5 The Simpsons Episodes That Are Unwatchable Today

The greatest episodes of "The Simpsons" are some of the finest pieces of television — or even art — ever produced. The world of Springfield and its inhabitants have inspired tremendously humorous storytelling and even some deeply moving material, like the unforgettable ending of "Mother Simpson." Even recent "Simpsons" seasons have seen the show embracing some audacious storytelling impulses and character-based inclinations that have led to it resecuring its creative mojo. Homer, Marge, and many more iconic "Simpsons" characters are just delightful and have more than earned their legendary status.

Unfortunately, but unsurprisingly, "The Simpsons" inevitably produced clunker episodes after delivering over 800 total to audiences. This includes five "Simpsons" episodes that are unwatchable today for a multitude of reasons. Many of these episodes reflect outdated, "edgy" 2000s sensibilities (an era of "Simpsons" history where the show tried resembling "Family Guy" more than its own vintage episodes) that were already uncomfortable when they first aired on the Fox network. Decades later, those particular installments have only worsened in terms of their watchability.

Some of these episodes also center around guest stars that haven't aged well, while others focus on character beats that feel distractingly incongruous with how these characters behave throughout the rest of "The Simpsons." These five unwatchable episodes aren't especially compelling as standalone pieces of art, but their flaws do let one further appreciate the countless classic "Simpsons" episodes out there. You need the rain to appreciate the sunshine — or, in this case, "The Boys of Bummer" to appreciate "Marge vs. the Monorail."

Believe it or not, the first decade of "The Simpsons" saw it delivering a solid track record in how it approached queer material and characters. Possibly because, like queer media, "The Simpsons" was initially viewed as "transgressive" counterculture, and the show was affectionate toward legendary LGBTQ+ performers. Harvey Fierstein showed up in the second season episode "Simpson and Delilah," and even gave Homer Simpson a smooch on the lips. Six years later, the hysterical outing "Homer's Phobia" featured John Waters playing John, a guy who provokes Homer's homophobia. Not only did Waters deliver delightful voice-over work in this installment, but "Homer's Phobia" set pieces like "the gay steel mill" are iconic and some of the funniest "Simpsons" moments ever.

Unfortunately, in the 2000s, when "that's so gay" jokes were running rampant, "The Simpsons" began trading witty "this lesbian bar doesn't have a fire exit!" jokes for tired gay panic gags. The Season 14 installment "Three Gays of the Condo," despite an appearance from the always welcome "Weird Al" Yankovic, is a hodgepodge of cringey and derivative gay jokes. Me Blog Write Good said it best, describing this outing as "an astounding episode, in that it got the closest to physically injuring me" due to its seemingly unnecessary existence. While classic "Simpsons" episodes wrung hearty laughs out of making fun of homophobes, "Three Gays of the Condo" just thinks the word "gay" and two men kissing is hilarious.

Pop in any generic 2000s comedy movie and you'd see these same jokes regurgitated. "Three Gays of the Condo" has aged as poorly as other "Simpsons" episodes like "Homer's Phobia" have aged like fine wine.

The infamous saga and controversy surrounding Apu Nahasapeemapetilon on "The Simpsons," which led to Hank Azaria no longer voicing the character and thus semi-retiring him, is well-known. What's less prolific, though, is that time in 2006 when "The Simpsons" expanded its storytelling gaze beyond just Apu. In the episode "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bangalore," Homer is sent to India as part of an outsourcing program at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. Not only does Homer shack up with Apu's cousin Kavi, but he encounters a whole mess of uncomfortable Indian stereotypes as he eventually ascends to the level of "God" in his new workplace.

Any of the occasional flashes of nuance past "Simpsons" episodes at least tried (to varying degrees of success) to afford Apu in episodes like "Homer and Apu" are glaringly absent in "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bangalore." This deeply caricatured vision of India (which doesn't even bother to offer up a specific state or district in India that this story takes place in) is full of tired and cringe-inducing jokes. None of the local denizens Homer encounters have any depth, while references to landmarks like the Ganges river only have one punchline revolving around "eww, India" to fall back on.

There's so little meat on the bones of the central "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bangalore" storyline that there's a B-plot involving Patty and Selma kidnapping Richard Dean Anderson. That's a testament to how thinly sketched (and immediately outdated) this episode was.

While some episodes securing a place on this list may prove controversial, it's doubtful anyone will step up to defend Season 18 episode "The Boys of Bummer." This installment has garnered a tremendously infamous reputation in the years since it debuted, which includes a 5.8 rating on IMDb and many considering it one of those disastrous TV episodes that nearly ruined the whole series. "The Boys of Bummer" chronicled the residents of Springfield endlessly tormenting Bart Simpson after he lost a Little League Baseball game. The endless bullying eventually leads to Bart attempting to take his own life, which prompts the town to feel remorseful and rectify their cruelty.

It's one thing to have a cartoonish baddie like Sideshow Bob try to murder Bart, especially since Bob is often getting trampled by herds of elephants or stepping on countless rakes in his bloodthirsty quest. "The Boys of Bummer," meanwhile, tried to squeeze dark laughs out of a child losing his mind over being ruthlessly harassed by every person he encounters. Rather than evoking Elmer Fudd trying to catch Bugs Bunny, these adults exhibiting cruelty toward Bart were just malicious.

These stabs at "edgy" laughs weren't exactly novel in 2007, but time has only worsened these misguided gags. Instead of registering as grimly humorous, "The Boys of Bummer" is just 22 minutes of unpleasantness. Even after hundreds of "Simpsons" episodes, this installment still stands out in all the wrong ways.

Many of the "Simpsons" episodes that boil down to "The Simpsons are going to [insert country name here]" are largely uninspired, save for the occasional gems like "Bart vs. Australia." The 2002 outing where this family ventured to Rio de Janeiro, for instance, was a "Simpsons" episode that aged so poorly that executive producer James L. Brooks had to apologize for it. While not as egregious in some respects as other international voyages that Homer and company have gone on, the Britain-set episode "The Regina Monologues" hasn't aged very well in many crucial respects.

For starters, many of the famous British guest stars that the Simpsons family encounters are now bound to inspire groans rather than smiles today. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair, for instance, is depicted in a hagiographic and "cool" fashion (complete with traveling between airport terminals via a jet pack), a sharp contrast to his modern reputation as an accused war criminal and severe allegations of his administration exacerbating toxic problems with policing institutions. Then there's the cozy portrait of J.K. Rowling, who is now famous today for transphobic rhetoric and denial about Holocaust atrocities.

Having "The Regina Monologues" just boil down to the Simpsons encountering a series of British celebrities means the episode doesn't function as well as a standalone comedy. A final ill-advised stab at Madonna closes out "The Regina Monologues" on another note that registers as both incoherent and uncomfortably unfunny in the modern world.

The worst things Homer ever did to Marge on "The Simpsons" could fill countless lists. This cartoon buffoon has put his kind-hearted wife through so much anguish in the multiple decades that "The Simpsons" has been on the air. Even given this precedent, Homer Simpson's backstory, unfortunately, includes an especially nasty action on this man's part against his spouse. In the Season 15 episode "Co-Dependents' Day," Homer and Marge begin bonding through excessive drinking after a fun experience at a wine garden. Subsequently, the pair get so drunk one night that Homer ends up crashing their car. Terrified that one more automobile accident while intoxicated will lead to his license getting suspended, Homer then frames an inebriated Marge for the crime.

In an effort to "one-up" old "Simpsons" episodes, this sitcom took Homer from being an absent-minded doofus who gets his wife a bowling ball for her birthday to someone that leaves his wife to rot in jail for his crimes. It's no surprise "Co-Dependents' Day," which has a 6.6 IMDb rating, is considered one of the worst "Simpsons" episodes of all time – but it has only gotten worse with age. Recent "Simpsons" seasons have delivered acclaimed episodes like "Pixelated and Afraid," which depicts Homer and Marge as a more believable and supportive couple.

In contrast to these thoughtful depictions of Homer and Marge's relationship, the incessant cruelty of "Co-Dependents' Day" looks even worse. As "The Simpsons" continues to evolve, an initially lackluster outing like this one will only further deteriorate artistically.