The Simpsons: First Season (Disc 2 of 3)

What we have here are thirteen crudely animated episodes, first aired in 1989 and 1990, all spiffed up, cleaned off, and augmented with bells and whistles, bonus materials, and self-pitying audio commentaries. If Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie look weirdly off model, if their voices sound spooky and different, and if the animation seems particularly glitch-filled, just remember this: we didn't know what the hell we were doing back then.

What's fun for me in looking back at all these old episodes is how many jokes and characters have stayed vivid for more than a decade. I love Santa's Little Helper leaping into Homer's arms at Christmas; the debut of Blinky, the three-eyed fish; Bart's game-winning Scrabble word "KWYJIBO" ("a fat, dumb, balding North American ape with no chin"); the Simpsons giving each other electroshock therapy courtesy of Dr. Marvin Monroe; Lisa playing Saxophone with Bleeding Gums Murphy; Homer being mistaken for Bigfoot; and Marge's bowling instructor Jacques strangely losing his French accent when yelling for onion rings.

I also dig Grandpa Simpson's letter to TV advertisers: "I am disgusted with the way old people are depicted on television. We are not all vibrant, fun-loving sex maniacs. Many of us are bitter, resentful individuals, who remember the old old days when entertainment was bland and inoffensive."

So enjoy. We've got more Simpsons episodes to make, then broadcast, then re-run, then chop up for syndication, then sell to you on DVD. But you know something? We wouldn't have it any other way!

Your pal,
Matt Groening

Disc 2 contains the following episodes:
1) The Telltale Head
2) Call of the Simpsons
3) Homer's Night Out
4) Life In The Fast Lane
5) Krusty Gets Busted