The Simpsons...

[JagFarlane]

..have been on the air since 1989. 20 seasons, 1 movie, and a contract with at least another two seasons in the mix. What do you think is the most amazing part of this? Personally, as I was watching the movie, I couldn't help but be impressed at the fact that all the cast members have stayed together through 440 episodes.

 

[Xelebes]

Not all the cast members have stayed. Can you guess which one I'm refering to?

boop-bip-boop-bip-boop-bip-boop-bip

 

[Salvor-Hardon]

Not all the cast members have stayed. Can you guess which one I'm refering to?

boop-bip-boop-bip-boop-bip-boop-bip

The voice of Maude Flanders, Maggie Roswell.

 

[Salvor-Hardon]

..have been on the air since 1989. 20 seasons, 1 movie, and a contract with at least another two seasons in the mix. What do you think is the most amazing part of this? Personally, as I was watching the movie, I couldn't help but be impressed at the fact that all the cast members have stayed together through 440 episodes.

I think it is the writers, the minds that capture the wildness of everyday life and make it just one step farther. Too often I find myself referring to Simpson characters or events as a way to explain things and people I interact with.

I often tell people "You know the episode where Rev Lovejoy's daughter comes to visit? And lisa says 'it'll never work between you. She's a sweet innocnenn reverend's daughter, and you're the devil's cabana boy'. That's how my wife and I get along." And every one gets that.

 

[JagFarlane]

The voice of Maude Flanders, Maggie Roswell.

Hmmmm true she did leave for 3 seasons [thus why Maude died], but does come on to voice the occasional roles of Mrs Hoover/Helen Lovejoy/Louanne Van Houten

 

[JagFarlane]

I think it is the writers, the minds that capture the wildness of everyday life and make it just one step farther. Too often I find myself referring to Simpson characters or events as a way to explain things and people I interact with.

I often tell people "You know the episode where Rev Lovejoy's daughter comes to visit? And lisa says 'it'll never work between you. She's a sweet innocnenn reverend's daughter, and you're the devil's cabana boy'. That's how my wife and I get along." And every one gets that.

-nods- its pretty much part of pop culture. And for those of us in my generation...hell lol many of us can't recall much before The Simpsons first aired. [hehe my parents banned it for a couple years, then relented once my younger brother grew up a bit]

 

[voluptuary_manque]

I watched it once. I wasn't impressed. Haven't seen another.

 

[TE999]

Like Sal said, it's the writing that carries the show...the minimalist cartooning is effective, but only compliments the writing. As far as the cast staying with the show; doing cartoon voices is lucrative, you can do it whenever you choose to (within limits) in shorts or sweats, plus you can walk into a drug store or a supermarket and no one pesters you for an autograph. It's a win-win situation for an actor who isn't obscessed with fame and face time.

 

[JagFarlane]

Like Sal said, it's the writing that carries the show...the minimalist cartooning is effective, but only compliments the writing. As far as the cast staying with the show; doing cartoon voices is lucrative, you can do it whenever you choose to (within limits) in shorts or sweats, plus you can walk into a drug store or a supermarket and no one pesters you for an autograph. It's a win-win situation for an actor who isn't obscessed with fame and face time.

This reminds me of a little story they did on the guy who did Tony the Tiger. His voice was so well recognized...that he would be in the supermarket, and little kids would hear him and go "Do Tiger! Do the Tiger!". Of course, being the consummate gentleman he is...he would usually belt out "They'rrreeee Great!" for the kiddies.
RIP Thurl Ravenscroft.

 

[jomar]

Funny you should mention it. I was just thinking of their amazing run the other day.

 

[Katyusha]

I was thinking about this not too long ago. I love the show, I really do, and very few shows have a run this long and remain as popular as they are. I think The Simpsons has become so ingrained in television programming that it's a staple in people's minds; what would Fox do on Sundays and on weekday evenings without it?

 

[JagFarlane]

I was thinking about this not too long ago. I love the show, I really do, and very few shows have a run this long and remain as popular as they are. I think The Simpsons has become so ingrained in television programming that it's a staple in people's minds; what would Fox do on Sundays and on weekday evenings without it?

Have no idea. Here it runs every weekday night 5pm to 6pm. And while sometimes it feels the episodes are a little stale...every now and then you see one you haven't seen in forever and just grin.

 

[Katyusha]

Have no idea. Here it runs every weekday night 5pm to 6pm. And while sometimes it feels the episodes are a little stale...every now and then you see one you haven't seen in forever and just grin.

Ayup.

 

[doormouse]

Still makes me laugh... the one with Santa's Little Helper where Bart says something like, he's trying to jump over her, but can't... and when he says to Marge, everything was fine til his (the dog's) bitch moved in.

Gotta love the Simpsons.

 

[john-the-author]

They have stayed in part because there's a million dollar bonus in it for each of them if they do. IIRC, staying through the end of season 20 would result in $1M bonus for each of the main character voices.

 

[JamesSD]

Ahem.

Most Simpsons aficionados agree that the show peaked somewhere between Seasons 5 and 8. The transition from a Bart-centered to Homer-centered show occurred somewhere before there. The secondary cast was in place and established, and the characters all had their "voices" nailed, both literally and figuratively.

I think what's most impressive about the Simpsons is how successfully it has limped along since season 10 or so. While it still puts out a gem every now and then (Homer deciding to start marrying same sex couples springs to mind), it's gone from scheduled watching to just so-so in recent years. South Park does current events satire better, partially due to their amazingly fast turnaround time. Family Guy is more subversive and over the top.

Interestingly, I think Simpsons survived and thrived by transitioning from being a parody of family sitcoms to becoming one of the more consistently funny family sitcoms on TV. When it first debuted there was concern it was too subversive; now it's actually viewed as one of the more pro-religion shows on TV (the characters regularly attend church, God has made numerous appearances as an oversized hand). Despite their disagreements, flaws, and fights, at the end of the day, the family clearly has deep affection for each other, and functions as a stereotypical nuclear family.

It also has the benefit that the children don't have to grow old and leave the house, nor will the parents start looking like card carrying AARP members (see Family Ties, Growing Pains, etc). Full House wouldn't work today, with the Olsen twins in their mid-twenties and Uncle Jesse now 45. The Simpsons doesn't have to let its characters grow older and change.

Unfortunately, with such a deep history and never-aging characters, there definitely is some tendency for the situations to grow stale. I can recall watching shows in recent seasons and thinking "This was funny when they did it 7 years ago". But I also appreciate that their target market isn't necessarily my demographic who pops in their DVDs from when we were in High School and college. It's those kids who are in high school, and their parents who are still young enough to appreciate the humor with them.