27 Years Later: Why 'Round Springfield' Remains One of the Most Heartwarming Episodes of 'The Simpsons'

Twenty-seven years ago today, The Simpsons was still in the midst of its golden age and continuing to prove that it deserved to be considered one of the best TV shows of all time. The episode that premiered on that day, "Round Springfield," was so emotional that it earned its legacy as one of the most heartwarming in the show's history.

What Made 'Round Springfield' One of the Most Heartwarming 'The Simpsons' Episodes Ever

On Sunday night, April 30, 1995, season 6, episode 22 of The Simpsons, "Round Springfield" premiered on Fox. It has since gone down in the show's history as the episode that featured the death of Bleeding Gums Murphy. Years after it aired, ComicBook.com published its list of the most heartwarming The Simpsons episodes and included it. Similarly, WhatCulture named it as one of the most emotional episodes in the show's history.

During "Round Springfield," Lisa was reunited with her mentor after Bart ate a jagged metal Krusty-O and was rushed to the hospital. The pair then performs one of the show's most memorable songs, "Jazzman," Bleeding Gums gives Lisa advice on playing music from her heart and gifts her his saxophone. Inspired by that interaction, Lisa breaks free during a recital the next day and takes over with a passionate saxophone solo. Deeply excited by the experience, she rushes to the hospital to tell her friend about her performance, only to learn he has suddenly passed away.

In the aftermath of Lisa's profound loss, the show creates hilarious moments, like when Homer brings up a family fish that died and suggests getting a new jazzman at the pound. Mostly, the episode goes on to depict how devastating losing a loved one can be, with Lisa at one point desperately asking her parents why "it won't stop hurting."

The episode ends with two immensely heartwarming moments. First, Bart spends $500 he got from suing Krusty over the jagged metal O to help his sister. He buys a Bleeding Gums Murphy record so Lisa can have the local radio station play it to honor her mentor's memory. Second, a cloud version of Bleeding Gums Murphy appears to comfort his protégé. They share their emotional goodbyes, and then they play music together one last time.

A masterfully written episode, "Round Springfield," featured one of the most heartwarming Bart and Lisa moments ever. It also did a wonderful job depicting the impact that people can have on each other's lives and the power of music to help people through even the most painful moments. In short, the episode that premiered 27 years ago today is one of the best in The Simpsons' history.

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