25 Best 'The Simpsons' Seasons, Ranked

Having released its 36th season, The Simpsons continues to prove that it isn’t just the greatest animated series of all time—it’s a pop culture encyclopedia that has changed the way that audiences view television, animation, comedy, and what a “long-running” show actually looks like. The Simpsons has broken so many cultural barriers throughout its run that it would be almost impossible to name them all and has given perhaps one of the most satirical and humorous takes on American life in media.

While the early episodes are considered to be the show’s peak, there have been many strong recent installments as well. Some of the most memorable segments and moments in the show include the yearly Treehouse of Horror, which is an iconic tradition that incorporates horror elements into the show, as well as its opening couch gags. Ranking the best seasons of The Simpsons is an overwhelming task, but there are just some seasons of the show that stand out due to its writing, humor, and heartfelt arcs.

25 Season 35 (2023–2024)

No. of Episodes: 18

The Simpsons proved to be remarkably consistent in its most recent, which is rather impressive considering the sheer amount of shows that were forced to limit or push back their productions due to the aftermath of the SAG-AFTRA strikes.

The Simpsons was able to get suitably weird in its latest season, with “Bart’s Brain” offering up a hilariously unusual storyline involving Bart befriending the human brain of one of Grandpa’s friends from the army, which he had brought to school as an art project. The season also featured one of the best “Treehouse of Horror” episodes ever, which included guest appearances by Jimmy Fallon, Kelsey Grammer, and Kylie Jenner. In addition to providing a loose continuation of the Season 5 episode “Cape Feare,” this Halloween installment also offered hilarious satire on the plethora of NFTs that had become so dominant in recent years.

24 Season 21 (2009–2010)

No. of Episodes: 23

The Simpsons capped off another decade of great storytelling with a season that offered a greater opportunity to dive into the supporting characters, who often did not get a moment to be the central protagonist. “Homer the Whopper” gave Comic Book Guy the chance to offer some clever satire about the rise of superhero culture, which was impressive considering that the episode aired in 2009, which was before the Marvel Cinematic Universe had completely dominated popular culture.

Season 21 helped to humanize some characters that were often treated as complete jokes, such as Edna Krabappel, who finally gets to reach a bit of an understanding with her most chaotic student in the surprisingly touching episode “Bart Gets A Z.” Although the show made pop cultural references that pointed towards its future, it was also able to look back on its past and revitalize some outstanding characters.

23 Season 20 (2008–2009)

No. of Episodes: 21

The Simpsons was able to retain much of its heart within its 20th season; although previous iterations had leaned hard into the type of caustic humor that had defined other adult animated shows like South Park and Family Guy, The Simpsons was always able to connect with viewers because it presented an authentic depiction of the issues that many go through when trying to deal with their families. "Dangerous Curves" offered a nice flashback that explored the early romance between Homer and Marge, "The Burns and the Bees" showed Lisa’s desire to be an environmentalist as she helps an endangered bee colony, and "How the Test Was Won" showed the competitive, yet loving rivalry between Lisa and Bart.

Season 21 also featured one of the most stacked lineups of guest stars ever, as it featured appearances by Jeff Bezos, Mark Cuban, Jodie Foster, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and the late great Robert Forster.

22 Season 9 (1997–1998)

No. of Episodes: 25

The Simpsons began to reach the end of its “Golden Age” in its ninth season, even if some fans argued that the show officially ended this run in the tenth season. The episode “The Principal in the Pauper” is often heralded as one of the most divisive episodes, as the fact that it offered an alternative backstory to the character of Principal Skinner broke the rules of the show in the eyes of many viewers by tearing down the established canon.

That being season, The Simpsons aired some of its funniest episodes ever in its ninth season, including the 200th episode “Trash of the Titans,” which involved Homer trying to save Springfield from an environmental disaster that nearly destroys the city’s sanctity, in what was an elaborate parody of massively popular blockbuster movies like Independence Day or Dante’s Peak that featured “end-of-the-world,” disaster-centric narratives.

21 Season 16 (2004–2005)

No. of Episodes: 21

The Simpsons proved to be a great piece of social satire in its sixteenth season, as it tackled some fairly important issues in a more well-developed way than many of the popular drama shows that were airing at the same time. "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Guest Star" was able to actually question some of the fundamental truths surrounding religion in a compelling way, yet was still hilarious thanks to a great guest role from Liam Neeson.

Season 16 also answered some questions that many fans of The Simpsons had been asking for many decades, as the episode “Sleeping With The Enemy” brought to life reveals about Nelson’s parents when he is temporarily adopted by Marge, who feels that she has the opportunity to give him a better home considering that she feels consistently ignored by her own children.

20 Season 34 (2022–2023)

No. of Episodes: 22

Although the series has had its fun making fun of popular HBO shows, The Simpsons came up with its best parody of The Sopranos to date in the Season 34 episode “The Many Saints of Springfield.” It wasn’t the first instance in which The Simpsons stepped into the mafia world, but the extended look at Fat Tony and the secret criminal underbelly of Springfield allowed the series to take a deeper look at some of its most beloved supporting characters.

While Season 34 contained some of the best popular culture gags out of any iteration of the show, The Simpsons was able to get slightly more emotional with episodes like “Bartless,” which examined the complex dynamic that Bart has with his family. Standout moments like these indicate that the show’s writers are consistently interested in deepening their understanding of characters that have existed for over three decades.

19 Season 19 (2007–2008)

No. of Episodes: 20

Season 19 was among the most ambitious iterations of The Simpsons, as it attempted to satirize many emerging media and popular culture trends. The Simpsons has always worked best when adapting to modern times, and this season tackled the Sundance Film Festival, the discovery of a long-buried family secret, and a surprisingly action-packed robbery episode that briefly turned the show into somewhat of a heist thriller.

The Simpsons continued to remain relevant because of its guest stars, and Season 19 offered some of the best in the show’s recent memory. In addition to the return of Kelsey Grammer as Sideshow Bob in the spooky episode “Funeral For A Friend,” the season featured the legendary news pundits Jon Stewart and Dan Rather popping up to give their views on the upcoming 2008 presidential election in the surprisingly satirical episode “E Pluribus Wiggum.”

18 Season 17 (2005–2006)

No. of Episodes: 22

Season 17 was another solid iteration of The Simpsons that succeeded in deepening the show’s analysis of family dysfunction. While the series has always made it clear that life in the Simpsons household is always somewhat tumultuous, Season 17 features storylines involving Lisa’s fear of continued nightmares, Homer’s struggle at being misperceived as a “disappointing dad,” Marge’s search for new friends after feelings of loneliness, and the escalation of Bart’s feud with Groundskeeper Willie.

The Simpsons certainly wasn’t light on popular culture references in Season 17, as the season featured a particularly hilarious parody of the Best Picture-winning musical My Fair Lady involving Willie’s attempts to find a protege that become the elementary school’s new janitor, as well as the show’s first Nativity-themed episode that featured more details shed about Abe Simpsons’ experience serving as a soldier in World War II.

17 Season 23 (2011–2012)

No. of Episodes: 22

The Simpsons Season 23 may have featured one of the most controversial episodes in the show’s history, as Lady GaGa’s appearance in the finale “Lisa Goes GaGa” has been consistently cited to be one of the worst Simpsons episodes ever. While it was unfortunate that the series wasted what could have been a really compelling celebrity guest appearance, the rest of the season was filled with more inventive cameos, including Bryan Cranston, Eric Idle, Glenn Close, David Byrne, and Brent Spiner.

While the show has always had a strong ability to predict the future, The Simpsons ended up examining the danger of artificial intelligence long before it became a mainstream topic of debate in the episode “Them, Robot,” which involved Homer and his friends having to save Springfield’s nuclear power plant after Mr. Burns attempts to replace them all with robotic workers.

16 Season 26 (2014–2015)

No. of Episodes: 22

The Simpsons got surprisingly reflective and ambitious in its 26th season, indicating that the show’s current set of writers weren’t content on simply coasting on nostalgia for previous iterations. Major character developments in the season included Krusty the Clown briefly retiring from his gig as a television host, Mr. Burns finally finds an age-appropriate love interest, Homer and Bart trying to bond as father and son, and a highly anticipated crossover with Futurama that fans had been waiting to see for years.

The Simpsons attempted to avoid criticisms that it was no longer relevant by discussing hot-button issues, including the rise of technology in the workplace and an investigation into Springfield’s historical culture. Those that had abandoned the show due to a dip in quality may have found that Season 26 was a great way to reignite their passion for what the series was in its supposed “Golden Age.”