I feel like I’m one of the lucky ones because I remember when The Simpsons first premiered. Not only that, but I feel the show was made for me. When it crashed onto the airwaves in December of 1989, I was an impressionable 9 year old who didn’t quite have a good grasp on the way the world worked. Luckily, The Simpsons was there to show me the way.
The Simpsons skewered everything with its irreverent humour, and pleasant cynicism towards topics such as religion, politics, television, nuclear power, education, mob mentality, and evil corporations. I would be one of the millions of loyal followers who would tune in every week to see what sacred cow this yellow skinned family would attack next with their brilliant use of satire and subversion.
So it’s 2007, and The Simpsons is currently in its 18th year of being the most influential television show ever. And now fans get what they have wanted since Homer first uttered that immortal phrase “D’oh!”: A MOVIE!
I don’t think I’ve ever anticipated a movie more than The Simpsons Movie. Star Wars fans can have their Star Wars movies. Comic book fans can have their comic book movies. But The Simpsons was my movie and no one was going to ruin that for me.
“The film would bring back some of the great showrunners of the series heyday.”
The anticipation was palpable. 7/11s across America were turning into Kwik E. Marts and selling Homer’s patented pick frosted donuts with sprinkles. A shrill marketing campaign for sure but it captured the imagination.
The film would bring back some of the great showrunners of the series heyday. Including Mike Scully, Mike Reiss, and my personal favorite David Mirkin, who ran the series during its fifth and sixth seasons. Which to me, are arguably the two funniest seasons ever to be put on television. These were the cream of the crop of the show’s writers. Lead by original creator Matt Greoning, and film and television superstar James L. Brooks.
So what happens in The Simpsons Movie? Well Homer falls in love with a pig, which causes a cataclysmic environmental catastrophe, sealing Springfield in a gigantic dome. The main villain is the Environmental Protection Agency lead by Russ Cargill (the always welcome Albert Brooks). He wants to blow up Springfield and it’s up to The Simpsons to save the town. In other words, it’s a regular episode which is bloated into a feature length plot.
“The Simpsons Movie does not disappoint. It has an invisible edginess which has always been a strength of the show.”
The film relies on the show’s legacy to streamline the characters, trusting we know who everyone is. Therefore, we can laugh when Bart skateboards naked through town. Or when Lisa is trying to save the environment. Or we see Mr. Burns releasing his hounds because it’s staying true to what they did on the show.
The Simpsons Movie does not disappoint. It has an invisible edginess which has always been a strength of the show. Unlike more adult cartoons such as South Park, which pushed the limits of good taste, there is an innocence and even a cheerful optimism to The Simpsons that goes down well when they add a bitter ounce of cynicism. But more often than not, the film version of the show feels more like a celebration. As it was perhaps the first of its many victory laps.
The Simpsons are heading into their 30th year on the air, being the longest running series ever. They have hit milestone after milestone. And even though they receive the endless criticism that they are no longer as funny as they used to be, they keep chugging along, with some moments of brilliance here and there.
The show may no longer be relevant or as important around water cooler, but its legacy remains intact. The one sour spot for me is that its longevity has now put it in the hands of Disney. A company which was even skewered in the film by Bart when he dresses up as Mickey Mouse and says “I’m the mascot of an evil corporation”.
“I like to think it’s the one show that taught me to be intelligent, and made me pay attention to the world.”
It’s a bit disheartening to know my beloved Simpsons, the show which could get away with anything, is now in the hands of the company who’s soul purpose seems to be owning every piece of entertainment known to man. I personally have no desire to see Homer share the screen with a Marvel or Star Wars character for the sake of profit.
However, what I will always keep with me is how The Simpsons changed my life. And made me not afraid to question authority. Or keep a healthy ounce of cynicism towards anything smacking of insincerity or greed. I like to think it’s the one show that taught me to be intelligent, and made me pay attention to the world. The film was made at a time I still felt that spirit, and it’s something that I will always keep with me. So in the immortal words of Nelson Muntz: Haw-Haw.
