an Open Fire' (Season 1)

This little holiday special started it all, marking the point where "The Simpsons" transformed from "The Tracey Ullman Show" supporting player to full-fledged animated sitcom. The production values are a little rough now, but the show's core appeal was already in place.

'One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish' (Season 2)

"The Simpsons" took a little time to truly settle into a groove and kick off its golden era. This episode may well mark the exact point where the show honed its voice and that signature, misanthropic sense of humor. This episode manages to be hilarious even as it has us honestly believing Homer is facing his final 24 hours on Earth.

'The Way We Was' (Season 2)

The show has a long, established habit of flashing back to explore those tumultuous early years of Homer and Marge's relationship. As far as we're concerned, "The Simpsons" did it best the first time around.

'Stark Raving Dad' (Season 3)

"The Simpsons" is notable for including at least one celebrity guest voice in nearly every episode. Michael Jackson may well be the show's biggest get of all time. More importantly, the show used Jackson in a very clever way here, having him play a mental patient who only pretends to be the King of Pop. Years later Groening would admit that Jackson also co-wrote and produced the incredibly popular novelty single "Do the Bartman."

'Homer the Heretic' (Season 4)

The series has a great track record when it comes to exploring religion and the complicated relationship most Springfielders have with their spiritual selves. "Homer the Heretic" is a noteworthy example, and one that plays just as heavily on the strained relationship between Homer and Lisa.

'Marge vs. The Monorail' (Season 4)

If you want a clear contender for the greatest "Simpsons" episode of all time, look no further. This one has it all - terrific guest stars, a zany plot (courtesy of staff writer Conan O'Brien), a catchy musical number and lines that are just as quotable now as they were 25 years ago.

'Last Exit to Springfield' (Season 4)

We're not sure which season of "The Simpsons" ranks as the best, but between this episode and "Marge vs. The Monorail," Season 4 has to qualify as the most quotable. This utterly hilarious episode features some all-time classic moments, including the "monkeys with typewriters" scene and the infamous "Dental plan!" gag.

'Cape Feare' (Season 5)

No "Simpsons" marathon would be complete without at least one good Sideshow Bob episode, and this one remains the reigning champ. Who would have thought Bob's greatest enemy would be an ordinary garden rake?

'Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy' (Season 5)

A lot of great "Simpsons" episodes are predicated on Lisa discovering an uncomfortable truth about the adult world. Case in point, this episode sees Lisa realize her dream of making a more inspirational doll for other young girls, only to be defeated by Malibu Stacy and her new hat.

'Deep Space Homer' (Season 5)

Before "Homer gets a new job" became a cheap and easy way to build new episodes, we got to see him become an astronaut. This episode is crammed with classic moments, most notably Kent Brockman's iconic line, "And I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords."

'Itchy and Scratchy Land' (Season 6)

It's always fun to see the Simpson clan go on vacation, especially when the end result is a parody fusion of "Westworld" and Disney World. This is also the episode that made "Bort" license plates a hot commodity (they're currently on sale in the "Simpsons"-themed areas of Universal Studios theme parks).

'Treehouse of Horror V' (Season 6)

No "Simpsons" season is complete without a "Treehouse of Horror" episode in October. "Treehouse of Horror V" still qualifies as the best of the bunch, thanks to its spot-on parody of "The Shining" and clever recurring jokes.

'Bart vs. Australia' (Season 6)

These days, it seems like the Simpson family visits a different country every other week. But it was still quite the novelty back in Season 6, when Bart and family got dragged to Australia to apologize for an international prank gone awry. The result is an episode so funny you can't decide which side is the real butt of the joke, Americans or Australians.

'Lisa's Wedding' (Season 6)

Just as the show occasionally hops back in time to explore Homer and Marge's past, it also likes to jump forward and see how our favorite Springfielders might fare a few decades down the line. That formula worked especially well in this hilarious and poignant look at Lisa's first brush with true love.

'Who Shot Mr. Burns, Part 1' (Season 6)

There's rarely much in the way of continuity from one "Simpsons" episode to the next. This episode proved a rare exception, kicking off a two-parter wherein the entire town turned against the greedy Mr. Burns. It's a genuinely great whodunit on top of being an uproariously funny episode. And, positioned as a season finale, it had us guessing all summer long.

'Radioactive Man' (Season 7)

The best "Simpsons" episodes tend to remain timely and prescient even several decades later. And in this case, "Radioactive Man" is every bit as clever a send-up of the Hollywood blockbuster machine as it was back in the day.

'Lisa the Vegetarian' (Season 7)

If this episode had nothing else to offer beyond the "You don't make friends with salad!" dance number, it would still be worth an inclusion. But there's more more on tap in this amusing and heartwarming look at Lisa's attempt to come to terms with her own inner vegetarian.

'Mother Simpson' (Season 7)

Season 7 introduced Homer's mother Mona (voiced here by a pitch-perfect Glenn Close) to the mix, revealing at long last why Homer grew up in a motherless household. The result could have easily been the show's "jump the shark" moment. Instead, what we got was a very emotionally charged episode with one of the most sublime ending scenes in the show's long history.

'22 Short Films About Springfield' (Season 7)

The various oddball inhabitants of Springfield have become increasingly important to the series over the years, and this episode (named after an obscure Canadian biopic) really allowed them to shine. You'll be hard-pressed to find a classic episode more jam-packed with characters and memorable jokes. Plus,. this episode gave us the Steamed Hams meme.

'You Only Move Twice' (Season 8)

Many "Simpsons" fans regard Albert Brooks as the best celebrity guest voice in the show's history. And nowhere is Brooks more hilariously memorable than as Hank Scorpio, Homer's new boss and a Bond villain on the side.

'The Itchy and Scartchy and Poochie Show' (Season 8)

This episode has lost none of its bite over the years. It's still a pitch-perfect takedown of Hollywood studios and their habit of thrusting soulless corporate cash-grabs into beloved piece of pop culture.

'Homer's Phobia' (Season 8)

"The Simpsons" often proved ahead of its time during that golden age that was the show's first decade. That was certainly true for this episode, which made "The Simpsons" one of the first primetime sitcoms to tackle homosexuality in a profound and meaningful way. Maybe that doesn't sound so impressive nowadays, but at the time this episode really lit the way for a changing TV landscape.

'Homer vs. The Eighteenth Amendment' (Season 8)

Homer became the hero we all deserved in this episode, as he adopted the guise of "The Beer Baron" and fought against Springfield's resurgent Prohibition law. The Beer Baron v Rex Banner feud is a hoot, and this episode gave us one of the greatest "Simpsons" quotes of all time - "To alcohol - the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems."

'Homer's Enemy' (Season 8)

This is one of the more divisive "Simpsons" episodes out there. While it offers an amusing look at a very one-sided rivalry, it also pushes the show's sense of humor in a darker, bleaker direction. Many consider "Homer's Enemy" to be the end of the show's classic era.

'The Cartridge Family' (Season 9)

As “The Simpsons” neared its second decade on air, it didn’t shy away from the cultural conversation and potentially hot-button topics, in this case the very touchy issue of gun control. In this installment (written by brilliant recluse and “Simpsons” MVP John Swartzwelder), Homer gets a handgun, much to Marge’s chagrin, putting a strain on the family that could theoretically break them. Full of moments both profound and absurd, it was rightfully heralded as a breakthrough when it first aired, and is (sadly) just as timely today as it was in 1997.

'Alone Again, Natura-diddily' (Season 11)

It's exceedingly rare for "The Simpsons" to actually kill off a recurring character, which makes this Season 11 episode such a curiosity. It also proved that the show hadn't entirely lost its edge heading into its second decade of life.

'Behind the Laughter' (Season 11)

This episode came along to serve as a terrific spoof of VH1's "Behind the Music" documentaries, exactly at a time when it was appropriate for the aging series to reflect on its glory. And for those wondering how Bart, Lisa and Maggie stay so young after all this time, this episode provides probably the best answer we're ever going to get.

'I Am Furious (Yellow)' (Season 13)

Every so often it's good to be reminded that "The Simpsons" can still recapture the magic of those early years. That's here this episode comes in. Between the amazing Stan Lee appearance and Bart's hilarious "Angry Dad" webtoon, the series was really firing on all cylinders with this one.

'At Long Last Leave' (Season 23)

"The Simpsons" reached the 500 episode mark with this episode, a milestone almost unheard of for any other primetime series. It marked the occasion in true self-aware fashion, with the Simpson family being kicked out of Springfield after finally overstaying their welcome.

'Halloween of Horror' (Season 27)

Season 27 broke the usual trend by having two separate Halloween-themed episodes. "Halloween of Horror" is unusual in that it's actually set in regular "Simpsons" continuity rather than offering a trio of anthology stories. And wouldn't you know it that change was enough to result in one of the show's best holiday specials in a very long time.