Recently I watched The Simpsons episode, Mother Simpson, in which Homer's mother returns to him for the first time in 27 years. This episode reminded me of the glorious moments of the past Simpsons episodes, where emotion played a major part. Mother Simpson reminded me of the way that The Simpsons managed to pull on the heart strings of the viewer.
During the glory years of the show, from about season two to eight there were regular episodes of such emotional depth as Mother Simpson, others like Lisa's Substitute, Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment, Lisa's Wedding, Bart Sells His Soul. These kind of episodes are what made The Simpsons such an unmissable show.
While many fans will claim episodes such as Last Exit To Springfield, Marge vs. the Monorail, A Star is Burns, 22 Short Films About Springfield are the great, hilarious episodes of the series. This may be true, and there is no doubting that these episodes are fantastic and funny, but for me, they don't have the great emotional pull.
The beauty of The Simpsons during these emotion filled moments is the ability to conjure up a remarkable lump in the throat from nowhere. It is a real testament to the writers, animators and directors of the show that within seemingly 15 seconds the mood has shifted to sad, tear dwelling moments.
This may be where the show has gone wrong in recent seasons, since the great days of the show, The Simpsons has struggled overly to reach those emotional moments. Sure, not every episode needs them, but every now and then, throwing in an emotionally stirring episode will remind the viewer of the glory days of the past, and just how brilliant The Simpsons were.
The above video is the closing scene of Mother Simpson, with Homer's mother leaving him once again.
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