Difference between revisions of "Behind the Laughter"
m (→Gallery: replaced: take 1.png → Behind the Laughter promo 1.png, Behind the laughter.jpg → Behind the Laughter promo 2.png) |
m (→Synopsis: replaced: {{Desc| → {{Synopsis|) |
||
| (4 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown) | |||
| Line 10: | Line 10: | ||
|season=11 | |season=11 | ||
|snumber=22 | |snumber=22 | ||
| − | |prodcode= BABF19 | + | |prodcode= [[Production season BABF|BABF19]] |
|airdate= May 21, [[2000]] | |airdate= May 21, [[2000]] | ||
|blackboard= I will not obey the voices in my head | |blackboard= I will not obey the voices in my head | ||
|couchgag= The Simpsons sit at the couch as normal. Bart puts a coin in a slot on the arm of the couch and the couch vibrates away, taking the family with them. | |couchgag= The Simpsons sit at the couch as normal. Bart puts a coin in a slot on the arm of the couch and the couch vibrates away, taking the family with them. | ||
| − | |guests= | + | |guests= [[Buzz Aldrin]] as {{Ch|Buzz Aldrin|himself}} (archive footage)<br>[[Gary Coleman]] as {{Ch|Gary Coleman|himself}} (archive footage)<br>[[Jim Forbes]] as the narrator<br>[[Stephen Hawking]] as {{Ch|Stephen Hawking|himself}} (archive footage)<br>[[Tom Kite]] as {{Ch|Tom Kite|himself}} (archive footage)<br>[[Willie Nelson]] as {{Ch|Willie Nelson|himself}}<br>[[Butch Patrick]] as {{Ch|Butch Patrick|himself}} (archive footage) |
|showrunner1= Mike Scully | |showrunner1= Mike Scully | ||
|showrunner2= George Meyer | |showrunner2= George Meyer | ||
| Line 23: | Line 23: | ||
}} | }} | ||
| − | "'''Behind the Laughter'''" is the twenty-second and final episode of [[season 11]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and the two | + | "'''Behind the Laughter'''" is the twenty-second and final episode of [[Season 11|broadcast season 11]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and the two hundred forty-eighth episode overall. It originally aired on May 21, [[2000]]. The episode was written by [[Tim Long]], [[George Meyer]], [[Mike Scully]] and [[Matt Selman]] and directed by [[Mark Kirkland]]. It guest stars [[Jim Forbes]] as the narrator and [[Willie Nelson]] as {{Ch|Willie Nelson|himself}} while archive footage of [[Buzz Aldrin]] as {{Ch|Buzz Aldrin|himself}}, [[Gary Coleman]] as {{Ch|Gary Coleman|himself}}, [[Stephen Hawking]] as {{Ch|Stephen Hawking|himself}}, [[Tom Kite]] as {{Ch|Tom Kite|himself}}, and [[Butch Patrick]] as {{Ch|Butch Patrick|himself}} is used. |
== Synopsis == | == Synopsis == | ||
| − | {{ | + | {{Synopsis|"Behind the Laughter" takes a behind-the-scenes look at [[The Simpsons]]. We see [[Homer]]'s shoddily directed pilot episode before he becomes addicted to prescription drugs, [[Marge]] makes bizarre business investments, and [[Bart]] goes to rehab. The show is put on hiatus after the family splits up, and [[Lisa]] writes a book about her ordeal.}} |
== Plot == | == Plot == | ||
| Line 45: | Line 45: | ||
{{LanguageBox | {{LanguageBox | ||
|de=yes | |de=yes | ||
| − | |deName= Hinter den Lachern | + | |deName=Hinter den Lachern |
| − | |deTrans= Behind the laughters | + | |deTrans=Behind the laughters |
| + | |es=yes | ||
| + | |esName=Detrás de las risas | ||
| + | |esTrans=Behind the laughter | ||
| + | |la=yes | ||
| + | |laName=Detrás de la risa | ||
| + | |laTrans=Behind the laughter | ||
| + | |fr=yes | ||
| + | |frName=Derrière les rires | ||
| + | |frTrans=Behind the laughter | ||
| + | |qu=yes | ||
| + | |quName=Biographies : Les Simpson | ||
| + | |quTrans=Biographies: The Simpsons | ||
|it=yes | |it=yes | ||
| − | |itName= Dietro la risata | + | |itName=Dietro la risata |
| − | |itTrans= Behind the laughter | + | |itTrans=Behind the laughter |
| + | |jp=yes | ||
| + | |jpName=衝撃映像!ザ・シンプソンズの内幕 | ||
| + | |jpTrans=Shocking footage! Inside The Simpsons | ||
}} | }} | ||
| Line 63: | Line 78: | ||
{{Images|ep=yes}} | {{Images|ep=yes}} | ||
{{Season 11}} | {{Season 11}} | ||
| + | {{Production Season BABF}} | ||
[[sv:Behind the Laughter]] | [[sv:Behind the Laughter]] | ||
[[Category:2000]] | [[Category:2000]] | ||
| − | [[Category: | + | [[Category:Season finales]] |
| − | + | [[Category:Simpson family episodes]] | |
| − | [[Category: | + | [[Category:Non-canon episodes]] |
| − | [[Category: | ||
[[Category:Annie Award winning episodes]] | [[Category:Annie Award winning episodes]] | ||
[[Category:Primetime Emmy Award winning episodes]] | [[Category:Primetime Emmy Award winning episodes]] | ||
| − | |||
[[Category:Episodes written by Tim Long]] | [[Category:Episodes written by Tim Long]] | ||
[[Category:Episodes written by George Meyer]] | [[Category:Episodes written by George Meyer]] | ||
Latest revision as of 16:52, October 15, 2025
|
|||||||||
|
|
|
- This article is about the episode. For the television show, see Behind the Laughter (TV show).
| This episode is considered non-canon and the events featured do not relate to the series and therefore may not have actually happened/existed.
The reason behind this decision is: The episode is set out like a documentary about the Simpson family and their rise to fame. If you dispute this, please bring it up on the episode's talk page. |
- "The Simpsons' TV show started out on a wing and a prayer. But now the wing was on fire, and the prayer had been answered by Satan."
- ―Jim Forbes
"Behind the Laughter"
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
Episode Information
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
"Behind the Laughter" is the twenty-second and final episode of broadcast season 11 of The Simpsons and the two hundred forty-eighth episode overall. It originally aired on May 21, 2000. The episode was written by Tim Long, George Meyer, Mike Scully and Matt Selman and directed by Mark Kirkland. It guest stars Jim Forbes as the narrator and Willie Nelson as himself while archive footage of Buzz Aldrin as himself, Gary Coleman as himself, Stephen Hawking as himself, Tom Kite as himself, and Butch Patrick as himself is used.
Synopsis[edit]
- "Behind the Laughter" takes a behind-the-scenes look at The Simpsons. We see Homer's shoddily directed pilot episode before he becomes addicted to prescription drugs, Marge makes bizarre business investments, and Bart goes to rehab. The show is put on hiatus after the family splits up, and Lisa writes a book about her ordeal.
Plot[edit]
Done in the style of Behind the Music, the popular VH1 biography show, this non-canon episode begins with the Simpson family history and how they got into show business. The first part of the mockumentary follows the family from their weak beginnings to their exceptional prosperity. A television show, a recording contract, a lot of awards, and countless wealth follow Homer's inadequate video "pilot."
However, problems begin to arise as the Simpsons' fame continues. After a funny stunt causes him injury (the cliff plummet from "Bart the Daredevil", after a montage of Homer injury clips), Homer becomes addicted to prescription painkillers, Marge makes some senseless business investments (Marge Simpson Diaphragms for example), and Bart goes to rehab (His friend Richie Rich once had to substitute for Bart). The IRS examines soon after and takes away their house (called "Homertime", since it belonged to rapper MC Hammer before he went bankrupt and was called "Hammertime"). Then, the family gets into a big dispute and splits up at the Iowa State Fair.
Fox is forced put the show on hiatus, since none of the Simpsons will talk to each other. The members go their independent ways: Homer follows a career in the theater; Bart replaces Lorenzo Lamas as the star of the syndicated action show Renegade; Marge makes a nightclub act; and Lisa writes a tell-all book about her experiences on the show. Bringing the family back together seems hopeless until country singer Willie Nelson puts on a phony awards show in order to reconcile the family (and also patch things up with Van Halen and Sammy Hagar). At the award show, Willie calls out the whole family to present one award. Lisa deduces that the award show is fake and they refuse to even look at each other. However, after Willie and the audience encourage them, they hug and forget past wrongs in a sensitive reunion. Again, they look with hope to the many years of episodes of The Simpsons to come... or not...
The last images show Homer giving orders regarding the editing of "the last season" of the Simpsons series. The sentences we can hear on the editing screen were used for season 12's last episode, "Simpsons Tall Tales".
Reception[edit]
According to TV.com user ratings, this is the best Season 11 episode with a 9.0/10 rating, followed closely by "E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt)" which has a 8.9/10 rating. The Simpsons writing staff voted this in their list of Top 15 Simpsons episode becoming the newest episode in the list.[1]
"Behind the Laughter" won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program in the 52nd Primetime Emmy Awards.[2] Composer Alf Clausen won a 2000 Annie Award in Outstanding Individual Achievement for Music in an Animated Television Production for the episode.[3]
In other languages[edit]
Gallery[edit]
References[edit]
| Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "Behind the Laughter". |
| Season 11 Episodes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beyond Blunderdome • Brother's Little Helper • Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner? • Treehouse of Horror X • E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt) • Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder • Eight Misbehavin' • Take My Wife, Sleaze • Grift of the Magi • Little Big Mom • Faith Off • The Mansion Family • Saddlesore Galactica • Alone Again, Natura-Diddily • Missionary: Impossible • Pygmoelian • Bart to the Future • Days of Wine and D'oh'ses • Kill the Alligator and Run • Last Tap Dance in Springfield • It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge • Behind the Laughter |
| Production season BABF Episodes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Treehouse of Horror X • Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder • Eight Misbehavin' • Little Big Mom • Take My Wife, Sleaze • Faith Off • Grift of the Magi • The Mansion Family • Saddlesore Galactica • Alone Again, Natura-Diddily • Missionary: Impossible • Pygmoelian • Bart to the Future • Days of Wine and D'oh'ses • Last Tap Dance in Springfield • Kill the Alligator and Run • Insane Clown Poppy • It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge • Behind the Laughter • A Tale of Two Springfields • Treehouse of Horror XI • HOMЯ |
- Featured episodes
- Non-canon episodes
- Episodes
- Episodes showrun by Mike Scully
- Episodes showrun by George Meyer
- Episodes showrun by Al Jean
- Season 11
- Production season BABF
- 2000
- Season finales
- Simpson family episodes
- Annie Award winning episodes
- Primetime Emmy Award winning episodes
- Episodes written by Tim Long
- Episodes written by George Meyer
- Episodes written by Mike Scully
- Episodes written by Matt Selman
- Episodes directed by Mark Kirkland