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A '''rating scale''' is a set of categories designed to elicit information about a [[quantitative]] attribute in social science. Common examples are the [[Likert scale]] and 1-10 rating scales for which a person selects the number which is considered to reflect the perceived quality of a product.
{{infobox television |[[Lop]]
== Background ==
| show_name = The Simpsons
| image = [[Image:C-SimpFamily.png|center|300px]]
| caption = Clockwise from top left: [[Homer Simpson|Homer]], [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]], [[Santa's Little Helper (The Simpsons)|Santa's Little Helper]], [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Snowball II]] and [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]].
| format = [[animated series|Animated]] [[Sitcom]]
| runtime = 22-23 Minutes
| creator = [[Matt Groening]]
| starring = [[Dan Castellaneta]]<br>[[Julie Kavner]]<br>[[Nancy Cartwright (actor)|Nancy Cartwright]]<br> [[Yeardley Smith]] <br> [[Hank Azaria]] <br> and [[Harry Shearer]]
| country = [[United States|USA]]
| network = [[Fox Broadcasting Company|FOX]]
| first_aired = [[December 17]], [[1989 in television|1989]]
| last_aired = present (renewed through [[2005]]-[[2006]]; signed through [[2007]]-[[2008]])
| num_episodes = [[List of The Simpsons episodes|356]]
| imdb_id = 0096697
|}}
'''''The Simpsons''''' is the longest-running [[animated series|animated television series]] in global TV history, with 17 seasons and 356 episodes since it debuted on [[December 17]], [[1989 in television|1989]] on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|FOX]], and is a [[spinoff]] of ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]''. The [[television series]] is produced by [[Gracie Films]] for [[20th Century Fox]].
In [[Psychometrics]], rating scales are often referenced to a statement which expresses an attitude or perception toward something. The most common example of such a rating scale is the Likert scale, in which a person is asked to select a category label from a list indicating the extent of disagreement or agreement with a statement.
Highly [[satire|satirical]], the show lampoons many aspects of the human condition, but primarily parodies the "[[Middle America (US)|Middle American]]" lifestyle, its titular family exhibits, and more generally [[United States | American]] culture, society, and even television itself. ''The Simpsons'' is seen by many critics as the greatest animated television program ever, including ''[[Time Magazine|Time]]'', who named it the best television show of the [[20th century]] in [[2000]]. Its influence on popular culture is unmatched to this day.
The basic feature of any rating scale is that it consists of a number of categories. These are usually assigned integers. For example, an example of the use of a Likert scale is as follows.
==Setting, characters and plot==
===Characters===
[[Image:simp.gif|thumb|right|450px|''The Simpsons'' sports a huge array of secondary characters.]]
The main characters were originally created by [[Matt Groening]] as part of a series of original animated segments for ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]].'' Over the course of the series Groening has used many of the themes present in his long-running [[comic strip]] series, ''[[Life in Hell]].'' (For instance, the idea of creative school children constantly being persecuted and suppressed by totalitarian grown-ups stems from the strip.) Many of the characters in ''The Simpsons'' take their names from [[List of characters from The Simpsons|important people and places in Groening's life]]—for example Lisa, Marge and Homer share names with Groening's sister, mother and father respectively.
:'''Statement:''' I could not live without my iPod.
The show's basic premise centers on the antics of the [[Simpson family|family]]: [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], their children [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]], the colorful citizens of Springfield, and occasional guest stars.
:'''Response options:'''
[[Image:Homer Simpson.png|left|thumb|100px|Homer Simpson]]
Homer, a safety inspector at the [[Springfield Nuclear Power Plant]], is a generally well-meaning [[buffoon]] whose short [[attention span]] often draws him into outrageous schemes and adventures. Marge was once intelligent and sophisticated, but has come to conform with the [[stereotype]] of [[homemaker|housewife]]/mother. Bart, the oldest sibling, is a troublemaker and classroom terror ("a vile burlesque of irrepressible youth" is how Lisa once described him) who thinks of himself as a rebel while Lisa is a brainy student, [[vegetarian]], [[Buddhist]] and [[jazz]] music fan who dreams of a better future (she is referred to as "the future of the family"). Maggie is an eternal [[baby]], and despite the fact that numerous years (and birthdays) clearly pass (for example, many Christmas episodes), the Simpsons do not appear to age. Some characters' ages have fluctuated throughout the years; this is most likely due to simple oversight on the part of the writers.
:*1. Strongly Disagree
The show also has a vast array of quirky supporting characters, including co-workers, teachers, family friends, extended relatives, and local celebrities. Many of these characters have developed a vast cult following of their own. For a comprehensive list, see [[List of characters from The Simpsons|characters from ''The Simpsons'']]. Some of these, like [[The Itchy & Scratchy Show|Itchy and Scratchy]], super-violent versions of [[Tom and Jerry (cartoon)|Tom and Jerry]]—are fictional even within the Simpsons universe—see [[Fictional characters within The Simpsons]].
:*2. Disagree
:*3. Agree
:*4. Strongly Agree
It is common to treat the numbers obtained from a rating scale directly as measurements by calculating averages, or more generally any [[arithmetic]] operations. Doing so is not however justified. In terms of the [[levels of measurement]] proposed by S.S. Stevens, the data are ordinal categorisations. This means, for example, that to agree strongly with the above statement implies a more favourable perception of iPods than does to agree with the statement. However, the numbers are not interval-level measurements in Stevens' schema, which means that equal differences do not represent equal intervals between the degree to which one values iPods. For example, the difference between strong agreement and agreement is not necessarily the same as the difference between disagreement and agreement. Strictly, even demonstrating that categories are ordinal requires empirical evidence based on patterns of responses (Andrich, 1978).
===Setting===
{{seedetails|Springfield (The Simpsons)}}
More than one rating scale is required to [[measurement|measure]] an attitude or perception due to the requirement for statistical comparisons between the categories in the [[polytomous Rasch model]] for ordered categories (Andrich, 1978). In terms of [[Classical test theory]], more than one question is required to obtain an index of internal reliability such as [[Cronbach's alpha]] (Cronbach, 1951) which is a basic criterion for assessing the effectiveness of a rating scale and, more generally, a psychometric instrument.
''The Simpsons'' is set in the fictional [[United States]] town of [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]]. Throughout the show's history fans have tried to determine where Springfield is by taking the town's characteristics, surrounding [[geography]] and nearby landmarks as clues (in the episode "Blame it on Lisa" Lisa's Brazilian orphan pen pal "I tried to write, but I didn't know what state you lived in." to which Lisa replies "It's a bit of a mystery, yes, but if you look at the clues, you'll figure it out."). However, both the town itself and its ___location are fictional. Nearly every state and region in the U.S. has been both suggested and ruled out by conflicting "evidence" of a ___location for Springfield, so that the town could theoretically be anywhere. It seems it is kept vague on purpose so any plot device may be used. For example, it is sometimes an oceanside port town, whereas other times it is not. In the episode "[[Behind the Laughter]]" the Simpsons are described as "a [[Northern Kentucky]] family"; however, the real [[Springfield, Kentucky|Kentucky town]] is not in that part of the state. In a later airing the ___location was changed to "southern [[Missouri]]" (the real [[Springfield, Missouri|Missouri city of that name]] is in southwest Missouri). Also, in the episode "[[Sweet & Sour Marge]]", it is mentioned that [[Tennessee]] is to the south of Springfield which would put them back in [[Kentucky]] or possibly, in [[Virginia]]. Some people claim, and with evidence from an episode suggesting they live near the [[West Coast of the United States]], that they are from [[Oregon]]; this theory also makes some sense because the show's creator, [[Matt Groening]], grew up in [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], and there is a [[Springfield, Oregon|real Springfield]] near [[Eugene, Oregon|Eugene]]. There also exists an episode in which it is possible to catch a split second glimpse of Homer Simpson's driver's license, which gives his address as "Springfield, NT 49007", the zip code 49007 belongs to [[Kalamazoo, Michigan]], but there is no state with the abbreviation NT (It has been said that "NT" stands for "Nice Try"--it has also been said that "NT" stands for "North Tacoma" or "New Tacoma"). It is also mentioned that the territory known as "West Springfield" is much larger than the state of Texas, returning us to the notion that it is a fictitious place.
== Rating scales used online ==
In one episode at a graveyard the characters throw dirt that blots out the grave of Adlai Stevenson (either the [[Adlai E. Stevenson|Vice President]] or [[Adlai Stevenson|Presidential candidate]] of the US) who was a well-known politician based in Illinois, implying [[Springfield, Illinois]]. Creator [[Matt Groening]] has stated that Springfield has much in common with [[Portland, Oregon]], the city he grew up in (see [http://www.portlandtribune.com/simpsons/ Matt Groening's Portland]), and the name "Springfield" was chosen because virtually every state has a town or city with that name. (See [http://www.snpp.com/guides/springfield.list.html Where Is The Simpsons' Springfield?] for more information on this issue.)
Rating scales are used widely online in an attempt to provide indications of consumer opinions of products. Examples of sites which employ ratings scales are [[IMDb]], [[Epinions.com]], [[Internet Book List]], [[Yahoo! Movies]], [[Amazon.com]], [[BoardGameGeek]], [[TV.com]] and [[Ratings.net]]. The [[Criticker]] website uses a rating scale from 0 to 100 in order to obtain "personalised film recommendations".
[[Animation]] scholars and fans have noted that the series uses the medium of animation to its advantage, allowing the show to take place in many settings and feature a far greater cast of characters than a live-action sitcom. The cost of having an episode of ''The Simpsons'' take place in the mountains, [[Europe]], the city park, or a cruise ship on the ocean (all of which simply use drawn and painted backgrounds) is hardly more than placing the family in the more conventional sitcom settings of a living room, a kitchen, and perhaps one or two related settings. This allows for far more flexibility in plot development than a typical live-action sitcom constrained by physical limitations and logistics.
In almost all cases, online rating scales only allow one rating per user per product, though there are exceptions such as ''Ratings.net'', which allows users to rate products in relation to several qualities. Most online rating facilities also provide few or no qualitative descriptions of the rating categories, although again there are exceptions such as ''Yahoo! Movies'' which labels each of the categories between F and A+ and BoardGameGeek, which provides explicit descriptions of each category from 1 to 10. Often, only the top and bottom category is described, such as on ''IMDb'''s online rating facility.
===Themes===
Authority, especially in undeserving hands, is a constant target of the show's often sharp satire. This probably explains the often strong negative reaction to the show from social [[conservative]]s. This negative reaction was most pronounced during the early seasons of the show. Nearly every authority figure in the show is portrayed unflatteringly: Homer is thoughtless and irresponsible, the antithesis of the ideal [[1950s]] TV father, though he always comes through for his family in the end. [[Marge Simpson]] is also of the 50's stereotype category, and exercises tyrannical control over her family to ease her own loneliness. Springfield [[police]] chief [[Wiggum family|Clancy Wiggum]] (voiced by [[Hank Azaria]] in an [[Edward G. Robinson]]-influenced tone) is obese, stupid, lazy, corrupt and not overly concerned with constitutional rights (not to mention that he somewhat resembles a pig). [[Joe Quimby|Mayor Quimby]] — who sounds like [[John F. Kennedy]] — is a corrupt, spendthrift womanizer. [[Seymour Skinner]] (who sounds like [[Charles Kuralt]]), the principal of Springfield Elementary School, is an uptight, humorless bachelor who lives with his domineering mother. He has frequent flashbacks to his capture and imprisonment by the [[Viet Cong]], and in early seasons, Skinner was repeatedly likened to [[Norman Bates]] in ''[[Psycho]]'' though this ultimately was dropped later on in the series. [[Edna Krabappel|Ms. Edna Krabappel]] is Bart's, and sometimes Lisa's, depressed elementary school teacher who is impatient and ignorant of her class, and demands darkness and silence when she is hung over. [[Reverend Lovejoy]], the pastor of the local [[church]], is judgmental and moralistic (but only regarding other people), with a monotonous voice that always puts Homer to sleep during Sunday sermons. While most of these characters are more incompetent than truly evil there is one true sadist: [[Montgomery Burns]], owner of the Springfield Nuclear Plant and Homer Simpson's boss. Evil and cruel, [[Montgomery Burns]] is aided in his campaign of terror against the residents of Springfield by his trusted assistant [[Waylon Smithers]], who secretly harbors an unrequited love for Burns.
With each user rating a product only once, for example in a category from 1 to 10, there is no means for evaluating internal [[reliability (statistics)|reliability]] using an index such as [[Cronbach's alpha]]. It is therefore impossible to evaluate the [[validity]] of the ratings as measures of viewer perceptions. Establishing validity would require establishing both reliability and accuracy (i.e. that the ratings represent what they are supposed to represent).
[[Image:Simpsons 350.jpg|thumb|left|Promotional artwork for ''The Simpsons<nowiki>'</nowiki>'' milestone 350th episode.]]
During the more recent years of Simpsons production, some social conservatives have come to embrace the show. One of the main explanations of this shift is that the Simpsons portrays a traditional nuclear family among a lineup of television sitcoms that now portray less traditional families. The show has toyed with the possibility of extramarital affairs, such as when Homer falls for a female nuclear technician who shares his love of donuts, or when Marge's ex-boyfriend [[Artie Ziff]] tries to rekindle their old romance. Nevertheless, these affairs never occur, and by the end of every episode, Homer and Marge's marriage is strongly affirmed. Social conservatives and some [[evangelical Christians]] have also pointed to the positive role model of devout Christian [[Ned Flanders]], whose fretfulness is occasionally ridiculed but whose decency never wavers despite constant provocation from Homer. In several episodes, God actually intervenes to protect the Flanders family, invoking such Protestant concepts as [[Predestination]]. As compared with the Simpsons family, the Flanders family is relatively well-off and less dysfunctional, fulfilling certain theories expressed by sociologist [[Max Weber]] in his seminal work, ''[[The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism]]''.
Another fundamental issue is that online ratings usually involve convenience [[sampling (statistics)|sampling]] much like television polls, i.e., they represent only the conglomeration of those inclined to submit ratings.
Race relations are also the subject of satire in the show, as the handful of [[African-American]] characters are almost always portrayed as being more intelligent and rational than their "Yellow" counterparts. Some people interpret this as a satire of Hollywood and liberal TV's portrayal of exaggerated 'reverse stereotypes' in which the computer genius is always a black actor. For instance, [[Dr. Hibbert]], despite a tendency to laugh at the most inappropriate times, is arguably among the least dysfunctional characters in the series, and is certainly more professionally qualified for medical practice than [[Dr. Nick Riviera]]. Furthermore, Officer Lou is constantly lecturing [[Chief Wiggum]] on his inept law enforcement practices, and even Homer's co-worker Carl occasionally lambasts Homer's stupidity.
Sampling is one factor which can lead to results which have a specific bias or are only relevant to a specific subgroup. To illustrate the importance of such factors, consider an example. Suppose that a film's marketing strategy and reputation is such that 90% of its audience are attracted to the particular kind of film; i.e. it does not appeal to a broad audience. Suppose also that the film is very popular among the audience that does see the film and, in addition, that those who feel most strongly about the film are inclined to rate the film online. This combination may lead to very high ratings of the film which do not generalize beyond the people who actually see the film (or possibly even beyond those who actually rate it).
The show also routinely mocks and satirizes show business conventions and personalities. [[Krusty the Clown]] has an enthusiastic following among Springfield's kids, but offstage he is a jaded, cynical hack, in poor health from a long history of overindulgence and substance abuse. He will endorse any product for a price. [[Kent Brockman]] is a self-important, spoiled TV news anchorman with little regard for [[journalism|journalistic]] ethics, possibly thanks to the fact that he won the lottery in one episode. Viewers also learn that Brockman went by the name 'Kenny Brockelstein' in the [[1960s]], but that he anglicized by the time the Simpsons episodes of the [[1990s]] take place. Many wealthy characters are members of the [[United States Republican Party|Republican Party]], which meets in a dark castle. Even [[Rupert Murdoch]] -- whose corporate empire includes The Simpsons' broadcast network, Fox -- has been gently spoofed in a couple of episodes. In fact, Fox itself has been ridiculed many times, and [[Fox News]] has been portrayed as extremely biased towards conservatives. On October 29, 2003, Matt Groening said that Fox News almost sued him over an episode that featured a Fox News Crawl with items such as "do Democrats cause cancer" and "92 per cent of Democrats are gay". The lawsuit was promptly dropped after Fox News realized that The Simpsons was under Murdoch's umbrella.
Qualitative description of categories is an important feature of a rating scale. For example, if only the points 1-10 are given without description, some people may select 10 rarely whereas other may select the category often. If, instead, "10" is described as "near flawless", the category is more likely to mean the same thing to different people. This applies to all categories, not just the extreme points. Even with category descriptions, some may be harsher raters than others. Rater harshness is also a consideration in marking essays in educational contexts. [http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:o1l_qRDI9QwJ:www.cambridgeesol.org/rs_notes/rs_nts13.pdf+rater+harshness+references&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4].
{{seealso|List of The Simpsons episodes by theme}}
These issues are also compounded when aggregated statistics such as averages are used for lists and rankings of products. User ratings are at best [[levels of measurement|ordinal]] categorizations. While it is not uncommon to calculate averages or means for such data, doing so cannot be justified because in calculating averages, equal intervals are required to represent the same difference between levels of perceived quality. The key problems with aggregate data based on the kinds of rating scales commonly used online are as follow:
===Plots===
*Averages should not be calculated for data of the kind collected.
Episode plots rarely follow any sort of linear course, often taking several digressions to move storylines in unexpected directions. For example, the description of the 2003 episode "[[Dude, Where's My Ranch?]]" offered to [[Shaw Cable]] subscribers reads: "After [[David Byrne]] turns Homer's anti-(Ned) Flanders song into a monster hit, the family vacations at a [[dude ranch]], where Lisa falls in love."
*It is usually impossible to evaluate the reliability or validity of user ratings.
*Products are not compared with respect to explicit, let alone common, criteria.
*Only users inclined to submit a rating for a product do so.
*Data are not usually published in a form that permits evaluation of the product ratings.
==References==
The plots of most episodes focus on the adventures of one particular family member, frequently Homer. However the plots have never been particularly predictable or constant and tend to be very character-driven. Recurring themes in episodes include:
*[[Homer Simpson|Homer]] gets a new job (Simpson writers had Homer count 30 of them in a recent episode but the [[List of Homer Simpson's jobs|actual list]] is far longer) or attempts to make money in a [[get-rich-quick scheme]].
*[[Marge Simpson|Marge]] attempts to escape the monotony of keeping house by finding employment or taking up a hobby.
*[[Bart Simpson|Bart]] causes a large problem and attempts to fix it.
*[[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] embraces or advocates the merits of a particular political cause or group.
*The entire family goes on vacation. (Because of these vacations the entire family has been to every [[continent]] on Earth with the exception of [[Antarctica]].)
*[[Abraham Simpson|Grandpa Simpson]] or Grandma Simpson needs help sorting out issues from their past and calls upon the main Simpsons family.
* Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. ''Psychometrika, 16'', 297-333.
There are several types of scenes that recur often and have become conventions of the show's storytelling style. Examples of these stock scenes include:
* Andrich, D. (1978). A rating formulation for ordered response categories. ''Psychometrika'', 43, 357-74.
==See also==
* A scene at the very beginning of the show in which the family goes somewhere together, like a cartoon festival or a cider mill. After a few minutes there, the main plot begins.
*[[Voting system]]
* A scene, often near the middle of the show, in which Homer and Marge are in bed together discussing the events of the story so far.
*[[Rotten Tomatoes]]
* A scene in which the family is eating dinner together and talking about the events of the plot. Conceptually this is very similar to the "Homer and Marge in bed" scenes, but including Bart and Lisa.
*[[Metacritic]]
* A scene in the morning in which Marge is preparing breakfast, and the kids and Homer are eating before going to work or school as they talk about what they are going to do. This is often near the start of the episode.
* A scene in which Homer is at [[Moe's Tavern]] escaping the hassles of work and family to be with his friends.
* A scene in which one or more Simpsons are watching a TV program, which the viewer watches along with them.
* A crowd scene, in which the entire town of Springfield convenes to witness some notable event, protest something, attend a civic meeting, or even start a riot. Many recurring minor characters appear and speak.
* TV [[anchorman]] [[Kent Brockman]] reporting on the events of the plot.
* Scenes that cut from the main action to show what a secondary character, like Krusty or Mr. Burns, is doing at the time.
* A fantasy in which one of the Simpsons imagines how something might turn out.
* A scene in which someone shows up in the Simpsons' living room for no reason.
==Trademarks==
===Opening sequence===
[[Image:Simpsons chalkboard gag.jpg|thumb|A typical [[Bart chalkboard gags|chalkboard gag]].]]
''The Simpsons'' opening sequence is one of the show's most memorable trademarks. Almost every episode opens with a title shot coming through the [[cumulus]] clouds and into the school where Bart is writing sentences on the class [[chalkboard]], presumably set as a punishment by one of his teachers for some mischievous deed or wayward comment; Homer is shown leaving the power plant, with Mr Burns and Smithers in the background (second season onwards); Marge and Maggie are shown checking out at the supermarket with Maggie travelling across the scanner, ringing up at $847.63, the then-annual cost of raising a baby (although a 'trivia question' shown as a wraparound for commercials during the episode "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular" claims that the register says "NRA4EVER" — [[National Rifle Association]] For Ever, ironically and comedically portraying the liberal writers of the show as gun-crazed right-wingers); The sequence then introduces Lisa (who leaves a band rehearsal, usually playing a different saxophone solo); the family is then shown on their way to their house at 742 Evergreen Terrace (the address varied in the beginning, but the writers now use 742 Evergreen Terrace exclusively). The members of the family weave dangerously through traffic and in between fellow (and, from the second season onward, familiar) Springfield denizens, all miraculously reaching home at the exact same time. Upon entering, they all speed towards the family room couch where, in comedic parallel with the audience, they settle to watch their "must-see" TV show.
For each episode, the sequence includes four variations: Bart writes something different on the chalkboard, Lisa plays a different solo on her [[saxophone]], Homer screams in a different way (only done in the first couple of seasons), and the family attempts to sit on the couch as something goes awry in an often [[surrealism|surreal]] manner.
[[Image:Simpsons couch gag.jpg|thumb|left|A memorable [[Simpsons couch gag|couch gag]].]]
In the [[TV syndication|syndicated]] version, part or all of the opening sequence is usually cut in order to include more [[Television commercial|commercial]]s in the show's allotted timeslot.
The "[[Simpsons couch gag|couch gag]]" sequence is frequently used to help show staff make the show longer or shorter, depending on the length of the episode itself. Most couch gags last only about five seconds, but the longest one on record lasted 46 seconds.
The first season opening sequence featured a number of differences from the later seasons, including a shot of Lisa riding her bike on the way home and Bart's way home consisting of snatching a bus stop sign, forcing several dazed Springfieldians to chase the bus, rather than just riding past a number of well-known characters.
The series' distinctive theme tune was [[composer|composed]] by [[musician]] [[Danny Elfman]]. The current arrangement is orchestrated by [[Alf Clausen]].
{{seealso|Bart chalkboard gags}}
{{seealso|Simpsons couch gag}}
===Halloween episodes===
{{main|Treehouse of Horror}}
[[Image:Bart Night Gallery.jpg|thumb|Bart introducing a segment of "[[Treehouse of Horror IV]]" in the manner of [[Rod Serling]]'s ''[[Night Gallery]]''.]]
An annual tradition is a special [[Halloween]] episode consisting of three separate, self-contained pieces. These pieces usually involve the family in some [[Horror film|horror]], [[science fiction]], or supernatural setting; they always take place outside the normal continuity of the show (and are therefore considered to be non-[[canon (fiction)|canon]]), and completely abandon any pretense of being realistic. Regular Simpsons characters play humorous special roles, occasionally being killed in gruesome ways by zombies, monsters, or even each other. These Halloween segments have parodied many classic horror and science fiction films; often one of the segments spoofs an episode of ''[[The Twilight Zone]]''. Some include "[[Nightmare at 20,000 Feet (The Twilight Zone)|Nightmare at 20,000 Feet]]", "[[To Serve Man (The Twilight Zone)|To Serve Man]]", "[[Living Doll (The Twilight Zone)|Living Doll]]", "[[It's a Good Life (The Twilight Zone)|It's a Good Life]]", and "[[Little Girl Lost (The Twilight Zone)|Little Girl Lost]]"
The tradition began in the second season episode ''[[Treehouse of Horror]]'', with Bart and Lisa telling scary stories to each other in their [[treehouse]] while Homer secretly listened in. Neither Bart nor Lisa was scared, but Homer was terrified.
In later years the series dropped the framing device of characters telling stories, but kept the ''Treehouse'' title; for several years the characters broke the [[fourth wall]] and introduced their pieces directly to the audience. In ''[[Treehouse of Horror II]]'' the writers decided to give the cast and crew of the show scary names in the opening and closing credits (like "Mad Matt Groening" and "James Hell Brooks"). This also became a tradition, and has been done in every Halloween episode except ''I'', ''XII'', and ''XIII''. The names have changed in subsequent seasons. Another mainstay of the Halloween shows is the appearance of the two [[Aliens in fiction|space aliens]] Kang and Kodos, introduced in the second segment of the first "Treehouse of Horror."
In a section of ''[[Treehouse of Horror VI]]'' called ''Homer³'', Homer and Bart go into a [[3D computer graphics|three-dimensional]] world created by [[DreamWorks Animation|Pacific Data Images]], a [[computer animation]] company. This segment from the Halloween show was also used as a segment of a film shown in the [[IMAX]] cinema in London and Sydney. This was one of the few times The Simpsons have strayed from their traditional 2D animation, along with a live action cameo by [[Live with Regis and Kathie Lee|Regis and Kathie Lee]] in ''Treehouse of Horror IX'', a couple of [[claymation]] scenes in ''[['Tis The Fifteenth Season]]'' featuring ''The California Prunes'' and [[Jimmy Stewart]], and a live action couch gag consisting of a sketchbook being flipped by a hand to make the characters run towards the couch and sit down. Another recent episode featured a CGI trailer for a comedy about humanoid playing cards.
===Guest celebrities===
{{see|List of celebrities on The Simpsons}}
Many episodes feature [[celebrity]] guests contributing their voices to the show, as either themselves (especially during the middle of the Simpson's years, ie seasons 7 to 13) or as fictional characters (mainly during the early and later seasons).
==Production/history==
[[Image:Simpsons on Tracey Ullman.png|thumb|250px|right|The primordial [[Simpson family]] on ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]''.]]
The Simpson family first appeared in animated form as [[The Tracey Ullman Show shorts|shorts on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'']], with the first short "Good Night" airing on [[April 19]], [[1987 in television|1987]]. Matt Groening admits the reason that they were so crudely drawn in the beginning was because he could not draw well and the animators did nothing more than just trace over his drawings. The shorts were never aired by the [[BBC]] in the [[United Kingdom|UK]], though some of them, including "Good Night", were included in a ''Simpsons'' anniversary episode. ''The Simpsons'' was converted, by a team of production companies that included what is now the [[Klasky-Csupo]] animation house, into a series for the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox Network]] in [[1989 in television|1989]] and has run as a weekly show on that network ever since. The first full length episode shown was "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]", however the intended first episode was "[[One Enchanted Evening]]", but when "One Enchanted Evening" was completed it was rejected due to poor animation, so Fox aired "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" first.
''The Simpsons'' was the first true TV series hit for Fox; it was the first Fox show to appear in the top twenty highest-rated shows of the time. It also sparked controversy, as Bart Simpson was portrayed as a rebellious troublemaker who caused trouble and got away with it. Parents' groups and conservative spokespersons felt that a cartoon character like Bart Simpson provided a poor [[role model]] for children. When a ''Simpsons'' T-shirt was marketed featuring Bart and the logo "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')", ''Simpsons'' T-shirts and other [[merchandise]] were banned from public schools in several areas of the [[United States]].
[[Image:TIME Best of 1990.jpg|left|thumb|150px|[[Bart Simpson|Bart]] appears on the cover of a 1990 ''[[TIME]]'' issue.]]
The outcry against Bart was reflected in the second season opener, featuring an episode called ''[[Bart Gets an F]]'' where Bart's school wants to make him repeat the fourth grade. In this episode, the school counselor quotes the controversial T-shirt by stating, "He is an underachiever... and proud of it."
In September [[1990 in television|1990]], [[Barbara Bush]] said in an interview for [[People magazine|''People'' magazine]] that ''The Simpsons'' was the dumbest thing she had ever seen. Six years later, an episode had [[George H. W. Bush|George]] and Barbara Bush move to Springfield and leave after George gets involved in a feud with the Simpson family (in a style reminiscent of [[Dennis the Menace]] and [[Mr. Wilson]]). Mr. and Mrs. Bush were both portrayed by voice actors. One of the ''Simpsons'' [[DVD]] sets includes a special feature that presents an exchange of letters between the First Lady and show staff. In another address, Mr. Bush said that America needed to be closer to [[The Waltons]] than to The Simpsons, causing Bart to say they were a lot like the Waltons, since they were both praying for an end to [[the Depression]].
The writers have shown a love for [[cameo appearance]]s by celebrities and extended [[pastiche]]s of contemporary and classic [[film|movies]], as well as subtle visual jokes.
On [[February 9]], [[1997 in television|1997]] ''The Simpsons'' surpassed ''[[The Flintstones]]'' as the longest-running [[prime time]] animated series in America, however it has not yet beaten several Japanese [[anime]] series such as [[Sazae-san]] (which has been running since 1969) and [[Doraemon]] (running since 1979). In January [[2003]], it was announced that the show had been renewed by Fox through [[2005]] — meaning it has replaced ''[[The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet]]'' ([[1952]] to [[1966]]) as longest-running sitcom (animated or [[live-action]]) ever in the United States. In [[2004]], the series was renewed through its 19th season. Some take the view that ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet'' should continue to be counted as the longest-running sitcom as ''The Simpsons'' is animated, not live-action, although this view is declining as more authorities unambiguously credit ''The Simpsons'' as television's longest-running sitcom.
In its [[1998]] issue celebrating the greatest achievements in arts and entertainment of the [[20th Century]], ''[[TIME]]'' magazine named ''The Simpsons'' the century's best television series. In that same issue, Bart Simpson was named to the [[Time 100]], the publication's list of the century's 100 most influential people. He was the only fictional character on the list.
[[Image:Simpsons Hollywood Walk of Fame.jpg|right|thumb|The Simpsons' star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]]]]
Since the series originated as part of ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', it is also considered the longest running and most successful spinoff of all time.
Over the years, virtually every Simpsons character has appeared on a magazine cover, ranging from ''[[TIME]]'' to ''[[Christianity Today]]'' and even ''[[Airliners (magazine)|Airliners]]''.
''The Simpsons'' has won dozens of awards since it debuted as a series, including 21 [[Emmy Award]]s, 22 [[Annie Award]]s, a [[Peabody Award|Peabody]] and numerous others. On [[January 14]], [[2000 in television|2000]] the Simpsons were awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].
The [[voice actor]]s have been involved in much-publicized pay disputes with Fox on more than one occasion. In [[1998 in television|1998]], the voice actors stopped working, forcing [[20th Century Fox]] TV to increase their salary from $30,000 per episode to $125,000. The actors were supported in their action by series creator Matt Groening. [http://www.snpp.com/other/interviews/groening99e.html] As the revenue generated by the show continued to increase through syndication and DVD sales, six actors (playing over 50 characters) — [[Dan Castellaneta]], [[Julie Kavner]], [[Nancy Cartwright]], [[Yeardley Smith]], [[Hank Azaria]], and [[Harry Shearer]] — stopped showing up for script readings in April [[2004 in television|2004]] after weeks of unsuccessful negotiations with Fox. They asked for $360,000 per episode, or $8 million for a 22-episode season. On [[May 2]], [[2004]], the actors resolved their dispute with Fox after having their demands met. The universally reported claim that this dispute was in fact a full-blown strike is denied by Harry Shearer. [http://www.metronews.ca/column_tube_talk.asp?id=2347&cid=650]
From season 9, the show has drawn criticism from some fans for straying too far from its comedic structure, for becoming too "mainstream," and changing character personalities without explanation. Some consider its parody of the prequel [[Star Wars]] trilogy in the episode [[Co-Dependent's Day]] being very harsh considering the show's own "downfall." These attacks have been countered by less hardcore fans stating that the show was always more or less mainstream, and nonsensical personality changes and the structural changes were done in a spirit of creative experimentation, and has not damaged the show (see Criticism).
===Producers===
The series has gone through numerous [[executive producer]]s, also known as [[show runner]]s, throughout its run. The showrunner is in charge of every aspect of the show for a season.
*'''Season 1–2:''' [[Matt Groening]], [[James L. Brooks]], and [[Sam Simon]]
*'''Season 3–4:''' [[Al Jean]] and [[Mike Reiss]]
*'''Season 5–6:''' [[David Mirkin]]
*'''Season 7–8:''' [[Bill Oakley]] and [[Josh Weinstein]]
*'''Season 9–12:''' [[Mike Scully]]
*'''Season 13–present:''' [[Al Jean]]
===Voice actors and their characters===
All episodes (with the exception of one) list only the voice actors (not the characters they voice) in keeping with the mystique of having the audience not associate any one character with an actor — this is to discourage the audience from easily identifying exactly which [[voice actor]] did what. [[Yeardley Smith]] and [[Marcia Wallace]] are the only cast members who only do one voice, though both have on occasion voiced one-shot characters.
Here is a list of all the major voice actors and the characters they voice:
====Regular cast====
[[Image:Dan Castellaneta.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Dan Castellaneta]] provides the voice of [[Homer Simpson]] and many other characters.]]
* [[Dan Castellaneta]]: ''Homer Jay Simpson'', ''Abraham "Grampa" Simpson'', ''Santa's Little Helper'', ''Barney Gumble'', ''Krusty The Clown'', ''Groundskeeper Willie'', ''Mayor Quimby'', ''Gil'', ''Sideshow Mel'', ''Itchy'', ''Hans Moleman'', ''Scott Christian'', ''Kodos'', ''Poochie'', ''Louie'', ''Bill'', ''Leopold'', ''Captain Lance Murdock'', ''Big Rich Texan'', ''Squeaky-voiced Teen'', ''Blue-Haired Lawyer'', ''Arnie Pie'', ''Mr. Teeny'', and others.
* [[Julie Kavner]]: ''Marjorie "Marge" Bouvier Simpson'', ''Patty Bouvier'', ''Selma Bouvier'', ''Mrs. Jacqueline "Jackie" Bouvier'', ''Aunt Gladys Bouvier''.
* [[Nancy Cartwright (actor)|Nancy Cartwright]]: ''Bartholomew Jo-Jo "Bart" Simpson'', ''Nelson Muntz'', ''Todd Flanders'', ''Ralph Wiggum'', ''Kearney'', ''Database'', ''Margaret "Maggie" Simpson'' (occasional), and others.
* [[Yeardley Smith]]: ''Lisa Marie Simpson''.
* [[Hank Azaria]]: ''Apu Nahasapeemapetilon'', ''Moe Szyslak'', ''Chief Clancy Wiggum (sounds like [[Edward G. Robinson]])'', ''Comic Book Guy (or Jeff Albertson)'', ''Officer Lou'', ''Carl Carlson'', ''Dr. Nick Riviera (sounds like [[Desi Arnaz|Ricky Ricardo]])'', ''Snake'', ''Luigi'', ''Bumblebee Man'', ''Captain McCallister'', ''Akira'', ''Professor John Frink'', ''Cletus Spuckler (or Delroy)'', ''Kirk van Houten'', ''Duffman'', ''Crazy Old Man'', ''Superintendent Chalmers'', ''Drederick Tatum'', ''Legs'', ''Disco Stu'', ''Raphael (or Sarcastic Clerk)'', and others.
* [[Harry Shearer]]: ''Waylon Smithers, Jr.'', ''Ned Flanders'', ''Principal Seymour Skinner (sounds like [[Charles Kuralt]])'', ''Otto Mann'', ''Reverend Timothy Lovejoy'', ''Dr. Julius Hibbert'', ''Jasper'', ''Lenny Leonard'', ''Officer Eddie'', ''Rainier Wolfcastle a.k.a. McBain'', ''Scratchy'', ''Marty'', ''Dr. Marvin Monroe'', ''Kang'', ''Kent Brockman'', ''Herman'', ''Judge Snyder'', ''Charles Montgomery Burns'', and others.
====Recurring guest stars====
* [[Marcia Wallace]]: ''Mrs. Edna Krabappel'' (1990–present).
* [[Maggie Roswell]]: ''[[Maude Flanders]]'', ''Helen Lovejoy'', ''Miss Elizabeth Hoover'', ''Luann van Houten'', and others (1990–1999, 2002–present).
* [[Marcia Mitzman Gaven]]: ''Maude Flanders'', ''Helen Lovejoy'', ''Miss Elizabeth Hoover'', ''Luann van Houten'', and others. (When Maggie Roswell quit the show from 1999–2002)
* [[Pamela Hayden]]: ''Milhouse van Houten'', ''Rod Flanders'', ''Jimbo "Corky" Jones'', "Janey Powell," and others.
* [[Russi Taylor]]: ''Sherri, Terri, Martin Prince, Uter, Lewis, Wendell, and others.'' (1990–present)
* [[Karl Wiedergott]]: ''Various'' (1998–present)
* [[Tress MacNeille]]: ''Lindsay Naegle'', ''Mrs. Agnes Skinner'', ''Cookie Kwan'', ''Dolph'', ''Brandine Del Roy'', ''Mrs. Glick'', and others.
* [[Frank Welker]]: ''Santa's Little Helper and other animals'' (1991–present)
* [[Phil Hartman]]: ''Lionel Hutz'', ''Troy McClure''; (both characters were "retired" after Hartman's death) as well as one-shot characters Lyle Lanley, Evan Conover, and others. (1991–1998)
* [[Doris Grau]]: ''Lunchlady Doris''; her character also retired after her death. (1989–1995)
* [[Joe Mantegna]]: ''Anthony "Fat Tony" D'Amico'' (1991–present)
* [[Kelsey Grammer]]: ''Sideshow Bob'' (1990–present)
* [[Jon Lovitz]]: ''Artie Ziff, Aristotle Amandopolis, Jay Sherman, Llewellyn Sinclair, and others'' (1991–present)
* [[Jan Hooks]]: ''Manjula Nahasapeemapetilon'' (1997–present)
* [[Jane Kaczmarek]]: ''Judge Constance Harm'' (2001–present)
===Writing===
[[John Swartzwelder]] is the most famous of the writers on the Simpsons' staff. He has written the most episodes. According to the DVD commentaries, he used to write episodes while sitting at a booth in his favourite restaurant. When the restaurant closed down, he bought the booth and had it installed in his house.
Current late-night talkshow host [[Conan O'Brien]] was a writer during the fourth and fifth season. He wrote "[[New Kid on the Block]]" (9F06), "[[Marge vs. the Monorail]]" (9F10), "[[Homer Goes to College]]" (1F02) and "[[Treehouse of Horror IV]]" (1F04).
[[Ian Maxtone-Graham]] has been a prominent writer for ''The Simpsons'' since the eighth season, and the most reviled by fans.
The character [[Professor Frink|Professor John Frink]] was named for writer/producer [[John Frink]].
===Animation===
<div class="infobox" style="width: 40em;">
'''Overseas animation studios involved:'''
'''[[AKOM]]'''—189 episodes
*Exclusively produced the first two seasons of the series.
*Produced various episodes throughout the run of the series.
'''[[Anivision]]'''—55 episodes
*Produced animation for episodes from seasons 3-10.
'''[[Rough Draft Studios]]'''—110 episodes
*Produced animation for episodes from season four onwards.
'''[[U.S. Animation, Inc.]]'''—2 episodes
*Jointly produced "[[Radioactive Man (Simpsons)|Radioactive Man]]" with Anivision.
*Produced "[[The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular]]"
'''[[Toonzone Entertainment]]'''—2 episodes
*Produced "[[The Fat and the Furriest]]" and "[[She Used to Be My Girl]]".
</div>
''The Simpsons'' has been animated by many different studios over the past 18 years, both domestic and overseas. Throughout the run of the animated shorts on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', the animation was solely produced domestically at [[Klasky Csupo]]. Klasky Csupo was also the animation studio during the first three seasons of the half-hour length series, however, due to the increased workload, production was now being subcontracted to overseas studios, usually in [[Korea]], where labor is cheaper. While character and background layout is done by the domestic studio, [[inbetween]]ing, coloring and filming is done by the overseas studios. Throughout the years, different overseas studios have animated different episodes, even episodes within the same season.
During season four, [[Gracie Films]] made a decision to switch domestic production to [[DPS Film Roman]], which continues to animate the show to this day. The last episode to be animated by Klasky Csupo was "[[A Streetcar Named Marge]]".
After season 13, production was switched from traditional [[Traditional animation#Traditional ink-and-paint and camera|cel animation]] to [[Traditional animation#Digital ink-and-paint|digital ink and paint]]. Originally, the switch was intended to happen during season 12 with the episode "[[Tennis the Menace]]", but after seeing the results, Gracie Films decided to hold off for two more seasons. Tennis the Menace, however, being already completed, was broadcast this way.
=== Episodes ===
''See main article: [[List of The Simpsons episodes]]''
"The Simpsons" is one of the longest running TV shows ever created. By the end of its 16th season, the show had accumulated 356 episodes.
==Cultural impact==
===Effect on the English language ===
A number of [[neologism]]s that started on ''The Simpsons'' have entered common usage. The most famous of which is Homer's saying: "[[D'oh!]]", which is referred to in scripts, as well as three episode names, as "annoyed grunt". ''D'oh'' is now listed in the [[Oxford English Dictionary|OED]], but without the apostrophe. "D'oh" is the accepted spelling, and is certainly the most common; the [[closed captions]] for the program (at least in the U.S.), however, spell it "D-OHH".
Groundskeeper Willy's phrase, "[[cheese-eating surrender monkeys]]", used to describe the [[France|French]], was picked up by U.S. politicians and publications in [[2003]], after France's opposition to the proposed [[2003 invasion of Iraq|invasion of Iraq]].
The expression "excellent" — drawn out as a sinister and breathy "eeeexcelllent..." in the style of Montgomery Burns — has also entered popular use, as have Homer's triumphant "Woohoo!" and [[Nelson Muntz]]'s mocking "HA-ha!". "Woohoo" subsequently became the catch phrase of Melissa Joan Hart's portrayal of [[Sabrina The Teenage Witch]].
Homer's unsporting exclamation of "IN YOUR FACE!" when triumphing in an argument with someone has gained popularity too, particularly in the [[United Kingdom]].
On [[Slashdot]] and [[Fark.com|Fark]], one particular meme: "I for one welcome our new <Insert topic here> overlords" stems from a quote of Kent Brockman from the episode "[[Deep Space Homer]]".
The character [[Waylon Smithers]]. Since the debut of the show, the term "Smithers" has become a common synonym for a spineless underling.
The show's creators also take pride in having passed on schoolyard rhymes to a new generation of children who otherwise may not have heard them.
{{seealso|Made-up words in The Simpsons}}
===Fans' criticism===
In spite of the devotion the show has inspired among its fans (or perhaps because of it) there has been an extraordinary amount of analysis of the show's weakest periods, especially among its most ardent fans. This brand of criticism is distinct from the broader debate over the show's sociopolitical themes that have drawn fire from both ends of the political spectrum.
Fans hold a wide range of views on which period in the show's history was the best. Some prefer the earliest seasons, particularly 2 and 3, when the show focused more on realistic, character-driven humor instead of what they perceive as cheap, throwaway gags. Others prefer seasons 4-7, when Al Jean/Mike Reiss, David Mirkin and Bill Oakley/Josh Weinstein were the showrunners. Under Mirkin, the show began to focus more and more on social satire, as well as shifting focus away from young Bart to Homer.
In contrast, seasons 9-12 and the appointment of [[Mike Scully]] as showrunner are often considered to be the show's lowest point creatively. While Scully's tenure featured a great deal of development of the show's supporting cast of characters (most notably Edna Krabappel, Principal Skinner, Ralph Wiggum, and Mr. Burns), it was highly criticized for shifting attention away from the Simpsons, with the exception of Homer. The show also became heavily reliant on celebrity guest stars (who almost always were cast to play themselves) and often episodes bent the rules of realism in order to justify these types of episodes.
But the biggest criticism of Scully's tenure as showrunner was his reinvention of Homer. Many fans believe that under Scully, the character of Homer became unrealistically stupid and uncaring in most episodes, while inexplicably contradicting his own political and moral beliefs in others. This reinvention, referred to as "Jerkass Homer" by online fans, caused a large backlash from many longtime fans of the series, who felt the show had [[jumping the shark|jumped the shark]]. Many such fans welcomed the return of Al Jean as showrunner, calling it a return to the show's roots. However, many Simpson fans believe that the show should end. They feel that the show has been in a decline for several years. It's doubtful this will occur in the forseeable future as the franchise is considered as profitable as ever for Fox.
In the meantime, the fierce debate among fans over the best and worst episodes, seasons, characters, etc. is a target for satire on the show itself. The recurring character known as [[Comic Book Guy]] is an obssessive and snobbish pop culture junkie who offers unsolicited opinions on a range of media, including cartoons. In season 8's "[[The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show]]," he snarkily condemns an episode of [[The Itchy & Scratchy Show|"Itchy & Scratchy"]] as the "Worst. Episode. Ever." This three-word injunction has not only become a favorite piece of dialogue among fans; it has ironically been adopted by those fans as a catchphrase in their ever-harsh criticism of their most-despised Simpsons episodes.
===Academia===
Serious academic work has been done on the show. Simpsons-related publications include:
*''Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation'' by Chris Turner ISBN 0679313184
*''Leaving Springfield: The Simpsons and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture (Contemporary Film and Television Series)'' by John Alberti ISBN 0814328490
*''The Simpsons And Society: An Analysis Of Our Favorite Family And Its Influence In Contemporary Society'' by Steven Keslowitz ISBN 1587362538
*''The Gospel According to the Simpsons: Leaders Guide for Group Study'' by Mark I. Pinsky, Samuel F. Parvin ISBN 066422590X
*''The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer'' by William Irwin (Editor), Mark T. Conard (Editor), Aeon Skoble (Editor) ISBN 0812694333
*''The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family'' by Mark I. Pinsky ISBN 0664224199
*''The Gospel According to Bart: Examining the Religious Elements of The Simpsons'' by Beth L. Keller
==Simpsons publications==
===Comics===
[[Image:Simpsons comic books.jpg|thumb|''Simpsons'' comic books]]
Numerous different Simpsons-related [[comic book]] series have been published by [[Bongo Comics]] since [[1993]].
*Simpsons Comics and Stories ([[1993]])
*[[Simpsons Comics]] ([[1993]]–present)
*[[Bartman]] ([[1993]]–[[1995]])
*[[Itchy and Scratchy Comics]] ([[1993]]–[[1994]])
*[[Radioactive Man]] ([[1994]]–present)
*[[Krusty Comics]] ([[1995]])
*Lisa Comics ([[1995]])
*[[Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror]] ([[1995]])
*[[Bart Simpson Comics]] ([[2000]]–present)
*[[Futurama Simpsons Infinitely Secret Crossover Crisis]] ([[2002]])
The Simpsons and Futurama comics are also reprinted in the [[UK]], under the same titles, with various stories from the other Bongo series reprinted in the main Simpsons comic.
===Music===
Music has been a recurring theme in The Simpsons with virtually all members of the cast breaking into song at least once during the course of the series. Perhaps the best known song is ''"[[Do the Bartman]]"'', that was released as a single and became an international success.
*[[The Simpsons Sing the Blues]] ([[1990]])
*[[Songs in the Key of Springfield]] ([[1997]])
*[[The Yellow Album]] ([[1998]])
*[[Go Simpsonic with The Simpsons]] ([[1999]])
===DVDs and videos===
Many episodes of the show have been released on [[DVD]] and [[VHS]] over the years. When the first season DVD was released in 2001, it quickly became the best-selling television DVD in history (although it would later be overtaken by the first season of [[Chappelle's Show]]). The six DVD volumes rank as the best-selling television DVD series of all time. In particular, these DVDs have been released in [[North America]] (Region 1) and [[Europe]] (Region 2):<br/>
[[Image:Simpsons DVDs.jpg|thumb|300px|''Simpsons'' DVDs]]
'''Box sets'''
*[[The Simpsons DVDs#The Complete First Season|The Complete First Season]] (Region 1: [[25 September]] [[2001]]/Region 2: [[24 September]] [[2001]])
*[[The Simpsons DVDs#The Complete Second Season|The Complete Second Season]] (Region 1: [[6 August]] [[2002]]/Region 2: [[8 July]] [[2002]])
*[[The Simpsons DVDs#The Complete Third Season|The Complete Third Season]] (Region 1: [[26 August]] [[2003]]/Region 2: [[6 October]] [[2003]])
*[[The Simpsons DVDs#The Complete Fourth Season|The Complete Fourth Season]] (Region 1: [[15 June]] [[2004]]/Region 2: [[2 August]] [[2004]])
*[[The Simpsons DVDs#The Complete Fifth Season|The Complete Fifth Season]] (Region 1: [[21 December]] [[2004]]/Region 2: [[21 March]] [[2005]])
*[[The Simpsons DVDs#The Complete Sixth Season|The Complete Sixth Season]] (Region 1: [[August 16]] [[2005]]/Region 2: [[17 October]] [[2005]])
'''Individual DVDs'''
*[[The Simpsons DVDs#The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror|The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror]] ([[September]] [[2003]])
*[[The Simpsons DVDs#Christmas with the Simpsons|Christmas with the Simpsons]] ([[October]] [[2003]])
*[[The Simpsons DVDs#The Simpsons Gone Wild|The Simpsons Gone Wild]] ([[September]] [[2004]])
*[[The Simpsons DVDs#The Simpsons Christmas 2|The Simpsons Christmas 2]] ([[November]] [[2004]])
*[[The Simpsons DVDs#Bart Wars|Bart Wars]] ([[May]] [[2005]])
'''The Simpsons—Classics''' ''(Region 2: IE/UK only. DVD versions of original VHS releases)''
*Bart Wars ([[September]] [[2003]])
*Dark Secrets of The Simpsons ([[September]] [[2003]])
*Greatest Hits ([[September]] [[2003]])
*Too Hot for TV ([[September]] [[2003]])
*The Simpsons Go to Hollywood ([[September]] [[2003]])
*Heaven and Hell ([[August]] [[2004]])
*On Your Marks, Get Set, D'Oh! ([[August]] [[2004]])
*Sex, Lies and The Simpsons ([[August]] [[2004]])
*The Simpsons Against the World ([[August]] [[2004]])
*The Simpsons.com ([[August]] [[2004]])
*Crime and Punishment ([[April]] [[2005]])
*The Last Temptation of Homer ([[April]] [[2005]])
*Raiders of the Lost Fridge ([[April]] [[2005]])
*Springfield Murder Mysteries ([[April]] [[2005]])
*Viva Los Simpsons ([[April]] [[2005]])
===Video games===
With the incredible popularity of the Simpsons, especially amongst children, it was only natural for the video game industry to turn to the characters and world of Springfield. While there have always been flops, the vast majority of the Simpsons games did very well in the market and some, namely ''The Simpsons: The Arcade Game'' and ''Bart vs. the Space Mutants'', are considered minor video game classics in their own right.
*''[[The Simpsons Pinball]]''—[[Data East]] ([[1990]])
*''[[Bart vs. the World]]''—[[Commodore Amiga]], [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] and [[Sega Master System]] ([[1991]]–[[1993]])
*''[[Bart Simpson's Escape from Camp Deadly]]''—[[Game Boy]] ([[1991]])
[[Image:Simpsons video games.jpg|thumb|280px|''Simpsons'' video games through the years.]]
*''[[The Simpsons: The Arcade Game]]''—[[Arcade game|Arcade]], [[IBM PC]] and [[Commodore 64]] ([[1991]])
*''[[Bart vs. the Space Mutants]]''—NES, Sega Master System, [[Sega Genesis]], [[Game Gear]], [[Atari ST]], Commodore Amiga, [[ZX Spectrum]], [[Amstrad]], and PC ([[1991]]—[[1992]])
*''[[Bart's House of Weirdness]]''—PC ([[1992]])
*''[[Bart vs. the Juggernauts]]''—Game Boy ([[1992]])
*''[[Krusty's Fun House]]''—NES, Game Boy, PC, Sega Master System, Sega Genesis, [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]], Commodore Amiga ([[1992]]–[[1993]])
*''[[Bartman Meets Radioactive Man]]''—NES, Game Gear ([[1992]]–[[1993]])
*''[[Bart's Nightmare]]''—Sega Genesis and Super NES ([[1993]])
*''[[The Itchy and Scratchy Game]]''—Sega Genesis, Super NES and Game Gear ([[1994]])
*''[[Virtual Bart]]''—Sega Genesis and Super NES ([[1994]])
*''[[Bart and the Beanstalk]]''—Game Boy ([[1994]])
*''[[The Simpsons Cartoon Studio]]''—PC ([[1996]])
*''[[Virtual Springfield]]''—PC ([[1997]])
*''[[Night of the Living Treehouse of Horror]]''—[[Game Boy Color]] ([[2001]])
*''[[The Simpsons Wrestling]]''—[[PlayStation]] ([[2001]])
*''[[The Simpsons Road Rage]]''—[[PlayStation 2]], [[Xbox]], and [[GameCube]] ([[2001]])
*''[[Simpsons Skateboarding]]''—PlayStation 2 ([[2002]])
*''[[The Simpsons Road Rage (GBA)|The Simpsons Road Rage]]''—[[Game Boy Advance]] ([[2003]])
*''[[The Simpsons Hit & Run]]''—PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, and PC ([[2003]])
*''[[The Simpsons Pinball Party]]''—[[Stern Pinball]] ([[2003]])
===Books===
*''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]''
*''[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]]'' (episode guide for the shorts and seasons 1-8)
*''[[The Simpsons Forever!: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family ...Continued]]'' (episode guide for seasons 9 and 10)
*''[[The Simpsons Beyond Forever!: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family ...Still Continued]]'' (episode guide for seasons 11 and 12)
*''[[Big Bad Book of Bart Simpson]]''
*''[[The Simpsons Guide to Springfield]]''
*''[[The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album]]''
*''[[Planet Springfield]]''
*''[[The Homer Book]]''
*''[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]''
*''[[The Bart Book]]''
*''[[The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family ]]''
*''[[The Gospel According to the Simpsons: Leaders Guide for Group Study ]]''
And the next "Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family," along with ''The Ralph Wiggum Book'', and ''Comic Book Guys Guide to Pop Culture'' will be released on [[October 31]], [[2005]]; it will be called ''[[The Simpsons One Step Beyond Forever!: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family ...Continued Yet Again]]''. It will be an episode guide for seasons 13 and 14.
===Movie===
Talk about a possible feature-length ''Simpsons'' movie has been going on since the early days of the series. The episode "[[Kamp Krusty]]" was originally going to be a movie, but became a regular episode after difficulties were encountered in trying to expand the script to feature-length.
Rumors were circulated on the [[Internet]] about a movie already being in development, but it was not until [[2004]] that any were confirmed. In that year, producers announced a theatrical movie is in the very early stages of development, and that it will not be released until after the series ends. With the series being renewed for a twentienth season, an estimated premiere date was set for the summer of [[2008]]. This was confirmed by [[20th Century Fox]] [[June 6]], [[2005]]. Just like the series, the movie will be animated (Matt Groening recently turned down a proposal to make a [[live action]] film based on the characters, as this would likely ruin the franchise and anger fans) and will star the six main voice actors: [[Dan Castellaneta]], [[Julie Kavner]], [[Nancy Cartwright (actor)|Nancy Cartwright]], [[Yeardley Smith]], [[Hank Azaria]], [[Harry Shearer]], and most likely [[Marcia Wallace]], [[Maggie Roswell]], [[Pamela Hayden]], and [[Tress MacNeille]]. It is speculated that there will also be guest stars appearing in large roles or [[cameo appearance|cameo]]s. [[IMDb]] has also created a page for [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462538/combined ''[[The Simpsons]]'' movie], and claims a release date of November [[2008]].
It is not yet known whether movie production is a signal that the television run of ''The Simpsons'' is expected to end before its release. There are numerous examples, however, of television series continuing to run after spinning off a feature film, including ''[[Dragnet (drama)|Dragnet]]'', ''[[The X-Files]]'', ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'', ''[[South Park]]'' and ''[[Beavis and Butt-head]]''.
News website [http://corona.bc.ca Corona] posted a popular [[April Fool's Day]] describing [http://web.archive.org/web/20000511131708/www.corona.bc.ca/films/details/simpsonsmovie.html fictional plans] for a live action movie.
==Similar TV shows==
*''[[The Honeymooners]]'' ([[1952]]-[[1970]])
*''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' ([[1975]]-present)
*''[[Taxi (TV series)|Taxi]]'' ([[1978]]-[[1983]])
*''[[Cheers]]'' ([[1982]]-[[1993]])
*''[[ALF (television)|ALF]]'' ([[1986]]-[[1990]])
*''[[Seinfeld]]'' ([[1989]]-[[1998]])
*''[[Frasier]]'' ([[1993]]-[[2004]])
*''[[The Critic]]'' ([[1994]]-[[1995]])
*''[[Everybody Loves Raymond]]'' ([[1996]]-[[2005]])
*''[[King of the Hill]]'' ([[1997]]-present)
*''[[South Park]]'' ([[1997]]-present)
*''[[Family Guy]]'' ([[1999]]-[[2002]], [[2005]]-present)
*''[[Futurama (TV series)|Futurama]]'' ([[1999]]-[[2003]])
*''[[Malcolm in the Middle]]'' ([[2000]]-present)
*''[[American Dad]]'' ([[2005]]-present)
*''[[Father of the Pride]]'' ([[2004]])
==External links==
[http://www.rasch-analysis.com/ How to apply Rasch analysis]
[[Category:Psychometrics]]
{{wikiquotefrom}}
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/ ''The Simpsons'' Official Website]
*[http://www.snpp.com/ The Simpsons Archive]
*{{imdb title|id=0096697|title=The Simpsons}}
*''[http://www.bcdb.com/bcdb/page.cgi?g=20th_Century_Fox/Television/The_Simpsons/index.html The Simpsons]'' at the [[Big Cartoon DataBase]]
*''[http://www.tv.com/the-simpsons/show/146/summary.html The Simpsons]'' at [[TV.com]]
*''[http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/ The Simpsons]'' on [[BBC.co.uk]]
*''[http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/S/simpsons/ The Simpsons]'' on [[Channel 4]]
* {{Google Video Search1|The+Simpsons|The Simpsons}}
[[Category:The Simpsons|Simpsons, The]]
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