AlthoughThe Simpsonshas plenty of lesser outings, it is still surprising to hear the show’s creator highlight an episode from one of the show’s worst seasons as a personal favorite. With over 790 episodes to its name and a theatrical movie spinoff,The Simpsonsis the longest-running scripted primetime American TV show in history.
As such, almost every fan has a different answer when asked forthe best episode ofThe Simpsonsever, or even just their personal favorite.The Simpsonsseason 37will soon add even more outings to that ever-growing count, making it even tougher for viewers to decide which episodes represent the cream of the crop.
That said, even a cursory glance at the dedicatedWikipediapage for the critical reception ofThe Simpsonsproves that there are broad trends in the show’s reception. Seasons 3-11 are usually viewed as the Golden Age ofThe Simpsons, during which many of its best episodes were released.
Although there are all-time great episodes both before and after this period, most of the outings that boast the most critical acclaim appear here. Thus, it was genuinely surprising when, during an interview withScreenrant’s Brandon Zachary, showrunner Matt Selman said his favorite Homer story came from the critically derided season 31. Per Selman:
“There’s an episode that I love that is not as famous, but I think it’s terrific, called “Go Big or Go Homer,” where Homer cares about the fact that he’s not respected. He’s just not respected at work, and he realizes everyone thinks he’s a joke.
But then there’s one guy, this one crazy guy, this insane lunatic who does respect him. And even though he’s the kind of self-destructive and a really dumb, dumb, dumb person, all it takes is one person for Homer to throw everything he has into trying to be a mentor to the one person in the world that actually looks up to him.
That episode was sort of a reverse Frank Grimes. Frank was the one person who could clearly see [Homer], the one smart person in Springfield who could clearly see Homer and ask why this guy is getting away with it every week? How does he have so much good luck and friends and fortune and doesn’t have to work hard and screws everything up, and yet, he never pays the price? But in “Go Big or Go Homer,” Homer’s intern, Mike Wegman, is the only person who thinks Homer is great, and the opposite end of the spectrum of Frank Grimes.”
“Go Big Or Go Homer” Arrived In The Simpsons Season 31
Seasons 29-32 Were A Critical Nadir For The Simpsons Online
What makes Selman’s choice so surprising is not so much the individual episode as the season it arrived in.The Simpsonsseason 31 is broadly viewed as part of the show’s critical nadir, alongside seasons 29-32. WhileThe Simpsonsseason 36’s risky twists paid offhandsomely as the show is currently enjoying a critical renaissance, seasons 29-32 were viewed as particularly stale.
Critics online bemoaned the show’s predictability, its focus on the sheer number of gags over quality character writing, and its clumsy, toothless attempts at social commentary and political satire. Many episodes from these seasons feature inspired plots, but the potential of these storylines is lost thanks to the show’s zany, outlandish tone and relentless silliness.
Selman’s comments prove that the plot of the outing had potential that the completed episode never entirely lived up to.
As such, it is striking to see Selman highlight an episode from a season that is often dismissed entirely. WhileThe Simpsonsseason 37 is unlikelyto revisit the storyline and characters of “Go Big Or Go Homer,” Selman’s comments prove that the plot of the outing had potential that the completed episode never entirely lived up to.
Like most episodes from season 31, “Go Big Or Go Homer” was overstuffed and too fast-paced, resulting in a plot that never had room to breathe. The episode began with Homer being put in charge of the power plant interns, only for a 35-year-old intern to become obsessed with him in short order.
The Simpsonsis available to stream on Hulu.
Initially, Homer is thrilled with guest star Michael Rapaport’s Mike Wegman, who tells Homer he is his personal hero. However, when Mike berates Bart for insulting Homer, Marge kicks the intern out of the family’s house and tells Homer he should help Mike grow up. This starts the episode’s second plot, a surreal odyssey involving a pizza truck and Fat Tony.
Like many episodes from this era, the outing goes in too many directions at once and never settles on a solid plot with a clear emotional anchor. WhileMarge’s season 36 finale deathmight be temporary, the moment at least gave its episode dramatic heft and some weighty emotional stakes. In contrast, Mike and Homer’s adventure goes nowhere.
Why Showrunner Matt Selman Loves “Go Big Or Go Homer”
The Late-Season Episode Flipped The Frank Grimes Storyline
Selman’s comments point toward the promising inversion at the heart of “Go Big Or Go Homer,” a plot that flips the storyline of season 8, episode 23, “Homer’s Enemy.” Written by reclusive, prolific writer John Swartzwelder,“Homer’s Enemy” is frequently singled out as one of the best episodes ofThe Simpsonsbecause its storyline highlights the absurdity of the show’s world.
Characters like Homer are lovable on-screen, but the same qualities that make them funny would make them impossible to deal with in reality.
“Homer’s Enemy” sees Homer try to win over Frank Grimes, a luckless, nebbish colleague who resents Homer’s approach to life and the success it has afforded him. Grimes’ hatred of Homer is subversive and intriguing because characters like Homer are lovable on-screen, but the same qualities that make them funny would make them impossible to deal with in reality.
Grimes reacts to Homer as a lot of real people would, but the world ofThe Simpsonsgleefully punishes him for breaking with the show’s established reality. Whileone of the darkest episodes ofThe Simpsons, “Homer’s Enemy"is also an ingenious piece of self-critique by the show.
As Selman notes, “Go Big Or Go Homer” could have offered viewers an updated inversion of this plot. Homer Simpson is as iconic as ever and has inspired countless bad TV dads, so an episode about an obsessive who idolizes Homer instead of hating him had the potential to highlight his flaws and failures.
“Go Big Or Go Homer” Wasn’t Well Received Critically
The Outing’s Guest Star Earned The Episode’s Few Commendations
However,“Go Big Or Go Homer” was not well-liked by critics because the episode didn’t fulfill the potential of its premise, unlike “Homer’s Enemy.” Crucially, “Homer’s Enemy” took Grimes’s hatred of Homer to its logical extreme, with him eventually losing his life by trying to imitate Homer’s behavior but failing to share the character’s luck.
“Go Big Or Go Homer” could have seen Homer’s mentee ruin their life by acting more like him, or become more popular and beloved than Homer and eventually outrank him instead. However, “Go Big Or Go Homer” instead tacked on a bizarre subplot about Mike selling pizza that felt clumsy and unrelated.
Although John Mulaney’s guest appearance earlier in season 31 was seen as a high point by some critics, Rapaport’s Mike Wegman was disliked by critics.
AlthoughThe Simpsonsseason 36 finale’s shock deathproves that the show can take risks, the series still needs some consistency to succeed. Furthermore, although John Mulaney’s guest appearance earlier in season 31 was seen as a high point by some critics, Rapaport’s Mike Wegman was disliked by critics, as noted in one contemporary review fromThe AV Club.
“Go Big Or Go Homer” Highlighted A Late-Season Simpsons Problem
The Show Has Since Solved This Major Issue
Although “Go Big Or Go Homer” had a lot of potential, as outlined above, season 31’s writing had nowhere near as much discipline and focus as season 8’s finale. Good premises aren’t worth anything if the guest stars are gimmicky and irritating or the execution is poor, which is what has made seasons 34-36 so much stronger.
AsBob’s BurgersborrowingThe Simpsons’ writing tricksproves, recent seasons ofThe Simpsonshave managed to turn the show’s critical reputation around with stronger character arcs, less cluttered and chaotic plots, and higher emotional stakes. This resulted in critical approval despite the show’s unprecedented longevity.
Both the world itself and the entertainment landscape specifically have changed a lot sinceThe Simpsonsbegan in 1989. As such, it takes a lot of work for the show to still feel relevant in 2025. However,The Simpsonsseason 36 has cracked the code to keep its writing feeling fresh where even season 31’s killer ideas were lost in a shapeless end product.
