R&R: Black Widower

[aug]

Good episode.. One of my favorite Bob's

[TheForbiddenDonut]

Forget what I said earlier. This episode is why I watch 'The Simpsons'. The suspenseful mystery story meshes with the superb cinematic direction like milk and cookies, and the jokes are simply brilliant. Surpasses 'Cape Feare' EASILY as best Bob episode.

5/5

[tom cody]

4/5, good episode.

[Kyoya Otori]

5/5

Possibly my favorite Sideshow Bob episode, and one of my favorite Season 3 episodes.

[Fox Executive]

not the best, but a very good sideshow bob episode: A-

[Gatorgod]

5/5 one of the great Sideshow Bob episodes. Bart & Dean Venture..Super Sleuths!

[TerwilligerBob]

A really good episode. Not as good as "Cape Feare" and "Sideshow Bob Roberts", but a very good one nonetheless and a great and well-written mystery. A very good way to develop Sideshow Bob's character, and extremely funny as well. 4.5/5

[sconer]

A classic episode with Sideshow Bob at it again. Really enjoyed this one. 5/5

[ThatAsianGuy]

not a bad way to bring bob back, 5/5

[Jesse Pinkman]

i think this would be my second or third favorite Bob episode... really hilarious

[SIR oinks alot]

2nd best sideshow bob ep, even though I knew what was gonaa happen, I was at the edge of my seat, and the humor: flawless.

5/5

[Nauru-1]

Fun episode, especially the final act. Having had this on VHS tape when I was younger I also have some nostalgic feelings about it. I can enjoy on new levels now though. Great, as pretty much every episode is in season 3 from THOH II on. 5/5 (A-)

[qwertyuio]

Any Bob episode in the classic era will be certainly great. However, this is the least great, and inspired, from the first eight seasons.

Firstly, I can't say I understand why is Bob planning to murder Selma in this episode. It was his second appearance in the show and he was still not meant to become the antagonist; here it seems it's already assumed, which could be good if it was developed a la Cape Feare. But why Selma? Revenge? If anything, he should try to kill Bart. Money? Pretty more logical and all, but let me say one thing: he was sent to jail for robbing and faking his identity, just as a vengeful act on Krusty. With the information we already had from the character, there's nothing that could make us think he'd be cold and hearthless enough to murder an unknown woman.

And there are some plot details that seem SO forced to reach the conclusion... I mean, Selma's lack of taste and smell is very very stupid.

However, it is a good episode. It has some great (though partly fake) mystery and almost everything about Bart revealing Bob's intentions is genius writing, not only in the idea but the tone and atmosphere. It's quite funny as any classic episode is. But not an outstanding masterpiece, at all. 8.5/10

[Bella Drape 'er]

I immensely enjoyed this episode, with the relaxed family opening, the "murderer" jokes Bob made at the family dinner, Bob and Selma's "serious" argument over TV and the whole third act, with its spot on direction (Batman music appropiately used ), jokes (Bart explaining to Homer how Bob was going to kill Selma) and visual scenes (the apartment before and after the explosion).

All in all, a top class episode, perhaps lacking a few jokes in the second act, but still without a doubt fantastic. 5/5

[cinco]

I heard some criticism about the plot here at the NHC, but I think the setup is actually quite ok as well as the motive. One point of criticism: Bart is a little bit too deductive. It would be more believable if Lisa came up with the arguments and the clues.
From a visual point of view, I can only say this: great use of shadowing and a Silverman-directed episode in the early years guarantees fluid and expressive face-animation.
Just look at Krusty's scenes. Masterful!

This is also the episode that turns Bob from a Kwik-E-Mart robber and framer into a real menacing person with the urge to kill.
The potential for his character has become quite clear and it is no surprise that his next appearance is one of the most lauded episodes ever.

[BartSimpsonfan17]

This isn't my favorite Bob episode.
But it is one of my favorites.
I liked the ending with Bart explaining every thing to the cops.

[cinco]

I liked the ending with Bart explaining every thing to the cops.

Season 3 was definitely Bart at his smartest.
See also: Like Father, Like Clown.

[TheForbiddenDonut]

i love that Bart is figuring everything out. it's a beautiful irony, the lazy misbehaving kid single-handedly his incredibly intelligent foe. also that scene where Bart's trying to explain the clues to Homer wouldn't be half as funny if it was Lisa. Bart and Homer are so often grouped together that this new dimension of Bart's sudden ingeniousness in all things Bob related makes for a hilarious contrast.

[cinco]

i love that Bart is figuring everything out. it's a beautiful irony, the lazy misbehaving kid single-handedly his incredibly intelligent foe. also that scene where Bart's trying to explain the clues to Homer wouldn't be half as funny if it was Lisa. Bart and Homer are so often grouped together that this new dimension of Bart's sudden ingeniousness in all things Bob related makes for a hilarious contrast.

It seems like confrontations with Bob make Bart's cognitive skills sharper.
Could it be the adrenaline-rush he experiences because of Bob's threatening presence, could this enhance his overall focus and concentration?
Because it's not just this episode, in confrontations during "Sideshow Bob Roberts" and "Brother from Another Series", we also experience a Bart with noticable stronger deductive skills.

[The Wiggs]

I like this episode. Its a good Side Show Bob mystery story. Its not the best Bob episode, but its still really good. 5/5

[cloneasaurus]

There was some nice animation and jokes (my favourite being Bob failing to say he likes McGuiver), but it is without a doubt the worst classic Bob episode. It was mainly the storytelling; it sort of removed the drama. Of course the conclusion was always going to be obvious but the whole last act working as a flashback affair didn't really work with me, considering it could have been more dramatic without it. Also I've got so used to the Bob episodes having the Cape Fear music this one felt odd, though that's not a fault of the episode. I dunno, for a Bob episode it lacked some of the suspense it dearly needed and the story just wasn't as interesting as the other Bob episodes in the classic era. Bob had some great lines though. I give it a solid B-, it's by no means bad but it is lacking somewhat. voted 3/5 but possibly should have been a 4.

[Blobulle]

My favorite Sideshow Bob episode, and Bart was amazing. 5/5

[bhartman36]

For me, this episode was just "okay". I can't find anything grossly wrong with it, but it didn't make me laugh, either, and there wasn't really any suspense. The audience knows way too early what Bob's game is. 2/5

[Bleedin' Gums Murphy]

Enjoyable episode. Was great to see Sideshow Bob at his menacing best, and the ending with Bob declaring he'll be back out on the streets when the Democrats are back in power and Bart's suffocation line was hilarious, but this is lacking for a Classic Simpsons episode. 4/5 and 8/10

[Cam23]

Great episode.I find it interesting because it contains one of the few scenes where Lisa,who is normally very protective towards Maggie,is mean to her for no apparent reason-except perhaps,jealousy.
At Aunt Selma's wedding,she sneers to Bart "I could have been a flower-girl...and I wouldn't keep falling over either!",as Maggie stumbles in the aisle.
Maybe I'm reading to much into it,but it's just one of those little things I've noticed about the family dynamics.
Anyway,there's lots to enjoy here-a great story,Wiggum's sheer incompetence highlighted once again(he leaves his Police revolver on a table where some kids are eating wedding cake),and great animation.

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Also found it forgettable. 3.5/5. Very good for a first watch, but very meh later.

[irvine_11]

This was a well-plotted piece of non-claptrap that never made me want to wretch. 5/5

[Simpsonsfan1981]

An absolute classic and my favorite Sideshow Bob episode. Great plot and intriguing storyline, very well-written script and was suspenseful while parodying the genre it was spoofing very well.

One or two people here have said it would have been better if it were Lisa rather than Bart solving the plot. I agree that technically that would make more sense. But I think it was better in this case because Bart was always distrustful Sideshow Bob's motives from the start whereas Lisa seemed slightly more inclined to be willing to give Sideshow Bob the benefit of the doubt (or it could just be that my recollections are faulty). So it was kind of poetic justice that Bart should be the one to unravel him and expose him for what he was

This episode really epitomizes the best of the Simpsons. 5/5 from me

[Prune Tracy]

Bart's always had a smart side. I think it's far better for him to solve it than Lisa, especially because of, as @Simpsonsfan1981 said, his distrust of sideshow Bob.

[Insecthero]

"Voy a matar a usted"

"What?"

"That's Spanish for ... I'm going to kill you."

"Say what?!??"

"Why, dear, I do believe it's time for your beloved MacGyver!"