The Simpsons is a simple show about simple things. Homer alternates between being a caring family man and an incompetent employee, Marge takes care of the home, Bart causes trouble wherever he goes, Lisa focuses on her activism, and Maggie simply makes funny facial expressions while sucking on her pacifier. Other characters around Springfield act like normal people too, making this a typical family sitcom.

Still, the numerous showrunners of the animated series have never been afraid to experiment, hence some episodes of the show have over-the-top premises. The episodes can be described as downright weird since the characters either find themselves in unusual locations or do things they normally wouldn’t be expected to do. Despite the bizarre elements, some of these chapters are golden and are remembered for having some of the best moments in the entire series.

10 "The Man Who Came to Be Dinner"

Season 26, Episode 10

Plenty of unfortunate things have happened to The Simpsons, but few ever expected them to be kidnapped by aliens. In "The Man Who Came to Be Dinner," the family heads to Diz-Nee-Land (a parody of Disneyland) and jumps on a queueless ride named Rocket to Your Doom. It turns out it’s an alien spaceship. They are thus kidnapped and taken to Planet Rigel 7 where they are exhibited at a zoo. Later on, the Rigelians decide to eat them.

Nutritional Complications

From a scene where the Rigellian Queen eats Homer’s buttock to another where the family chooses not to return home after being freed, the episode constantly leaves viewers scratching their heads. It’s also revealed that The Simpsons are too toxic to be eaten because they love fast food. The appearance of the aliens Kang and Kodos is also surprising since the characters tend to be reserved for the non-cannon “Treehouse of Horror” episodes.

Despite the weirdness, the episode is still robust because of the brilliant pop culture references. The idea of a spacecraft disguised as an amusement park ride is a homage to The Outer Limits episode "Second Chance" while the choir sequence by the Rigel Seven boys’ choir is a pastiche of the choir performance in the Steven Spielberg film Empire of the Sun.

9 "The Joy of Sect"

Season 9, Episode 13

In "The Joy of Sect,” a mysterious cult leader known as “The Leader” arrives in Springfield and tries to convince people to join his group, The Movementarians. He claims to be building a spaceship that will take everyone to Planet Blisstonia, where there isn’t a single stressful thing. Most people sign up, including Homer, who moves his family to The Movementarians’ compound.

Homer Stays Dumb

The Simpsons uses the episode to provide great commentary on religion and cultism, but it doesn’t do it how most productions about the same subject would. There are a million ways that could be used to brainwash someone into joining a questionable sect, but playing the Batman theme song to them isn’t a kind of indoctrination procedure that has ever been seen before.

Interestingly, that’s how Homer is tricked into joining. It’s a testament to his foolishness, and it only takes Marge’s skepticism to free the family from the shackles of mental conditioning. Besides that, the episode sees Springfield’s most hated man, Mr. Burns, constantly attempting to be loved, something he rarely does.

8 “Little Big Girl”

Season 18, Episode 12

“Little Big Girl” features an unusual romance between Bart and the 15-year-old, Darcy. Initially, Bart lies about his age, but after Darcy proposes marriage, he is forced to reveal that he is a kid. On her part, Darcy reveals she is pregnant by another man. Despite these complications, Bart vows to marry her by moving to a state with looser age restrictions.

A Problematic Romance Angle

This is one of the weird episodes that can be labeled disturbing rather than thought-provoking. Many questions emerge during the proceedings. Why would there be a story about a 15-year-old pregnant girl? There is an obvious pedophilia element there that is, unfortunately, only addressed on the surface.

Besides that, the adult reactions are unusual. Darcy’s mother is thrilled upon learning that her daughter is pregnant. She reveals that she is pregnant too, so the babies will be like twins. Elsewhere, Homer encourages Bart to take up his responsibilities as a father, despite him being a child.

7 "Brother's Little Helper"

Season 11, Episode 2

Upon realizing that Bart is struggling in school, Marge and Homer put Bart on a new drug, Focusyn, to help him focus. His intelligence levels shoot up, but he also becomes extremely paranoid. He soon becomes psychotic and warns people that Major League Baseball is spying on the residents of Springfield using a satellite.

Sports and ADHD

Why exactly would a sports organization spy on people? No sufficient answer is ever given in the episode, leaving fans wondering where the writers were going with the plot. At some point, Bart even steals a military tank so that he can use it to destroy the MLB’s satellite.

Away from the unusual commentary on surveillance, the episode perfectly addresses ADHD and reminds viewers of the need to exercise caution while choosing medication. As soon as Marge puts Bart on a different drug, he returns to his usual self.

6 "Brick Like Me"

Season 25, Episode 20

The events of “Brick Like Me” can be filed under The Simpsons things fans pretend never happened. Here, Homer suddenly finds himself in a world where everything is made of Lego bricks. As he is trying to figure out what’s going on, he starts getting strange hallucinations of himself in flesh form.

Not the Usual Fun Lego World

The episode’s mix of 2D and 3D animation makes it a visual masterpiece, but from a storytelling angle, it sure is confusing. Homer keeps freaking out whenever he sees himself in flesh form, making for some scary moments. Thankfully, fans aren’t left to get all the answers by themselves. There is a last-minute explanation as to why all this was happening to Homer.

5 "The Serfsons"

Season 29, Episode 1

In "The Serfsons," The Simpsons find themselves in a fantasy medieval kingdom named Springfieldia. Soon, Lisa gets arrested and charged with witchcraft. Homer then rallies the people to get her back. They agree, starting a revolt that changes the kingdom forever. The episode is sometimes presumed to be a parody of Game of Thrones, though it’s never explicitly implied that this is the case.

Predicting the Future

The strange setting results in some fun moments, but there are some obvious and rare plot weaknesses. For example, Marge is later shown so powerful in “The Serfsons” that she can convert lead to gold. This is surprising, considering that her family has been living as peasants all along.

As weird as the episode is, it’s hailed as one of the times when The Simpsons predicted the future. It aired way before the penultimate episode of Game of Thrones, yet the plots are strikingly similar, especially the ending where the village gets burned down.

4 "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"

Season 12, Episode 6

"The Computer Wore Menace Shoes" aired when having an email address was still a big deal. In it, Homer purchases a computer after learning that a work memo has been sent via email. He then creates a gossip blog. When he starts posting conspiracy theories about the dangers of flu shots, he is captured and imprisoned on an island meant for people who know more than they should.

Homer the Online Activist

The plot of “The Computer Wore Menace Shoes” is quite labyrinthine and excessively ambitious, even by The Simpsons standards. Once he is on the island, Homer is replaced by a doppelganger to prevent everyone from being suspicious. The doppelganger speaks with a German accent, yet no one ever suspects anything is wrong. Even stranger, Homer gets awarded a Pulitzer Prize for his conspiracies.

3 "Homer³"

Season 7, Episode 6

When the nosey Patty and Selma visit The Simpsons in the “Treehouse of Horror IV” segment, “Homer³,” everyone evades them. On his part, Homer takes too long to figure out what to do. He hides behind a bookcase only to find himself in a strange world where everyone is structured in 3D mathematical symbols. He gets trapped there and realizes the rest of his family can hear his voice but not save him.

Bart to the Rescue

The visuals in the episode are guaranteed to trigger a headache in anyone who isn’t a fan of Calculus or complex mathematics principles. Why Homer finds himself here is a question that is better not asked. The ending is even wilder as Homer gets to escape the dimension only to land in a live-action world where everyone begins looking at him strangely. It’s all very creative, yet, very confusing and not ideal for a first-time viewer.

2 "Some Enchanted Evening"

Season 1, Episode 13

In “Some Enchanted Evening,” Homer gets upset when Marge contacts a call-in radiotherapist to discuss their marriage problems. Moe advises him to treat her better, so he buys her chocolates and takes her to dinner. The two leave the kids with a babysitter who turns out to be a notorious criminal.

Homer's Cluelessness Becomes Evident Once Again

The episode takes the form of a tense thriller rather than a sitcom. The babysitter, Ms. Botz, is shown to be very keen on harming the Simpson children and stealing from the family. What follows is a full-on fight-for-survival, with the children fighting for survival and Botz trying to kill them.

While all this is happening, Homer and Marge are far away, pretending to be a perfect couple. And when Homer gets back home, he tries to help Botz instead of the children, believing they are trying to prank her. Everything is super awkward and tense. By the time it's over, viewers breathe a sigh of relief.

1 "El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage of Homer)"

Season 8, Episode 9

After winning a chilli-eating contest in "El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage of Homer)," the principal character begins hallucinating. While at it, he goes on a solo voyage and meets a talking coyote who claims to be his spirit guide. The anthropomorphic animal makes him question his marriage to Marge and encourages him to find his real soul mate.

Homer the Wanderer

From questionable character choices to the use of surreal animation, the episode has plenty of elements that make fans wonder whether they are watching the same show they are used to. Homer’s hallucination is especially packed with outlandish proceedings, notably his wandering into a desert with no laws of gravity, and climbing a pyramid. After all the chaos, the episode ends with a hilarious moment where a cargo ship spills containers full of hotpants, causing a scramble.