The Simpsons Celebrate Episode 500

Hey, ?Family Guy? ? you?ve got a long way to go. The original primetime post-modern animated show, ?The Simpsons,? hit a milestone Sunday night, airing its 500^th episode.

500!

The fourteenth episode in the show?s 23^rdseason, ?At Long Last Leave? was a celebration of America?s favorite dysfunctional family. For example, its famous opening sequence featured every couch gag in the show?s history. Al Jean, the show?s executive producer, described the episode as ?a tribute to people who love the show.?

Along with being a clever nod to the series seemingly never-ending run, ?At Long Last Leave? sums up the episode?s plot quite well. The residents of Springfield banish the Simpsons from town, leaving the family to make due in an area known as The Outlands. What follows is a pretty typical poke at hillbilly lifestyle with some fun sight gags (e.g. Moe?s Cavern) and an odd appearance by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

The episode actually bore a close resemblance to the plot of ?The Simpsons Movie,? in which the Simpsons were forced to move to Alaska by the folks of Springfield. What the episode lacked in plot originality, however, it made up for in great jokes. For one, the opening chalkboard gag shows