The Simpsons are never far away in the show, as is expected from the series' titular family. However, with such a rich roster of supporting characters, it's no surprise that some of the best episodes of the show aren't actually about the Simpsons family at all. This article breaks down the best Simpsons episodes in which the main story is given to a supporting character, making the family the supporting characters for a change.
10 "Much Apu About Nothing" (Season 7, Episode 23)
When a bear is spotted wandering the streets of Springfield, Mayor Quimby establishes a new tax in order to fund a bear patrol. Naturally, this causes an uproar among the town's frequently-forming mob, so Quimby distracts the townsfolk by blaming illegal immigrants as a scapegoat. This leads Apu to face being deported (23 years before Hank Azaria officially retired the character). He acquires fake documents from Fat Tony and his organized crime outfit but ultimately applies for the citizenship test, revealing that other Simpsons favorites were also illegal immigrants, like Groundskeeper Willie, Akira, Bumblebee Man, Luigi, Dr. Nick, and even Moe who spends the whole episode blaming illegal immigrants. Although Homer features, supporting Apu's studies (foolishly feeding him incorrect information) and Lisa celebrates that Apu forgot everything Homer taught him, this episode is largely a showcase of the show's supporting ensemble.
9 "Krusty Gets Kancelled" (Season 4, Episode 22)
After a viral campaign for Gabbo, a new puppet entertainer, takes Springfield by storm, Krusty's career is threatened. Gabbo is given a competing timeslot, stealing many of Krusty's regular viewers and even The Itchy and Scratchy Show segment. Krusty instead airs a hilariously poor substitute dubbed "Eastern Europe's favorite cat and mouse team" that leaves him with a (by now iconic) face of bewilderment. Bart and Lisa are unimpressed by the puppet, however, and aid Krusty in regaining his popularity by planning a prime-time variety show special.
This special features guest stars (many of whom are no longer with us) like Barry White, Johnny Carson, Elizabeth Taylor, Hugh Hefner, and Krusty's "worthless half-brother", Sideshow Luke Perry. It also features Bette Midler and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Not only was this show a success for Krusty the Klown, but also for The Simpsons itself, with Vanity Fair naming it as the ninth-best episode, surpassing "the reunion with his father, or the Bar Mitzvah episode, which won an Emmy much later on."
8 "A Fish Called Selma" (Season 7, Episode 19)
The late great Phil Hartman voices Troy McClure, an actor known for many obscure projects within the world of The Simpsons. In this episode, he features in a Muppet movie, where Bart mistakes him for a leathery Muppet. He's told by his parents that the actor was once a heartthrob until rumors of an aquarium-set scandal almost ended his career. The aging actor is ordered by Chief Wiggum to take an eye exam at the DMV where he meets DMV worker (and Marge's sister) Selma. After bribing her with dinner in order to pass the test, rumors of Troy's fish fetish are squashed when he is seen with a human woman, and his agent urges him to marry Selma. This gives his career a boost, leading to an ingenious sequence in which Troy stars in Planet of the Apes: the Musical!
Surprisingly, Selma, who throughout the show's run has also married Sideshow Bob, Fat Tony, Grampa Abe Simpson, Disco Stu, and another Phil Hartman character, Lionel Hutz, is content with the true purpose of the marriage. She does however nobly draw the line at bringing a child into a loveless marriage, killing McClure's career once again.
7 "Grade School Confidential" (Season 8, Episode 19)
Seymour Skinner and Edna Krabappel are such a comedic match made in heaven that it's hard to remember The Simpsons before the idea was canon. Between their frustrations at work, their mutual hatred of Bart, and their opposites-attract personalities, it's amazing it took the show eight seasons to make it happen. When Martin Prince invites the two, along with his school friends, to a lackluster birthday party that ends in food poisoning, the educators discover romantic feelings for each other, and make out in Martin's pink playhouse, only to be caught red-handed by Bart. They make a deal for him to keep their secret in exchange for giving Millhouse Bart's poor school record.
Bart becomes frustrated in the role of their errand boy while their relationship develops, pushing him to out the scandal, and leading kids like Ralph Wiggum to spread the rumor like wildfire. “Mrs. Krabappel and Principal Skinner were in the closet making babies and I saw one of the babies and the baby looked at me!” In a sweet story that even ends with grace, humility, and positivity, this episode gives the couple an endearing opportunity to shine. Also, it establishes that Skinner is a 44-year-old virgin.
6 "A Milhouse Divided" (Season 8, Episode 6)
To counteract a heartfelt tale of a relationship's genesis, "A Milhouse Divided" is the story of a relationship's end. During a party at the Simpsons' house, Kirk and Luann Van Houten are at each other's necks. Milhouse is upstairs with Bart, Lisa and the other guests' children when the argument between his parents climaxes and Luann asks for a divorce. The episode that ensues is a funny yet sensitive look at an ending marriage, in which Milhouse's usual bullies Nelson and Kearney opt to comfort the sad child, assuring him that he will soon feel able to move on with his life despite what happened. A refreshing moment of optimism from the usually brutal comedy.
The episode also explores both Kirk and Luann's respective post-divorce lives, in which Kirk seeks validation from the fact that he sleeps in a racing car bed, while Luann dates Chase from American Gladiator. In a respectable decision, the show refuses to let the couple get back together in the end, instead, giving the audience a satisfying ending by letting the Van Houtens' divorce be a lesson for Homer to start appreciating Marge instead.
5 "Hurricane Neddy" (Season 8, Episode 8)
The unflappable Ned Flanders is the least worried man in Springfield when a hurricane threatens the townsfolk's homes. He equips a tent-like protection to batten down the hatches, but in a cruel twist of events, everyone's houses are fine except for the Flanders'. Refusing to get upset, Ned discovers that even his business, The Leftorium, has been looted during the storm, and moves his family to live in the church basement.
As he struggles to maintain his composure amidst the ever-growing negativity, Ned is urged to return to his house to witness something incredible. The people of Springfield uncharacteristically banded together for a good cause instead of an angry mob, rebuilding the Flanders home from the group up. The work is, however, shoddy at best, and Ned snaps at everyone, making his insults painfully personal. He even tells Lenny, "I don't know you, but I'm sure you're a jerk!" Ned's mental breakdown leads him to check himself into a facility, where he learns not to keep his negative thoughts pent-up and is eventually released again with a new lease on life.
4 "Brother From Another Series" (Season 8, Episode 16)
Sideshow Bob is deemed a changed man by Reverend Lovejoy, and is once again released from prison. He moves in with his brother Cecil (voiced by David Hyde Pierce who played Frasier's brother Niles opposite Bob's Kelsey Grammer in Frasier). Bart stalks Bob, certain that Bob is planning on blowing up the dam his brother hired him to help build, and flood the town of Springfield, however, it is Cecil who is up to dirty deeds in this episode, and Bob is in fact given the opportunity to display his heroic side for a change. The fantastic casting of the Frasier fraternity even leads to a joke in which Bart covers Cecil's eyes, saying, "Guess who" to which Cecil replies, "Maris?" As it turns out, the whole point of this episode is that it was never about the Simpsons after all!
3 "Flaming Moe's" (Season 3, Episode 10)
When Patty and Selma bring their vacation slideshow to the Simpsons' house, Homer desperately concocts a drink that accidentally lights on fire after cigarette ash falls into the glass. It's delicious, and he tells Moe about his "Flaming Homer" recipe. Moe, who has fallen on hard times at the tavern sells out and cashes in, throwing his friend under the bus and becoming famous for his "Flaming Moe."
The bar's new-found popularity gives way to several Springfield characters being seen in a new light, such as Edna Krabappel who attempts to sleep with Homer and members of the band Aerosmith. Moe ignores his conscience and Homer's pleas to be recognized as the drink's inventor, against the advice of his new bartender girlfriend. In the kind of conscience-fuelled Simpsons story usually given to Homer, it is in fact Moe who has a lesson to learn in this classic episode, making for the first instance of this secondary character's many opportunities to drive episodes himself.
2 "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" (Part One) (Season 6, Episode 25)
When Springfield Elementary strikes oil on its property, Skinner is pleased to approve several requests from staff like Willie and students like Lisa alike. Mr. Burns, however, feels his nuclear power plant would be threatened by this oil discovery, so drills the oil for himself, causing damage to several Springfield landmarks, decommissioning Moe's (which angers Barney and Moe), and Grampa's retirement home. The drilling also wrecks Bart's tree house, breaking Santa's Little Helper's legs in the process.
The whole town has reason to hate Burns, including his assistant Smithers, but it's only when Mr. Burns reveals his plans to block out the sun so that the town becomes fully reliant on his power plant that someone shoots Mr. Burns in his chest. The Season 6 finale gives virtually everyone a reason to be the killer, making for a wonderfully deep ensemble episode. Bookmakers accepted bets on Who Shot Mr. Burns in the lead-up to the Season 7 premiere, with Vegas having the odds of the true culprit at 70/1. If only we knew then what we know now...
1 "22 Short Films About Springfield" (Season 7, Episode 21)
In this anthology episode, Bart and Milhouse speculate about all the people in Springfield whose stories must be occurring at that moment but that they would never have the ability to know them all. The show takes us through various short stories centered on the supporting characters. It begins with an Apu story in which he takes five minutes away from the Kiwk-E-Mart and breaks all of his religion's rules before returning to find that he'd locked Hans Moleman inside. Smithers is revealed to be allergic to bees while on a tandem bike ride with Mr. Burns, however when the paramedics arrive, they cater to the rich billionaire over his injured assistant.
Other stories involve Dr. Nick, Jasper, Moe, Barney, Snake, and Nelson. It's also the episode that gave us a Pulp Fiction parody starring Chief Wiggum, Herman, and Kirk Van Houten, as well as the episode that gave the world the "Steamed Hams" meme. The latter comes from a story in which Skinner invites Superintendent Chalmers over for lunch only to burn the roast and disguise Krusty Burgers as homemade cooking, before accidentally setting his house ablaze with his mother inside. Classic light-hearted comedy!