TV Show: The Simpsons
The wonderful world of Springfield. Uploaded by behindthehype.com.
Remember the controversy when The Simpsons first appeared? Many good parents thought it crossed the line of bad taste, and didn’t let their kids see it. I didn’t take that stand, but I flinched a few times when I was watching it with my boys. I viewed it with a remote in my hand, just in case. But it was so good, so different, so funny, we enjoyed it together.
Besides, the writers let us see that the Simpsons were essentially a strong family. Behind Homer’s foolishness, Bart’s rebellion, and Lisa’s self-righteousness there was – gasp – love. The early seasons were the best, when we were introduced to the pantheon of Springfield’s funny and quirky set of characters.
"We have the Monsterometer, Flipper-finder, Hoax-a-scope which is important for the looking and finding." Uploaded to Flickr by gavin-hill281.
One of the great things about the show is the amazing quality of the voice talents used for the characters. While Yeardley Smith (Lisa), Nancy Cartwright (Bart, Ralph Wiggum), and Julie Kavner (Marge, Selma, Patty) do very limited voices, the men have an amazing range. Dan Castelanetta’s characters include Homer, Grampa, Barney, Krusty, and Groundseekper Willie. Harry Shearer does Mr. Burns, Smithers, Ned Flanders, Kent Brockman, Otto, Dr. Hibbert and many others. And perhaps most versatile is Hank Azaria, who voices Moe, Chief Wiggum, Apu, Professor Frink (my favorite character), Cletus, Comic Book Guy, and more.
There’s so much more to say, but so little space to say it. Have to say that The Simpsons is now the longest-running animated show in prime time history, the longest-running sitcom, and the longest-running prime time series in TV history. And it’s already been renewed for two more seasons.
Let me conclude with this: Don’t have a cow, man! Okily dokily! Excellent… Thank you, come again! Ha-ha! Worst. Blog post. Ever. D’oh!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-TZ8Z5S9rI&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1]
A) I was probably too young to understand anything you may have flinched at,
B) “The early seasons were the best” is one of the understatements of this young century,
and C) Great choice of video. That’s one of my favorite sequences in the show’s history. “Now would you unhook me already? I don’t deserve this kind of shabby treatment!”