Editing Season 1

The series was originally set to debut in the fall of 1989 with the episode "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons episode)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", which was meant to introduce the main characters.<ref name="Groening"/> However, during the first screening of the episode, the producers discovered that the animation was so appalling that 70% of the episode needed to be redone.<ref name="Silverman">{{cite video | people=Silverman, David|year=2001|title=The Simpsons season 1 DVD commentary for the episode "Some Enchanted Evening"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> The producers considered aborting the series if the next episode ("[[Bart the Genius]]") turned out as bad, but it only suffered from easily fixable problems. The producers convinced Fox to move the debut to [[December 17]], and aired "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" as the first episode of the series.<ref name="Groening">{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2001|title=The Simpsons season 1 DVD commentary for the episode "Some Enchanted Evening"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

The first season won one [[Emmy Awards|Emmy Award]], and received four additional nominations. Although television shows are limited to one episode a category, "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" was considered a separate special, and nominated alongside "[[Life on the Fast Lane]]" for Outstanding Animated Program; "Life on the Fast Lane" won the award. "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" was also nominated for "Outstanding Editing in a Miniseries or Special", while "The Call of the Simpsons" was nominated for "Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Comedy Series or a Special". The main theme song, composed by [[Danny Elfman]], was nominated for "Outstanding Achievement in Main Title Theme Music".<ref name="Emmy">[http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php Emmy Awards official site] "The Simpsons" "1989 - 1990" ''emmys.org''. Retrieved on [[July 3]], [[2007]]</ref>

The DVD box set was released on [[September 25]], [[2001]] in [[Region 1]] and [[September 24]], [[2001]] in both [[Region 2]] and [[Region 4]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releaseinfo.cfm?ReleaseID=311|title=Simpsons, The - The Complete 1st Season|accessdate=2007-07-17|publisher=TV Shows on DVD.com}}</ref> The set became the top selling television show on DVD by selling 1.9 million units, holding the record until October 2004 when it was passed by the first season of ''[[Chappelle's Show]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=2338|title=Chapelle's Show &mdash; S1 DVD Passes ''The Simpsons'' As #1 All-Time TV-DVD; Celebrates by Announcing Season 2!.|accessdate=2006-07-03|author=Lambert, David|date=[[2004-09-19]]|publisher=TVshowsonDVD.com}}</ref>

{{clear}}<onlyinclude>
==List of episodes==
{| class="wikitable" style="width:98%;"
|-
! style="background-color: #DEDDE2;"| # 
!! style="background-color: #DEDDE2;"| Original title (top)<br />Alternative title (bottom) 
!! style="background-color: #DEDDE2;"| Directed by 
!! style="background-color: #DEDDE2;"| Written by 
!! style="background-color: #DEDDE2;"|Original airdate 
!! style="background-color: #DEDDE2;"|Prod. code 
{{ Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber=1 - 1
 |Title=[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]
 |AltTitle=The Simpsons Christmas Special
 |OriginalAirDate=[[December 17]], [[1989]]
 |Aux1=[[David Silverman]]
 |Aux2=Mimi Pond 
 |ProdCode=7G08
 |ShortSummary=While Christmas shopping, [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] sneaks off and gets a [[tattoo]]. [[Marge Simpson|Marge]] soon discovers this and uses the family's Christmas savings to get it removed. Meanwhile, [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] discovers that he will not be getting a Christmas bonus from [[Montgomery Burns|Mr. Burns]] and thus the family has no money to buy Christmas presents. He decides to keep their financial troubles a secret and gets a job as a department store Santa, but later discovers that the job does not pay enough. Desperate for a miracle, Homer and Bart go to the dog racing track on Christmas eve in hopes of earning some money. He bets it all on a longshot named [[Santa's Little Helper]], who loses. Santa's Little Helper's owner angrily releases the dog and Homer lets Bart keep him. Later on, Homer tries to explain that Christmas is ruined, but Bart exclaims that they have a dog and everyone happily welcomes the newest member of the Simpson family.<ref name="Roasting"/>
 |LineColor=DEDDE2
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber=2 - 2
 |Title=[[Bart the Genius]]
 |OriginalAirDate=[[January 14]], [[1990]]
 |Aux1=[[David Silverman]]
 |Aux2=[[Jon Vitti]]
 |ProdCode=7G02
 |ShortSummary= Bart has trouble on an intelligence test and sneakily switches tests with [[Martin Prince]], the class genius. After the results are tabulated, the school psychiatrist labels Bart a genius and sends him to the Enriched Learning Center for Gifted Children. Homer starts treating Bart with respect, but Bart immediately feels out of place among his new classmates and is alienated from his old peers. He confesses that he cheated on the test and is subsequently sent back to [[Springfield Elementary School]].<br/>Guest star: [[Marcia Wallace]].<ref name="Genius">Richmond, p. 18</ref> 
 |LineColor=DEDDE2
}}<includeonly>
|}</includeonly></onlyinclude>
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber=3 - 3
 |Title=[[Homer's Odyssey]]
 |OriginalAirDate=[[January 21]], [[1990]]
 |Aux1=[[Wes Archer]]
 |Aux2=[[Jay Kogen]] & [[Wallace Wolodarsky]]
 |ProdCode=7G03
 |ShortSummary=Bart's class visits the [[Springfield Nuclear Power Plant]] and Homer, anxious to look like he is working, accidentally crashes his cart into a radioactive pipe, causing him to immediately be fired. Depressed and unable to find a new job, he decides to jump off a bridge. His family discover his plan and try to stop him, but in the process they are almost run over by a truck. Discovering his new purpose, Homer embarks on a safety crusade and eventually decides to go after the Nuclear Plant and holds protest rallies. To end Homer's furor, Mr. Burns offers him a job as safety inspector, with increased salary, which Homer accepts.<br/>Guest star: [[Marcia Wallace]].<ref name="Odyssey">Richmond, p. 19</ref> 
 |LineColor=DEDDE2
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber=4 - 4
 |Title=[[There's No Disgrace Like Home]]
 |OriginalAirDate=[[January 28]], [[1990]]
 |Aux1=[[Gregg Vanzo]] &<br />Kent Butterworth
 |Aux2=[[Al Jean]] & [[Mike Reiss]]
 |ProdCode=7G04
 |ShortSummary= Homer takes his family to the company picnic at Mr. Burns's manor. Marge, Bart and [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] embarrass Homer and he notices that Mr. Burns seems to favour a family who love and respect one another. Convinced that both he and his family are pathetic, he takes everyone to Dr. Marvin Monroe's family therapy center. When standard methods prove useless in civilizing the family, Monroe resorts to [[shock therapy]] and wire the Simpsons to electrodes. Soon the Simpsons start shocking one another and cause blackouts throughout [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]].<ref name="Disgrace">Richmond, p. 20</ref> 
 |LineColor=DEDDE2
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber=5 - 5
 |Title=[[Bart the General]]
 |OriginalAirDate=[[February 4]], [[1990]]
 |Aux1=[[David Silverman]]
 |Aux2=[[John Swartzwelder]]
 |ProdCode=7G05
 |ShortSummary= Bart runs afoul of [[Nelson Muntz]], the school bully, who begins attacking Bart every day after school. Homer suggests fighting back, which does not work. Desperate for a solution, Bart visits [[Abraham Simpson|Grampa]] for advice. Grampa takes Bart to meet Herman, who suggests that Bart rally all of the school children and declare war on Nelson. Bart and his army attack Nelson and successfully manage to convince him to give up his bullying ways.<ref name="General">Richmond, p. 21</ref> 
 |LineColor=DEDDE2
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber=6 - 6
 |Title=[[Moaning Lisa]]
 |OriginalAirDate=[[February 11]], [[1990]]
 |Aux1=[[Wes Archer]]
 |Aux2=[[Al Jean]] & [[Mike Reiss]]
 |ProdCode=7G06
 |ShortSummary=Lisa becomes depressed, which begins to affect her performance in school. Neither Marge nor Homer are able to make Lisa happier. One night, she hears distant Jazz music and sneaks out of her room to follow it. She meets [[Bleeding Gums Murphy]], who teaches her how to express her music through the [[saxophone]]. When Marge drops Lisa off at school the next day, she suggests that Lisa smile no matter how she feels. However, Marge sees that Lisa is being denied her creativity and realizes that that is what is making her sad. Marge tells Lisa to just be herself, and the entire family go to see Murphy perform at a local Jazz club.<br/>Guest star: [[Ron Taylor]].<ref name="Moaning">Richmond, p. 22</ref> 
 |LineColor=DEDDE2
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber=7 - 7
 |Title=[[The Call of the Simpsons]]
 |OriginalAirDate=[[February 18]], [[1990]]
 |Aux1=[[Wes Archer]] 
 |Aux2=[[John Swartzwelder]]
 |ProdCode=7G09
 |ShortSummary=Homer becomes envious of [[Ned Flanders|Flanders]]' new RV and goes to "Bob's RV Round-up" to buy one of his own. Settling on a dilapidated camper, he takes the family camping and in the process destroys the RV. Leaving Lisa and Marge behind, Bart and Homer try to find their way back to civilization, but have little luck. Later on, Homer is mistaken for [[Bigfoot]] and captured. Marge, Bart and Lisa are saved and Homer is released, although scientists say that they can not determine which species he belongs to.<br/>Guest star: [[Albert Brooks]].<ref name="Call">Richmond, p. 23</ref>
 |LineColor=DEDDE2
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber=8 - 8
 |Title=[[The Telltale Head]]
 |OriginalAirDate=[[February 25]], [[1990]]
 |Aux1=[[Rich Moore]]
 |Aux2=[[Al Jean]], [[Mike Reiss]],<br />[[Sam Simon]] & [[Matt Groening]]
 |ProdCode=7G07
 |ShortSummary= Bart becomes friends with Dolph, [[Jimbo Jones|Jimbo]] and [[Kearney Zzyzwicz|Kearney]], a group of local troublemakers. Trying to impress them, Bart decides to cut off and steal the head of the statue of Jebediah Springfield. The next day, the entire town grieves for the vandalized statue and Bart discovers that his new friends want to attack the vandal. Feeling remorse, Bart confesses to his family and Homer and Bart take the head back to the statue.<ref name="Telltale">Richmond, p. 24</ref>
 |LineColor=DEDDE2
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber=9 - 9
 |Title=[[Life on the Fast Lane]]
 |OriginalAirDate=[[March 18]], [[1990]]
 |Aux1=[[David Silverman]]
 |Aux2=[[John Swartzwelder]]
 |ProdCode=7G11
 |ShortSummary=Having forgotten about Marge's birthday, Homer rushes to the Springfield mall and impulsively buys her a bowling ball. Marge is not impressed with the gift and after discovering that he intends to use it, she decides to spite him by going bowling herself. While at the alley, she meets Jacques, a charming French bowling instructor, who offers her lessons. Jacques begins to fall for Marge and invites her to his apartment. Although she agrees, Marge undergoes a moral dilemma, but in the end visits Homer at the nuclear plant.<br/>Guest star: [[Albert Brooks]].<ref name="Fast lane">Richmond, p. 25</ref>
 |LineColor=DEDDE2
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber=10 - 10
 |Title=[[Homer's Night Out]]
 |OriginalAirDate=[[March 25]], [[1990]]
 |Aux1=[[Rich Moore]]
 |Aux2=[[Jon Vitti]]
 |ProdCode=7G10
 |ShortSummary=Bart purchases a mini spy camera and manages to take a picture of Homer dancing with a belly dancer named Princess Kashmir at a co-worker's bachelor party. He gives copies of the picture to his friends, and eventually the picture starts to circulate around until eventually Marge sees it. She kicks Homer out of the house, but the next day explains that she is not upset about him dancing, but rather that Bart saw it. She demands that he take Bart and go apologize to Princess Kashmir. Homer agrees and says that he is ready to start respecting women.<br/>Guest star: [[Sam McMurray]].<ref name="Night Out">Richmond, p. 26</ref>
 |LineColor=DEDDE2
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber=11 - 11
 |Title=[[The Crepes of Wrath]]
 |OriginalAirDate=[[April 15]], [[1990]]
 |Aux1=[[Wesley Archer]] &<br />Milton Gray
 |Aux2=[[George Meyer]], [[Sam Simon]], <br/>[[John Swartzwelder]] & [[Jon Vitti]]
 |ProdCode=7G13
 |ShortSummary= [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]] finally becomes fed up with Bart's pranks and proposes that Bart be sent to [[France]] as part of the [[student exchange program]]. The family agrees and Bart is sent to a "beautiful chateau", which is actually a dilapidated wine making facility. Bart is treated like a slave by two unscrupulous winemakers, César and Ugolin, who eventually feed him wine tainted with [[antifreeze]]. Meanwhile, an [[Albania]]n boy named Adil starts to live with the Simpsons who, unbeknownst to Homer, is a spy sent by his country to obtain nuclear blueprints. Back in France, Bart learns French and reports César and Ugolin's activities to the authorities.<ref name="Crepes">Richmond, p. 27</ref>
 |LineColor=DEDDE2
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber=12 - 12
 |Title=[[Krusty Gets Busted]]
 |OriginalAirDate=[[April 29]], [[1990]]
 |Aux1=[[Brad Bird]]
 |Aux2=[[Jay Kogen]] & [[Wallace Wolodarsky]]
 |ProdCode=7G12
 |ShortSummary=While buying ice cream at the [[Kwik-E-Mart]], Homer witnesses a robbery perpetrated by a man believed to be [[Krusty the Clown]], host of the "Krusty the Clown show", Bart's favorite program. Krusty is sent to jail and his show is taken over by his assistant, [[Sideshow Bob]]. Bart is certain that Krusty is innocent, and gathers evidence to support his claim, which he takes to "Krusty's bestest friend", Sideshow Bob. Bart realizes that the robbery was actually committed by Bob, who was trying to frame Krusty. Bob is arrested and Krusty thanks Bart for saving him.<br/>Guest star: [[Kelsey Grammer]].<ref name="Busted">Richmond, pp. 28-29</ref>
 |LineColor=DEDDE2
}}
{{Episode list
 |EpisodeNumber=13 - 13
 |Title=[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons episode)|Some Enchanted Evening]]
 |OriginalAirDate=[[May 13]], [[1990]]
 |Aux1=[[David Silverman]] &<br />Kent Butterworth
 |Aux2=[[Matt Groening]] & [[Sam Simon]]
 |ProdCode=7G01
 |ShortSummary=Marge, feeling unappreciated by Homer, makes a call to a radio therapist, which Homer overhears at work.  Homer, wanting to make it up to Marge, decides to take her to dinner at a fancy restaurant and hires a babysitter to take care of Bart and Lisa. They are sent Ms. Botz, who Bart and Lisa soon discover is actually a burglar nicknamed "The Babysitter Bandit". They are captured by Ms. Botz who are tied up but eventually are freed by [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]. Bart and Lisa capture Ms. Botz and call the police. Meanwhile, Marge and Homer return home and find Ms. Botz is tied up. Homer, unaware of her true identity, frees her and Ms. Botz makes a clean getaway just moments before the police arrive.<br/>Guest star: [[Penny Marshall]].<ref name="Enchanted">Richmond, pp. 30-31</ref>
 |LineColor=DEDDE2
}}
|}

{{Seasons}}