The Best Episode Of The Simpsons Featuring Sideshow Bob According To Reddit
If you're a true "Simpson's" fan, it's impossible to single out just one of the show's 728 total episodes (and counting) as your favorite. It's probably equally impossible just to pick out your favorite Sideshow Bob episode.
While "The Simpsons" has included dozens of memorable side characters during its run, Sideshow Bob is definitely one of the most beloved–Grammar calls him the most popular character he's ever played (via The Simpsons wiki). Altogether, Kelsey Grammer has appeared as the showtune-loving, murderous ex-sidekick to Krusty the Clown (Dan Castellanetta) 22 times in the show's run (via IMDb).
Since the first time Bart Simpson (Nancy Cartwright) foiled Bob's attempt to frame Krusty for shoplifting the Kwik-E Mart, many of the classic Sideshow Bob episodes have focused on Bob's attempts to exact revenge on Bart and his family.
Between "Krusty Gets Busted," "Black Widower," "Brother From Another Series," and the rest, there are many strong contenders for the best overall Sideshow Bob episode. Fans on Reddit say this one is their favorite.
It doesn't get better than Cape Feare
Yep, it's "Cape Feare," which is Bob's third overall episode (as a voiced character), and the second time he tried to take Bart down. It has many of the hallmarks of a quintessential Bob episode. There's an elaborate revenge plot, in this case lifted from the Robert DeNiro thriller "Cape Fear." It has Bob singing the entire score to "The HMS Pinafore" in its climactic scene. It even originated the "stepping on rakes" gag that Sideshow Bob became famous for. Entertainment Weekly called it a "gag genius in its exercise of repetitive stupidity."
Redditor u/5xad0w singled out "Cape Feare" as their favorite, receiving almost 300 upvotes in agreement. u/Local_Brafman called it their "Favorite Sideshow Bob episode and favorite episode of The Simpsons period," while u/StupidSexyKevin said it was "Still just as funny as it was when I was 9 years old."
Not surprisingly, fans on the thread started swapping their favorite jokes from the episode.
One clear winner: the scene where a terrified Bart is trying to sleep in his new bedroom, and Homer obliviously barges in with a huge knife and a tray of brownies–and a few seconds later, with hockey mask and chainsaw. Another was the moment when the Simpson family's new home of Terror Lake holds an impromptu parade celebrating Hannibal crossing the Alps, which results in not one but six elephants trampling Bob in the street.
If you're not feeling like dialing up "Cape Feare" right now, you're probably not a real "Simpsons" fan.