Well, after 18 years and over hundreds upon hundreds of episodes, "The Simpsons movie" is finally hitting the big screen. As a dedicated fan since its earliest beginnings as a small widget on the Tracy Ullman show way back in the late '80s, I've battled with myself (and often others) as to which are the "BESTest" episodes of all time.

Sure, my attentions have been diverted in recent years by the increasingly funnier fare of the Griffins on "Family Guy," but when any one of the following episodes pops up on the dial during a lazy afternoon tube surf, it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that my next 20 minutes are a complete write off.

Here the episodes that I think are the seven "Simpsons" for the ages ...

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7. Cape Feare (aired 1993)

The plot: Sideshow Bob is released from prison and he's bent on getting revenge on Bart. When Sideshow begins to send the indomitable tike intimidating letters, even threatening him with a machete, the family enters the protection program under the assumed name of the Thompsons and moves to Terror Lake.

Why it's one of the greats: Bart is saved by, of all things, the H.M.S. Pinafore. Literate and intelligent cultural reverence and recurring character development are a testament to the series' brilliance. Plus, a man hits himself in the face with a garden rake nine times. Sweet.

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6. Homer vs. the 18th Amendment (aired 1997)

The plot: When Bart gets drunk on St. Paddy's the Springfield government reinstates prohibition. Chief Wiggum then proves a failure at enforcement and so he's shoved aside by untouchable Rex Banner. Meanwhile, Homer becomes a rumrunner, dubbing himself "The Beer Baron."

Why it's one of the greats: Parodying fundamentalism is a "Simpsons" pastime, and this episode leaves no hypocritical righteousness unscathed. Father and under-aged son bonding in the beer biz is every child's dream.

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5. Homer and Apu (1994)

The plot: A hidden camera sting probing questionable food practices at the Kwik-E-Mart results in Apu receiving his walking papers. Of course, he walks right to the Simpsons to enlist Homer in a soul searching mission to India that will help reclaim the poor chap's job.

Why it's one of the greats: The moonlit serenade that poor Mr. Nahasapeemapetilon belts from the roof of the Simpsons' shack brings, without fail, a tear to my hardened eye. While we hate it "when people lie to us through song," we all need Apu and we all need the Kwik-E-Mart.

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4. Homerpalooza (aired 1996)

The plot: When Bart calls out Homer for his love of 70's stadium rock, the old man sets out to prove he's still hip. To show he's got his finger on the pulse Homer takes the kids to the traveling music fest, know as Hullabalooza. Needless to say, he sets off a riot and takes a cannonball to his doughy gut.

Why it's one of the greats: In this caustic skewering of "music, and advertisement, and youth-oriented product positioning" we're served cameos from the zeitgeist of the day, including Cypress Hill, Smashing Pumpkins and Sonic Youth.

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3. Rosebud (aired 1993)

The plot: On his birthday Mr. Burns dreams of his Bobo, a long lost stuffed toy from his youth, which, as it turns out is, is in the possession of one Maggie Simpson. Smithers, desperate to please his life's passion, makes it his mission to return said stuftie to its original owner.

Why it's one of the greats: This ode to the hallowed Orson Welles film "Citizen Kane" is jammed with references to everything sacred in American pop culture, from "Planet of the Apes" to the Ramones - plus Smithers fantasizes about a nude Burns jumping out of a birthday cake singing." I shudder, but it cracks me up every single time we see that spindly torso of the "full Monty" Burns.

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2. Marge versus the Monorail (aired 1993)

The plot: A slick huckster woos the townsfolk with a melodious song-and-dance routine, convincing them they need to buy a monorail with a questionable safety record. Homer, of course, volunteers to become conductor. Marge is the sole voice of reason.

Why it's one of the greats: Still relevant today, this tribute to the classic film the "Music Man" was penned by Conan O'Brien. It puts the entire town's lack of cognitive reason out there for all to see, and in doing so showcases our own inability to often question the obvious.

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1. Last Exit to Springfield (aired 1993)

The plot: When Burns cuts the Dental Plan from the power plant's union contract, Homer takes up the torch and incites a strike when he discovers he now has to pay for Lisa's new braces.

Why it's one of the greats: Dubbed the greatest of the entire series by pop culture authorities Entertainment Weekly in 2003. The hallowed publication called it "virtually flawless, the product of a series at the height of its creative powers -- when the satire was savage and relevant." Who are we to disagree?

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Our six favourite one-liners (and who said them)

• "Donuts. Is there anything they can't do?" - Homer J.
• "You did it, Nibbles. Now, chew through my ball sack." - Principle Skinner (stuck inside a burlap ball bag, talking to a hamster)
• "Beer: The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems" - Homer J.
• "If you don't watch the violence, you'll never get desensitized to it" - Bart
• "But the ball ... his groin, it works on so many levels" - Homer J. after screening Hans Moleman's entry to the Springfield Film Festival.
• "My cat's breath smells like cat food." - Ralph Wiggum

Agree, disagree? Tell us which ones are your faves and why?

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The Simpsons can be seen every night at 9 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. ET/PT on The Comedy Network.