The Simpsons
Best: Season 4 Unrated, 8 hrs., 43 mins., 1992-93 (Fox) First things first: If you don't own all of the available Simpsons DVDs...what the hell are you waiting for? But if you're gonna get all thrifty and stick to just one, then get stuck on season 4. This was when the show really hit its stride, when the writing transitioned from smart-mouthed to just plain smart, weaving in story lines and pop-culture references flawlessly. The result: classic episodes like ''Marge vs. the Monorail,'' ''Mr. Plow,'' and ''I Love Lisa.''
Worst: Season 1 Unrated, 5 hrs., 36 mins., 1989-90 (Fox) If you had to choose the weakest season, numero uno would be it. While sidesplitting in places, season 1 was a work in progress. The animation and voices were crude compared with later years, and even the main characters were finding their way (which may explain why Smithers at one point appeared to be black). But it's worth a gander, if for no other reason than to hear Jacques in ''Life on the Fast Lane'' explain the concept of brunch: ''It's not quite breakfast, it's not quite lunch, but it comes with a slice of cantaloupe at the end.'' As Homer would say, it's funny because it's true.
