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New Simpsons DVD worth the 'd'oh'
By Clarke Reader
creader3@mscd.edu

The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season $49.98

Which TV character but Homer Simpson could kill James Bond, own the Denver Broncos, run a telemarketing scam, help a neighbor come to terms with his anger, and go on a mystical, chili-induced hallucinogenic journey, all in the span of one season?

America’s favorite dysfunctional family shines in their eighth season, one of the best of their long run. There are so many standout episodes in this DVD collection that picking the best one is a near-impossible task.

The season starts out in a big way with “You Only Move Twice,” in which the family leaves Springfield for Cypress Creek. It seems to be the perfect town, until it becomes obvious that the creator of the town, and Homer’s boss, is a super-villain straight out of James Bond. Albert Brooks (in what Internet fans have voted Brooks’ best Simpsons performance) is hilarious as Hank Scorpio, and it’s a laugh riot to see Homer’s obliviousness to everything going on around him.

Another gem in this season is “El Viaje Misterioso De Nuestro Jomer.” After eating a Guatemalan insanity pepper, Homer goes on a strange journey and ends up meeting a spirit-guide coyote voiced by none other than the legendary Johnny Cash (who is called, in the episode’s commentary, “the greatest voice in American history”). The coyote instructs Homer to find his soul mate, and Homer goes on a personal quest to see if it’s Marge or not. The episode is capped by one of the great Homer Simpson lines: “In your face, space coyote!”

These are just a couple of the fantastic episodes captured in this four-disc set. There’s “The Springfield Files,” a spoof on The X-Files, “Mountain of Madness,” in which Homer and Mr. Burns get trapped inside a cabin after an avalanche and quickly turn from new friends to paranoid enemies, and “The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show,” a blistering satire of long-running TV shows and the obsessive dedication of some fans. There are so many great lines and jokes that repeated viewings are a must to catch them all.

It’s also worth listening to the commentaries included for each episode. These tracks include input from Simpsons creator Matt Groening himself, Dan Castellaneta (the voice of Homer, Krusty and Barney), writer Al Jean and animator David Silverman. The anecdotes add to the comedy, and knowing how the writers spent hours working on a single joke, or how carefully they planned the sound effects, gives the episodes depth. The creators and animators offer real insights into how the show is made, and how it develops from an idea to the screen.

Just as there was for the previous seven seasons, there is a gold mine of special features on the DVD release, including deleted scenes, sketches, storyboards and a feature about the real Simpsons house that was built to scale in Nevada. There are also enough Easter eggs (hidden bonus features) to keep viewers busy for a long time.

In one episode, Marge points out several of Homer’s past mistakes, to which he responds, “Of course, everything looks bad if you remember it.” This set of episodes, which first aired nearly 10 years ago, suggests otherwise.