Despite the fact that The Simpsons is i of the funniest TV shows of all time, with countless quotable one-liners and unforgettable sight gags, information technology has besides given us some really hard-striking dramatic moments. The moments that brand you laugh far outweigh the moments that make you cry – this is a comedy, afterwards all – but the moments that make y'all weep are there, specially in the show's before seasons.

In fact, the show'south infamous reject in quality came about when it lost sight of its delicate balance between the cool and the sincere. So, here are The Simpsons' saddest moments throughout the series, ranked.

Updated on April 25th, 2022 past Kristen Palamara: The Simpsons has been on the air since 1989 and although information technology's typically a comedic sitcom almost the wacky lives of the Simpson family and the rest of the town of Springfield, there are several moments that become more serious. Although the serial has aired for over 30 seasons, it'southward yet a show that tin make its fans connect and feel for its characters. The Simpsons has had emotional moments between family members, heartbreaking moments that referred to real-life events, and heartwarming yet as sad moments as well.

15 "We'll Really Miss Yous, Mrs. Yard."

Every Simpsons opening has Bart writing something over and over again on the chalkboard at school, but in the "Four Regrettings and a Funeral" episode, the show chose to honor ane of the vocalism actors who had recently passed away.

Bart writes "We'll actually miss you Mrs. Yard" in honor of her vocalism actor Marcia Wallace who had passed away in real life and the show chose to never recast the office.

14 Maggie Speaks

In The Simpsons, no i has ever really aged throughout their more than than 30 seasons, only in one episode Maggie does speak her first word. Maggie typically doesn't speak except for one moment and information technology'due south incredibly heartwarming.

In the episode "Lisa's First Word" Homer is tucking Maggie into bed and says that he hopes she'll never speak because she'll just fight with him similar Lisa and Bart do. He walks out of the room and closes the door, but the audience sees and hears Maggie accept out her pacifier call him "daddy" as her first give-and-take.

13 Santa'due south Little Helper Recognizes Bart

In the episode "Dog of Death" the Simpsons lose their domestic dog Santa's Little Helper and Bart is admittedly heartbroken. They search for him just tin can't find him because he's been taken in by Mr. Burns and trained to be one of his set on hounds.

Bart tries to rescue his friend, but Mr. Burns sics the dog on him and Santa's Little Helper is about to attack until Bart pleads with him and reminds him that they're best friends. The dog stops, remembers their time together, and goes back dwelling with Bart.

12 Marge Apologizes To Lisa

Lisa is upset throughout the entirety of "Moaning Lisa" and Marge continually tries to fix everything. Marge is upset that Lisa seems to be pitiful all the time and she doesn't understand why her daughter is so sad.

Lisa tells her that she just needs to exist sad sometimes, but Marge is annoyed by her attitude at the get-go of the episode. Somewhen, Marge realizes that information technology's okay not to feel happy and upbeat all the fourth dimension and that she needs to let her daughter be able to share how she feels. Marge gives Lisa an emotional amends and says that she'll always be there for her however she'southward feeling.

11 Bart And Lisa Remember Their Childhood

Bart and Lisa compete on opposing hockey teams in the episode "Lisa on Ice" and let the contest get to them. They forget that they're siblings as they're skating toward each other and are about to ram into each other on the water ice.

Right before they practice, both of them finish and are flooded with emotional memories of when they were growing up together including Lisa crying over her spilled ice cream and Bart giving her his scoop. They stop and embrace on the ice in an emotional moment that reminds the audience that the 2 might fight, just deep down they honey each other.

x Homer And Bart Lookout Itchy And Scratchy: The Movie

In the episode "Itchy and Scratchy: The Movie," the titular moving-picture show adaptation of Bart and Lisa'due south favorite cartoon sweeps the nation. Homer and Marge have promised non to let Bart run across the movie as penalization for his bad grades subsequently Mrs. Krabappel convinced them he could be a Supreme Court Justice with amend subject area.

While Lisa and everyone else at school is raving about how it'south the greatest pic ever made, Homer still won't relent. It's a situation that everyone can relate to because both Bart and his parents have valid points. The episode ends with a heartwarming wink-forward to a future in which Bart is a Supreme Court Justice and Homer finally takes him to encounter Itchy and Scratchy: The Picture.

9 Bart Buys Lisa A Bleeding Gums Murphy Anthology With His Krusty-O'south Settlement

In the episode "'Round Springfield," Lisa'southward hero, jazz fable Bleeding Gums Murphy, dies suddenly. She decides that the best way to laurels him would be to play his album on the radio, but it costs $500. Meanwhile, Bart has had to undergo surgery, due to a jagged piece of metal in his box of Krusty-O's.

Following a $100,000 settlement and Lionel Hutz'southward "legal fees," Bart is left with $500, which he intends to employ to buy a Steve Allen pog. Merely seeing how heartbroken Lisa is over Haemorrhage Gums Murphy's death, he decides to purchase her the album instead. As much as they bicker, Bart actually cares about Lisa.

viii Lisa Gets A Note From Smart Homer

"HOMR" is a classic episode of The Simpsons, considering it reveals something about the mythology of the show – why Homer is so stupid – in a satisfying way. Turns out, he has a crayon lodged in his brain. After information technology'due south removed, he's a genius. But he alienates all of his friends until, tragically, he decides to have the crayon reinserted.

Lisa is sad, considering smart Homer had developed a really shut relationship with her, and she couldn't relate to stupid Homer equally much. But then she found a note left for her by smart Homer before the surgery: "Lisa, I'one thousand taking the coward'southward way out. But before I do, I just want you to know being smart made me capeesh how amazing you really are."

vii "Happy Birthday Lisa"

All throughout "Stark Raving Dad," Lisa keeps reminding Bart that, every single twelvemonth, he forgets about her birthday. This year, he's adamant to really put some thought into her souvenir. But and then Homer gets institutionalized, meets a human being with the voice (but non appearance) of Michael Jackson, then promises to bring Jackson home.

So, Bart gets distracted as he tells everyone in Springfield that the King of Pop is coming to his house. As he overhears Lisa expressing her disappointment that he forgot about her birthday again, Bart acts fast and writes a really heartfelt altogether song for Lisa.

6 Homer'due south Speech At Lisa'southward Hymeneals

Flavour 6'due south "Lisa's Wedding" was the first flash-forward episode, and then far, the simply one to finer utilize the wink-forward format. Information technology's incommunicable not to choke up during Homer'due south speech:

"Little Lisa, Lisa Simpson. You know, I ever felt you lot were the best affair my name ever got attached to. Always since the time you learned to pin your ain diapers, you've been smarter than me. I only desire you lot to know I've e'er been proud of you. You're my greatest accomplishment, and you did it all yourself. You taught me to understand my ain life meliorate and made me a amend person, but yous're yet my daughter, and I don't think anyone has ever had a ameliorate daughter than..." Lisa cuts in to say, "Dad, y'all're babbling," and Homer adds, "Encounter? You lot're nonetheless helping me."

5 Bart Fails His Test Once more

In the season ii premiere "Bart Gets an F," Bart fails his history test and he's given one more than chance to accept information technology earlier flunking the year. He puts off studying for a while and gets a miracle in the form of a snow twenty-four hours, but he eventually buckles down, despite the temptations of the snow.

And then he takes the examination, fails information technology, and breaks downward crying. Mrs. Krabappel is shocked. This was i of the early moments establishing their relationship as more complex and emotional that just a student/teacher rivalry. The clincher is when Bart says, "You don't understand! I really tried this time!"

four "You lot Are Lisa Simpson"

Equally the about intelligent pupil at her schoolhouse, Lisa struggles to proceed agree of friends and, every bit a result, also struggles with confidence. Dustin Hoffman was instantly memorable in the function of her substitute teacher, Mr. Bergstrom, an intellectual match who really took the time to listen to her.

But similar any substitute, he had to leave, and Lisa worried that she wouldn't be happy without him. Then he gave her a note and said, "Whenever y'all feel alone, similar at that place's no one you tin can rely on, this is all you lot demand to know." After he leaves, she reads the note: "You are Lisa Simpson."

3 Homer Listens To The Bible On Tape

In season 2's "1 Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish," Homer eats a poisonous fish at a sushi restaurant and is told by Dr. Hibbert that he has 24 hours to live. So, he lists all the things he wants to practise on his last day: have a beverage at Moe's, spend some fourth dimension with his male parent, tell Mr. Burns how he actually feels, etc. The itinerary ends with a family dinner and some time with Marge, but he ends up spending also long with his dad and then getting thrown in jail.

It's heartbreaking as Homer struggles to go abode, only to go far domicile and observe Marge and the kids asleep. So, he falls comatose in the living room, listening to the Bible on record. We all knew he'd survive considering this is a Television receiver show, but what makes it effective is that Homer thinks he's going to die.

2 "Practise It For Her"

In the episode "And Maggie Makes Iii," Bart and Lisa ask why there are no pictures of Maggie in the family photo albums. So, Homer and Marge tell the story of how a tertiary pregnancy was unexpected. Homer had quit his task at the nuclear institute and he had to go crawling back to Mr. Burns' role, begging for his job back.

Mr. Burns gave him his job back on the condition that he was locked into it for the rest of his life, so he put up a sign in Homer's office: "Don't forget: y'all're here forever." Homer took all the pictures of Maggie to embrace it up to instead say: "Practice information technology for her."

1 Homer Looks Upward At The Stars Subsequently His Mom Leaves

Simpsons fans have long considered "Mother Simpson" to be i of the most emotional episodes of the series, catastrophe with what is easily the most affecting moment in the show'southward history. Homer's long-lost mother Mona reappears and becomes a part of his life.

He grows to trust her, so the cops grab on and she realizes she has to movement on, so she bids the family unit farewell and Homer drives her out into the desert where some friends choice her up. After she's gone, he just sits on the hood of his auto and looks upwards at the stars. It's really heartwarming and makes Homer experience similar a real person.

Next: The Ultimate Simpsons Gift Guide

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Ben Sherlock (3548 Manufactures Published)

Ben Sherlock is a writer, comedian, independent filmmaker, and Burt Reynolds enthusiast. He writes lists for Screen Rant and features and reviews for Game Rant. He's currently in pre-product on his first characteristic (and has been for a while, because filmmaking is expensive). You can take hold of him performing standup at odd pubs effectually the Uk that will requite him stage time. Previously, he wrote for Taste of Cinema, Comic Volume Resource, and BabbleTop.

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