20 Christmas TV Episodes that Deserve a Holiday Rewatch

8. “Marge Be Not Proud” – The Simpsons, Season 7

The staying power of The Simpsons is impressive in its own right, and the earlier seasons seemed to pack a double whammy of timeless humor and lifelong lessons. This episode sticks out in a long line of Simpsons Christmas episodes as one that captures it all.

Bart is desperate to get his hands on the hottest new holiday video game Bonestorm. Marge thinks it’s far too violent, and won’t buy it as his Christmas present. While taking a trip to the local Try-N-Save, Bart sees Jimbo and Nelson performing some five-finger discounts, prompting him to pull a little thievery of his own. Of course, he’s caught stealing Bonestorm by a security guard who phones the Simpson home about the incident. Thanks to some trickery involving an Alan Sherman tape, Bart makes sure the voicemail goes unheard. Unfortunately for him, when the Simpsons return to the Try-N-Save for a family Christmas photo, the truth finally comes to light.

Marge’s complete shock and dismay at her son’s actions is more heartbreaking than if she was angry. She was just disappointed, and couldn’t even bring herself to talk to her ‘special little guy.’ It was great to see Bart learn his lesson, as the Simpsons are wont to do. Even though he didn’t get the game he was after (Marge buys him Lee Carvallo’s Putting Challenge instead), we all know it’s the thought that counts overall.