Am I the only person who loves season 1? I mean, it's not always laugh out loud funny and the animation is crude, but it shows a side of the Simpsons you rarely ever see. Homer is a dimwit, but he's a good-natured dimwit who'd do anything for his family. I mean, can you really imagine Homer selling the family tv to help the family in later seasons? Or Homer taking it upon himself to have a second job because he didn't get his Christmas bonus?
Homer's progression is an allegory to the series I think. Early Simpsons is heartfelt and very humane. Later Simpsons is extreme and just stupid.