2x10 Bart Gets Hit by a Car

7.1/10. It's an interesting episode in how it's more concerned with telling an interesting story than giving you wall-to-wall laughs. Don't get me wrong, there's some great bits with Lionel Hutz and Dr. Nick here, but for the most part this episode is, despite the big courtroom scenes, a pretty quiet family drama. The crux of the episode is about Homer and Marge's relationship and different philosophies on the world coming to a head. And there's interesting thematic depth to the idea of whether two wrongs make a right -- Mr. Burns is evil but probably shouldn't have to pay The Simpsons a million dollars, and Hutz and Homer are shady but being so in service of well, greed, but also getting recompense from someone who did something terrible and barely made an attempt to give restiituion. Plus, the way it connects to The Simpsons' money troubles, which were more of a focus in the show's early going is interesting. Homer's not quite "Captain Wacky" yet. He's a dolt for sure, and gives into his worst impulses, but it's very human when he feels like he lost his big chance because of the woman he loves. And Marge is very human too, wanting the best but feeling like she has to be honest even in the face of evil and her family's financial well being. Again, for the beginning of the show, the laughs aren't really there as much as would happen later, but there's some really interesting storytelling that happens in its place, and perhaps a little more depth than some of even the most knee-slapping episodes down the line.