The Man Who Grew Too Much (S25, E13-543)

Seems like Bob grafted the DNA of modern Simpsons into his genes.

Plot Summary
Its Taco Tuesday at school, and Lisa (who is upset school isn't challenging her, again) notices that, yet again, barely anybody used vegetables for their tacos.  She also notices Lunchlady Doris put them away for next week, told by Doris that those vegetables have been genetically enhanced to last awhile.  Concerned, Lisa investigates the health and safety risks of genetically modified foods and eventually comes to the conclusion that its okay, encouraging the town to go all in on the stuff.  The genetically altered food revolution is being headed by the Monsarno corporation, who invites Lisa and her family to their headquarters for a tour.  There, they get a chance to meet the head scientist - Sideshow Bob!

Bob explains that after the last time he tried anything (referenced by his face falling off), his latest stay in prison was driving him further insane.  Monsarno stepped in, offering Bob the chance to be their guinea pig for experiments.  Bob happily agreed and, somehow, he quickly rose up the ranks in the company to be its head scientist - though he's still chained to a prison block.  As Bob intelligently laments Bart's tomfoolery in his office, Lisa finds a connection between her and Bob, an intellectual connection.  She later meets up with Bob to help him with his experiments and the two seem to be getting along quite well.

Meanwhile, Marge is tasked by the church to have teens take an abstinence pledge, but is having a lot of trouble getting those teens to commit.  Frustrated, she brings Homer along and with the image of a guy like Homer making love, the teens become more than happy to pledge.

Bob is given a free hour at the museum alongside Lisa, though still chained to his block.  A falling piece of artwork nearly crushes Lisa but Bob steps in to withstand the blow.  Given how heavy the item is, Lisa is stunned Bob took it so well, but realizes that Bob has actually modified himself with the DNA of multiple animals and people.  Bob admits that his museum visit today was to acquire more DNA from historical figures to enhance his strength and smarts.  The ever suspicious Bart steps in to save Lisa, and an angered Bob gives chase.

The chase ends up over the Springfield dam, where the enhanced Bob finally catches them.  Just then, Homer and Marge reach the three, and Marge decides to stop Bob by sicking her abstinence-pledged teens on him, most of whom have become sexually frustrated.  Bob fends them off rather uncivilly, causing Lisa to call Bob out on his behavior.  Regretful, Bob decides to jump off the dam rather than live on as he has become, much to Lisa's sadness.  However, Bob survives the fall because he can now breathe underwater, and he takes his leave.

In one final scene, Ned remembers taking tango lessons with Edna (which was why he couldn't do teen abstinence this time), and is saddened alongside Nelson that Edna is now gone.

Quick Review
So, at this point, I'm fairly sure they've run out of ideas for Sideshow Bob episodes.  His character does vary sometimes in terms of the motivation behind his plans, but between the last episode where he cuts off his own face and this one where he becomes a genetic freak of nature, I'm not liking these developments.

The episode itself has its moments, nothing specifically noteworthy, but a few of Bob's lines were good.  The Marge subplot wasn't particularly good but it wasn't bad either though it mixed it with the main storyline somewhat awkwardly.  Overall, its a decent episode, but as a Bob episode its only really better than The Italian Bob, and it takes no effort to be better than that episode.

As a note, this is the final episode to feature Edna Krabappel as the episode notes that she has likely passed away.  I think the late Marcia Wallace does voice her two lines here, which makes this the last episode to feature Marcia as a guest voice.

Final Score: 7.2

Brother from Another Series (S08, E16-169)

I'm surprised there was never an episode where Bob tries to kill Wiggum.

Plot Summary
Bart freaks out when seeing Sideshow Bob on the TV during a prison show, but despite that it turns out Bob has reformed during his latest stay in jail, and Reverend Lovejoy has helped Bob enroll in a work release program.  The person willing to help Bob out?  Bob's brother, Cecil, who had been estranged from Bob for some time but is willing to take Bob on for his work.  Though the town is furious over Bob's release, he's able to calm them by explaining that everyone should get a second chance (never mind that Bob's had several already).  Bart, however, is still suspicious.

At Cecil's apartment, Bob learns he'll be supervising the construction of a dam just outside Springfield.  As Bob notes Cecil's rather superior demeanor, he realizes that Cecil is still angry over an incident years ago that led to the estrangement.  Cecil, as it turns out, was a big fan of Krusty the Klown and wanted to be his sidekick since he was 5.  He got his big shot one day, with Bob having driven him to an audition, however Cecil messes it up and as Krusty demonstrates how to do the 'pie gag' right by having one sent Bob's way, Bob's reaction to getting hit is apparently so funny they hire Bob on the spot.  Though Cecil may still be a bit resentful over those events, he's still willing to allow Bob to work for him.

Bob's frustrations quickly mount, however.  The workers Cecil has given Bob to construct the dam are nothing but slack-jawed yokels, and Bart constantly hounds Bob wherever he goes.  Bob catches Bart (along with Lisa) snooping in a dumpster, and takes them home, claiming he won't be held responsible should he catch them again.  Regardless, Bart and Lisa head to the dam to find clues.  Bart finds a suitcase full of money, but just then Bob enters the scene.  The two escape to an inner room of the dam, where they expose Bob's supposed embezzlement.  While Bob claims he hasn't seen that money before, Cecil enters the scene.  He is the one behind the embezzlement, creating a faulty dam that he's going to blow up, which will be blamed on Bob while Cecil walks away with millions of dollars (also he plans to blow up Bob and the kids in the dam).

With the kids now finding themselves unable to foil Cecil's plan, much to Bob's displeasure, he leads the kids to an escape route.  As Bob and Lisa attempt to disarm the bomb, Bart confronts Cecil, causing him to lose his money.  Cecil is able to grab Bart, though, and toss him off the cliff.  Heroically, Bob uses the dynamite as a rope to grab Bart, then cuts the wire to prevent Cecil from activating it.  Bob and Bart fall, but 'land' on a well-placed pipe.  Bart helps Bob off of it onto a nearby stanchion, essentially saving Bob's life, and the two make amends.

The police arrive to arrest Cecil, but Chief Wiggum arrives, and absolutely refuses to believe Bob wasn't responsible, eventually talking his way into having Bob arrested for 'resisting arrest' despite Bob, Lisa, Lou the cop and even Cecil proclaiming Bob's innocence.  In frustration (and on Cecil's clever tip), Bob accidentally yells out that people will pay for this, thereby establishing himself as a villain later on.  The dam does crumble, though the damage remains minimal.  Though Wiggum theorizes that Cecil and Bob could concoct one hell of a scheme in prison, the two merely just bicker.

Quick Review
I thought this episode was interesting already in the voice casting.  Kelsey Grammer, of course, voices Bob, but also plays Frasier Crane in both Cheers and the spinoff Frasier.  In the latter, Frasier's brother is played by David Hyde Pierce who, in this episode, voices Bob's brother Cecil.  To further show the Frasier connection, the first commercial bump featured a quick bit about the show so that the audience could get that, yes, this episode has the Crane brothers from Frasier as the Terwilliger brothers on the Simpsons.  Well, I found that interesting, anyway.

I found that dynamic between the two to be a strength for this episode, as the dry wit shared between the two I found funny from time to time.  Bart's role in the episode, the slack-jawed yokels, and Chief Wiggum's deductive reasoning all help make this episode one of Season 8's best and one of the best Sideshow Bob episodes around.

Final Score: 10

Sideshow Bob Roberts (S06, E05-108)

"And just look how happy he is!"

Plot Summary
Seems I'm a bit late with this episode, a somewhat satirical take on politics both then and now, but more importantly than that its another Sideshow Bob episode.  Bob, still in prison after his attempt on Bart's life, calls into a right-wing radio show hosted by Birch Barlow, complaining that his incarceration for "attempted" murder has no merit.  Birch makes it his mission to free Bob, gathering a large public force to convince Mayor Quimby to let Bob go.  Quimby relents, and quickly Bob is released from prison.

With the race for mayor coming up, the Republican party, consisting of Barlow, Mr. Burns, some Texan, Ranier Wolfcastle, Dr. Hibbert and who I presume is Dracula, agree that Bob would make an excellent candidate to unseat the six-time incumbent Quimby.  Bob's campaign is harsh and quick, using his own release from prison as a weapon against Quimby.  In a debate, Quimby is suffering from a cold (and extra-drowsy cold medication) and is unable to keep up with a witty Bob.  Come election time, Bob earns 100% of the vote to Quimby's 1% (with a 1% margin of error) and Bob gleefully enjoys his victory.

Soon, Bob makes efforts to make life miserable for the Simpsons, Bart in particular.  The "Matlock" Expressway, a new highway initially proposed by Quimby to appease seniors but left in limbo during the campaign, is quickly being built by Bob but requires going straight through the Simpson house, leaving is to be demolished.  Bob also sends an executive order to send Bart all the way back to kindergarten.  Lisa is convinced that Bob did not win legitimately given the wide disparity of votes between two ex-convicts, and begins to investigate, easily acquiring the list of people who voted and for whom.  Falling asleep in her attempt, a shadowy figure gives Lisa a letter to meet at a Pay & Park & Pay.  Homer unwittingly reveals the figure to be Smithers, whose "lifestyle choices" are conflicted with Bob's ultra-conservative views, tells the kids to look for one name: Edgar Neubauer.

The search for Edgar is fruitless at first, but Bart finds a gravestone with his name.  Lisa then realizes that most of the votes for Bob were by the deceased, including most of the pets in the pet cemetery.  Having found evidence of voter fraud, they take Bob to trial.  There, Lisa recognizes Bob's ego and attempts to cast Barlow as the mastermind behind the fraud scheme, implying Bob was nothing more than a puppet.  Bob furiously refutes that claim and takes full responsibility for the fraud, including showing the court all of the evidence needed to convict himself.  Having been trapped, Bob is arrested, and things go back to normal with Quimby somehow getting back in.  Bob in the meantime is sent to a minimum security prison where rowing contests against Princeton alums is a thing.

Quick Review
For an episode that tries to be a Sideshow Bob episode and a political satire, the combination works very well here, and there was a lot of humor to supplement the plot.  Oddities, like Homer's newfound rivalry with the Riverdale gang and the Matlock expressway add to the episode's quality as well.

Final Score: 9.5

Cape Feare (S05, E02-083)

This was the most maniacal laugh I could find.

Plot Summary
For some crazy reason, Bart is getting death threats to start this episode.  Death threats written in blood.  Attempts to figure out who's sending the threats prove fruitless.  Soon, however, its revealed to the viewer that, yes, Sideshow Bob is the one behind the letters.  In a parole hearing, after testimony from Chief Wiggum and Selma prove to help Bob rather than hurt him, a question about his chest tattoo ("Die Bart, Die") has him replying that its German for "The Bart, The".  As the parole board fails to recall any "evil" German person in the past, they approve Bob's parole and he's back on the streets.  Right away, he begins terrorizing Bart by appearing around him or going around town reading a list of names of people he won't kill (excluding Bart of course).

With options to keeping Bob away failing, the Simpsons try the Witness Relocation Program.  There, they get renamed the Thompsons and are sent to live at "Terror Lake" in a house boat.  Given a new car by the WRP, the "Thompsons" are off to their new home, not aware that Bob has hitched a ride under the car.  While not exactly smooth sailing for Bob, with the car being driven through cactus patches and walking into several rakes lying around upon reaching his destination, Bob lets Bart know right away he's there.

That night, Bob makes his move, and sends the boat drifting into the river, tying up the family in the process, leaving Bart by himself.  Unable to jump into the river because of crocodiles and electric eels, Bart sees that the boat is drifting towards Springfield, 15 miles away.  To stall for time, Bart is granted a last wish by Bob: to have Bob sing the entire score to the H.M.S. Pinafore, which Bob gladly does.  The ploy works, and by the time Bob finishes and resumes his advance on Bart, the boat crashes near a brothel where the police are conveniently near.  They take Bob away, and the Simpsons can return home, with Grampa having turned into a woman because his pills were locked away within the house.  Good times.

Quick Review
Cape Feare is one of Season 5's best episodes, its also one of the best Sideshow Bob episodes as well.  There are a lot of memorable parts, like Bob running into nine rakes in a row, Homer writing a "I Kill You Scum" threat letter to Bart just because Bart managed to write "Wide Load" on Homer's ass, or Wiggum saying "Bake him away, toys" after Bart stole his thunder.  It all makes for an exceptional episode.  I should also note that, until the last couple of Sideshow Bob episodes, this was once the only one where Bob makes an effort to actually kill Bart.  Every other episode he has a different plot and/or motive and usually its either Bart or Lisa that foils it, but this was the only one for a long time where Bart was the target of Bob's angered strategems.

Final Score: 10

Krusty Gets Busted (S01, E12-012)

I'm going to post this face in every episode he makes it in.

Plot Summary
Beloved TV icon Krusty the Klown is seen robbing the Kwik-E-Mart, and is quickly arrested, and his trial amazingly goes back quickly.  With Homer as a key witness, Krusty is found guilty, and he's sent to jail.  In the meantime, Sideshow Bob, who had previously only communicated with a slide whistle, gets control of the show and turns it into a more intellectual program, which somehow succeeds.

Bart, of course, can not and will not believe Krusty committed a crime, and recruits Lisa to help him figure out the real culprit.  While leads at the Kwik-E-Mart dry up, its suggested they ask Bob for help cracking the case.  On the program, Bob invites Bart to talk about it, and as Bob shoots down Bart's leads on the case, Bart realizes that, during the robbery, Homer stepped on the robber's large feet.  However, Krusty's feet are normal-sized while Bob's feet truly are large.  Bart figures out that it was Sideshow Bob who robbed the Kwik-E-Mart, and is arrested shortly thereafter.  Krusty is freed, and all is well.

Quick Review
While both Krusty the Klown and Sideshow Bob have made appearances in earlier episodes, this is the first real half-hour episode where both take center stage.  Yes, we've reached the first of several Sideshow Bob episodes, and this one in particular is one of the better episodes not just in that set, but also in Season 1 in particular.

Krusty Get Busted was a great episode overall, though there wasn't a real classic or memorable scene.  Kelsey Grammer, who voices Bob in this in all other speaking appearances, was great here as well when Bob finally got the chance to speak, and Apu, who first appeared in The Telltale Head, really got a chance to shine here too.  A fine start to a fine series of episodes featuring Sideshow Bob.

Final Score: 7.9