The sixth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons originally aired on the Fox network from September 4, 1994, to May 21, 1995. The season consists of 25 episodes and continues to follow the daily lives of the Simpson family—Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie—set in the fictional town of Springfield. The show humorously explores American culture, society, television, and various aspects of human behavior.
Production
Showrunners and Staff Changes
David Mirkin returned as showrunner and executive producer for the sixth season, having led the previous season. However, due to Fox's demand for 25 episodes, former showrunners Al Jean and Mike Reiss returned to produce two episodes ("A Star Is Burns" and "'Round Springfield") with the staff of their series The Critic to reduce the workload on The Simpsons' writing staff.
The writing team expanded this season, with several writers receiving their first credits, including David X. Cohen, Jonathan Collier, Jennifer Crittenden, Brent Forrester, Ken Keeler, Bob Kushell, David Sacks, Mike Scully, Joshua Sternin, and Jennifer Ventimilia. Notable returning writers included Greg Daniels, Bill Oakley, Josh Weinstein, John Swartzwelder, and Jon Vitti.[1][2]
The directing team saw new additions as well, with Steven Dean Moore and Swinton O. Scott III making their directorial debuts.
Controversy Over The Critic Crossover
The episode "A Star Is Burns", a crossover with The Critic, sparked controversy among the show's staff. Series creator Matt Groening opposed the crossover, considering it promotional content for The Critic, which he had no involvement with. Groening ultimately removed his name from the episode's credits.
Episodes
The season includes several highly regarded episodes, such as:
- "Treehouse of Horror V" – Notable for the Shining parody and time-traveling toaster segment.
- "Homer the Great" – Featuring the Stonecutters and the song "We Do".
- "Bart's Girlfriend" – Guest starring Meryl Streep as Jessica Lovejoy.
- "Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)" – A cliffhanger finale that ended the season with a major mystery.
The premiere episodes, "Bart of Darkness" and "Lisa's Rival", were holdovers from season five due to production delays caused by the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
Cast and Characters
Main Cast
- Dan Castellaneta as Homer Simpson, Grampa Simpson, Krusty the Clown, 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, Professor Frink, Apu, and others
- Harry Shearer as Mr. Burns, Principal Skinner, Ned Flanders, Waylon Smithers, and others
Recurring Cast
- Pamela Hayden as Milhouse Van Houten
- Maggie Roswell as Maude Flanders, Helen Lovejoy
- Russi Taylor as Martin Prince
- Tress MacNeille as Agnes Skinner
- Marcia Wallace as Edna Krabappel
Guest Stars
The season featured several high-profile guest stars, including:
- Mel Brooks ("Homer vs. Patty and Selma")
- Winona Ryder ("Lisa's Rival")
- Meryl Streep ("Bart's Girlfriend")
- Patrick Stewart ("Homer the Great")
- Kelsey Grammer as Sideshow Bob ("Sideshow Bob Roberts")
Reception and Legacy
The sixth season received widespread critical acclaim and is considered part of the show's "Golden Age." The writing was praised for its clever satire, while episodes such as "Treehouse of Horror V", "Itchy & Scratchy Land", and "Bart vs. Australia" were frequently highlighted in retrospective reviews.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the season holds a 100% approval rating based on multiple critical reviews.
Awards
- Primetime Emmy Award:
- "Lisa's Wedding" – Outstanding Animated Program
- Annie Awards:
- Best Animated Television Program
- Nancy Cartwright won for Outstanding Voice Acting
- Additional Nominations:
- Alf Clausen – Outstanding Music Composition ("Treehouse of Horror V")
- Clausen and John Swartzwelder – Outstanding Music and Lyrics ("We Do")
- "Bart vs. Australia" – Sound Mixing Nomination
Home Media Release
The sixth season was released on DVD in the United States on August 16, 2005, with releases in other regions following in September and October of the same year. The DVD set was originally released with a plastic Homer head-shaped box, which drew criticism from fans. Due to the backlash, Fox offered an alternative standard box design with a "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" theme for a shipping fee.[3]
The DVD set included:
- Commentary tracks for each episode
- Deleted scenes
- Animatics and promotional materials
Ratings and Broadcast
Fox returned The Simpsons to its original Sunday night time slot, where it has remained ever since. The sixth season was the network's highest-rated show and consistently ranked among the top programs during its airing.
Key Ratings:
- "Bart of Darkness" premiered with a Nielsen rating of 8.9.
- "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" finale concluded the season with a rating of 8.7.
| The Complete Sixth Season | ||||
| Set Details[4][5] | Special Features[4][5] | |||
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| Release Dates | ||||
| Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | ||
| August 16, 2005 | October 17, 2005[5] | September 28, 2005[6] | ||
See also
References
- ↑ Mirkin, David. (2005) Commentary for "Homer vs. Patty and Selma", in The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
- ↑ Keeler, Ken. (2005) Commentary for "A Star Is Burns", in The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
- ↑ "The Simpsons" into the program field and "1994 - 1995" as the date range
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Template:Cite web
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Template:Cite web
- ↑ Template:Cite news