List of The Simpsons episodes (seasons 1–20)

Matt Groening, shown here in 2010, created The Simpsons, which premiered on December 17, 1989.

<section begin=head/>The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a satirical depiction of a dysfunctional middle-class American lifestyle starring the eponymous family: Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. Set in the town of Springfield, the show lampoons both American culture and the human condition. The family was conceived by Groening shortly before a pitch for a series of animated shorts with producer James L. Brooks. Groening named each character (other than Bart) after members of his own family. The shorts became part of the Fox series The Tracey Ullman Show on April 19, 1987. After a three-season run, the sketch was developed into a half-hour prime-time hit show.

From the series debut on December 17, 1989, to May 17, 2009, The Simpsons had broadcast its first 441 episodes, to the end of the twentieth season. The show holds several American television longevity records. It is the longest-running prime-time animated series and longest-running sitcom in the United States. On April 28, 1994, The Simpsons reached its 100th episode in the fifth season. With its twentieth season (2008–09), the series tied Gunsmoke in seasons as the longest-running American prime-time scripted television series, and surpassed Gunsmoke in this record with the twenty-first season premiere on September 27, 2009.

Episodes of The Simpsons have won dozens of awards, including 31 Emmys (ten for Outstanding Animated Program), 30 Annies, and a Peabody. The Simpsons Movie, a feature-length film, was released in theaters worldwide on July 26 and 27, 2007 and grossed US$526.2 million worldwide. The first twenty seasons are available on DVD in regions 1, 2, and 4, with the twentieth season released on both DVD and Blu-ray in 2010 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the series. On April 8, 2015, showrunner Al Jean announced that there would be no more DVD or Blu-ray releases, shifting focus to digital distribution, although this was later reversed on July 22, 2017. Almost two years later, on July 20, 2019, it was announced that Season 19 would be released on December 3, 2019, on DVD.

On April 26, 1998, The Simpsons reached its 200th episode in its ninth season, its 300th episode on February 2, 2003, in the fourteenth season, and its 400th episode in the eighteenth season on May 20, 2007, which is also the last episode of the series to air before the release of The Simpsons Movie.

Episodes

Season 5 (1993–94)

Template:Main The fifth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons originally aired on the Fox network from September 30, 1993, to May 19, 1994. Produced by Gracie Films and 20th Century Fox Television, the season was primarily overseen by showrunner David Mirkin, who executive produced 20 episodes. Al Jean and Mike Reiss, former showrunners, executive produced the remaining two episodes, which were holdovers from the previous season.

This season contains several of the series' most acclaimed episodes, including "Cape Feare", "Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy", "Homer Goes to College", "Deep Space Homer", and "Rosebud". The 100th episode of the series, "Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song", also aired during this season. The season received critical acclaim and was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards. It won an Annie Award for Best Animated Television Program, as well as an Environmental Media Award and a Genesis Award.

The DVD box set for the fifth season was released in Region 1 on December 21, 2004, Region 2 on March 21, 2005, and Region 4 on March 23, 2005.

Production

The fifth season marked David Mirkin's first as showrunner, succeeding Al Jean and Mike Reiss. Several key writers from earlier seasons, including Jay Kogen, Wallace Wolodarsky, and Sam Simon, left after season four. The episode "Cape Feare", which aired during this season, was the last written by the original writing team.

David Mirkin was the show runner for this season.

Conan O'Brien, who had been with the series since the fourth season, left midway through season five to become the host of Late Night with Conan O'Brien. His last writing credit was "Homer Goes to College".

The season introduced several new writers, including Greg Daniels, Jace Richdale, and Dan McGrath. Mike Scully wrote "Lisa's Rival", which was produced during this season but aired in season six. New directors included Bob Anderson and Susie Dietter, both of whom had previously worked as part of the animation staff.

Episodes

The season opened with "Homer's Barbershop Quartet", chosen as the premiere due to its guest appearance by George Harrison. The episode "Cape Feare", featuring Kelsey Grammer as Sideshow Bob, was produced last by the original writing team and is widely regarded as a classic.

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin guest starred as himself in the episode "Deep Space Homer"

"Deep Space Homer", written by David Mirkin, was controversial among the writers due to its ambitious premise of sending Homer into space. Ultimately, the episode was reworked to focus on Homer’s relationships and personal heroism, leading to its critical success.

The season's 100th episode, "Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song", was centered on Bart and Principal Skinner. It was promoted as "Bart's biggest prank ever," although it revolves around Bart accidentally getting Skinner fired rather than a deliberate prank.

Recurring characters introduced this season include Cletus Spuckler ("Bart Gets an Elephant") and the Rich Texan ("$pringfield") along with minor characters Luigi and Baby Gerald.

Cast

Main Cast

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

Recurring Cast

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

Guest Stars

• George Harrison as himself ("Homer's Barbershop Quartet")
• Kelsey Grammer as Sideshow Bob ("Cape Feare")
• Buzz Aldrin as himself ("Deep Space Homer")
• The Ramones as themselves ("Rosebud")
• Conan O'Brien as himself ("Bart Gets Famous")

Reception

The fifth season received critical acclaim and holds a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Episodes like "Cape Feare" and "Rosebud" have frequently appeared on lists of the best episodes in the series' history.

Awards

• Annie Award: Best Animated Television Program
• Environmental Media Award: Best Television Episodic Comedy ("Bart Gets an Elephant")
• Genesis Award: Best Television Comedy Series ("Bart Gets an Elephant")
• Primetime Emmy Awards: Nominations for Outstanding Music and Lyrics and Outstanding Music Composition ("Homer and Apu", "Cape Feare")

The season was also nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Genre Television Series and a Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy.

Ratings

The season continued to air on Thursdays at 8:00 pm, paired with The Sinbad Show. "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" premiered with a Nielsen rating of 12.7, while "Treehouse of Horror IV" was the highest-rated episode of the season, earning a Nielsen rating of 14.5 and attracting approximately 24 million viewers. The season finale, "Secrets of a Successful Marriage", scored a 9.8 rating.

Home Media

The complete fifth season was released on DVD in three regions:

• Region 1: December 21, 2004
• Region 2: March 21, 2005
• Region 4: March 23, 2005

DVD release

File:The Simpsons - Season 5 DVD menu.png

The menu for the first disc of The Complete Fifth Season; the new format of menus has since been used in the rest of the released season box sets

The DVD boxset for season five was released by 20th Century Fox in the United States and Canada on December 21, 2004, ten 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. The menus are a different format than the previous seasons, and that format would be used in every set after. It is the last box set that features the Simpson family on television.

The Complete Fifth Season
Set details			Special features
22 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 22 episodes Introduction from Matt Groening Animation Showcases "A Look Back" with James L. Brooks Deleted Scenes Homer's Barbershop Quartet Cape Feare Homer Goes to College Rosebud Treehouse of Horror IV The Last Temptation of Homer $pringfield Homer the Vigilante Bart Gets Famous Homer and Apu Homer Loves Flanders Burns' Heir Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song The Boy Who Knew Too Much Special Language Feature Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song Czech 2.0 Dolby Surround Polish 2.0 Dolby Surround Hungarian 2.0 Dolby Surround Italian 2.0 Dolby Surround Commercials Butterfinger - I've Been Robbed Butterfinger - Crime of the Century T.G.I. Friday's - Homer Simpson Ramada Inn - Ramada's In THX Trailer Illustrated commentaries Audio outtakes Original sketches
Release dates
Region 1	Region 2	Region 4
December 21, 2004	March 21, 2005	March 23, 2005

Season 6 (1994–95)

Template:Main 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 was showrunner for this season

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.

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.

Mel Brooks appeared as himself in "Homer vs. Patty and Selma"

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.

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			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 Animatics Illustrated commentaries Deleted Scenes Bart of Darkness Itchy & Scratchy Land Sideshow Bob Roberts Treehouse of Horror V Homer Badman Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy Fear of Flying Homer the Great And Maggie Makes Three Bart's Comet Homie the Clown Bart vs. Australia Homer vs. Patty and Selma A Star Is Burns Lisa's Wedding Two Dozen and One Greyhounds The PTA Disbands 'Round Springfield The Springfield Connection Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One) Special Language Feature Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One) French (France) 2.0 Dolby Surround Spanish (Spain) 2.0 Dolby Surround Czech 2.0 Dolby Surround Russian 2.0 Dolby Surround Sketch Gallery - "Who Shot Mr Burns" Suspect Profiles Commercials Church's Chicken - Picnic Church's Chicken - Piggy Bank 1-800 Collect TV Special - "Springfield's Most Wanted" Featurette - The Simpsons Plane Introduction with James L. Brooks
Release Dates
Region 1	Region 2	Region 4
August 16, 2005	October 17, 2005	September 28, 2005

See also

• List of The Simpsons episodes

References

Season 9 (1997–98)

Template:Main 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

Season 13 (2001–02)

Note: This is the last season to entirely use cel animation. Template:Main Template:End

Season 14 (2002–03)

Note: From "The Great Louse Detective" onward, digital ink and paint are used for episodes. Template:Main Template:End

Season 19 (2007–08)

Note: This is the last season to air entirely in standard definition. Template:Main Template:End

Season 20 (2008–09)

Note: Beginning with "Take My Life, Please", the series is presented in high definition. Template:Main Template:End

See also

• The Simpsons shorts
• "The Simpsons Guy" – a crossover episode of Family Guy

References

Bibliography

• Template:Cite book

External links

• Template:IMDb episodes