I Know Nobody Else Would Call This The Best Episode Of The Simpsons, But Here's Why "Girly Edition" Will Always Be My Favorite

I’ve watched every episode of The Simpsons since 1989. And, do you know what that makes me (Well, besides a hardcore fan)? It makes me old!

That's because for roughly 35 years, I’ve tuned into America's favorite family, and I'm happy to have grown up with The Simpsons. It’s something that I've introduced to my family, and I've even turned my daughter into a devoted fan (which I'm both overjoyed with, but also a little worried about).

That said, out of every episode, there's one that will always be my favorite. It's Season 9’s “Girly Edition,” in which Bart and Lisa host a kids' news show. I know it's nobody's choice for “Best Simpsons episode ever” (though I highly recommend it), but here's why it's my favorite.

First Off, It Has My All-Time Favorite Simpsons Gag With The Introduction Of The Cat Lady

There are a lot of Simpsons characters who make me laugh, but one character who I don't think gets nearly enough credit is the Crazy Cat Lady, a.k.a. Eleanor Abernathy.

Now, in later episodes, we actually learn a great deal about her backstory, which is actually quite tragic since she’s a hoarder. And, in the “Springfield Up” episode, we learn that a young Eleanor graduated from both Harvard and Yale. So, like most of the characters on The Simpsons, the showrunners have actually given her a rich history.

However, my favorite appearance by her has got to be the first time we see her, which is in “Girly Edition”. To get back at Bart for stealing her thunder, Lisa visits an old woman who people call “The Cat Lady.”

Lisa proposes that people think she’s crazy just because “she has a few dozen cats” (Note, not a dozen, but a few dozen). Lisa then asks if anybody who loves animals that much could really be crazy, only for the woman to open her door and immediately start throwing cats at her. Let me tell you, in all my years of watching The Simpsons, I never laughed harder than at this very moment. And the train scene afterward? Chef’s kiss.

It Also Has A Great A Story Involving Both Bart And Lisa

Honestly, even though I was there at the height of Bartmania, I don't really like Bart Simpson as a character. Now, Lisa, I like. She low-key has some of the best jokes on the entire show, but, Bart? Well, the older I get, the more I want to strangle him just like Homer.

So, it's refreshing to have an episode that works so well with Bart's character, and I think a lot of that goes to Lisa, as the two bounce off of each other well in this episode. In the A story (An “A” story being the main story) Bart overhears Lisa say that he's not very smart, and he makes it his mission to upstage Lisa at any chance he gets.

And upstage her he does! Because Bart has something that Lisa doesn't have. Call it “Zazz!” “Zort!” or “Kapowza!” But whatever it is, Bart has it, and when he turns the Kidz Newz show into mawkish dribble, Lisa tries to turn the tables on him…only to flop tremendously.

It all comes together in the end, which I'll get into later. I just love that both Bart and Lisa get extremely funny jokes for almost the entirety of the episode. A good Simpsons A story isn’t all that rare, but do you want to know what is?

Not Only That, But It Has My Favorite B Story Of All Time With Mojo, The Helper Monkey

Now, as I mentioned earlier, the A story is the main story, so that means that the B story is the subplot. When it comes to The Simpsons, B stories are typically hit or miss, especially in the later seasons.

However, in “Girly Edition,” the B story might be even funnier than the A story. Homer, being the lazy bum that he is, gets a helper monkey, and things go south pretty quickly. The monkey gains weight right before our eyes and soon needs to wear a diaper.

One of my favorite moments features Mojo laughing on a dresser and scaring Lisa. It makes me crack up every time. I also love when Homer tells Mojo to dance for Marge, and the monkey staggers into the wall, struggling to breathe.

Plus, have you ever heard of the band Mustard Plug? Well, similar to how the band Fall Out Boy got their name from The Simpsons, Mustard Plug titled their 1999 album, Pray for Mojo, which is a reference to when the moribund monkey is left on a doorstep, and he types out very those words: Pray…for…Mojo. I swear. Every time I watch this episode, I'm in literal tears at this scene. It’s hilarious.

The Pay-Off Involving Groundskeeper Willie Is Genuinely Surprising

Do you want to know another one of my favorite characters? It’s Ned Flanders. He has several memorable episodes, and every superfan knows he has one of the most interesting backstories in the entire series.

Yep, Ned has definitely been given the time and energy when it comes to his stories. However, you know what character I've always liked, but don't really think has gotten nearly as much screen time? Groundskeeper Willie. Yes, he had a great episode in “My Fair Laddy,” and he's a staple in several Treehouse of Horror episodes. But, he definitely hasn't been given engrossing stories like Barney, Moe, Ned, or Mr. Burns.

So, it's great to see the school groundskeeper have such a major role in this episode. Bart plays a trick on Willie, destroying his beloved shack with creamed corn, and Willie, now homeless, says he'll get back at Bart.

The thing is, this is such a jam-packed episode that you kind of forget that Willie made that threat at the beginning of the story. So, when Lisa sends Bart off on a puff piece to help an immigrant in need, it's actually surprising that the immigrant is Willie! It's a genuine twist, and I love that Lisa manages to coax Willie not to kill her brother. It's just a good turn, and the pay-off actually works! Great stuff.

Lastly, The Mattel And Mars Bar Quick Energy Chocobot Hour Is Such A Great Ending To The Whole Thing

Before the Barbie movie (which, I might add, when are we going to get a sequel?), the idea of making a show or movie centered around Mattel products or Mars Bars seemed like a joke, and a cynical one at that.

That said, after the Academy Award-nominated movie showed what a quality story actually looked like, centered around a popular toy, anything seemed possible. However, the Mattel and Mars Bar Quick Energy Chocobot Hour is anything but prestige. In fact, in true Simpsons fashion, it's just as sardonic as you'd imagine.

Because just when you think Bart and Lisa's news team might be on the right track, their show gets canceled to make way for what is essentially an hour-long commercial. And, it's just so funny. When the leader tells one of his subordinates to put down his doll so that they can save the day, they show a close-up of the toy before they fly off to the rescue. It's the perfect ending to what I feel is the perfect episode.

So, what do you think? Is “Girly Edition” also one of your favorite episodes of The Simpsons? I'd love to hear your thoughts!