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The Simpsons

 "The Simpsons" has been voted the greatest American TV show of all time (see the works of Alan Sepinwall), which makes "Rosebud" (a classic "Simpsons" script) one of the smartest half-hours available to you via Amazon Video. You literally cannot find more than a handful of worthy rivals -- at least in the American TV landscape.


The writer is John Swartzwelder. The subject is power. Monty Burns yearns for the stuffed teddy he abandoned in his childhood -- but Homer, a schlub, has gained possession of the bear.

Homer seeks advice from friends. "Just reject the first offer that Burns puts on the table."

When Homer sees Burns, Burns makes his offer: "Would you like a soft drink?" After Homer storms off, Burns says, "Ah, he's just playing hardball....."

Next, Burns offers millions of dollars and three Hawaiian islands ("not the shitty ones"). Homer resists -- so Burns drains all of Springfield of its beer and its TV programming. Cue the deus ex machina. Ultimately, all is well.

I feel for both Monty and Homer here, although one is cold and greedy and the other is chaotic, dim-witted. It's fun to consider how -- in this capitalist world -- Homer might ever gain authority over Monty (and how Homer might waste that authority). Then there are the grace notes. Homer invents a witty parody of his boss; Homer paints two eyes on his buttocks and shouts, "I'm Montgomery! Look at me. I'm so important. Look at me!" Springfield residents sacrifice their lives in an effort to bring back cubes of ice from the South Pole. (Apu: "If you know of a better way of obtaining ice, I'd like to hear it.") Even Marge -- acting as a proxy for the scriptwriter -- finds startling ways of using the spotlight (more than once).

Swartzwelder earned immortality via "Whacking Day," "The Cartridge Family," "Itchy and Scratchy Land." I'm an ardent fan.
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