The Simpsons is the longest-running animated show and sitcom ever and has been on air since 1989. Currently the show is in its 25th season and has already been renewed for a 26th season due to begin in autumn 2014. As iconic as it is loved, The Simpsons is a show that everybody knows and we can guarantee the majority of people have a favourite episode or two. Just in time for Christmas the show’s sixteenth season has been released on DVD.
Season 16 originally aired from 2004 to 2005 and features 21 episodes. As always the season explores a variety of stories featuring all of The Simpson family and the wealth of supporting characters that make up the show. Season 16 opens with Treehouse of Horror XV which has been a tradition throughout the show’s history. The episode features three short and wacky stories putting The Simpsons into new and interesting situations. The best part of the episode is the segment In The Belly of the Boss which pays tribute to the sci-fi classic Inner Space.
Highlights over the course of the season include All’s Fair in Oven War where Marge will do anything to win a Bake Off, Pranksta Rap which features a guest appearance from rapper 50 Cent who is involved with Bart’s fake kidnapping, and Mobile Homer where Homer is upset with Marge after she takes out life insurance for him due to a near-fatal accident. The best episode of the season is There’s Something About Marrying which is proof, if ever it was needed, that The Simpsons has always been ahead of the curve. In the episode Marge’s sister Patty comes out and Springfield legalizes gay marriage.
As always there are plenty of guest appearances over the course of the season. Kim Cattrall guest stars in She Used To Be My Girl as a nemesis of Marge’s who Lisa idolises, Stephen Hawking cameos in Don’t Fear The Roofer, and Liam Neeson voices Father Sean in the season finale The Father, the Son, and the Holy Guest Star.
The Simpsons: Season 16 is packed with extras including commentaries on all episodes, an intro from show creator Matt Groening, hidden Easter Eggs, deleted scenes, TV spots and featurettes. There really is a lot of extra value packed into the release for fans.
Some people have criticised The Simpsons claiming that the show is tired and has passed its prime. We don’t agree with those people at all and think The Simpsons has been remarkably consistent in terms of its humour and stories. Sure it may have been eclipsed by the edgier Family Guy in more recent years but The Simpsons is, and always will be, one of the most original and talked-about shows. The Simpsons: Season 16 is another cracking instalment of the hit show and we still, after all these years, just can’t get enough.
