The Simpsons was originally brought to the screen in the form of short comedy sketches on The Tracey Ullman Show in 1987. They garnered enough popularity to get green-lit as a sitcom, which has since become one of the most iconic cartoons ever made. But when did Matt Groening's brainchild ever return to its roots? That would be in 2012's Oscar-nominated The Last Daycare. Then, after a long break, another great short movie was released in 2020.
As of August 2024, there are now eleven short films in total (not counting the ancient Tracey Ullman skits), thanks largely to the show's inclusion on Disney+. At this rate, it looks like there will be many more to come, too. While they're all directed by Simpsons veteran David Silverman, the show's writers seem to have varying degrees of success at making these shorts not look like thinly veiled commercials. In any case, they're all brief enough for the curious to try without dedicating much of their day. Ranked from worst to best, the Simpsons shorts on Disney+ vary greatly in how artfully they tell each story, how funny they really are, how well they use celebrity cameos, and how entertaining they can make of their bizarre crossovers.
The Simpsons
TV-14
Comedy
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- December 17, 1989
- Seasons
- 36
- Studio
- Fox
- Cast
- Dan Castellaneta , Julie Kavner , Nancy Cartwright , Yeardley Smith , Hank Azaria , Harry Shearer
- Main Genre
- Comedy
11 'Plusaversary' (2021)
Directed by David Silverman
In honor of Disney+ Day, Moe's (of all places) is hosting a big, exclusive event where only characters from the streaming service are allowed. Whether viewers want to call this an homage, a parody, or a bunch of weird crossovers, one thing's for sure: it's definitely a commercial. Homer can't get inside, even though he's one of the most well-known cartoon characters of all time, so he opts to be Goofy's plus-one. Inside, Dr. Strange is winning at pool and Donald Duck is trying (and failing) to order from the bar.
In walks Lisa to break up a fight and start up a Disney song that no one (including and especially the audience) wants to hear. What ensues is the most transparent advertisem*nt possible, as Lisa uncharacteristically sings lines like this: "If your kids are driving you crazy, entrust them to the TV." These are not Lisa's words; they're Disney's. Before it's even over, Plusaversary just feels like an obvious plug for all the intellectual property that Disney owns.
10 'The Good, The Bart, and The Loki' (2021)
Directed by David Silverman
The Good, the Bart, and The Loki appear to be one of the longer shorts at first, technically over 7 minutes long, but it's more credits than not. Loki is cast down to Springfield, where he meets Bart and turns one pork chop into two for Homer. After complaining about the extra meat, Lisa is sent away to Loki's planet. Thor's hammer is just lying around, and it turns out she has the power to wield it. That's not as exciting as it sounds, though.
Loki may be one of the most beloved Marvel villains, but this is one of those examples that shows that having too much of one character can be tiresome. The writing, the timing, and the plot aren't quite right. The only amusing part is when a judge tells Loki off for having a British accent even though he's from Norway, making people wait for mid-credit scenes, and being more popular than other heroes. At one point, one character holds up a sign that reads, "THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN DISNEY BUYS MARVEL AND FOX." Yes, but calling attention to it doesn't make it good.
9 'Te Deseo Lo Mejor' (2021)
Directed by David Silverman
Bad Bunny is the guest in Te Deseo Lo Mejor, or "I Wish You the Best." His song of the same name plays the whole time, effectively making this a music video. Homer comes home late for dinner and likes pictures of other families' meals on his phone. Marge gets so mad that she takes the kids, the beer, and the good pillow. She also leaves notes around the house, including one that reads "Make Your Own Lunch." Homer goes looking for Marge and the family, seeing her in hedges and a spilled squishy.
When Homer finally spots her and the kids at a Bad Bunny concert, the singer pulls them both on stage and gives Marge a bouquet of flowers. Homer then allows Bad Bunny to step on his phone, and the couple makes up. The message is cool: stop paying so much attention to your phone and give it to your significant other instead. Unfortunately, it still comes across as a promotional video for the singer and doesn't have much of the series' charm.
8 'The Force Awakens From its Nap' (2021)
Directed by David Silverman
The Force Awakens From its Nap begins with a funny little reference to The Longest Daycare, as Maggie rejects the idea of going to Ayn Rand's School for Tots. So Marge pulls up to Jabba's Hut Jedi Preschool. Based on that Time Out Rack alone, this doesn't feel like a safe place to leave your child. That's made even more apparent when a baby, BB-8, gets bullied and then stabbed with a lightsaber by Baby Gerald (resembling a baby Darth Maul).
He and Maggie have a lightsaber/binky duel set to Star Wars music, which makes for a predictable conflict that is never really resolved. Gerald is never actually beaten, and Maggie somehow winds up on Tatooine. Though lacking in closure, it still has some laughs. The funniest part is when the Star Wars Rules show up: "Beloved characters never really die," "no handrails," "droids do not need to be plugged in," and "every episode needs at least two sunsets."
7 'Rogue Not Quite One' (2023)
Directed by David Silverman
In another Star Wars/Simpsons crossover, Rogue Not Quite One, Maggie accidentally goes for a ride in Baby Yoda's floating stroller (which can change her diaper) while Homer gets eaten in Moe's Cantina. Almost destroyed by its owner, she flies around and goes to hyperspace. Predictably, she is attacked by her unibrowed nemesis. In the meantime, Homer's tracker tells him that his baby is in deep space. Not what a parent wants to find out, and it's even funnier when he looks up the endless driving directions.
This short includes a giant three-eyed fish, an exciting chase, a fun cameos from Kang and Kodos, a less-fun cameo from BB-8, and a happy ending with another view of a gorgeous sunset. No surprises there. What is surprising is that Maggie wasn't able to escape while the antagonist was taking a nap in the middle of his pursuit, but such plot holes are common in these shorts.
6 'May the 12th Be With You' (2024)
Directed by David Silverman
Only a few months old, May the 12th Be With You is a nice play on words referring to Mother's Day. Marge is taking some characters on a Disney+ Mother's Day Outing. Bambi's mother is riding shotgun, and everyone else is in the back. BB-8 makes yet another obligatory cameo, but amusingly gets sucked through a Boeing window and explodes.
Remember: to spend the day at Disney Playground Planet, one first must go to the Disney Parking Planet. A charming moment is when Mickey Mouse parks in Bob Iger's space, displaying his immeasurable power. Since the penalty for littering is death, the park is spotless. There's also no fat-shaming in the playground, leading to a dramatic fight that leads to an apology party. The best moment is probably when Eeyore shows up, and it's also funny when Homer tells Stewie (part of the Hulu gang that crashes the party) that cursing is just cheap laughs.
5 'Welcome to the Club' (2022)
Directed by David Silverman
In Welcome to the Club, Lisa is about to become a Disney princess. To her dismay, this turns out to be a Loki trap (whose powers are no match for the accountants at Disney business affairs). Lisa finds herself surrounded by infamous Disney villains, including Ursula, Scar, and Kaa (from The Jungle Book). Instead of inflicting Lisa with a curse or something, though, they just sing a song about the upsides of villainy to convince her to join them. As one of the most relatable Simpsons characters, Lisa will require a pretty good song for this to work.
After this virtuous Simpson points out that the villains always die, Ursula makes a good point: "It beats living happily-ever-after with some boring guy." This leads to a very entertaining section about how dull and predictable these men usually are, what with the "same white teeth," the "same fluffy hair," and a tendency to kiss unconscious women. The amusing credits show these points were persuasive enough.
4 'Feliz Navidad' (2022)
Directed by David Silverman
In Feliz Navidad, Homer gets his wife the famous singer Andrea Bocelli as a Christmas present. Bocelli brought his two children (Matteo and Virginia) along with him, and claims that he won't be getting paid for the appearance. As he begins to sing his most famous work, Homer demands a Christmas song instead. So they settle on "Feliz Navidad," and it sounds great.
Maggie's signs are funny, Chief Wiggum is cooking chicken with an electric chair, Ralph is celebrating Easter, and Sideshow Bob is stepping on a rake (in reference to one of The Simpsons' best parody episodes). Amusing credit illustrations include Moe with "pickled egg nog" and Goofy trying to help Homer untangle himself from Christmas lights. It's a simple but warm holiday special that makes you wish it weren't time to say goodbye when it's over.
3 'When Billie Met Lisa' (2022)
Directed by David Silverman
When Billie Met Lisa begins with Lisa trying to find a place to play her saxophone. She can't play in her room, she can't play with Marge vacuuming, Bart revs a chainsaw as she plays in the treehouse, and practicing at school is a terrible idea. So she opts to play under a freeway overpass, which catches Billie Eilish's attention as her car passes by.
It's great when Lisa has to do a hand stand to recognize who's talking to her. This leads to a jam session at Billie's studio (which amusingly has a sign that indicates what her hair color for the day is), where they do a cool version of The Simpsons theme song. It sounds so good that it helps the citizens of Springfield in astounding ways, like giving retirement home residents the gift of youth. Meanwhile, Bart is puzzled by Finneas' decision to spend his life helping his sister. Along with some funny credits, this is definitely one of the stronger shorts.
2 'Playdate with Destiny' (2020)
Directed by David Silverman
Maggie falls in love at Not Responsible for Injuries Park in 2020's Playdate with Destiny. When a baby named Hudson saves her from getting crushed by a larger child, it's love at first sight. Funny books the mothers are reading at the park include "You're Doing Everything Wrong" and "Help! My Baby's Ugly." Maggie preparing for her next date (choosing the right diaper, powdering herself, etc.) makes for a very charming montage.
But Marge doesn't drive Maggie to the park next time. Homer does, idiotically taking her to Broken Ankle Park, where she skateboards to find her lover waiting for her in vain. She gets so upset that Homer's subsequent attempt to take her to the park ends with Maggie steering the car in the right direction, which leads to a closing scene that offers a fun spin on the chasing-your-lover-as-they-ride-a-train cliché. With plenty of humor, no reliance on celebrity cameos or gimmicky crossovers, and no evil unibrows in sight, this short is far more original and enjoyable than most of the other entries.
1 'The Longest Daycare' (2012)
Directed by David Silverman
Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 2013, The Longest Daycare is about Maggie. She is put in a daycare inhabited by her one-eyebrowed nemesis, Baby Gerald. In a callback to one of the best episodes of the 90s, she is brought specifically to Ayn Rand's School for Tots (which has clearly been innovated). Marge walking down a long, expressionistic hallway is one of many evocative flourishes here that demonstrates how this movie does a better job at showing the baby's perspective than the other Maggie-centric shorts.
Baby Gerald keeps smashing every butterfly he sees, so Maggie tries to save a caterpillar she finds on the floor. Maggie using this gentle critter as an angry unibrow is one of the best details, along with the segregation of gifted kids from the rest. The Simpson baby proves both kind and clever by the end of this wonderful short. Skillfully crafted, surprising, clever, and funny, The Longest Daycare rivals Maggie's best stories in the show.
KEEP READING: '10 Best Lisa Episodes in The Simpsons, Ranked'
