The Simpsons season 9

The ninth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons originally aired on the Fox network from September 21, 1997, to May 17, 1998. The season premiered with "The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson" and concluded with "Natural Born Kissers". Mike Scully served as showrunner for the season.

The ninth broadcast season included three episodes with 4F-series production codes, holdovers from season eight, and two episodes with 3G-series codes, speculated to be relabeled from the seventh production season. This marked the first time a broadcast season included holdover episodes from two different production seasons.

Production

Mike Scully took over as showrunner for the ninth season, succeeding Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein. Several writers from previous seasons returned, including John Swartzwelder, George Meyer, and Al Jean, while new writers joined the staff.[[File:Sheen, Martin (2008).jpg|thumb|200px|right|Martin Sheen guest-starred as the real Seymour Skinner in the infamous episode "The Principal and the Pauper"[[File:Alex Trebek at the 71st Annual Peabody Awards (cropped).jpg|thumb|200px|Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek made a guest appearance as himself in the Christmas episode "Miracle on Evergreen Terrace"]]]]

James Earl Jones narrated the episode "Das Bus"

The ninth season also marked the final appearances of recurring characters Lionel Hutz and Troy McClure, both voiced by Phil Hartman. Hartman's final speaking role as Hutz was in the episode "Realty Bites". Following his death on May 28, 1998, both characters were retired from the series.

Episodes

The season consists of 25 episodes, starting with "The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson", which received positive critical reception for its humor and cultural references. The season also includes notable episodes such as:

• "The Principal and the Pauper": A controversial episode revealing Principal Skinner as an impostor, often cited as a turning point in the series' decline by critics.
• "Trash of the Titans": The series' 200th episode, featuring guest appearances by the band U2, which won a Primetime Emmy Award.
• "Lisa the Skeptic": Featuring Stephen Jay Gould as a guest star, blending satire and commentary on belief systems.

Recurring characters introduced this season include Manjula Nahasapeemapetilon and Cooder, while minor characters like the real Seymour Skinner also made their debuts.

Voice Cast

Main Cast

• Dan Castellaneta as Homer Simpson, Krusty the Clown, Grampa Simpson, Mayor Quimby, Groundskeeper Willie, and others
• Julie Kavner as Marge Simpson, Patty and Selma Bouvier
• Nancy Cartwright as Bart Simpson, Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggum
• Yeardley Smith as Lisa Simpson
• Hank Azaria as Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum, Apu, and others
• Harry Shearer as Mr. Burns, Waylon Smithers, Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner, Dr. Hibbert

Recurring Cast

• Pamela Hayden as Milhouse Van Houten
• Tress MacNeille as Agnes Skinner
• Maggie Roswell as Maude Flanders, Helen Lovejoy
• Marcia Wallace as Edna Krabappel

Guest Stars

• Martin Sheen as the real Seymour Skinner ("The Principal and the Pauper")
• James Earl Jones as the narrator ("Das Bus")
• Jay Leno, The Ramones, U2, Steve Martin, and others.

Reception and Legacy

The ninth season has received mixed reviews from both fans and critics. Some consider it the beginning of the show's decline after the "Golden Age" of seasons 3-8. The episode "The Principal and the Pauper" in particular has been widely criticized for its controversial twist revealing Principal Skinner as an impostor named Armin Tamzarian. Critics such as Matt Groening and Harry Shearer have expressed dissatisfaction with the episode, with Shearer stating it undermined established character development.

Despite criticism, the season received accolades and recognition.

Awards

• Primetime Emmy Awards:
  • "Trash of the Titans" – Outstanding Animated Program
  • Hank Azaria – Outstanding Voice-Over Performance for Apu Nahasapeemapetilon
  • Alf Clausen & Ken Keeler – Outstanding Music and Lyrics
• Annie Award: Best Animated Television Production
• Saturn Award: Best Network Television Series (nominated)
• Golden Reel Award: Best Sound Editing (nominated)

Home Media

The ninth season was released on DVD on:

• Region 1: December 19, 2006
• Region 2: January 29, 2007
• Region 4: March 21, 2007

The DVD set was released in two editions: a Lisa-shaped box and a standard rectangular box, similar to previous releases featuring family members' faces. Both editions included audio commentaries, deleted scenes, and behind-the-scenes content.

Ratings

The season maintained strong viewership despite critical debate over its content. It ranked No. 32 in U.S. household ratings with a 9.3 household rating and a 15% audience share, while achieving No. 18 in total viewers with an average of 15.3 million viewers per episode.

Nielsen ratings

In terms of households, the show ranked just outside the Top 30, coming in at No. 32 with a 9.3 household rating and a 15 percent audience share. However, in terms of total viewers, the show ranked within the Top 20, coming in at No. 18 for the season, (tying with Dateline Tuesday) and being watched by an average of 15.3 million viewers per episode.

DVD release

The DVD boxset for season nine was released by 20th Century Fox in the United States and Canada on December 19, 2006, eight years after it had completed broadcast on television. As well as every episode from the season, the DVD release features bonus material including deleted scenes, animatics, and commentaries for every episode. As with the two preceding seasons, the set was released in two different packagings: A "Collector's Edition" plastic packaging molded to look like Lisa's head, and a standard rectangular cardboard box featuring Lisa with a backstage pass to a show at a club. The menus continue the same format from the previous four seasons, and the overall theme is various characters waiting in line at a club.

The Complete Ninth Season
Set Details			Special Features
25 episodes 4-disc set 1.33:1 aspect ratio AUDIO English 5.1 Dolby Digital Spanish 2.0 Dolby Surround French 2.0 Dolby Surround SUBTITLES English SDH Spanish			Optional commentaries for all 25 episodes Introduction from Matt Groening Deleted Scenes The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson Lisa's Sax Treehouse of Horror VIII The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons Lisa the Skeptic Bart Carny The Joy of Sect Das Bus The Last Temptation of Krust Dumbbell Indemnity Lisa the Simpson This Little Wiggy Simpson Tide Girly Edition Trash of the Titans King of the Hill Special Language Feature Trash of the Titans Polish 2.0 Dolby Surround Portuguese 2.0 Dolby Surround German 2.0 Dolby Surround Japanese 2.0 Dolby Surround Animation Showcase The Principal and the Pauper Lisa the Simpson Illustrated commentary All Singing, All Dancing Lost Our Lisa Commercials Butterfinger - Aliens Butterfinger - Hit a Homer Butterfinger BB's - Philosophy CC's Chips - Parachutist CC's Chips - Homerdini "Sneak peek" at The Simpsons Movie Sketch Gallery
Release Dates
Region 1	Region 2	Region 4
December 19, 2006	January 29, 2007	March 21, 2007

See also

• List of The Simpsons episodes