Difference between revisions of "Season 1"

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The Simpsons (Season 1)

Season Information

Original run:	December 17, 1989 – May 13, 1990
No. of episodes:	13
Previous season:	Ullman shorts
Next season:	2
DVD boxset:	The Complete First Season

The Simpsons' first season began on 17th December 1989 with the first episode of the series, "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire," and ended on 13th May 1990 with "Some Enchanted Evening." Matt Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon were the show runners of the season.

The original plan was to begin the season and the series in the Autumn of 1989 with "Some Enchanted Evening." However, the workprint of the episode was of such poor quality that 70% of its animation had to be redone, delaying it for months throughout the season until it ended up being aired as the season finale on 13th May 1990. Subsequent episodes such as "Bart the Genius" had minor problems in production that were easy to fix and were suitable for airing. As "Some Enchanted Evening" was being overhauled, the producers decided to air the Christmas special, "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire," on 17th December 1989. The timing was very fortunate, as the episode would have had to be aired in the Christmas holidays of 1989 regardless of any other issues.

The season won one Emmy award and had four other nominations. "Life on the Fast Lane" won "Outstanding Animated Program," for which "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" was also a nominee. "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 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 Regions 2 and 4. This is the First of the Complete Seasons of The Simpsons released in boxsets for home media.

Episodes

Picture	#	Original title (top) Alternate title (bottom)	Original airdate	Directed by	Written by	Prod. code
100px	1 - 1	"Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" "The Simpsons Christmas Special"	December 17, 1989	David Silverman	Mimi Pond	7G08
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.
	2 - 2	"Bart the Genius"	January 14,1990	David Silverman	Jon Vitti	7G02
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.
100px	3 - 3	"Homer's Odyssey"	January 21,1990	Wes Archer	Jay Kogen & Wallace Wolodarsky	7G03
Homer is fired after he causes an accident due to being distracted by greeting Bart and his class on their field trip to the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. Depressed and unemployed, Homer considers suicide until he notes the dangers around town and becomes a safety crusader. When Homer targets the nuclear power plant, Mr. Burns re-hires him and promotes him to safety inspector. Waylon Smithers, Chief Wiggum, and Otto Mann the school bus driver make their first appearances.
100px	4 - 4	"There's No Disgrace Like Home"	January 28,1990	Gregg Vanzo & Kent Butterworth	Al Jean & Mike Reiss	7G04
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.
100px	5 - 5	"Bart the General"	February 4, 1990	David Silverman	John Swartzwelder	7G05
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.
	6 - 6	"Moaning Lisa"	February 11, 1990	Wes Archer	Al Jean & Mike Reiss	7G06
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.
100px	7 - 7	"The Call of the Simpsons"	February 18, 1990	Wes Archer	John Swartzwelder	7G09
The Simpsons go camping in their dilapidated RV, and problems arise when the RV is destroyed by falling off a cliff. The family are separated in the woods, where Maggie is cared for by bears and Homer (who has lost his clothes and is wearing a heavy coating of mud instead) is mistaken for a hideous Bigfoot-like monster. Homer is captured and taken to a lab, and not allowed to return home until the scientists are convinced that he really is a human being.
100px	8 - 8	"The Telltale Head"	February 25, 1990	Rich Moore	Al Jean, Mike Reiss, Sam Simon & Matt Groening	7G07
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.
	9 - 9	"Life on the Fast Lane"	March 18,1990	David Silverman	John Swartzwelder	7G11
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.
100px	10 - 10	"Homer's Night Out"	March 25,1990	Rich Moore	Jon Vitti	7G10
Bart takes a picture of Homer dancing with Princess Kashmir, a belly dancer. The photo is then copied all over Springfield, and when Marge sees it she at first thinks that Homer is having an affair. Homer explains the photo, but a still-angry Marge kicks him out of the house and demands that Homer introduce Bart to Princess Kashmir in person to show him that women are not sex objects.
100px	11 - 11	"The Crepes of Wrath"	April 15,1990	Wesley Archer & Milton Gray	George Meyer, Sam Simon, John Swartzwelder & Jon Vitti	7G13
After Bart blows up a cherry bomb in the school toilets, Principal Skinner decides to put Bart into a student exchange program. Bart ends up in France, where he is hosted by a pair of criminals and becomes a national hero when he exposes their plan to spike wine with antifreeze. Back in Springfield, the Simpsons host an Albanian student named Adil, who (unknown to the family) is actually a spy in search of nuclear secrets. Touched by Adil's interest in his work, Homer ends up giving Adil the secrets he's after by showing him all over the nuclear plant.
100px	12 - 12	"Krusty Gets Busted"	April 29, 1990	Brad Bird	Jay Kogen & Wallace Wolodarsky	7G12
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.
100px	13 - 13	"Some Enchanted Evening"	May 13, 1990	David Silverman & Kent Butterworth	Matt Groening & Sam Simon	7G01
Homer and Marge spend an evening out on the town, leaving the kids with a babysitter named Ms. Botz. Bart and Lisa, however, learn from watching TV that Ms. Botz is actually a wanted fugitive named Lucille Botzkowski, better known as the "Babysitter Bandit." They succeed in capturing the sitter, but Homer, ignorant of her real identity, turns her loose.

DVD Release

Season 1 was released on DVD by 20th Century Fox in Regions 2 and 4 on 24th September 2001, and on 25th September in Region 1. While primarily consisting of the original 13 episodes, the DVD release features bonus material including deleted scenes, Animatics, and commentaries for every episode. The set sold 1.9 million units, becoming the highest-selling television program on DVD -- a record which it held until October 2004 when it was passed by the first season of Chappelle's Show.

Set Details			Special Features
The Complete First Season
13 episodes 3-disc set 1.33:1 aspect ratio Languages: English (Dolby Digital 5.1, with subtitles)^[19] French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)^[19] Spanish (subtitles only)^[19]			Optional commentaries for all 13 episodes Original scripts for "Bart the Genius", "Bart the General", "Moaning Lisa" and "Some Enchanted Evening" Unaired version of "Some Enchanted Evening" with Optional Commentary Albert Brooks outtakes BBC Special: America's First Family ABC News: Bart T-shirt Controversy Tracy Ullman Show short: Good Night" Foreign Language Clips Early Sketches Stills and magazine covers
Release Dates
Region 1	Region 2	Region 4
September 25th 2001	September 24th 2001	September 24th 2001

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