8.1/1037 votes#1 - Stark Raving Dad
Season 3 Episode 1 - Aired 9/19/1991
A deviation from his norm lands Homer in a mental institution, where he shares a room with a man who thinks he's Michael Jackson.
Director: Rich Moore
Writer: Al Jean
7.8/1037 votes#2 - The Way We Was
Season 2 Episode 12 - Aired 1/31/1991
When the TV breaks, Marge and Homer entertain the kids with the story of how they first met.
Director: David Silverman
Writer: Al Jean
7.5/1021 votes#3 - HOMЯ
Season 12 Episode 9 - Aired 1/7/2001
While working as a human guinea pig (to pay off the family's lost savings after making a bad investment), Homer discovers the root cause of his subnormal intelligence: a crayon that was lodged in his brain ever since he was a boy. He decides to have it removed to increase his IQ, but discovers that being smart does not necessarily equal being happy.
Director: Mike B. Anderson
Writer: Al Jean
7.4/1065 votes#4 - There's No Disgrace Like Home
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 1/28/1990
After seeing families being nice to each other at a company picnic, Homer orders the Simpsons to a family therapist.
Director: Gregg Vanzo
Writer: Al Jean
7.4/1036 votes#5 - Treehouse of Horror II
Season 3 Episode 7 - Aired 10/31/1991
Maggie uses one of three wishes; a mind-reading Bart rules Springfield; Homer donates his brain to Mr. Burns' science project.
Director: Jim Reardon
Writer: Al Jean
7.3/1062 votes#6 - Moaning Lisa
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 2/11/1990
The meaning of life and second grade have Lisa playing the blues solo--until she jams with a kindred spirit; Homer seeks tutelage to beat Bart at video boxing.
Director: Wes Archer
Writer: Al Jean
7.3/1032 votes#7 - Treehouse of Horror III
Season 4 Episode 5 - Aired 10/29/1992
A Halloween trilogy includes a murderous Krusty doll; a "King Kong" parody; an invasion of zombies unleashed by Bart's incantation.
Director: Carlos Baeza
Writer: Al Jean
7.3/1027 votes#8 - Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala (Annoyed Grunt) cious
Season 8 Episode 13 - Aired 2/7/1997
Marge is stressed by the demands of motherhood and the Simpsons get a magical British nanny, who floats down from the sky holding an umbrella.
Director: Chuck Sheetz
Writer: Al Jean
7.3/1010 votes#9 - The Tell-Tale Pants
Season 35 Episode 16 - Aired 5/5/2024
Marge comes upon a surprising windfall and, angry with Homer, spends it secretly on herself.
Director: Steven Dean Moore
Writer: Al Jean
7.2/1023 votes#10 - Mom and Pop Art
Season 10 Episode 19 - Aired 4/11/1999
Homer's failed do-it-yourself project gets mistaken for "outsider art." Suddenly in the limelight, Homer must come up with new "works" to impress the art world.
Director: Steven Dean Moore
Writer: Al Jean
7.1/1059 votes#11 - The Telltale Head
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 2/25/1990
Bart pulls a stunt that shocks the entire town, including the new friends he was trying to impress.
Director: Rich Moore
Writer: Al Jean
7.1/1034 votes#12 - Lisa's Pony
Season 3 Episode 8 - Aired 11/7/1991
After disappointing Lisa, Homer buys her a pony, solving one problem, but creating others, requiring a second job--at Apu's Kwik-E-Mart.
Director: Carlos Baeza
Writer: Al Jean
7.0/1024 votes#13 - Lisa's Sax
Season 9 Episode 3 - Aired 10/19/1997
After Lisa’s saxophone is destroyed, the Simpsons reminisce about how she originally got the instrument. On the hottest day of the year, Homer must decide whether to buy an air conditioner or replace Lisa’s sax.
Director: Dominic Polcino
Writer: Al Jean
7.0/106 votes#14 - The Many Saints of Springfield
Season 34 Episode 13 - Aired 2/19/2023
When Ned Flanders falls on hard times, Fat Tony makes him an offer he can't refuse.
Director: Bob Anderson
Writer: Al Jean
6.6/1018 votes#15 - Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner?
Season 11 Episode 3 - Aired 10/24/1999
With Lisa's help, Homer uses his vast knowledge of food to become the town's leading restaurant critic. But when he gets petty and vindictive in his criticisms, all the other chefs in town try to kill him.
Director: Nancy Kruse
Writer: Al Jean
6.5/1024 votes#16 - The Man Who Came to Be Dinner
Season 26 Episode 10 - Aired 1/4/2015
During a trip to "Dizzneeland" the Simpsons board the wrong ride, Rocket To Your Doom, and are transported through the galaxy to Kang and Kodos' home planet, where they are held captive at the local zoo and the inhabitants decide to eat Homer.
Director: David Silverman
Writer: Al Jean
6.4/1016 votes#17 - Children of a Lesser Clod
Season 12 Episode 20 - Aired 5/13/2001
After spraining his knee during a basketball game, Homer begins taking care of the neighborhood kids to cure his boredom, prompting jealousy from Bart and Lisa, who feel that Homer is giving the kids the attention they never had.
Director: Michael Polcino
Writer: Al Jean
6.3/1016 votes#18 - Daddicus Finch
Season 30 Episode 9 - Aired 12/2/2018
Lisa and Homer's bond gets stronger when they start spending real quality time together, and Bart feels neglected. So Marge tries to help Homer balance his attention between the kids.
Director: Steven Dean Moore
Writer: Al Jean
6.2/1021 votes#19 - I Won't Be Home for Christmas
Season 26 Episode 9 - Aired 12/7/2014
After Moe convinces Homer to stay out drinking on Christmas Eve, Marge tells Homer not to come home. This leads to Homer's sad trek through lonely Springfield, where he learns that the only place where one should truly get drunk on Christmas is home.
Director: Mark Kirkland
Writer: Al Jean
6.2/1019 votes#20 - Day of the Jackanapes
Season 12 Episode 13 - Aired 2/18/2001
Krusty announces his retirement due to interference from network executives and the growing popularity of the big-money game show "Me Wantee", but when Krusty reveals to Sideshow Bob that all of the episodes featuring him have been erased, Sideshow Bob uses Krusty's biggest fan (Bart) to murder him during Krusty's farewell show.
Director: Michael Marcantel
Writer: Al Jean
6.0/1017 votes#21 - Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder
Season 11 Episode 6 - Aired 11/14/1999
Homer bowls a perfect 300 game, then concludes that the greatest accomplishment of his life is behind him. He reconnects with the world by bonding with baby Maggie.
Director: Mike B. Anderson
Writer: Al Jean
5.9/1019 votes#22 - Mr. Lisa's Opus
Season 29 Episode 8 - Aired 12/3/2017
As future Lisa writes her college application essay for Harvard, she recalls past disappointing birthdays that helped shape her.
Director: Steven Dean Moore
Writer: Al Jean
5.8/104 votes#23 - The Boy Next Door
Season 2 Episode 13 - Aired 1/4/1988
ALF befriends the Ochmoneks' belligerent nephew, Jake.
Director: Burt Brinckerhoff
Writer: Al Jean
5.8/104 votes#24 - Suspicious Minds
Season 3 Episode 15 - Aired 1/23/1989
ALF is convinced that a reclusive neighbor is actually Elvis Presley.
Director: Nick Havinga
Writer: Al Jean
5.7/106 votes#25 - Mothers and Other Strangers
Season 33 Episode 9 - Aired 11/28/2021
In a flashback, Homer goes on a road trip with his father to find his mother.
Director: Rob Oliver
Writer: Al Jean
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Al Jean Ratings Summary
"Stark Raving Dad" is the best rated episode written by Al Jean. It scored 8.1/10 based on 37 votes. It was directed by Rich Moore. It aired on 9/19/1991 and is rated 0.3 points higher than their second-best episode, "The Way We Was".