Season 18 continues the run of mediocrity that has been around since Al Jean took over as showrunner back in Season 13. It is also the last season before The Simpsons Movie was released in theatres. Judging from this season, it seems as though the quality writing talent was removed from this season (and the past several, I hope?) to focus on writing the movie. None of these episodes, other than the Jazz one and the Kent Brockman one, were really offensively bad, but barely any of these episodes provided the quantity and quality of jokes that was once expected from the show.
Maybe I've become a bit jaded as I've now finished my 6th season of Al Jean's zombie Simpsons, but with the movie coming up next, I surely hope it brings about a rejuvenation for the seasons to come.
Season 18 Overall Score: 6.58
Favorite Season 18 Episode: The Boys of Bummer
Least Favorite Season 18 Episode: Jazzy and the Pussycats
01) The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer
Lisa befriends the son of Fat Tony, Michael, whose dreams of becoming a chef come in conflict with his family "business".
Score: 7.0
02) Jazzy and the Pussycats
Bart takes a liking to drums, and gets so good he becomes part of a jazz troupe... before Lisa! To take her mind off that, Lisa starts adopting abandoned animals. The two plots eventually crash into each other.
Score: 4.9
03) Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em
Marge picks up carpentry, but when nobody takes her seriously, she uses Homer to take the credit so she can get work. Meanwhile, Bart learns that Principal Skinner has a peanut allergy, and takes full advantage of it.
Score: 6.4
04) Treehouse of Horror XVII
Married to the Blob: Homer eats a strange alien glob, becomes a giant blob of cannibal.
You Gotta Know When to Golem: Bart acquires a strange Jewish golem who feels bad about hurting people.
The Day the Earth Looked Stupid: 1938 Springfield gets tricked by Orson Welles, then invaded for real.
Score: 7.1
05) G.I. (D'oh)
Homer joins the army, but is so bad at it he gets put on the enemy team during war games, but is so good at it he continuously evades capture.
Score: 5.6
06) Moe'N'a Lisa
Lisa learns that Moe carries a 'tortured soul' and forms poetry out of his depressing thoughts.
Score: 5.7
07) Ice Cream of Margie (with the Light Blue Hair)
Homer gets a new job as the ice cream man. Marge is feeling depressed over not having any sort of legacy. Then Homer gives Marge his discarded popsicle sticks which could be used for crafts...
Score: 6.0
08) The Haw-Hawed Couple
Bart becomes friends with Nelson though he's not quite fully into it. Meanwhile, Homer and Lisa read a popular wizard book with a shocking conclusion.
Score: 7.4
09) Kill Gil, Volumes I & II
Marge Simpson feels sorry for Gil Gunderson after seeing him get fired, and lets him stay at her house for awhile. Then she learns that its okay to say 'no' every once in awhile.
Score: 6.7
10) The Wife Aquatic
Marge grows nostalgic over a place she visited as a child, so Homer takes her there. Of course, the place is now a dump.
Score: 6.6
11) Revenge Is a Dish Best Served Three Times
The Count of Monte Fatso: French Homer gets revenge on French Moe.
Revenge of the Geeks: Milhouse gets revenge on everyone.
Bartman Begins: Its basically campier parts of Batman Begins, but with Bart.
Score: 6.4
12) Little Big Girl
Lisa fakes a Native American heritage for a school report because her real heritage is really boring. Bart, meanwhile, earns a driver's license for some heroics, and gets into a wild fling out of town.
Score: 6.2
13) Springfield Up
Declan Desmond returns to follow up on a documentary he's been doing about citizens of Springfield when they were eight years old 32 years ago.
Score: 6.8
14) Yokel Chords
Bart's latest scheme gets him time with a psychiatrist he actually bonds with. Meanwhile, Lisa goes to tutor Cletus' seven kids about the world, much more so than she had wanted.
Score: 7.0
15) Rome-old and Juli-eh
In this wacky episode, Grampa and Selma like each enough to marry, which drives Homer nuts!
Score: 6.3
16) Homerazzi
Homer becomes a paparazzo, and is so good celebrities are forced to fight fire with fire.
Score: 7.3
17) Marge Gamer
Marge begins playing an online game, where Bart is the terrifying Shadow King. Meanwhile, Homer becomes a referee for Lisa's soccer games, which Lisa tries to take advantage of by flopping.
Score: 6.7
18) The Boys of Bummer
Bart botches a game-winning catch in the championship little league game, and becomes the most hated person in Springfield. Meanwhile, Homer takes up work as a mattress salesman.
Score: 8.0
19) Crook and Ladder
Homer, Apu, Moe and Principal Skinner all become volunteer firefighters, but the former three eventually become corrupt.
Score: 7.5
20) Stop or My Dog Will Shoot
Santa's Little Helper displays his keen tracking abilities, which earn him a spot on the police force. The dog is not ready for the big leagues at all.
Score: 6.4
21) 24 Minutes
In a full-blown spoof of 24, Principal Skinner and his team of truancy officers (including Lisa and eventually Bart) try to stop bullies from setting off a massive stink bomb.
Score: 6.8
22) You Kent Always Say What You Want
400th Episode. Kent Brockman gets fired from his job after yelling a swear word on the news (thanks to Homer). Lisa helps him get back on his feet by attacking the corporate-owned media.
Score: 5.9
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