Season Nine (1997-1998) brought us a new Executive Producer, Mike Scully, who has been referred to, as "the guy who started The Simpsons' decline". Bitter sentiments of Internet fans aside, there was undeniably a change in style from this Season. Episodes feel very sitcom-like, almost as if there was supposed to be a laugh track in the background. Whether this change was good or bad is debatable - but another thing that's certain is there are still many quality episodes here. We see Homer buying a handgun to apparently protect his family; the school children stranded on an island, a la <i>Lord of the Flies</i>; Lisa believing she is going through a process of 'dumbening'; Bart befriending Ralph Wiggum; and another milestone episode - the 200th - in which Homer runs for Sanitation Commissioner. Just for completeness, among the bad eggs are Skinner being revealed to be an imposter (they must have been eating rotisserie chicken when they came up with that one); Homer being a jerk as Bart's football coach; and a musical clip show with no real story.
PCODE
4F22
INDEX
9×01
AIRED
Sep 21, 1997
Barney takes off with Homer's car when he is appointed designated driver. When he returns without the car, the family journey to Manhattan to retrieve it, however, it is illegally parked and has a boot attached.
PCODE
4F23
INDEX
9×02
AIRED
Sep 28, 1997
After Principal Skinner is revealed to be an imposter by the real Seymour Skinner, he leaves town and becomes a no good street punk. Meanwhile, the citizens of Springfield have trouble adjusting to the new Skinner.
PCODE
3G02
INDEX
9×03
AIRED
Oct 19, 1997
When Bart destroys Lisa's saxophone, the family recall how she got it in the first place. While Bart does not fit in at school, Lisa is a young genius.
PCODE
5F02
INDEX
9×04
AIRED
Oct 26, 1997
THE HΩMEGA MAN: Homer battles killer mutants after Springfield is destroyed in a nuclear blast. Fly Vs. Fly: A matter transportation device melds Bart with a housefly. Easy-Bake Coven: Marge is accused of witchcraft during colonial times.
PCODE
5F01
INDEX
9×05
AIRED
Oct 09, 1994
After a soccer riot escalates into a citywide orgy of destruction, Homer purchases a handgun to protect his family, much to Marge's disgust.
PCODE
5F03
INDEX
9×06
AIRED
Nov 09, 1997
When Homer criticizes Ned's coaching of the pee-wee football team, Ned quits. Now Homer is the new coach, and he wastes no time in promoting Bart to quarterback ahead of Nelson.
PCODE
5F04
INDEX
9×07
AIRED
Nov 16, 1997
Apu becomes one of the town's most sought-after men. But after receiving news of his pending arranged marriage, Apu pretends to have already married Marge Simpson.
PCODE
5F05
INDEX
9×08
AIRED
Nov 23, 1997
When Lisa and her classmates conduct an archaeological survey, they find skeleton which looks like an angel.
PCODE
5F06
INDEX
9×09
AIRED
Dec 07, 1997
Marge becomes a real estate agent, however, she loses many customers due to her honesty. Meanwhile, Homer buys a 1960s hot-rod convertible at the local police auction, and is chased by the original owner, Snake.
PCODE
5F07
INDEX
9×10
AIRED
Dec 21, 1997
When Bart accidentally burns the family's Christmas presents and claims they were stolen by a burglar, the townspeople open their wallets. But when the truth comes out, everybody starts hating the family.
PCODE
5F24
INDEX
9×11
AIRED
Jan 04, 1998
Homer is horrified to discover that their video rental, Paint Your Wagon, is actually a musical - a cue for musical highlights from past episodes.
PCODE
5F08
INDEX
9×12
AIRED
Jan 11, 1998
Homer lets a carnival worker and his son move in with the family after he costs them their jobs. However, they lock the family out of their own house and the Simpsons end up living in the tree house.
PCODE
5F23
INDEX
9×13
AIRED
Feb 08, 1998
Homer and the kids are brainwashed by an underground cult, the Movementarians, and Marge must deprogram the family.
PCODE
5F11
INDEX
9×14
AIRED
Feb 15, 1998
On their way to a "Model UN" conference, the children of Springfield Elementary become stranded of a desert island. Meanwhile, Homer starts a business on the internet.
PCODE
5F10
INDEX
9×15
AIRED
Feb 22, 1998
When Krusty realizes that his comedy act is outdated, he makes a comeback as a "tell it like it is" comedian.
PCODE
5F12
INDEX
9×16
AIRED
Mar 01, 1998
Moe enlists Homer's help to collect on an insurance policy when he bankrupts himself romancing a new love. But when Homer is arrested for stealing Moe's car, Moe must find a way to get him out of jail.
PCODE
4F24
INDEX
9×17
AIRED
Mar 08, 1998
Lisa, with Grampa's help, believes that she is predisposed to lose her intelligence. Meanwhile, Apu discovers Jasper frozen in his freezer, and turns the Kwik-E-Mart into a tourist attraction.
PCODE
5F13
INDEX
9×18
AIRED
Mar 22, 1998
Taking pity on Ralph Wiggum, Marge pairs him with Bart. However Bart realizes it could be beneficial when he learns that Chief Wiggum holds the master key to every door in Springfield.
PCODE
3G04
INDEX
9×19
AIRED
Mar 29, 1998
While Bart gets his ear pierced, Homer takes up a new career in the Navy. Unfortunately, he is left in charge after firing the captain out of the torpedo tube.
PCODE
5F14
INDEX
9×20
AIRED
Apr 05, 1998
When Homer's tax return accidentally falls into the severe audit bin at the IRS, he forced to go undercover for the government to try and retrieve a trillion dollar bill stolen by Mr. Burns.
PCODE
5F15
INDEX
9×21
AIRED
Apr 19, 1998
Lisa is furious when Bart becomes her co-anchor on a children's news program and becomes more popular. Meanwhile, Homer obtains a helper monkey to help around the house.
PCODE
5F09
INDEX
9×22
AIRED
Apr 26, 1998
Homer runs for Sanitation Commissioner, appealing to all the lazy slobs with his "Can't Someone Else Do It?" campaign.
PCODE
5F16
INDEX
9×23
AIRED
May 03, 1998
Homer starts working out, and is offered the chance to climb Springfield's highest mountain for a publicity stunt.
PCODE
5F17
INDEX
9×24
AIRED
May 10, 1998
After hastily boarding the wrong bus to the museum, Lisa finds herself lost in the middle of nowhere. Meanwhile, Bart glues novelty items to his face.
PCODE
5F18
INDEX
9×25
AIRED
May 17, 1998
Homer & Marge re-ignite their sex life with dangerous situations, while Bart & Lisa dig for treasure using a metal detector.