"Argh, I'll kill that Mr. Burns! And, er, wound that Mr. Smithers."

Simpsons Top 100 Countdown
#35 Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)
Season 6, Episode 25 (Guide from the Simpsons Archive)

Okay, so I fiddled with the rankings just a little to make sure the two episodes appeared side-by-side. Springfield Elementary strikes oil, and everyone associated with the school has big plans for the newfound money. Mr. Burns can’t stand the sight of a nonprofit organization in possession of such wealth, so he manages to tap the oil reserve before the school turns on its pumps, thus claiming legal ownership for himself. The pumping causes a sinkhole under the retirement home, fumes that force the closure of Moe’s Bar, and an initial spurt of oil that destroys Bart’s treehouse, causing minor injuries to him and breaking the hind legs of Santa’s Little Helper. Meanwhile, Homer struggles with Burns’s inability to remember his name. Happy with his success on the oil front, Burns decides to advance his control over the town even further by constructing a machine that will block out the sun, forcing increased energy use. When Smithers stands in his way, Burns fires him. The entire town is angry with him, and many are stroking guns, when he walks into the town meeting discussing what to do about the whole Burns situation. A violent confrontation is avoided inside town hall, but after the meeting, Burns meets with someone offscreen behind the building and he’s shot. The show goes on its summer break with the cliffhanger in a parody of Who Shot J.R.? from Dallas in 1980. Memorable moments include finding Superdude, striking oil, package shipping, metric booby traps, newspapers, the workout, the elevator, funding requests, Burns’s school visit, “Marge’s” idea, stealing candy from a baby, eating chocolates, Oil Appreciation Day, school budget cuts and Willie’s response, thank-you note, Moe’s Bar, Burns revealing his evil plan, melted Homer, Homer driving to the plant, Burns catching a mysterious assailant, Grandpa’s gun, the town hall meeting from mayor’s opening to Krusty’s arrival, throwing out suspects, and Hibbert asking if the mystery can be solved.