It's hard to imagine a better American TV show than "The Simpsons." This sitcom chronicling Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart, and Maggie Simpson in the chaotic town of Springfield fully utilized the possibilities of the animation medium to create stories, gags, and emotional beats that couldn't exist on any other small-screen production. Today, countless adult-skewing animated programs fill the airwaves, yet the ingenious flourishes of "The Simpsons" still register as special. And its greatest traits are especially apparent in its best episodes.

Whittling down a dozen peak "Simpsons" installments (chosen per this writer's opinions) from the show's 790 episodes can be excruciating. Countless masterpieces, including "I Love Lisa" and "And Maggie Makes Three," somehow failed to make the list despite

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