The Simpsons has been running for such a long time that science-fiction fans likely have no idea about any of the standout episodes the show has released over the decades. With The Simpsons now in the midst of Season 37 of its run and fast approaching Season 40 in the coming years, fans have seen the animated series take on all kinds of different genres and story types. Horror, romance, drama, and of course, comedy, have been seen with many episodes, but there has also been a fun dash of science fiction added to the mix as well on a number of occasions.
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You would be surprised to find out just how much science-fiction can be found within The Simpsons, and it ranges from some of the series’ biggest classic episodes to some of the newer era stuff that might have gone under the radar up to this point. Below are ten episodes that feature some notable science-fiction ideas and stories, and you should check them out. Whether it be one of the most notable classics or a hidden gem, these are The Simpsons episodes that sci-fi fans will enjoy seeing in action.
10). Deep Space Homer
“Deep Space Homer” is about as classic as The Simpsons episodes come. The Season 5 episode launches Homer into space as part of a special NASA program made to help boost ratings, and Homer fails his way to the top. It’s more actual science than fiction (complete with a guest spot from Buzz Aldrin), but it’s still very entertaining nonetheless.
It’s got some top tier science fiction jokes here like when Kent Brockman quickly accepts being ruled by his new ant overlords, “Make rocket go now,” and the plan to get all of the ants out of the shuttle. It’s just a classic episode through and through, and there’s just not enough praise that can be lauded on it. But there’s more fiction to be found in the rest of this list.
9). The Man Who Came to Be Dinner
On the complete opposite of the spectrum is Season 26’s “The Man Who Came to Be Dinner.” This was an incredibly shocking event episode that brought Kang, Kodos, and the entire Rigel 7 planet into the series’ main timeline. For the first time outside of Treehouse of Horror, The Simpsons were introduced to space aliens and even left Earth as part of a plan to have them be eaten by the Rigellians. It’s an episode that feels like a dream as the Simpsons themselves seem to casually accept everything that’s happening, and are only saved when they turn out to be too poisonous to actually eat.
The episode is then written out of the canon when it’s joked that the adventure will fade from their memories, but it’s still just something that feels so wildly out of place. The Simpsons has done some wild things over the years, but this sci-fi episode sending them out into space definitely takes the cake in terms of maybe going too far. But in this context, it’s definitely worth looking into.
8). Mayored to the Mob
Although many fans of The Simpsons don’t consider Season 10 to be a part of the animated series’ “Golden Era,” it is packed with a ton of memorable episodes like “Mayored to the Mob.” The science fiction influence comes early in the episode as the family attend Bi-Mon-Sci-Fi-Con and get the updates on some of their most favorite sci-fi franchises. Homer still hilariously has a thing against nerds, and ends up saving a guest starring Mark Hamill when he’s attacked by them. The rest of the episode itself doesn’t really have that same flavor, however.
But there are some fantastic moments for Hamill as he not only makes fun of himself as Luke Skywalker (and how he was perceived post Star Wars), but he also voices the leader of the bodyguard boot camp and has some fantastic moments there as well. It comes full circle with Hamill saying “Use the forks!” at the end, so it just feels like a fun nod to Star Wars overall without going too far with it. It still leaves room for jokes.
7). Holidays of Future Passed
The Simpsons has a few episodes that jump forward in time to imagine what the characters would be like years later, and there are a few that prominently use a science-fiction base to showcase that future. “Holidays of Future Passed” is the best example of this as we get to spend a lot of time in the future vision of Springfield, and see how sci-fi technology has advanced to the point where it seems relatively mundane. It’s just a part of future life, and that’s such a cool premise for a story.
On top of this, “Holidays of Future Passed” serves as both a great Christmas episode of The Simpsons and a potential finale for the series. It almost was before the animated series continued way beyond Season 23, but for those who want a story as a potential end point this is what you’re looking for. It’s an episode filled with character and love all within a nice dose of a sci-fi future.
6). Simpsorama
It’s wild in retrospect to realize that this Futurama crossover came during the same season as the episode where Kang and Kodos joined the official canon, but Season 26’s “Simpsorama” offers yet another science-fiction fueled story that takes the Simpsons far out of their depth. Serving as more of a reunion for Futurama‘s main cast (as this episode was released when that series in the midst of its latest cancellation), this episode combines the two shows together to result in a wild adventure perfect for any Futurama episode.
There’s unfortunately just not enough time to explore both of the franchises in any great detail. But for what is there, it’s a great story between Homer and Bender. The two find they share quite a lot in common, and it has an ending that fits right into Futurama’s future stories too. It’s all fitting within The Simpsons timeline (with Bender making future cameos in their basement), and a fun story that imagines what the future would look like if Bart destroyed it.
5). Time and Punishment
“Time and Punishment” isn’t a full episode of the series, and instead is a segment within Treehouse of Horror V. But at the same time, it’s also one of the most notable science-fiction concepts in the series’ run. Homer ends up turning his toaster into a time machine to become “the first non-Brazilian person to travel backward through time” and ends up causing all kinds of havoc.
There’s a lot packed into these ten minutes as Homer figures out that messing with on thing in the past can have dramatic ramifications on the future. Flanders becomes ruler of the world, there’s a timeline without donuts (that he knows of), a timeline where everyone is a giant and more. A fun, quick watch with lots of fun elements to dissect.
4). Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes
“Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes” was a cool expansion of the Treehouse of Horror anthology but based around Ray Bradbury’s written works. Two of these segments went full science-fiction too as the second segment was inspired by the short “Marionnettes, Inc.” as Superintendent Chalmers replaced himself with a robotic clone to avoid spending time with Skinner (only to it lead to a reveal that Skinner did the same). The third segment was the hardest hitting of the package, however, as it took on Bradbury’s most famous story.
Inspired by Fahrenheit 451, the third segment reveals a dystopian version of the future where instead of books, trash television is banned instead. Homer gets tired of his life being forced to watch prestige television, and thus falls into the world of watching illegal bad television like reality shows. It ends pretty much in the same manner as the original story, but it’s a great take on that story that sci-fi fans should see in action.
3). Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind
“Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind” is undoubtedly one of the hidden gems from the 10s era as the Season 19 episode offered a cool new take on its story. With Homer realizing he’s missing pockets of his memory from the night before (due to a special concoction he drank at Moe’s), he ends up getting help from Professor Frink to use a special device to comb through his brain and figure out his memories. It’s a neat idea that sees him interacting with memory versions of his children, and unfolds in a rather cool way that shows Homer (and fans) a whole new side of himself. It’s very sci-fi in how it finds way to explore Homer’s mind in a visually cool way too.
2). The Springfield Files
“The Springfield Files” is yet another quintessential classic episode of The Simpsons. This is the perfect kind of self-contained episode that even if you knew nothing about the show, you can jump in and fully enjoy the fact it’s technically a full crossover with The X-Files. When Homer believes he sees an alien in the forest, it sparks a whole conspiracy that follows him through the episode. Even Mulder and Scully come to Springfield to get to the bottom of things.
It’s a fun episode for fans of both shows as Mulder and Scully are exaggerated versions of their usual characteristics, and it leads to some great moments. There’s even a perfect guest spot from Leonard Nimoy to help take things to a whole new level, and it’s all aged incredibly well even after all this time. This came out all the way back in Season 8, and thus feels like a perfect pocket of time for these FOX shows when they were both at their peaks.
1). Itchy and Scratchy Land
But in terms of perfect, self-contained sci-fi episodes of The Simpsons (that are also classics), Season 6’s “Itchy and Scratchy Land” is as close to as perfect of a pick as you can get. The real sci-fi hook doesn’t come into later in the episode as the park’s robots come to life and attack, but it’s just incredible to see develop. The episode sees the family going to the titular land (“Where nothing can possibl-eye go wrong.”) and enjoy the park in their own various ways. Then the real climax kicks in as the family needs to fight off an army of robots. It’s just a great ending to an already fantastic episode filled with classic jokes (“My son is also named Bort.”), and the best option for sci-fi fans available. Hands down.
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Courtesy of Toei Animation
