The BEST episodes of The Simpsons season 16

Every episode of The Simpsons season 16, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Simpsons season 16!

Set in Springfield, the average American town, the show focuses on the antics and everyday adventures of the Simpson family; Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, as well as a virtual cast of thousands. Since the beginning, the series has been a pop culture icon, attracting hundreds of celebrities to guest star. The show has also made name for itself in its fearless satirical take on politics, media and American life in general.

Last Updated: 4/17/2024Network: FOXStatus: Continuing
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Treehouse of Horror XV
star
7.57
1620 votes

#1 - Treehouse of Horror XV

Season 16 - Episode 1 - Aired 11/7/2004

In "The Ned Zone" Ned gains the power to foresee people's deaths. In "Four Beheadings and a Funeral" Eliza Simpson and her sidekick hunt down a murderer. And in “In the Belly of the Boss" Maggie is shrunk inside a vitamin capsule and swallowed by Mr. Burns.

Directors: David Silverman
Watch Now:Apple TV
Don't Fear the Roofer
star
7.55
1028 votes

#2 - Don't Fear the Roofer

Season 16 - Episode 16 - Aired 5/1/2005

Homer meets a new friend, Ray the Roofer, but gets confined to a mental institution when his friends and family believe he made him up.

Directors: Mark Kirkland
Writer: Kevin Curran
Watch Now:Apple TV
Thank God, It's Doomsday
star
7.54
1146 votes

#3 - Thank God, It's Doomsday

Season 16 - Episode 19 - Aired 5/8/2005

Bart and Lisa want to start getting their hair cut at the mall. They go to the mall with Homer and while getting their haircut they get into a fight, which results in them each getting really bad haircuts. Out in the mall they are spotted by fellow school students who have cameras in hand. They find Homer and go on the run; they sneak into the back entrance of a movie theater and see the film "Left Below," which is a movie about the apocalypse. The images in the movie are disturbing to Homer, who fears the worst. Marge assures him that there needs to be some ominous signs before the rapture will come. When Homer is out driving, he sees what he believes to be the signs. Homer gathers some books on the subject and he calculates that the "rapture is nigh" at 3:15 PM on May 18th, seven days from now. He starts to spread the word and tells everyone on television a passage from Revelations 6:13 that says before the rapture "the stars will fall to Earth." At the Springfield Stadium, there is a celebrity filled blimp accident that causes the stars on board to fall to the Earth and Homer gains instant credibility. He gets a bus full of people to join him at Springfield Mesa. When the appointed time comes and goes, Homer loses credibility and everyone return back to their normal lives. Homer later realizes that he made a mistake in his calculation and the new time is only 30 minutes away. When no one in his family will join him Homer goes to the Mesa on his own. The rapture comes and Homer goes to heaven, but despite all that heaven has to offer, Homer needs his family. He gets an audience with God, but when God won't grant his request to have his family join him; Homer begins raising hell in heaven. To put a stop to it, God agrees to turn back time and put off the rapture.

Writer: Don Payne
Watch Now:Apple TV
There's Something About Marrying
star
7.53
1046 votes

#4 - There's Something About Marrying

Season 16 - Episode 10 - Aired 2/20/2005

When Springfield legalizes same-sex marriage, Homer becomes a minister, and a townsperson comes out of the closet.

Directors: Nancy Kruse
Watch Now:Apple TV
Home Away from Homer
star
7.51
1106 votes

#5 - Home Away from Homer

Season 16 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/15/2005

Lisa wins 4 tickets to see a foreign film and Homer gets Flanders to baby-sit Maggie. Flanders doesn't take any money for his effort, but he does need to earn some extra money; Marge suggests that he rent out his spare room. Flanders rents the room to two college age women, who turn the room into the set for their live webcam at www.SexySlumberParty.com. Flanders is unaware of what is going on in is his home, and when Homer finds out he makes sure that every man in Springfield knows about it. When Marge finds out she makes Homer tell Ned and then he finds out that Homer has made him the laughingstock of Springfield. Flanders decides to move to Humbleton, PA., where his favorite figurines are made. Homer mourns the loss of his favorite neighbor and tries to make friends with the new neighbor that has moved in, Clay Roberts, but this new neighbor is obnoxious. Meanwhile in Humbleton, Ned seems in heaven, only for him to live and work there, he must remove his mustache. Ned refuses and is making waves in his new community. When Homer arrives on his doorstep, pleading for him to come back to Springfield, Flanders decides to return.

Directors: Bob Anderson
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Heartbroke Kid
star
7.49
1016 votes

#6 - The Heartbroke Kid

Season 16 - Episode 17 - Aired 5/1/2005

When Bart starts living off of junk food from the school’s new vending machines, he becomes so overweight that he is sent to fat camp. But with the camp so expensive, the family is forced to open their house up as youth hostel to German tourists.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Midnight Rx
star
7.49
1417 votes

#7 - Midnight Rx

Season 16 - Episode 6 - Aired 1/16/2005

When Mr. Burns cancels his employee prescription drug program, other companies follow suit. Homer, Abe, Ned, and Apu hatch a plan travel to Canada to bring drugs back to Springfield, until an unfortunate incident gets their cover blown.

Directors: Nancy Kruse
Writer: Marc Wilmore
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Father, the Son & the Holy Guest Star
star
7.48
1052 votes

#8 - The Father, the Son & the Holy Guest Star

Season 16 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/15/2005

Bart is given the role of a cooper in the school's medieval festival, while Lisa is the queen. Bart is blamed and expelled when rats come out of large pie that is presented to the queen. Marge looks for a new school for Bart and decides to try out a Catholic school. In his first day at school Bart encounters a tough nun and Father Sean. Bart takes a liking to Father Sean and begins to embrace the Catholic faith, which concerns Homer and Marge. Homer goes to the school with the purpose of taking Bart out of school, only to himself being converted before the night is through. With her husband and son gone Marge finds herself alone at church. Reverend Lovejoy tells her that when they die she and Homer will be going to different heavens. Marge, Ned and Reverend Lovejoy go to Homer and Bart's first communion class to at the very least liberate Bart from becoming Catholic. To bring Bart back to his old religion they take him to a religious festival. Father Sean and Homer arrive hoping to take Bart back, but Bart in one his rare moments of insight brings both sides together, that is until 1,000 years later.

Directors: Michael Polcino
Watch Now:Apple TV
Mobile Homer
star
7.47
1099 votes

#9 - Mobile Homer

Season 16 - Episode 13 - Aired 3/20/2005

Marge takes the kids on a Sunday drive while Homer is at home attempting to clean out the garage. After Homer suffers a garage-door-to-the-throat incident, Marge wants them to buy life insurance. Homer however is deemed uninsurable. Fearing that with no insurance for Homer they will go broke, Marge starts cost-cutting measures. Homer is against these new measures and takes the nest egg that Marge has made and spends it on the down payment for a new motor home. Marge tells him to enjoy being the king of his new castle, because she is no longer speaking to him. Homer is now living in the RV in the backyard and he and Marge try to entice Bart and Lisa to come and stay with them. Homer then opens up the backyard as a RV park, until Marge puts an end to it and they get into a big fight, which makes Bart and Lisa take action. Bart decides they need to take the RV back to the dealer. Homer and Marge try to stop the pair who has managed to get the RV onto the freeway. The RV crashes onto a Turkish container ship, which is leaving port. With the right enticement, mushroom soup, Marge gets the ship to turn around, saving the children and what is left of the RV. The RVs fate is determined when Homer try to put it on the dock.

Directors: Raymond S. Persi
Writer: Tim Long
Watch Now:Apple TV
On a Clear Day I Can't See My Sister
star
7.47
882 votes

#10 - On a Clear Day I Can't See My Sister

Season 16 - Episode 11 - Aired 3/6/2005

Tired of Bart’s torment, Lisa takes out a restraining order against him. When Grampa isn't capable of doing his job as a Sprawl Mart greeter, Homer takes over and gets a full-time position with no chance for advancement.

Directors: Bob Anderson
Watch Now:Apple TV
Mommie Beerest
star
7.46
1247 votes

#11 - Mommie Beerest

Season 16 - Episode 7 - Aired 1/30/2005

The family is celebrating by having brunch at a fancy restaurant; Homer has finally paid off the mortgage. Lisa and Bart get into a food fight, embarrassing Homer. Homer goes to Moe's, where a visit from the health inspector, results in his death from eating one of Moe's pickled eggs. The new health inspector comes down hard and Moe's is closed until the violations are cleared up. The regulars hold an Irish wake for the demise of Moe's. Homer decides to help Moe reopen his bar; and he gets a new mortgage for their home. When Marge finds out, as a new co-owner she goes with Homer to the bar and tells Moe that there are going to be changes until he pays them back. On Homer's next visit, he finds Marge behind the bar, protecting their investment. She sends him home to take care of the kids, while she sells Moe on the idea of remodeling the place into an English pub. The new place opens and is a success; the kids tell Homer that they've noticed that Marge is spending more time at Moe's than he ever did. Homer becomes worried; but Marge tells him there is nothing to worry about. They go to a movie together, but they are joined by Moe. Homer is more worried than ever; Lenny and Carl tell Homer that Marge and Moe are having an emotional affair. When Marge and Moe are leaving to go to a convention together in Aruba, Homer makes a mad dash to the airport and gets to the airplane as it is taxing down the runaway. He confronts Moe, but Moe makes him realize that he really doesn't know that much about his wife. Homer concedes defeat, but Marge tells Moe that she doesn't love him. She tells Homer that she is totally committed to him. In Aruba, Marge makes Moe realize that he might be able to make a woman happy some day with a few changes. Marge realizes that no one is home watching the kids, but the kids aren't at home as Bart has them entered in a European balloon race.

Directors: Mark Kirkland
Watch Now:Apple TV
Fat Man and Little Boy
star
7.45
1300 votes

#12 - Fat Man and Little Boy

Season 16 - Episode 5 - Aired 12/12/2004

Bart begins designing T-shirt slogans, and his T-shirts become very popular among the citizens of Springfield.

Directors: Mike B. Anderson
Watch Now:Apple TV
Future-Drama
star
7.43
1165 votes

#13 - Future-Drama

Season 16 - Episode 15 - Aired 4/17/2005

Bart and Lisa find themselves in Prof. Frink's basement and he uses the science of astrology on his new computer to show them their future, eight years from next Tuesday. In this future, Maggie is away on a trip to Alaska; Homer and Marge have separated and Bart and Lisa are getting ready for prom. Lisa's date is Milhouse, who and Bart is dating a skateboard chick named Jenda. Lisa is graduating 2 years early and is going to Yale (now owned by McDonalds) on a scholarship funded by Mr. Burns as punishment for stealing Christmas. Bart is also graduating and is ready to move to the next level of his relationship with Jenda, he wants to marry her but his vision of their future together makes her break it off. Working his part-time job at the Kwik-E-Mart, Bart winds up saving Mr. Burns life while delivering groceries. As a reward Mr. Burns gives him the scholarship that Lisa was to receive. Bart is back with Jenda, now that he has a future, but Bart finds his way back in Prof. Frink's old basement and sees Lisa's bleak future with Milhouse. He does the right thing and keeps her from destroying her life.

Directors: Mike B. Anderson
Writer: Matt Selman
Watch Now:Apple TV
She Used to Be My Girl
star
7.42
1249 votes

#14 - She Used to Be My Girl

Season 16 - Episode 4 - Aired 12/5/2004

Marge becomes jealous when Lisa begins idolizing her old high school friend, Chloe Talbot, a famous reporter.

Directors: Matthew Nastuk
Writer: Tim Long
Watch Now:Apple TV
Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass
star
7.35
1167 votes

#15 - Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass

Season 16 - Episode 8 - Aired 2/6/2005

The family goes to run down Springfield Park, where a carnival is being held to save it. Homer performs a wild crowd-pleasing dance at a local carnival, after beating Bart's performance in a game. Ned Flanders has captured the performance on videotape and Comic Book Guy (Jeff Albertson) puts it up on the Internet. The video gets worldwide attention, much to Homer's embarrassment but his tune changes when a football player wants to buy the rights to use his dance as his own end zone celebration. Homer turns the opportunity into a new lucrative occupation, which prospers as other athletes come to learn from him. Meanwhile Ned looks to create his own wholesome entertainment by creating his own versions of bible stories, which get the backing of Mr. Burns. Marge doesn't like his approach, which eliminates the good aspects of the stories, and only concentrates on the violence. She threatens a boycott, which gets Burns to remove his financial backing, leaving Ned with no creative outlet. The commissioner of football (and all the owners) want to talk to Homer, his teaching of crazy antics to their players have increased their ratings. They want him to choreograph the Superbowl half-time show. Homer struggles for a show idea and on the night before the big show he still doesn't have one. Homer looks for inspiration at the church, but instead finds Flanders, who is looking for an outlet for his ideas. Together they bring the story of Noah to the half-time show, but everyone boos as no one wanted to see such a "blatant display of religion and decency."

Writer: Tim Long
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Seven-Beer Snitch
star
7.33
1118 votes

#16 - The Seven-Beer Snitch

Season 16 - Episode 14 - Aired 4/3/2005

The family visits Shelbyville and are appalled at the perception those citizens have of the inhabitants of Springfield. Back in town, Marge brings it to the attention of the Springfield Cultural Advisory Board and then asks architect Frank Gehry to design and build a new Springfield cultural center. He sees inspiration in her request and submits a design that is approved by the town. $30 million dollars later, the project is built and it opens and closes quickly as nobody in town really cares for classical music. Mr. Burns agree to take over the space, with his plan to turn it into a state prison. Homer applies for a job as a guard, but fails the drug test after Otto switches their samples. Meanwhile, Bart and Lisa follow Snowball II, when they believe the reason she is so fat is that she is getting food from elsewhere; after following her they discover she has another family. Burns needs convicts for his prison and Chief Wiggum blows the dust of some old forgotten laws. Homer is arrested for illegally transporting litter (kicking a can 5 times in a row). In prison Homer inadvertently squeals on Snake's escape attempt and is drafted to becoming a snitch and he begins enjoy the perks that go along with it. Snowball II ("Smoky") enjoys life with her new family and Bart gets into the home to find out; there is plenty of good eating to be found there. Fat Tony and his boys try to find out who the snitch is. They feed Homer information regarding a breakout. While all the guards are outside waiting for the breakout, the prisoners are taking care of their snitch and a riot ensues. The riot is stopped and Homer snitches on the conditions of the prison.

Directors: Matthew Nastuk
Watch Now:Apple TV
Sleeping with the Enemy
star
7.33
1430 votes

#17 - Sleeping with the Enemy

Season 16 - Episode 3 - Aired 11/21/2004

When she thinks her own children do not appreciate her anymore, Marge becomes a mother figure to Nelson. Lisa tries to deal with her weight issue.

Directors: Lauren MacMullan
Writer: Jon Vitti
Watch Now:Apple TV
All's Fair in Oven War
star
7.30
1839 votes

#18 - All's Fair in Oven War

Season 16 - Episode 2 - Aired 11/14/2004

Marge takes up baking in her new kitchen and enters the great Oven Fresh bake-off contest. But with stiff and ruthless competition, she resorts to cheating. After discovering Homer’s old Playdude magazines, Homer tells Bart about the birds and bees, which a horrified Bart quickly spreads to other children.

Directors: Mark Kirkland
Writer: Matt Selman
Watch Now:Apple TV
A Star Is Torn
star
7.23
996 votes

#19 - A Star Is Torn

Season 16 - Episode 18 - Aired 5/8/2005

The family tries to eat a total vegetarian meal and everyone except Lisa gets sick from eating the healthy meal. As they moan from the sickness Lisa sings them to sleep. The next morning they've recovered enough to go back to their old dietary habits. On television a commercial airs for a Krusty-sponsored "Li'l Starmaker" competition and Lisa's singing voice seems a natural for the competition. Of course, Lisa and every other child in Springfield signs up. When Clarissa, one of the competitors sings the same song that Lisa was going to sing, and does it much better than Lisa believes she will be able to, Homer reassures her that he will write her a can't lose song. Lisa sings the song and makes it into the final competition. Homer takes charge of her career and writes her more songs that take her into the finals of the competition; it's Lisa versus Cameron, a boy all the girls go crazy over. When Homer oversteps his bounds with his obnoxiousness, Lisa fires him. Homer retaliates by getting himself a new client, Cameron. The final competition begins and Lisa's sings a song she wrote on her own, a song about her relationship with her father. Homer tells her that he was always in her corner and that Cameron is learning the greatest lesson he can ever learn in the music business, don't trust people in the music business.

Directors: Nancy Kruse
Watch Now:Apple TV
Goo Goo Gai Pan
star
7.23
944 votes

#20 - Goo Goo Gai Pan

Season 16 - Episode 12 - Aired 3/13/2005

Selma decides to adopt a child from China, but when the rules say she must be married, Homer must pose as her husband for the fearsome adoption agent Madame Wu.

Directors: Lance Kramer
Watch Now:Apple TV
Pranksta Rap
star
7.22
1118 votes

#21 - Pranksta Rap

Season 16 - Episode 9 - Aired 2/13/2005

After sneaking out to a rap concert, Bart makes Marge and Homer believe he has been kidnapped to avoid punishment. And Chief Wiggum, to everyone’s surprise, attempts to solve the case to improve his reputation.

Directors: Mike B. Anderson
Writer: Matt Selman
Watch Now:Apple TV