Review of Simpsons, The: Season Four

Introduction

As we move to season 4 of The Simpsons, the show has really settled down and starts to hit its targets with alarming regularity. Whilst there are some duff episodes in the previous season, season 4 really doesn`t have any duffers, apart from the clip show perhaps.

The Simpsons was the show that the kids at school who had Sky all talked about, but it became more widely known in the UK over time. Simpson-mania started, as did the huge wave of merchandising which is still with us today.

Here`s what we get on this set:-

Kamp Krusty

Bart and Lisa want to go to summer camp at Kamp Krusty. As with most events or products heartily endorsed by the clown, it turns out to be rather less than they`d hoped for.

A Streetcar Named Marge

Marge takes to the stage for the musical version of A Streetcar Named Desire. A song in this episode caused lots of complaints from viewers in New Orleans as they didn`t really like some of the things it said about them.

Homer the Heretic

Homer meets God in a dream, and he tells him that he can stop going to church.

Lisa the Beauty Queen

Lisa is feeling insecure about her looks, so Homer trades his dream ride in the Duff blimp to enter her for a beauty contest. But when Lisa becomes a corporate pawn, she has second thoughts.

Treehouse of Horror III

Three episodes as ever. Clown Without Pity - Bart receives the rare talking Krusty doll as a birthday present. But it has a dark secret. King Homer features Homer as King Kong, and the classic line from Smithers that "Women and seamen don`t mix". Dial Z For Zombies finds Bart reading a book for his assignment - it just happens to be one which contains spells to raise the dead.

Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie

Bart lets down his parents once too often, and Homer finally applies some discipline - Bart will never be allowed to watch Itchy and Scratchy: The Movie.

Marge Gets a Job

Marge gets a job at the power plant to ease family financial worries. Mr Burns takes a shine to his new employee.

New Kid on the Block

A new family move in next door and Bart falls in love with the daughter. Her affections lie elsewhere though.

Mr. Plow

Homer is tempted by a Snow Plough, and decides to set up in business ploughing driveways. Barney then sets up a rival firm and the two go head to head.

Lisa`s First Word

Back to the past again as we find out what Lisa`s first word was.

Homer`s Triple Bypass

Dr. Nick Riviera has an offer for Homer - $129.95 for any operation. Homer just happens to need a heart bypass, and his insurance doesn`t cover him. Should he take up Dr. Nick`s offer?

Marge vs. the Monorail

Mr Burns is fined for illegal disposal practices. He fails when trying to get the money back by posing as Mr Snrub (a simple and cheap gag but still one of my favourites), and the town decide to blow it all on a monorail.

Selma`s Choice

Selma doesn`t want to end up like Aunt Gladys - dead, unmarried and childless. So she starts her search for a man, but taking Bart & Lisa to Duff Gardens gives her a new perspective.

Brother From the Same Planet

Bart gets a bigger brother from a government scheme to replace Homer as his father figure. Homer retaliates by getting himself a little brother.

I Love Lisa

Lisa sends Ralph valentine as she feels sorry for him, but gets herself into a messy situation.

Duffless

Homer`s license is suspended after being caught drink driving, so he gives up beer for a month. Lisa & Bart quarrel over science projects.

Last Exit to Springfield

Homer becomes the head of the Trade Union to negotiate a new contract with the power plant. Is Mr Burns over-estimating Homer`s skills?

So It`s Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show

Yes, the inevitable clip show, on the premise of Homer being in a coma in hospital. The family reminisce about past incidents.

The Front

Lisa and Bart ghost write their own Itchy and Scratchy cartoon, using Abe as cover. A stinging attack on the world of animation.

Whacking Day

Bart gets expelled and takes lessons at home, while Lisa tries to find ways to protest against Whacking Day, the annual snake bashing festival in Springfield. Barry White turns out to be just the ally she needs.

Marge in Chains

The dreaded Osaka Flu arrives Springfield, courtesy of a batch of dodgy juicers. Under pressure from her family, Marge forgets to pay for some items at the Kwik-E-Mart and goes to prison.

Krusty Gets Kancelled

Gabbo is the hot new thing in town and Krusty can`t cope. His show is cancelled, but Lisa and Bart help to organise a comeback special with plenty of star names.

Video

A standard full-frame transfer, as you would expect for an 11-12 year old TV show. The presentation of the source material is very good, even if the source material itself isn`t up to today`s standards. It`s bright and colourful, there`s more detail than in the episodes from previous seasons, and it`s definitely an improvement.

Klasky-Csupo were still in charge of animation for the first 2 episodes of the season (they were also the Duckman animators among other things). From episode 3 onwards the show moved animation duties to Film Roman, and they have stayed there ever since.

Audio

You can listen to a nice DD5.1 remix of the original stereo soundtrack. Whilst it`s not earth-shattering, it`s very good given the source material. It`s also nice to see that they`ve made the effort to remix the sound, as although it`s slightly false and forced at times, it does sound good overall. Purists will probably long for the original soundtrack as broadcast, but I think that this remix is fine and certainly wouldn`t opt for a soundtrack with less audio channels!

Features

Another nice little selection of extras.

As with other seasons, commentaries on each episode featuring various producers, directors and writers. The commentaries cover technical material, as well as stories from production and discussions of the impact of the show. A nice way to watch some of the episodes that you`ve seen a million times before (I know I have!)

We also get an introduction to the set from Matt Groening, a feature on George Bush vs. The Simpsons (George & Barbara both upset the producers with remarks about the show, so they hit back) and "The Cajun Controversy" (covering the issues raised by the song that offended New Orleans in A Streetcar Named Marge).

There are also deleted scenes for several episodes (including the option to watch some episodes with the scenes restored), animation showcases, storyboards and animatics. There`s also the option of watching an episode in several different languages, as well as a promotional feature which is designed to tell you all about The Simpsons if you knew nothing about them.

Watch out also for Easter Eggs.

Conclusion

The strongest season of the show released so far, and the start of a run of 4 or 5 excellent seasons in a row. This was the season when it all really took off, and the writers started cramming more gags and references into each episode. The regular supply of guest stars also began to ramp up during this season, with Bob Hope, Tom Jones, Linda Ronstadt, Adam West, Leonard Nimoy, Barry White, Bette Midler, Elizabeth Taylor, Hugh Hefner, Johnny Carson, Luke Perry and the Red Hot Chili Peppers all putting in a turn. This season`s "Treehouse of Horror" instalment is perhaps one of the weakest but even that always raises a smile.

My only slight gripe about the DVDs is the enforced copyright messages that appear on each episode if you watch them individually. When the disc starts up, fine, but not on every episode. Also, while the menus are nicer than previous seasons, some of the animations become annoying when all you want to do is watch an episode!

The picture is probably about as good as it could be, and the soundtrack is very nice indeed. Add to that the usual selection of extras (including commentaries for every episode), and you get a great set.

As with previous seasons, this one is packed up in a very good DVD box set. It really is a must for fans, even though it`s always on the TV. To be able to watch without annoying adverts is great. An excellent showcase of the show for the more casual viewer. Very highly recommended.