Difference between revisions of "Season 1"

"Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire"

"The Simpsons Christmas Special"

Christmas is coming, and it's going to be a difficult one due to the family's financial woes: Homer's expected Christmas bonus at work doesn't come through, and the family is forced to spend money previously set aside for shopping on an expensive tattoo removal procedure for Bart. Homer tries to earn money by other means such as being a department store Santa Claus, and the family does their best to have a good holiday in spite of the circumstances. The episode introduces Santa's Little Helper as the family dog.

When the school has an intelligence test, Bart is considered to be a genius when he switches his name and Martin Prince's on the test's answer sheets. Bart is then enrolled in the Enriched Learning Center for Gifted Children, a school which quickly proves to be beyond his capabilities. The experience actually brings Bart and Homer closer together, until Bart confesses to the switch.

The Simpson family attends the company picnic at the Burns manor. After seeing the other families at the picnic, Homer notices his own family's shortcomings and dysfunctions and decides to improve everyone's behavior. The episode introduces Springfield police officers Eddie and Lou, as well as Dr. Marvin Monroe, and marks the first series appearance of Itchy and Scratchy.

Lisa is bullied at school by Nelson Muntz (introduced in this episode) and Bart stands up for her, only to find himself the target of constant bullying by Nelson and his two Weasels. With Grampa's help, Bart then organizes many other students at school into an army to fight back against Nelson. Herman the military antiques dealer also makes his first appearance.

Lisa is continually unhappy, and it begins to affect her performance at school. Nothing that Marge and Homer try seems to help. Lisa then meets jazz musician and fellow saxophone player Bleeding Gums Murphy, who helps Lisa to express her depression by playing the blues on her sax. They write a blues number together, and the family visits a jazz club to hear Bleeding Gums sing and play it.

Sam Simon & Matt Groening

Bart severs the head of Jebediah Springfield's statue in order to impress some troublemaker boys he is trying to make friends with, but the vandalism outrages the townspeople and Bart finds himself targeted by an angry mob. The episode marks the first appearances of Sideshow Bob, Jimbo, Dolph, Kearney, Rev. Lovejoy, and Apu; as well as the first series appearance of Krusty the Clown.

Marge becomes unhappy when her birthday present from Homer is a bowling ball (which he clearly intended for himself), and she does not even bowl. To spite Homer, Marge sets out to learn to bowl, and ends up taking lessons from an instructor named Jacques, who pursues an affair with her. Marge nearly gives in, but at the last minute chooses to stay with Homer, surprising him by showing up at the nuclear power plant.

Krusty the Clown is accused, tried, and convicted of robbing the Kwik-E-Mart, and Sideshow Bob takes his place as TV show host. Bart, however, believes that Krusty was framed. He enlists Lisa's help, and together they uncover evidence showing that the robber was actually Sideshow Bob in disguise. Krusty is freed and Sideshow Bob goes to jail, thus beginning the long-standing enmity between Sideshow Bob and Bart.