The BEST episodes of The Simpsons season 8

Every episode of The Simpsons season 8, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Simpsons season 8!

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: 11/11/2024Network: FOXStatus: Continuing
Share:
The Springfield Files
star
8.10
1805 votes

#1 - The Springfield Files

Season 8 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/12/1997

Homer witnesses something out of this world in Springfield woods, but no one believes him -- not even FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, who come to investigate the incident.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
You Only Move Twice
star
8.09
2446 votes

#2 - You Only Move Twice

Season 8 - Episode 2 - Aired 11/3/1996

When Homer accepts a job offer, the Simpsons move to Cypress Creek, where everything seems too good to be true. Finally happy at his job, Homer fails to notice that his new boss is an evil megalomaniac bent on world domination.

Directors: Mike B. Anderson
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Homer vs. the 18th Amendment
star
8.01
1836 votes

#3 - Homer vs. the 18th Amendment

Season 8 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/16/1997

When Prohibition is revived in Springfield, Homer and Bart supply the town with alcohol.

Directors: Bob Anderson
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Mountain of Madness
star
8.01
1624 votes

#4 - Mountain of Madness

Season 8 - Episode 12 - Aired 2/2/1997

To promote teamwork amongst the power plant's employees, Mr. Burns makes them go on a corporate retreat up in the mountains.

Directors: Mark Kirkland
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Old Man and the Lisa
star
7.91
1490 votes

#5 - The Old Man and the Lisa

Season 8 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/20/1997

Financially ruined, Mr. Burns turns to Lisa for help in building a recycling business. Lisa believes he's changed, but his new business venture takes a shocking new direction.

Directors: Mark Kirkland
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage of Our Homer)
star
7.89
1564 votes

#6 - El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage of Our Homer)

Season 8 - Episode 9 - Aired 1/5/1997

After eating a dish laced with potent peppers during the chili cookoff, Homer has hallucinations where a mystical coyote urges him to find his soulmate.

Directors: Jim Reardon
Writer: Ken Keeler
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Homer's Enemy
star
7.86
1863 votes

#7 - Homer's Enemy

Season 8 - Episode 23 - Aired 5/4/1997

A hardworking new employee at the power plant is consumed with resentment at Homer's undeserved success.

Directors: Jim Reardon
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Hurricane Neddy
star
7.85
1842 votes

#8 - Hurricane Neddy

Season 8 - Episode 8 - Aired 12/29/1996

A hurricane destroys the Flanders' home and they have to move into the church basement. The people of Springfield gather to rebuild their house, but when Ned sees the poor workmanship, he has a complete breakdown.

Directors: Bob Anderson
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Homer's Phobia
star
7.85
1613 votes

#9 - Homer's Phobia

Season 8 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/16/1997

The Simpsons befriend a shop owner, but when Homer discovers the man is gay, he worries about his influence on Bart.

Directors: Mike B. Anderson
Writer: Ron Hauge
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Grade School Confidential
star
7.83
1284 votes

#10 - Grade School Confidential

Season 8 - Episode 19 - Aired 4/6/1997

Bart discovers Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel kissing, and it's not long before the whole town knows of their secret affair.

Directors: Susie Dietter
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
A Milhouse Divided
star
7.82
1876 votes

#11 - A Milhouse Divided

Season 8 - Episode 6 - Aired 12/1/1996

Kirk and Luann Van Houten are getting a divorce. Homer is confident that it will never happen to him, but Kirk tells him how quickly things can change.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Brother From Another Series
star
7.78
1646 votes

#12 - Brother From Another Series

Season 8 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/23/1997

When Sideshow Bob is released from prison, his brother Cecil puts him in charge of building Springfield's new hydroelectric dam.

Directors: Pete Michels
Writer: Ken Keeler
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Twisted World of Marge Simpson
star
7.77
1546 votes

#13 - The Twisted World of Marge Simpson

Season 8 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/19/1997

Marge's new pretzel franchise is failing until Homer strikes a deal with Fat Tony, Springfield's local mobster.

Directors: Chuck Sheetz
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Lisa's Date With Density
star
7.76
1807 votes

#14 - Lisa's Date With Density

Season 8 - Episode 7 - Aired 12/15/1996

Lisa develops a crush on Nelson and tries to change him into a better person. Meanwhile, Homer finds an autodialer and starts a telemarketing scam.

Directors: Susie Dietter
Writer: Mike Scully
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
In Marge We Trust
star
7.72
1489 votes

#15 - In Marge We Trust

Season 8 - Episode 22 - Aired 4/27/1997

Disturbed that Reverend Lovejoy has lost interest in counseling parishioners, Marge volunteers as the "Listen Lady." Meanwhile, Homer sees his likeness on a box of Japanese detergent.

Writer: Donick Cary
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Homer They Fall
star
7.71
1922 votes

#16 - The Homer They Fall

Season 8 - Episode 3 - Aired 11/10/1996

When Moe sees that Homer can absorb massive blows to the head, he turns him into a prizefighter and sets up a match with heavyweight champion Drederick Tatum.

Directors: Mark Kirkland
Watch Now:Apple TV
Bart After Dark
star
7.71
1854 votes

#17 - Bart After Dark

Season 8 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/24/1996

After trespassing and damaging property at a mysterious old house, Bart is required to work there as a punishment... but it turns out to be a burlesque house.

Directors: Dominic Polcino
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Canine Mutiny
star
7.70
1369 votes

#18 - The Canine Mutiny

Season 8 - Episode 20 - Aired 4/13/1997

When Bart can't pay the credit card bill for his expensive new purebred dog, the repo men unwittingly take Santa's Little Helper.

Directors: Dominic Polcino
Writer: Ron Hauge
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show
star
7.69
1538 votes

#19 - The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show

Season 8 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/9/1997

In an attempt to boost ratings, the Itchy and Scratchy Show adds a new "in-your-face" character voiced by Homer.

Watch Now:Apple TV
The Secret War of Lisa Simpson
star
7.68
1585 votes

#20 - The Secret War of Lisa Simpson

Season 8 - Episode 25 - Aired 5/18/1997

When Bart is sent to military school after playing a prank on the town, Lisa decides to join him... as the school's only girl cadet.

Directors: Mike B. Anderson
Watch Now:Apple TV
Treehouse of Horror VII
star
7.65
1886 votes

#21 - Treehouse of Horror VII

Season 8 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/27/1996

In "The Thing and I," Bart discovers his evil Siamese twin in the attic. In "The Genesis Tub," Lisa's science experiment becomes a quickly-developing micro-universe, where she is thought of as God and Bart is the devil. In "Citizen Kang," aliens replace Clinton and Dole just in time for the election.

Directors: Mike B. Anderson
Watch Now:Apple TV
Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala (Annoyed Grunt) cious
star
7.59
1593 votes

#22 - Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala (Annoyed Grunt) cious

Season 8 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/7/1997

Marge is stressed by the demands of motherhood and the Simpsons get a magical British nanny, who floats down from the sky holding an umbrella.

Directors: Chuck Sheetz
Watch Now:Apple TV
Burns Baby Burns
star
7.48
1727 votes

#23 - Burns Baby Burns

Season 8 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/17/1996

Mr. Burns' boorish long-lost son Larry gets the brush-off from Burns, but Homer hatches a plan to reconcile them.

Directors: Jim Reardon
Watch Now:Apple TV
My Sister, My Sitter
star
7.48
1518 votes

#24 - My Sister, My Sitter

Season 8 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/2/1997

Lisa has a stellar reputation as a babysitter, but when Homer and Marge leave her in charge of Bart and Maggie, everything starts going wrong.

Directors: Jim Reardon
Writer: Dan Greaney
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase
star
6.89
1351 votes

#25 - The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase

Season 8 - Episode 24 - Aired 5/11/1997

Troy McClure presents three Simpsons spinoff spoofs: In "Chief Wiggum, P.I.," Chief Wiggum becomes a New Orleans detective. Next, Grampa Simpson's soul is trapped inside Moe's Love tester machine in "The Love-Matic Grampa." Finally, the Simpson family hosts a '70s-style variety show.

Directors: Neil Affleck
Watch Now:Apple TV