The Simpsons has for two decades spoofed major issues related to our day to day lives including the highly regarded American culture, religion, drugs and alcohol, Human sexuality and even matters even of intelligence and pints of education. The Simpsons has been rated as one of the longest running shows in the television series business. Created and fractionally conceptualised by American cartoonist, screen-writer and producer Matt Groening, he adapted characters and bits of the idea from his comedy strip Life In Hell. Matt extended his idea of the use of life-based issues from Life in Hell to The Simpsons and carefully orchestrated them into a cartoon series. The show would have hardly made it out of the fear that Matt Groening had of losing his own ownership rights from his show Life In Hell, as he would have been infringing his own copyright after taking up a more or less like idea from the comic strip, and even losing Life in Hell itself.
The Simpsons is the TV equivalent of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band [once parodied in the opening couch gag]. After it came along, nothing was the same and it established a generation's cultural references and sensibility, says the Times Magazine. [Is there any situation without a usable Simpsons quote?] Starting out as family cartoon, it grew a cast of hundreds that spanned celebrities [Rainier Wolfcastle], religion [the de-diddly-vout Flanders family, business[C. Montogomery Burns] and immigration [Apu Nahasapeemapetilon]. But maybe its the best and favorite subject has been TV itself- "Teacher, mother, Secret-Lover!" For all the series' ups and downs, it is still the best TV show ever.
The cast of The Simpsons mainly runs around six main voice actors/actresses. This are Dan Castellaneta [Homer Jay Simpsom], Julie Kavner [Marge Simpsons], Nancy Cartwright [Bart Simpsons], Yeardley Smith [Lisa Simpson], Hank Azaria [Apu Nahasapeemapetilon] and Harry Shearer [Charles Montogomery Burns]. These voice actors/actresses also do the voices of other characters in the programme. The programme has also included feautured voices including some celebrities who even do voices for their parodied characters. The show is one of the few shows that has had more than a hundred characters as a telvision series. The Simpsons is apparently said to have had 180 voice actors/actresses.
As per Sam Kelly a writer and critic, "The Simpsons is an animated sitcom about the antics of a dysfunctional family called the Simpsons (surprise surprise). Homer is the oafish unhealthy beer loving father, Marge is the hardworking homemaker wife, Bart is the ten year old underachiever (and proud of it), Lisa is the unappreciated eight year old genius, and Maggie is the cute, pacifier loving silent infant." The Simpsons are a very politically incorrect family. Homer works with pride in a nuclear power plant run with more regard for profit that safety. His wife is Marge, a kind of supermom. Their three kids
In another not-so different light but different wording of the show, The Simpsons is the ultimate (if very unorthodox) nuclear family. Homer, the lovable intellectually-deficient father, stumbles apathetic ally through his family life and work at the local nuclear power plant. Marge, the overbearing but responsible mother, Bart, the 4th grade underachiever and nemesis to Springfield elementary's principal, Lisa, the brainy and responsible 8 year old, and Maggie, the oft-forgotten baby, round out the family. Based on a series of small cartoon sketches from the Tracy Ullman show, the Simpsons enjoy many wacky exploits in their hometown and beyond. Other characters include an incompetent lawyer, the tyrranical nuclear power plant owner, the too-perfect neighbors (the Flanders) of the Simpsons, and the less than perfect "Klown", Krusty. Colorful characters and situations abound.
Animated primetime series that follows the exploits of a hapless and semi-dysfunctional nuclear family named the Simpsons, who live in the fictional town of Springfield, whose various inhabitants add to the comedy, angst, satire and parody of this series. The Simpsons are a dysfunctional family living in Springfield. Homer, the man of the house, is a safety inspector at the Nuclear Power Plant. Homer constantly spends most of his time at Moe's Tavern getting drunk. Marge is a hard-working housewife of three children. Bart is a clever 10 year old who loves pranking others. Lisa is the genius of the Simpson family. She receives very excellent grades in school. She is the most trusted person in school and a "principal's pet". Maggie is the youngest. Maggie has not spoken yet.
The show has addressed different issues and expressed different emotions that coincide with the issues. The following are some of the issues that the show has addressed broadly. First, the power and effect of the American culture. The customs of Western civilization are slowly becoming a silent and not easily accepted Holy Grail for many people in the world. This is visibly seen by the effect and rapid spread of pop culture through the entertainment scene. The Simpsons has potrayed the entertainment scene through music. This is regularly done by the random 'musical outbursts' by the characters in the series. The music has shown off genres of Broadway and pop. The show has also played a huge part in expalining and somehow exposing American politics. With Springfield's motto being 'Corruptus in Extremis', the show has highlited a common political evil very common and relatable around the world, Corruption. The show also shows the presence of the two political based peoples, Republicans and Democrats. The on/off Mayor, Joe Quimby is represented as a Democrat and Slideshow Bob as a Republican during his brief tenure as Mayor. This is but an example of the more political relations and incinutions in the series.
The Simpsons has also highlighted the issue of immigration. This is through Apu Nahasapeemapetilon and Groundskeeper Willie and other characters. With Apu, the seemingly streotypical assumption that all Asian are proprietors for a living is clearly seen. His common phrase 'Thankyou, Come again' can to the least explain enough. Groundskeeper Willie is the Scottish groundkeeper for Springfield Elementary. Originally Dr. William McDougal, he is the uncouth, unpleasant but harmless heavy drunker who is a total patriot. There are episodes that distinctly though contradicting episodes about their immigration stories.
23 seasons in, The Simpsons has also faced controversy. The show has faced cancellation as one of the major controversial issues and not-so pleasing reviews from fans and critics. As per The Huffington Post in October 2011, it was reported that the show's voice actors were locked in a bitter contract negotiation with 20th Century Fox, with the studio threatening to end production if the talent did not take a 45% pay cut. The actors were countering with an agreement that nets them a 30% reduction in salary but a small slice of the show's back-end earnings, which include the billion dollar syndication and merchandising empire that the studio had built over the past two plus decades. It was also reported by the Daily Beast that the show's voice actors -Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria and Harry Shearer - earn about $8 million a year, but do not get a cut of the show's much bigger ancillary profits.
My favorite Simpsons episode will always be Treehouse of Horror. Any Simpsons fan must have watched it. Here is a promo for Treehouse of Horror XIII.
I hope you enjoyed my review. Thankyou.
Siri Nusu.
No comments:
Post a Comment