The Simpsons: Season 8 [DVD] (2006)

Season 8 may be the last above average season of The Simpsons. It would not be long after this season when I stopped enjoying The Simpsons as much. Their story lines became increasingly over-the-top and the shows were often to intent on focusing on the celebrity of the week. This season starts to go in that direction with some way-out episodes, but is not quite there yet. Season 7 is my favorite but Season 8 has many gems including "The Homer They Fall," "Burns, Baby Burns," "Lisa's Date with Density," "Hurricane Neddy," "Homer Vs. The Eighteenth Amendment," and "In Marge We Trust."

"Treehouse of Horror VII": (a) The Thing and I: Bart finds out he has an evil Siamese brother Hugo; (b) The Genesis Tub: Lisa conducts experiments with her fallen baby tooth and creates a mini society. When she is zapped into miniature size, she warns the little society against the "Dark One" (Bart); (c) Kang and Kodos come to earth posed as Bob Dole and Bill Clinton. Of course, with the two-party system, one of them has to win.

"You Only Move Twice": Homer begins working for Hank Scorpio who is a pleasant and fun boss despite his plans for global terrorism and extortion.

"The Homer They Fall": Homer becomes a boxer with Moe as his manager. All goes well until he has to fight Drederick Tatum. Great Mike Tyson and Don King characters.

"Burn, Baby Burns": Mr. Burns finds out he has a long-lost son (voiced by Rodney Dangerfield) who becomes bosom buds with Homer. Love the line: "This place is emptier than a Scottish pay toilet."

"Bart After Dark": After Bart damages property at an spooky old house, Homer forces Bart to work at the house which turns out to be a burlesque house.

"A Milhouse Divided": Milhouse's parents get divorced and his dad decides to becomes a [bad] singer.

"Lisa's Date with Density": Lisa develops a crush on bully Nelson Muntz and thinks she can change him. I love the scene where Nelson throws a rock at a window and tries to tell Lisa the cops are chasing him and he needs a hideout only to have Homer open the window to tell him Lisa's room is the next window over. I also love the auto-dialer sub-story.

"Hurricane Neddy": One of my all-time favorites. Ned Flanders's house is the only one destroyed in a hurricane and he begins to question his faith. In a flashback, we find out how he started saying doodily, diddily, as a why to hold in rage.

"The Mysterious Voyage of Homer": This is a weird one. Homer eats a bad pepper at a chili cook-off and hallucinates about a coyote who urges Homer to find his soul mate.

"The Springfield Files:" X-Files take-off.

"The Twisted World of Marge Simpson": After being booted out of the Investorettes club for being too conservative, Marge buys a pretzel franchise but keeps hitting stumbling blocks to success. Homer decides to recruit the services of Fat Tony.

"Mountain of Madness": This one is also a little odd. During a survival retreat for the nuclear power plant, Mr. Burns and Homer are snowed-into a cabin and eventually start hallucinating.

"Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala("doh!")cious": The Simpsons need a nanny and hire Mary Pop..,uh,...Shary Bobbins.

"The Itchy and Scratchy and Poochie Show": Homer becomes the voice of a new cartoon character who doesn't go over very well.

"Homer's Phobia": Homer meets a funny guy who runs a collectible shop "Cockamamies" (gotta love that name) named John and is shocked when he discovers John, uh, prefers the company of men. Worst of all, Homer thinks John is influencing Bart.

"Brother From Another Series": (Great title). Sideshow Bob is released from prison and joins forces with his brother Cecil (voiced by David Hyde Pierce, of course, Sideshow Bob is voiced by Kelsey Grammer--get the title?). Could Bob actually be the good guy in this episode???

"My Sister, My Sitter": Lisa becomes Bart's baby sitter and Lisa is afraid she's killed her brother after knocking him down the stairs. This one is a little over-the-top.

"Homer Vs. The Eighteenth Amendment": One of my all-time favorites! Prohibition starts up again in Springfield and Homer assists Moe in creating a speakeasy. Can Homer out-fox Rex Banner?

"Grade School Confidential": Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel start a romance and create controversy at Springfield Elementary. The Skinner is a virgin thing was a little much.

"The Canine Mutiny": Bart gets hold of a fake credit card and buys all kinds of stuff including a pedigree collie, Laddie. When repo-men come to collect the stuff, Bart gives them Santa's Little Helper instead of Laddie and soon regrets the decision.

"The Old Man and the Lisa": Mr. Burns, who's recently lost his fortune, joins forces with Lisa to create a recycling plant. Of course, Mr. Burns could never turn this plant into an evil operation...yeah, right! I love Moe's line about the "Little Lisa" logo: "Ah, isn't that cute. It makes Little Debbie look like a pile of puke."

"In Marge We Trust": Marge becomes the "Listen Lady" and burned-out Mr. Lovejoy is worried she has become more popular than him with his flock.

"Homer's Enemy": Frank Grimes is the new employee at the nuclear power plant and, unlike everyone else, he doesn't accept Homer's incompetence. A very dark episode.

"The Simpsons Spin-off Showcase": A 1970s-style variety show take-off of The Brady Bunch. Just as Jan refused to participate, Lisa is replaced by an actress who looks just like her...yeah, right!

"The Secret War of Lisa Simpson": Bart is forced to enlist in military school and, impressed by the discipline which seems odd since Lisa is such a free thinker that one would not think she'd be attracted to the unquestioning soldier's life, she decides to join, too. And all the boys accept her...uh, no.

I looked forward to buying the next released season of The Simpsons on DVD every year, however, getting season eight this year is going to be a bittersweet occasion. Of course, I add yet another solid gold season of The Simpsons to my collection, but this in turn will result in the end of my Simpsons collection. Yes, like many other reviewers of this DVD set on Amazon, I share the same sentiment that this is the last season worth buying. From season 9 and onward, the show grew progressively worse in the long run, and lost what made it worth watching in the first place.

Basically, this is the last season of The Simpsons that retained its witty sense of humor, and didn't resort to outlandish storylines and throwing in celebrity guest stars week after week. Episodes like "You Only Move Twice" (I love the 007 scene), "A Milhouse Divided", "The Twisted World Of Marge Simpson", Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(ANNOYED GRUNT)cious", "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show", "Homer's Phobia", and the classic "Homer's Enemy" exudes the shows last ounces of genius from script to screen. The storylines of these episodes are enjoyable, and captivating from start to finish. The witty humor of the past seasons is well retained in season eight with many side splitting moments of hillarity to prove it. In addition, season eight showcases further development of favorite characters, as well as the introduction of unforgettable new favorites like Frank Grimes and Poochie.

Truly, Season 8 is indeed the end of an era of what was the most brilliantly inventive series on television. Fortunately, it will live infinitely on DVD to be respected and enjoyed by core fans and casual viewers alike.

Episodes of The Simpsons in season 8 were still remarkably fresh, funny and for the most part full of that razor-edged dark humor prevalent in anything developed by "Life In Hell" cartoonist Matt Groening. In episodes like "Homer's Enemy," "The Simpsons Spin-off Showcase," "A Milhouse Divided" and many more you'll see why The Simpsons in its eighth season was the funniest satire on the sad state of the human condition to be found anywhere. Most of these episodes are extremely joke-dense and hilarious; it will take several viewings to catch all the humor packed into each 22-minute episode and with many a "freeze frame" gag in some of them (jokes that can only be clearly seen by freezing the picture) you'll be reaching for the remote occasionally to be sure you get every laugh available out of this set.

This set is 550 minutes long and includes all 25 episodes from season 8. It will be offered in a standard box and in a collectible "Maggie head" package. As usual, extra features are numerous and include commentary tracks, extra footage, deleted scenes, illustrated commentary, animation showcases, promotional spots featuring Matt Groening, and more.

Here is a complete list of episodes:

Treehouse of Horror VII

You Only Move Twice

The Homer They Fall

Burns, Baby Burns

Bart After Dark

A Milhouse Divided

Lisa's Date With Density

Hurricane Neddy

El Viaje de Nuestro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage of Homer)"

The Springfield Files

The Twisted World of Marge Simpson

Mountain of Madness

Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala (Annoyed Grunt) cious

The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show

Homer's Phobia

Brother From Another Series

My Sister, My Sitter

Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment

Grade School Confidential

The Canine Mutiny

The Old Man and Lisa

In Marge We Trust

Homer's Enemy

The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase

The Secret War of Lisa Simpson

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