Last Exit to Springfield: the Simpsons' best episode
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UniverseLast Exit to SpringfieldHomer Simpson
It all starts with a piece of pettiness from Mr. Burns: scrapping the plant's dental plan, right when Lisa needs braces. This season 4 episode, aired in 1993 and titled "Last Exit to Springfield", pushes Homer into the union presidency by accident and sets off a strike, complete with a Godfather parody and the running gag of the two voices alternating in his head. Ranked number one by Entertainment Weekly, it stands as a summit. You will see what earns it that status.
A keg of beer traded against the dental plan, and Homer is drafted as union boss against his will.
Out of that misunderstanding comes the episode critics and fans cite over and over as the show's summit. Here is the breakdown.
Contents
"Last Exit to Springfield", the best episode?
"Last Exit to Springfield" is a season 4 episode, aired in 1993. Regularly ranked number one among the best Simpsons episodes by critics — from Entertainment Weekly to the BBC — it has become an absolute benchmark of the show's golden age.
The scrapped dental plan
It all starts with a piece of pettiness from Mr. Burns: to save money, he scraps the dental coverage of the employees at his nuclear power plant. Very bad timing for Homer, whose daughter Lisa happens to need expensive braces.
🍱 Mr. Burns saves money on his employees' teeth; you can save on your lunch break instead, with a homemade lunch carried to work in our Simpsons lunch bags.
Homer, union boss against his will
By a pure chain of coincidences, Homer finds himself elected president of the plant's union — and sets off, without quite knowing how, a full-blown strike. What follows is an all-time standoff between the humble employee and the billionaire, punctuated by wild fantasies (including a delicious parody of The Godfather).
📌 An all-time standoff against the plant's billionaire calls for rallying symbols: the day you're the one stepping up to fight, one of our Simpsons pins fastened to your jacket doubles as an activist badge.
"Dental plan!"
The episode's most famous running gag plays out inside Homer's head: every time he tries to think, two voices alternate on a loop — "Dental plan!" / "Lisa needs braces!" — until the moment it clicks and he stands up for his own. A pure piece of comedy, and a cult one.
Summary table
| Profile | Details |
|---|---|
| French title | "Last Exit to Springfield" (season 4, 1993) |
| The trigger | Burns scraps the dental plan; Lisa needs braces |
| The twist | Homer becomes union president by accident |
| The cult gag | "Dental plan! / Lisa needs braces!" |
| Its status | Often cited as the show's best episode |
FAQ
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What is "Last Exit to Springfield" about?Mr. Burns scraps the dental plan; Homer, made union president by accident, leads the strike to get it back.
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Why does Homer fight so hard?Because his daughter Lisa needs expensive braces, which only the dental plan could pay for.
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What is the "Dental plan!" gag?A running gag inside Homer's head, where two voices alternate: "Dental plan! / Lisa needs braces!".
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Is it really the best Simpsons episode?It is a very widespread critical judgment (it was ranked no. 1 by Entertainment Weekly), even if the consensus is not unanimous.
Conclusion
Biting, clever and perfectly built, "Last Exit to Springfield" is The Simpsons at their peak. Proof that a simple set of braces can give rise to one of the greatest episodes in television history.
🪥 All it takes is a simple set of braces for the whole plant to go on strike: at home, braces and toothbrush keep their evening date at the sink, your feet resting on our Simpsons bath mats.
🍩 The complete guides to Springfield
Our reference guides, to go further.