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Difference between revisions of "Breaking the fourth wall"

Wikisimpsons - The Simpsons Wiki
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This is a list of when '''the {{W|fourth wall}}''' is broken in the show. Breaking the fourth wall in ''[[The Simpsons]]'' occurs when the characters acknowledge that they are fictional or acknowledge the audience or sometimes the cast and crew. It can also occur when the cast and crew acknowledge the media and try to affect it.
 
This is a list of when '''the {{W|fourth wall}}''' is broken in the show. Breaking the fourth wall in ''[[The Simpsons]]'' occurs when the characters acknowledge that they are fictional or acknowledge the audience or sometimes the cast and crew. It can also occur when the cast and crew acknowledge the media and try to affect it.
  
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{{TB|"[[Treehouse of Horror XII]]"}}
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{{TB|At the end of "Wiz Kids", the leprecahun looks at the camera laughing evilly.}}
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{{TB|"[[Brawl in the Family]]"}}
 
{{TB|"[[Brawl in the Family]]"}}
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{{TB|Homer remarks to the camera about how the plan to get [[Santa's Little Helper]] back is working.}}
 
{{TB|Homer remarks to the camera about how the plan to get [[Santa's Little Helper]] back is working.}}
 
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=== [[Season 17]] ===
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{{TBT|[[File:Treehouse of Horror XVI 4th wall.png|200px]]}}
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{{TB|"[[Treehouse of Horror XVI]]"}}
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{{TB|The episode ends with [[Moe]] saying goodbye to the audience, being accompanied by [[Lenny]] and {{Ch|Dennis Rodman}}, while the rest of the characters also look at the camera.}}
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{{TBT|[[File:Treehouse of Horror XVII 4th wall.png|200px]]}}
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{{TB|"[[Treehouse of Horror XVII]]"}}
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{{TB|[[Mr. Burns]] is responsible for introducing the episode to the audience.}}
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{{TB|382}}
 
{{TBT|[[File:JABF15 Fourth wall.png|200px]]}}
 
{{TBT|[[File:JABF15 Fourth wall.png|200px]]}}
 
{{TRs|"[[You Kent Always Say What You Want]]"|2}}
 
{{TRs|"[[You Kent Always Say What You Want]]"|2}}
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{{TBT|[[File:The Simpsons Movie chalkboard gag.png|250px]]}}
 
{{TBT|[[File:The Simpsons Movie chalkboard gag.png|250px]]}}
 
{{TB|In the [[chalkboard gag]] of the opening sequence, Bart writes "I will not illegally download this movie".}}
 
{{TB|In the [[chalkboard gag]] of the opening sequence, Bart writes "I will not illegally download this movie".}}
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=== [[Season 19]] ===
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{{TH|Image}}
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{{TH|Episode}}
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{{TBT|[[File:Treehouse of Horror XVIII 4th wall.png|200px]]}}
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{{TB|"[[Treehouse of Horror XVIII]]"}}
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{{TB|[[Ned Flanders]] says goodbye to the audience at the end of the episode.}}
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{{TB|When Bart first takes hold of {{Ch|Denis Leary}}'s phone after he throws it away, he explaims that you can watch commercials on it. He then holds the phone up to the camera as it cuts to commercial.}}
 
{{TB|When Bart first takes hold of {{Ch|Denis Leary}}'s phone after he throws it away, he explaims that you can watch commercials on it. He then holds the phone up to the camera as it cuts to commercial.}}
 
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{{TBT|[[File:Treehouse of Horror XIX 4th wall.png|250px]]}}
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{{TB|"[[Treehouse of Horror XIX]]"}}
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{{TB|[[Marge]] ends the episode by addressing the audience.}}
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{{TB|"[[Homer and Lisa Exchange Cross Words]]"}}
 
{{TB|"[[Homer and Lisa Exchange Cross Words]]"}}
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{{TBT|[[File:Treehouse of Horror XXI 4th wall.png|250px]]}}
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{{TRs|"[[Treehouse of Horror XXI]]"|2}}
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{{TB|[[Professor Frink]] introduces the episode to the audience.}}
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{{TBT|[[File:Treehouse of Horror XXI 4th wall 2.png|250px]]}}
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{{TB|At the end of "Master and Cadaver" [[Maggie]] looks at the audience in the style of Alex DeLarge from ''A Clockwork Orange''.}}
 
{{TBT|[[File:NABF15 Fourth wall.png|250px]]}}
 
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{{TB|"[[The Ned-liest Catch]]"}}
 
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{{TBT|[[File:TFATD Fourth Wall.png|250px]]}}
 
{{TB|When [[Ned]] and Edna are in bed together, Edna winks at the camera.}}
 
{{TB|When [[Ned]] and Edna are in bed together, Edna winks at the camera.}}
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{{TB|"[[Treehouse of Horror XXII]]"}}
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{{TB|The characters who have participated in the episode meet to say goodbye to the audience.}}
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{{TB|489}}
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{{TBT|[[File:Moe Goes from Rags to Riches promo 1.png|250px]]}}
 
{{TB|"[[Moe Goes from Rags to Riches]]"}}
 
{{TB|"[[Moe Goes from Rags to Riches]]"}}
 
{{TB|Moe's bar rag tells the viewers his life story throughout the whole episode}}
 
{{TB|Moe's bar rag tells the viewers his life story throughout the whole episode}}

Latest revision as of 12:32, August 31, 2024


This is a list of when the fourth wall is broken in the show. Breaking the fourth wall in The Simpsons occurs when the characters acknowledge that they are fictional or acknowledge the audience or sometimes the cast and crew. It can also occur when the cast and crew acknowledge the media and try to affect it.

Breaking the Fourth Wall[edit]

Season 1[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
Bart the General 4th wall.png "Bart the General" Bart sits on a table in a library and talks directly to the camera about the seriousness of war. 5

Season 2[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
Treehouse of Horror 4th wall.png "Treehouse of Horror" At the beginning of the episode Marge appears warning the audience that the episode may scare them. 16

Season 3[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
Treehouse of Horror II 4th wall.png "Treehouse of Horror II" Marge appears warning the audience that the episode may scare them, and remembering that if they didn't pay attention to her last time, this time they probably wouldn't either. 42

Season 4[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
Treehouse of Horror III 4th wall.png "Treehouse of Horror III" Homer appears at the beginning of the episode warning the audience about the episode, and daring them not to watch it, calling them cowards. 64

Season 5[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
Treehouse of Horror IV 4th wall.png "Treehouse of Horror IV" During the episode Bart appears speaking to the audience presenting the stories. 86
1F21 Fourth wall.png "Lady Bouvier's Lover" The Simpsons are singing the "Armour Hot Dogs" theme song and Homer shows a sign to the camera which reads "PLEASE BUY ARMOUR BRAND HOT DOGS". 102

Season 6[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
Treehouse of Horror V 4th wall.png "Treehouse of Horror V" Marge appears warning the audience about the episode's content at the beginning of the episode.. 109
Following Marge's presentation, Bart addresses the audience via audio introducing the episode.
"A Star Is Burns" Jay Sherman invites the Simpson family to visit his show, referring to The Critic. However, Bart shoots the idea down. 121

Season 7[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
"The Day the Violence Died" Roger Meyers Jr. says Chief Wiggum is a rip-off of Edward G. Robinson. 146

Season 8[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
Leonard Nimoy in The Springfield Files.png "The Springfield Files" Leonard Nimoy appears telling the story of the episode to the audience, being replaced by the Squeaky-voiced teen at the end of the episode. 163

Season 9[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
Treehouse of Horror VIII 4th wall.png "Treehouse of Horror VIII" The Fox censor presents the episode to the audience, commenting that it will be suitable for everyone. 182
Joe Namath - Bart Star.png "Bart Star" Joe Namath talks to the viewers about vaporlock. 184
Homer speaks during the end credits, cutting off the people in them as he does as a coach.

Season 10[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
AABF08 Fourth wall.png "Sunday, Cruddy Sunday" John Madden and Pat Summerall have a "post-episode analysis", where they come to a conclusion that the episode cheated "the loyal fans who put up with so much nonsense from this franchise". 215
"Marge Simpson in: "Screaming Yellow Honkers"" In the end credits, Homer speaks directly to the audience about the channels they should watch. 218

Season 11[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
AABF22 Fourth wall.png "Brother's Little Helper" The episode ends with Bart singing while he looks at the audience. 228
AABF21 Fourth wall.png "Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner?" Homer informs the viewers that the show will be back after the commercial break. 229
"The Mansion Family" Homer cries during the end credits, talking about the people in them being richer than him. 238
BABF09 Fourth wall.png "Saddlesore Galactica" Comic Book Guy wears a shirt that proclaims the ongoing episode to be the "worst ever". 239
BABF11 Fourth wall.png "Missionary: Impossible" A Fox pledge-a-thon presented by Betty White interrupts the ending of the episode.

After Rupert Murdoch receives a phone call of Bart who pledges the needed money, and Murdoch tells him that he's saved the network, Bart comments that it "wouldn't be the first time", while looking at the camera.

241
BABF11 Fourth wall 2.png
BABF12 Fourth wall.png "Pygmoelian" Carl tells the viewers "You see, that's why I don't talk much", after starting a dialogue which ends in tears. 242

Season 12[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
"Treehouse of Horror XI" At the end of the episode, Kang and Kodos appear in their spaceship complaining that they have been left out of the Simpsons Halloween special. 249
CABF06 Fourth wall.png "Skinner's Sense of Snow" At the end of the episode, Lisa with a camel's head speaks to the audience saying "Merry Christmas from the Simpsons!". 256
CABF12 Fourth wall.png "New Kids on the Blecch" 'N Sync talks to the camera about the navy. 262
CABF14 Fourth wall.png "Trilogy of Error" Mr. Teeny murmurs in monkey language "this plot made no sense" to the camera. 266

Season 13[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
Treehouse of Horror XII 4th wall.png "Treehouse of Horror XII" At the end of "Wiz Kids", the leprecahun looks at the camera laughing evilly. 270
"Brawl in the Family" Marge tells Gabriel "At 18:00, we go live!", in reference to the time at which the episodes premiered during that part of the Season. 276

Season 14[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
EABF09 Fourth wall.png "Mr. Spritz Goes to Washington" A promo for Joe Millionaire appears on the screen, which Homer picks up and eats, then spits it out. 305
EABF14 Fourth wall.png "Old Yeller-Belly" Homer remarks to the camera about how the plan to get Santa's Little Helper back is working. 310

Season 17[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
Treehouse of Horror XVI 4th wall.png "Treehouse of Horror XVI" The episode ends with Moe saying goodbye to the audience, being accompanied by Lenny and Dennis Rodman, while the rest of the characters also look at the camera. 270

Season 18[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
Treehouse of Horror XVII 4th wall.png "Treehouse of Horror XVII" Mr. Burns is responsible for introducing the episode to the audience. 382
JABF15 Fourth wall.png "You Kent Always Say What You Want" Homer tries to tell Lisa something that Kent Brockman told him about the Fox Network, but while doing so, a voiceover interrupts him, causing him to try to say it directly to the audience, but is interrupted by the 20th Century Fox Television logo.

Immediately, he appears again on a white background trying again to speak to the audience, this time being interrupted by the Gracie Films logo.

400
JABF15 Fourth wall 2.png

The Simpsons Movie[edit]

Image Description
The Simpsons Movie Fourth wall.png While the characters are in the cinema at the beginning of the movie, Homer says "If you ask me, everybody in this theater is a giant sucker. Specially you.", pointing to the audience behind the screen while he finishes his comment.
The Simpsons Movie chalkboard gag.png In the chalkboard gag of the opening sequence, Bart writes "I will not illegally download this movie".

Season 19[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
Treehouse of Horror XVIII 4th wall.png "Treehouse of Horror XVIII" Ned Flanders says goodbye to the audience at the end of the episode. 405

Season 20[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
LostVerizon Commercial.png "Lost Verizon" When Bart first takes hold of Denis Leary's phone after he throws it away, he explaims that you can watch commercials on it. He then holds the phone up to the camera as it cuts to commercial. 422
Treehouse of Horror XIX 4th wall.png "Treehouse of Horror XIX" Marge ends the episode by addressing the audience. 424
"Homer and Lisa Exchange Cross Words" While solving crossword puzzles, Lisa thinks of B.A.R.T. and describes it as a San Francesco people mover, Bart then looks at the camera and says "Speaking of San Francesco people movers", the scene then cuts to Homer in a gay bar with Julio. 426
LABF08 Fourth wall.png "Father Knows Worst" Homer tells the viewers he's a "great dad to both his kids". 438

Season 22[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
Treehouse of Horror XXI 4th wall.png "Treehouse of Horror XXI" Professor Frink introduces the episode to the audience. 468
Treehouse of Horror XXI 4th wall 2.png At the end of "Master and Cadaver" Maggie looks at the audience in the style of Alex DeLarge from A Clockwork Orange.
NABF15 Fourth wall.png "The Ned-liest Catch" In the cliffhanger ending, Homer and Marge remind the viewer to join TheSimpsons.com and vote on whether Ned and Edna Krabappel should stay together.
Note:This scene was extended into the credits in later airings. 		486

Season 23[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
Comic Book Guy Room.png "The Falcon and the D'ohman" Comic Book Guy tells the viewers that the result of Nedna will be revealed in the episode. 487
TFATD Fourth Wall.png When Ned and Edna are in bed together, Edna winks at the camera.
Treehouse of Horror XXII 4th wall.png "Treehouse of Horror XXII" The characters who have participated in the episode meet to say goodbye to the audience. 489
Moe Goes from Rags to Riches promo 1.png "Moe Goes from Rags to Riches" Moe's bar rag tells the viewers his life story throughout the whole episode 498

Season 24[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
"A Test Before Trying" After making wishes at the well, Marge says she hopes Bart to pass his exam, what makes Homer mention the way to get them back on topic, referring to back to the main plot of the episode. 518
RABF05 Fourth wall.png "Hardly Kirk-ing" Homer says that Bart's comment about not wanting to look like his dad is "not a heartwarming thing to end [the episode] on". 521

Season 25[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
Four Regrettings and a Funeral marquee.png "Four Regrettings and a Funeral" The church marquee refers to Chip Davis as "Springfield's most beloved character that you never saw". 533

Season 26[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
TMWCTBD Fourth Wall.png "The Man Who Came to Be Dinner" Kodos turns to the camera and says "As if this never happened", referring to the episode being non-canon. 562

Season 27[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
TMC Fourth Wall.png "The Marge-ian Chronicles" After giving Marge the reason to open a G-rated comedy club, with the goal that she abandon the idea, Homer raises his thumb while looking at the camera. 590

Season 28[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
TCC Fourth Wall.png "The Caper Chase" Robert McKee breaks the fourth wall by talking about the time cut that happened after the introduction to the clones. 615
Moho House Gracie Films.png "Moho House" A hand drawn Gracie Films gag is seen in Homer's flip-book. 617
In "Stogie's Song", Stogie sang the line "that's the ending of the show, except for the tag."

Season 29[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
"Singin' in the Lane" Lenny says "This episode has a lot of music." 625
XABF07 Fourth Wall.png "No Good Read Goes Unpunished" After Marge changes the offensive content of the book "The Princess in the Garden", Lisa comments: "It's hard to say. Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?". While looking at the camera, at the same time that screen pans to a framed picture of Apu, with the caption "Don't Have a Cow, Man.". After that, Marge comments: "Some things will be dealt with at a later date.", also looking at the camera.
Being the scene an ansewer of the show to Apu's racial stereotyping criticism. 		633

Season 31[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
Warrin Priests Part One Animation Budget Exceeded.png "Warrin' Priests: Part One" When Lisa and Bode are meditating, a notice saying "Animation Budget Exceeded" appears. 681
Milhouse says that he hopes Part Two is about his rescue.
A "Next Week" segment appears at the end of the episode.
Warrin Priests Part Two Previously on The Simpsons.png "Warrin' Priests: Part Two" Kent Brockman talks directly to the viewers in a recap of part one. 682
Bode Wright prays with the Simpsons and asks God to please not let The Simpsons ever end.

Season 32[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
Now Museum, Now You Don't fourth wall.png "Now Museum, Now You Don't" After telling his story, Moe asks to end the credits. 687

Music videos[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
Do the Bartman - Fourth wall.png "Do the Bartman" Bart tells the viewers about his story of how he invented the Bartman dance moves. SPECIAL
Deep Deep Trouble - Fourth wall.png "Deep, Deep Trouble" Bart talks to viewers the whole short on how he got in prison. SPECIAL

The Simpsons: Tapped Out[edit]

The Simpsons: Tapped Out frequently breaks the fourth wall, with the characters referring to being in a game.

Leaning on the Fourth Wall[edit]

Leaning on the fourth wall is where something almost breaks the fourth wall, only for it to be an in-media effect, such as the camera panning to reveal that the character was talking to another character rather than the audience.

Season 4[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep#
Duffless - Leaning 4th Wall.png "Duffless" When Homer turns down a glass of beer and runs off, Moe says that he will be back and so will several other barflies which whom he points to and he seems to point to the viewer, who is actually Barney. 75

Season 6[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
Richard fourthwall.png "Bart of Darkness" Richard briefly appears to be throwing a beach ball at the camera, only for it to then show someone else catching it. 104
2F16 Fourth Wall.png "Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)" Dr. Hibbert, with his trademark chuckle says "Well I couldn't possibly solve this mystery. Can YOU?" pointing at the screen, at what is thought to be the viewer. The camera zooms out to show that he is pointing to Chief Wiggum, who says he will give it a shot, since it is his job. 128

Season 10[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
AABF15 Fourth Wall.png "Mom and Pop Art" After insulting Matt Groening by saying "What's he doing in a museum? He can barely draw!", Homer is attacked by the eraser of a giant pencil, as if Matt Groening is trying to erase Homer. It is then revealed that two museum employees are carrying the giant pencil, which is actually a work of art by Claes Oldenburg, and trying to put it on its display stand. 222

Season 13[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
"Brawl in the Family" While the Simpsons happily return home, Lisa comments "Could this be the end of our series...". After the others look at her, she ends the sentence saying "...of events?". 276

Season 20[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
GoneMaggieGone Fourth Wall.png "Gone Maggie Gone" After a return to commercial when Lisa is trying to figure out Springfield's biggest ring, she looks at the camera asking "Well? Did you get it?" The scene then changes to show that she was asking Milhouse, who says that he doesn't know. 433

Season 27[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
HalloweenOfHorror - Kirk.png "Halloween of Horror" During the "Grown-Up Halloween" musical number, several characters look like their singing to the audience when they're really addressing Marge and Bart. 578

Season 28[edit]

Image Episode Description Ep #
Moho House Fourth Wall Lean.png "Moho House" Moe said "Me thinks I see my opportunity" to the camera, only to reveal he was talking to Sideshow Mel, who he said he considered his friend. 617


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