The annals of TV history are littered with nail-biting cliffhangers.
I’m thinking of Jesse shooting Gale, Robb being butchered at the Red Wedding, and Kat Slater revealing she’s Zoe’s mum.
All certified bangers.
However, 30 years ago this week, it was a little show called The Simpsons that got tongues wagging with one of the greatest cliffhangers in the history of TV.
What’s the episode in question?
Well, it’s Season 5, Episode 25 – ‘Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One) which, as the name suggests, ended with Springfield’s most infamous supercentenarian being gunned down.
What’s more, the episode ended without the identity of the would-be murderer being revealed, leaving fans asking, well… who shot Mr. Burns?
Written by Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein, Who Shot Mr Burns is a fantastic episode full of funny gags, brilliant character moments, and top-notch animation.
Seriously, Moe repeatedly failing the lie detector is easily one of the best jokes in the entire series.
Still, it’s undeniable that it’s the episode’s incredible denouement which makes it such a seminal episode.
On The Simpsons’ Reddit, fans have been commemorating the30th anniversary of Who Shot Mr Burns Part 2 which took place on September 17.
Writing on a discussion page for the episode, Orbjo wrote: ‘I consider Who Shot Mr Burns to be the first Simpsons movie, it has that epic feel and runtime .’
BBMacsWorld added: ‘Truly one of the best they’ve ever made.’
@AJessyBot on X meanwhile claimed: ‘Who shot Mr. Burns” was one of the biggest events to happen in my house.’
They’re not alone in feeling like this was some huge TV event. @Grimphantom_Inc wrote on X: ‘The 2-part episodes were so memorable I still remember the promos they did, especially the one with America’s Most Wanted.’
If you’re not convinced by social media users, however, they’re not the only ones who love this episode.
What made Who Shot Mr Burns so special?
Our Deputy TV editor, Tom Percival, casts his mind back to the 90s when this two-part special first aired…
In the 90s, as a kid, I didn’t have a lot going on, but what I did have was an obsession with The Simpsons, and I remember the excitement in the lead-up to both these episodes.
There were ads promoting it, The Simpsons were on the front of the TV guide, and everyone was talking about it at school.
Honestly, it was an exciting time to be a Simpsons fan, and the only thing I can compare it to was the excitement around the Game of Thrones finale.
Oakley himself – who also served as showrunner for the seventh and eighth seasons of The Simpsons – considers it ‘one of the best episodes’.
Beyond that, the episode is often included on lists of the best Simpsons episodes ever, and in 2003, Entertainment Weekly called it ‘perhaps The Simpsons’ most grandiose pop moment ever’.
Oh, and if you’re wondering who actually did shoot Mr Burns? Well, despite the suspects including Waylon Smithers, Moe Syzlack, and Principal Skinner, it was none of these characters.
Maggie Simpson was ultimately revealed to have accidentally shot Monty Burns while he tried to steal her lollipop.
Of course, in season 18 Homer would later claim he framed Maggie and shot Mr Burns, but that was just a joke… I think.
The Simpsons is streaming on Disney Plus.
An earlier version of this story was published on May 21.
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