Season 1
The Simpsons (Season 1)
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Season Information
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It was originally intended that the season finale, "Some Enchanted Evening", would be the first episode of the season as well as the series which would have aired at Autumn of 1989. However, after a poorly received workprint of the episode, 70% of its animation had to be redone, delaying it to months throughout the season until finally being aired at the end of the season on 13th May 1990. Subsequent episodes in production such as "Bart the Genius" had minor problems that were easy to fix and were suitable for airing. As "Some Enchanted Evening" was being overhauled, the producers considered to air the Christmas special, "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", on 17th December 1989 which had to be aired in the Christmas holidays of 1989 nonetheless.
The season had four nominations and won one of them. It won Outstanding Animated Program from "Life on the Fast Lane", which the episode was tied with "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" was nominated for "Outstanding Editing in a Miniseries or Special", "The Call of the Simpsons" was nominated for "Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Comedy Series or a Special" and "The Simpsons Theme", composed by Danny Elfman, was nominated for "Outstanding Achievement in Main Title Theme Music".
All of the 13 episodes of Season 1, including extras such as the "Some Enchanted Evening" workprint, were released on DVD on 25th September 2001 in Region 1 and 24th September 2001 in Region 2 and 4. This is the First of the Complete Seasons of The Simpsons released in boxsets for home media.
Episodes
| # |
Original Title (Top) Alternative Title (Bottom) |
Original Airdate | Directed by | Written by | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 - 1 | "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" "The Simpsons Christmas Special" |
December 17,1989 | David Silverman | Mimi Pond | 7G08 |
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The Simpsons have a difficult Christmas with lack of money due to all their savings spent by an expensive tattoo removal treatment for Bart and no bonus for Homer. The family try to ensure a happy holiday, with Homer attempting to earn money elsewhere such as being Santa Claus. | |||||
| 2 - 2 | "Bart the Genius" | January 14,1990 | David Silverman | Jon Vitti | 7G02 |
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Bart is considered to be intelligent by a high test score despite being Martin Prince's test which Bart subsequently put his name on Martin's test and vice versa. He is then enrolled to a school of higher education that is beyond his learning capabilities and is alienated by its studentsand is closer to Homer. | |||||
| 3 - 3 | "Homer's Odyssey" | January 21,1990 | Wes Archer | Jay Kogan & Wallace Woldarsky | 7G03 |
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Homer is promptly fired by an incident he caused after being distracted by greeting Bart whilst on a field trip with his class. An unemployed Homer considers suicide, being unable to locate a job although then becomes a safety crusader, aware of potentially dangerous areas of Springfield after which his family were nearly run over by a truck after his attempted suicide. | |||||
| 4 - 4 | "There's No Disgrace Like Home" | January 28, 1990 | Gregg Vanzo & Kent Butterworth |
Al Jean & Mike Reiss | 7G04 |
| Seeing their dysfunctionality and impoliteness, Homer attempts to straighten up his family's behaviour after a ruined picnic and a poor comparison to other families. | |||||
| 5 - 5 | "Bart the General" | February 4, 1990 | David Silverman | John Swartzwelder | 7G05 |
| Bart is constantly being bullied by Nelson Muntz, which he tries to stop this bullying with various if risky methods. | |||||
| 6 - 6 | "Moaning Lisa" | February 11, 1990 | Wes Archer | Al Jean & Mike Reiss | 7G06 |
| Lisa has become often depressed, altering what she does. She remains so until me Bleeding Gums Murphy, a musician who tells her to express her depression through playing her saxophone. Lisa eventually becomes happier during circumstances leading to this. Meanwhile, Bart continually beats Homer in a boxing video game and Homer tries to win against him. | |||||
| 7 - 7 | "The Call of the Simpsons" | February 18, 1990 | Wes Archer | John Swartzwelder | 7G09 |
| The Simpsons go camping with their dilapedated RV. Problems ensure when Homer and Bart as well as Maggie are split from Marge and Lisa and their living through the woods. | |||||
| 8 - 8 | "The Telltale Head" | February 25, 1990 | Rich Moore | Al Jean, Mike Reiss,
Sam Simon & Matt Groening |
7G07 |
| Bart decapitates the head of the Jebediah Springfield statue as he thinks this will impress a group of vandals, Jimbo, Kearney and Dolph as said by them. He feels guilty during so, noticing public attention of the beheaded statue and that Bart is not known to be the suspect. | |||||
