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THE STORY OF D'OH The peak season of a TV triumph
The Simpsons: © and TM 20th Century Fox

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Release Date: Jun 15, 2004; Rated: Unrated; Genre: Comedy
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The moment ''Simpsons'' geeks have been waiting for has finally arrived. Sure, season 1 was where it all began, and seasons 2 and 3 delivered some undeniable gems, but this is it -- this is where the golden age of The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season officially begins. To put it all in perspective, think of it this way: Season 4 is arguably the greatest season of the greatest TV comedy of all time. The lineup of episodes is like staring down the batting order of the 1927 Yankees -- minus Joe Dugan. (Hey, he hit only .269!) There's the show's best-ever musical episode (''A Streetcar Named Marge''), the best-ever Phil Hartman appearance (as huckster Lyle Lanley in ''Marge vs. the Monorail''), and -- according to EW's top 25 guide -- the plain ol' best episode ever (''Last Exit to Springfield''). Why, even the clip show is funny, and it's...well, a clip show!

And the episodes are as touching as they are humorous. When Bart runs a videotape in slow motion to show Lisa how ''you can actually pin-point the second when [Ralph Wiggum's] heart rips in half'' in ''I Love Lisa,'' you don't really know whether you're shedding tears of laughter, empathy, or both -- you just know that it's damn good any way you slice it. Another treat from this episode: the return of Sideshow Raheem, whose solitary line (''I wouldn't'') had been tragically excised in the syndicated version. In a set filled with the usual bonus material of commentary tracks, deleted scenes, and storyboards, such unearthed treasures are the most welcome extras of all.

 
 

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