(I accidentally published these out of order)

The Simpsons 36 though 40.

Stark Raving Dad

This episode premiered on September 19th, 1991 as the first episode of the Fall Season. It was followed by a new show, Drexell's Class (a show about a failed corporate raider who is now teaching school) The show ran opposite Top Cops, The Cosby Show and The ABC Thursday Night Movie, The Jewel Of The Nile. 

Since this episode features an appearance by Michael Jackson, and the whole child molestation controversy, it doesn't air on Disney+ so I had to watch on an unnamed alternate video provider.

The chalkboard gag is "I am not a dentist" and the couch gag is the family plops down on the couch and they fall backwards, leaving a family shaped hole in the wall.

Lisa wakes up Bart to remind him that her 8th birthday is in two days so she demands that he give her a good present. Marge tells Bart to watch Maggie but instead he's calling the Krusty hotline, she climbs up on the ceiling fan and is swinging around. Bart throws his lucky red hat in the wash and it dyes all of Homer's work shirts pink. At the plant Homer gets called in for being a "free thinking anarchist". Homer is required to fill out a take home psychological form but has Bart do it instead, he fails and is committed. Homer does Rorschach Test, sees Bart in a blot and goes nuts. Homer's cell mate is a guy who thinks he's Michael Jackson. Marge goes to the mental institution and tells the doctor there really is a Bart so they set Homer free, they give him a certificate that says "not insane". It's Lisa's birthday and with everything going on everyone forgot. Bart promises to not tell anyone Michael is coming but he tells Milhouse. There is a mob scene in front of the house until "Michael Jackson" shows up and everyone sees he's a big White guy. He helps Bart write a song for Lisa.

The show includes a self aware joke, Burns says "Spare me the tiresome antics of the Simpsons Family"

Bart calls the Krusty hotline 1 909 O U Klown

The take home psychological test is from Dr. Marvin Monroe.

Homer watches a version of America's funniest videos. Man Breaking Hip, Dog On Fire, Baby With A Nail Gun "awe" The Simpsons ran opposite AFV in 1990.

We see the Ambulance clip that first appeared in the One Fish Two Fish episode.

New Bedlam Rest Home For The Emotionally Interesting

Sign on mental institution wall "You don't have to be crazy to be committed here but it helps"

Background guys at the mental institution are from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.  Homer says "Hello" to Chief, he says "hello" back Doctors rush over because it was the first time he spoke, he says "well it's about time someone reached out to me"

Speed dial numbers at the mental institution.

Larry King Show

Oprah

Phil Donahue

Geraldo

Ski Report.

(These also fall into the Dated Reference column because other than the Ski Report they were all popular talk shows of the day.)

New Bedlam Wrongly Committed Hotline hold song Crazy by Patsy Cline

Itchy and Scratchy cartoon, Bang The Cat Slowly, reference to the movie Bang The Drum Slowly. Scratchy swallows bomb wrapped as present, blows his head off.

Bart answers phone "Joes crematorium, you kill em, we grill em. Joe's taxidermy, you snuff em, we stuff em.

When Apu decides to go see Michael Jackson we see the Kwik-E-Mart sign, We never close, and on the reverse side Closed for the first time ever

The John 3:16 guy, Rollen Stewart, is at the Simpsons to see Michael Jackson. Ironically the real guy went crazy and wound up in jail for kidnapping and stink bomb attack charges.

Mayor Quimby changes Route1 from Dali Lama Expressway to the Michael Jackson Expressway.

Springfield Shopper headline. Michael Jackson Hoax, everyone mad at local boy.

The name of the guy pretending to be Michael Jackson is Leon Compowski

In the show Michael Jackson did his dialog but they had an impersonator for the songs. There are two stories, one Jackson insisted on the deal, two it was too expensive to get the royalties for Jackson to do the singing but cheaper to have an impersonator sing the songs. 

Mr. Lisa Goes To Washington

This episode aired on September 26th, 1991 in it's usual time slot. It ran opposite Top Cops, The Cosby Show and Gabriel's Fire (a show about a former cop who was sent to prison and is now a private eye)

The chalkboard gag is "Spit wads are not Free Speech" and the couch gag is Homer sits on SLH.

While going through the mail Homer gets a fake check for $1 million. He rushes to the bank where the teller says it's just a promotional ad. He also gets a free copy of Reading Digest which is holding an essay contest, Lisa decides to sign up, she gets her inspiration from the Springfield National Forest. Lisa can't sleep so she goes to the Winifred Beecher Howe Memorial, leader of the floor mop rebellion and featured on the 75¢ piece, she sees member of congress taking bribe to cut down Springfield Forest. She goes to Lincoln memorial but too many people asking questions. Goes to Jefferson memorial, statue talks back and complains about only being visited when the Lincoln Memorial is too crowded. Homer catches Bart getting a room service massage, he's told that the trip is all inclusive so Homer joins him. Lisa changes her essay to the corruption and bribes in Washington, the judges are shocked and Lisa loses the contest. A congressional Paige hears speech and calls a congressman. The crooked Congressman takes bribe in a sting operation and is kicked out of congress in a couple of hours. (If only reality worked that way) Bart can't stand listening to Mark Russel and shoots him with his slingshot.

The title of the show comes from the Jimmy Stewart movie, Mr. Smith Goes To Washington.

Although they were lost in the woods in season one this is the first official Simpsons trip.

Pop Culture Reference: Bart plays fighter pilot in Spirit Of St. Louis at the Smithsonian. Lisa sees the members of congress as a New Yorker political cartoon. Family stays at the Watergate. Mark Russel appears as the entertainment singing about politics just like in real life. 

Marge whispers dirty joke about Washington monument.

Dated Reference: Home Security Trust "we're not a savings and loan", a reference to the S&L collapse during the Reagan era.  The family finds Barbara Bush in the White House bathtub. Tub installed in 1894. Grover Cleveland would have been President. Ted Kennedy is at speech contest.

Reading Digest, a take on the Readers Digest

Signs at essay contest

Welcome Finalist Reading Digest "Brevity is...Wit" (a joke about Readers Digest condensed stories)

Welcome Patriots Of Tomorrow

Bart and Lisa watch Troy McClure and Deloris Montenegro in Preacher With A Shovel, a movie about irrigation in the old west. 

Springfield National Forest sign, Smoking really burns me up. 

The essay contest is held at the Veterans of Popular Wars hall.

Bart pranks Homer with a 2 AM wakeup call. Homer has pillow mint stuck to the side of his head.

Protest signs outside of White House

No Opinion

Everything's A-OK

No Complaints Here!

One Happy Camper!

Things Are Fine!

(That didn't last)

White House Historical Landmark

On this spot Richard Nixon bowled back to back 300 games.

Homer drools on a US Mint worker, guy has Bronson accent. Tour guide says "no we don't give out free samples"

State seal Corn, beaver, star, nuclear symbol

Springfield Shopper shows photo of congressman with Lisa and headline "Never too busy...."

Winifred Beecher Howe quote "I will iron your sheets when you iron out the inequities in your labor laws"

When Flanders Failed

This episode premiered on October 3rd 1991 in it's usual time slot and against the regular programs.

The chalkboard gag is "Nobody likes sunburn slappers" and the couch gag is a repeat the family dance scene.

Homer is mowing his yard with a weedwacker. Ned comes over and invites Homer to his BBQ. Homer skips the bbq to watch the Canadian football draft however he can't resist the smell and goes over. Flanders announces that he's retiring from selling pharmaceuticals and opens The Leftorium a shop that specializes in left handed items. Ned breaks a wish bone with Homer, Homer wins and he wishes to see Ned's new store fail. Bart is watching TV and sees a commercial for a karate academy, $10 a lesson. Ned's store isn't attracting any customers, everyone comes in for free parking validation. Bart gets bored with the class and goes to arcade to play Touch Of Death. Moe has trouble opening a bottle because of right handed cork screw, Homer doesn't tell him about Ned's store. Bart makes Lisa change tv channel, threatens her with touch of death. Homer is mad because the vending machine only has apples. When he goes to put a suggesting in the box he gets caught and has to wait for Mr. Burns to read it, Burns has trouble using a right handed can opener but Homer doesn't tell him about Ned's store. Homer keeps imagining Flanders at closed store, still refuses to tell anyone. Flanders is having a garage sale, Homer buys up all his stuff for  $75. Springfield Collection Agency shows up, Homer begs for time until he finds out it was Flanders they are after. Homer sees Ned just as he imagined. Bullies steal Lisa's sax, she sicks Bart on them, he gets his butt kicked. Homer goes over to Ned's and finds out that his house is being repossessed and the family is spending the night in the car until they go to Capitol City to live with Ned's sister. Homer feels guilty and calls everyone to go to the shop the next day and saves Ned. 

Weed whacker labeled Property Of Ned Flanders. This is the first time we see items that Homer "borrowed" from Ned but didn't give back.

Homer's wishes:

President Declares World Peace

President Homer Declares World Peace

President Simpsons Wins Super Bowl

Flanders Stupid Left Handed Shop "Going out of business"

RIP Ned Flanders "eh, too far"

Itchy and Scratchy Show "Oh Solo Meow" Scratchy eats bomb disguised as meatball. 

Mall stores: Vendettas, The Ladder Barn, Thongs Are Us, Coming Soon Gum For Less. Simply Shoes And Athletic Wear and Active Wear. Perky Hut

Kids in Karate class read The Art Of War.

Lisa mentions schadenfreude (this was the first time I heard that word)

Ned's shop to be turned into the Libertarian Party Headquarters, he says "I hope they have better luck than I did".

Burns buys left handed roadster with Diner's Club card.

Homer says Ned is the "Richest Left Handed Man In Town", reference to the line from It's A Wonderful Life

Bart The Murderer

This episode premiered on October 10th 1991. It ran in it's usual time slot and against the regular programming. 

The chalkboard gag is "High Explosives and School don't mix" (You couldn't get away with that joke in the modern world) and the couch gag is the family forms a pyramid with Maggie on top.

Bart is looking forward to the day but he starts it off by stepping on a pointy toy, and then he can't find the glow in the dark police badge, Homer already got it out of the cereal, SLH ate his homework and he missed the bus and has to walk to school in the rain. When he finally gets to school he rips his pants and gets hit by a ball. Then he finds out he forgot his permission slip to go to the chocolate factory and gets stuck at school. Skinner makes him seal envelopes for the PTA. While the kids go nuts at the chocolate factory Bart has to walk home in the rain. On the way the wheel pops off his skateboard and he finds himself at the Legitimate Businessman's Social Club at gunpoint. Fat Tony asks Bart to pick a horse in the third race as the Shelbyville Downs, Bart says "eat my shorts" which just happens to be the name of a horse but he's running in the 5th. Tony gets mad so Bart says "don't have a cow man" which happens to be the name of a horse in the third. They make Bart mix a Manhattan. The mob hires Bart to work at the club for $30 a week plus tips. Bart introduces mob to Itchy and Scratchy. Wiggums shows up looking for stolen cigarette truck, the mob is storing them in Bart's bedroom. Homer thinks Bart is taking up smoking so he plants to teach Bart a lesson by making him smoke all the cigarettes until one of Fat Tony's men shows up to pick up cartons. Wiggums holds press conference to assure smokers more cigarettes are on the way. Bart finds out he's working for the mob but they give him a suit so he doesn't quit. Homer goes to club, they let him win at poker so he lets Bart keep the job. Bart gets caught having his gang graffiti the school building and he tries to bribe Skinner to look the other way but gets punished and is late for work. The Big boss shows up for a Manhattan but Louie mixes it wrong. Mob boss gives Fat Tony the kiss of death. The mob goes to have a word with Skinner, when he turns up missing Bart gets worried. Bart dreams about zombie Skinners, killed by different mob techniques, and winds up in the Death House. Bart goes to Fat Tony to ask if they killed Skinner, just then the police show up and arrest them all. Bart ends up in jail with Sideshow Bob. Lionel Hutz is his attorney. Fat Tony and his gang claims that Bart was the leader of the gang and responsible for all their crimes. Just as the judge is about to find Bart guilty Skinner busts into court room. The mob talked nicely to Skinner but he kicks them out. He was trapped under pile of recycled newspapers. The police never searched his garage. Bart quits the mob. They make a movie about Bart as a mob boss but don't pay the Simpsons for their likeness, Homer says the real criminals are those sleazy Hollywood producers, just as producers credits roll.

This episode introduces Fat Tony Williams, Legs and Louie, and Jack Larson spokesman for Laramie Cigarettes. 

Lisa eating Jackie O's (Reference to Jackie Onassis) Free stretch pants inside. Bart eats Chocolate Frosted Frosty Krusty Flakes "Only sugar has more sugar" "Inside Free glow-in-the-dark Police Badge" Other cereals Vitafillers and Kelp Chex (30 years before the kelp craze, another Simpsons prediction)

The chocolate factory is called Ah Fudge, the writers sneak in a joke about a vulgar comment. Chocolate factory mascot Cocoa Beanie.

Troy McClure does the information film on the history of chocolate You probably remember me from The Revenge Of Abe Lincoln and The Wackies Covered Wagon In the West. 

Horses in the third race are all cartoon characters catchphrases. Ain't I A Stinker (Bugs Bunny), Yabba Dabba Do (Fred Flintstone), That's all folks (Porky Pig), Suffering Succotash (Yosemite Sam) and I Yam What I Yam (Popeye). 

Barrel with radioactive symbol in Simpson's basement.

Itchy And Scratchy. The Sound Of Silencers. Cop Itchy does St. Valentine's massacre on cats. 

FBI truck labeled Pizza Delivery Truck until Marge mentions it, it's replaced by Flowers By Irene, (FBI)

Second chalkboard joke "I will not bribe Principal Skinner"

The Big mob boss says "What have I done to deserve this flat flavorless Manhattan", This is a reference to the opening scene in The Godfather. 

Headline Principal Still Missing, Police search for body. Psychic Joins Skinner Hunt. Principal Murder Trial Begins Today (Photo of Bart) Sentencing Today For Dinky Don (cartoon of Bart as octopus with tentacles on Springfield including nuclear power plant)

Princess Opal Psychic predictions. Wedding bells for Vanna White and Teddy Kennedy. Willie Nelson swims English Channel. Splitsville for Delta Burke and Major Dad. 

Seymour Skinner Memorial Fire Hose

Protest signs in Bart's dream Fry Bart Fry Lets Have a Bart-B-que! Kill My Boy (Homer's sign)

Dated reference, put phone books under Bart so he's tall enough for electric chair. 

Bumper sticker on Fat Tony's limo Mafia Staff Car Keepa-u-hands off!

The movie about the Springfield Mob, The Bart Simpsons story starring Richard Chamberlin as Skinner, Joe Mantegna as Fat Tony (actual voice actor of Fat Tony), Jane Seymour as The Woman He Loved and Neil Patrick Harris as Bart. 

Homer Defined

This episode premiered on October 17th, 1991 in it's usual time slot and opposite the regular programs.

The chalkboard gag is "I will not squeak chalk" (squeaking chalk sound effect) and the couch gag is an alien is sitting on the couch watching TV and drinking a beer. When he hears the family coming in he pulls a cord, a trap door opens up and he jumps out of site. 

It's Milhouse's birthday but it turns out Bart wasn't invited to the Saturday party, even Otto was invited. Bart gives him a set of Krusty walkie talkies. When Bart finds out he becomes depressed and stays on the school bus. At work Homer falls asleep while the core overheats. Homer finds himself trapped at his control panel. Homer says "If they look up stupid in the dictionary there'll be a picture of me. Flashback to his training, instead of paying attention to the meltdown button he's playing with a Rubic's cube. Homer does Enie meanie miney moe and hits a button, stops meltdown. Burns names Homer Employee of the Month, Smithers jealous. Bart finds out that Milhouses mother is the one who doesn't want them playing together. Mithouse tries to call Bart on Walkie Talkie but Bart tosses it in the trash. Homer is introduced to Shelbyville nuclear power plant operator, has to give inspirational speech. Marge asks Milhouse's mother to let the boys play together. Lisa wants to write about Homer for the school paper. Bart is allowed to go back to Milhouse's, takes BB gun. During Homer's speech the plant goes into meltdown. Homer does the same thing he did before,  everyone shocked. Wiggum's goes to bank to cash in pennies, prevents a robbery and Magic Johnson slips, loses control of the ball but makes a basket and lands among the cheerleaders, both say they "pulled a Homer Simpson". The episode ends with the family looking up "Pulled a Homer" in the dictionary. 

Dated reference "If you look up X in the dictionary...." Today people look stuff up on Google. Skinner has the kids do a duck and cover maneuver, a hold over from the Cold War era. Meltdown clock stops at 007, a reference to the bomb in Goldfinger.

Homer is reading the USofA Today paper, the headline is America's Favorite Pencil #2 is #1, the story is about how SAT scores are declining at a slower rate. This is a spin on the USA Today, a newspaper dedicated to good news. 

BB gun Dead Eye BB Gun. 

Smither's has a Yorkie. Just another hint. Tells Mr Burns I love you, Offers to kiss Mr. Burns' sorry ass goodbye.

Simpson hired under project BootStrap, "thank you President Ford"

The breaking news story is called Meltdown crisis, the first couple of minutes. 

Mr. Burns tells the new that it isn't a meltdown but an unrequested fission surplus.

The Springfield Reactor is a 1952 slow fission reactor.

The old folks change the channel from the meltdown to Wheel Of Fortune. 

Professor Frink is the new's science expert, he explains the nuclear meltdown death circle. 

Comic Book Guy selling t shirt I survived the Springfield Nuclear Scare

Employee of the month awards, Ham, plaque, discount coupon book and a thumbs up from Mr Burns and a call from Magic Johnson. 

Itchy and Scratchy show My Dinner With Itchy Wine really acid, Scratchy blinded and run over by trolly. Title a reference to My Dinner With Andre.

Krusty Ham. (we don't know he's jewish yet)

First My Two Cents with Kent Brockman

Milhouses mother. First appearance, isn't mentioned by name.

Homer's definition:

Stupid

1) Slow of mind

2) Unintelligent

3) Homer Simpson

Lucky

1) Prone to good fortune

2) Succeeding through chance

3) Homer Simpsons

Fraud

1) Imposter

2) Fake

3) Homer Simpson

Homer

1) American bonehead

2) Pull a Homer- To succeed despite idiocy 

Thus brings us into the third season of the show. Only 707 more to go.