Oh pinaise, thirty-five years old! Yes, we've been enjoying the adventures of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie for thirty-five years now, the most famous family on television: The Simpsons. Matt Groening's animated sitcom has, to date, 36 seasons and 774 episodes broadcast since 1989! Exceptional longevity, coupled with continued popularity – in France, available on Disney+, the series is one of the most viewed on the platform. The Simpsonsit’s also a fantastic saga… behind the scenes.
Over these thirty-five years, there have been victories, doubts, crises, surprises, and lots (lots) of fun. Thomas Pillon recounts this epic in Welcome to the Simpsons, the incredible true story of the cult seriesavailable since November 21 from Third éditions. A work that can be devoured like a succulent donut and explains how, season after season, a monument of pop culture is shaped. The beginnings obviously played a crucial role. We rewind.
On December 17, 1989, at 8:30 p.m., the American channel Fox unveiled the first episode, “Deadly Christmas”. After being the heroes of vignettes in a popular television show, The Simpsons therefore have their own show. At the helm: Matt Groening, the creator; James L. Brooks, the producer; and Sam Simon, the showrunner. As the title suggests, the episode is a Christmas special. An unmissable event for any good self-respecting sitcom, but not with which we start… “ The Simpsons were to start in the fall of 1989 and “Mortal Christmas” was not intended to be the pilot, explains Thomas Pillon. But the initial pilot – “One Evening from Hell” – returns from Seoul, where part of the series is made, with a catastrophic level of animation. It is not broadcastable. The team then bets that it is possible to correct the situation. »
The concern kept silent at the channel, hard work and better collaboration with the Korean studio make it possible to meet the challenge. The Simpsons are announced for December. In order to stick to the calendar, Fox chose “Deadly Christmas” to open the ball. However, the episode was, logically, not designed to introduce the characters. We follow the family preparing for the holidays and experiencing serious financial worries. Despite this astonishing programming, “Mortal Christmas” received a rave reception from viewers and the media.
The key to success? “ The Simpsonsit’s a free, different tone. Even if it has a happy ending, “Deadly Christmas” does not hold back from evoking the reality of the American middle class facing difficult ends of the month. Unlike other sitcoms, The Simpsons do not sublimate everyday life,” analyzes Thomas Pillon. In other words, Americans recognize themselves in this series which, behind the laughter, is deeper than it seems.
Backstage clash, Homer in space and Spider-Pig
The first seasons owe a lot to Sam Simon, who died in 2015. “He made up almost the entire pool of writers, which included Al Jean, Mike Reiss, Wallace Wolodarsky, John Swartzwelder, etc. Authors who laid the foundations of Simpsons. Sam Simon will give his style to the sitcom. Under his leadership, the scripts were constantly rewritten, deepened and enriched. However, he will never take the light like Matt Groening, whose involvement was less. Sam Simon was a convict in the shadows,” comments Thomas Pillon.
The showrunner harbors resentment towards Matt Groening. It will even be translated in the tenth episode of season 3, “Un cocktail d’enfer”. In this episode, Homer is angry with Moe, the owner of the bar he frequents. For what ? Moe stole a cocktail “recipe” from him and made a fortune with it… We couldn’t be clearer. In seasons 3 and 4, Sam Simon leaves his role as showrunner to the duo Al Jean and Mike Reiss, while accompanying him. Tired of not seeing the recognition he expected come, he left the series in 1993.
Another talent permanently infuses his vision into the sitcom: David Mirkin. Showrunner on seasons 5 and 6, this one stands out. Thomas Pillon confirms: “He is not part of the original team. Before his arrival, he had been showrunner for other programs and worked in stand-up. When he takes the reins, he is more interested in setting up situations and less in plotting. However, this is not the approach adopted so far. Faithful to his conviction, he himself writes an episode where he sends Homer… into space! Confusing… For Matt Groening, David Mirkin is moving away from the “societal realism” he holds dear. »
Thomas Pillon continues: “Mirkin insists. For him, we can think outside the box without betraying the fundamentals. He succeeds in bringing The Simpsons towards the absurd and the grandiloquent, what will remain. » “Homer in Space”, fifteenth episode of season 5, will also experience a space odyssey, in the literal sense, which Thomas Pillon describes in his work…
The Simpsonsit is also the brand of David Silverman, director of numerous episodes and the film released in 2007 (the song “Spider-Cochon” is also his). It is also the work of Alf Clausen, the composer, Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, the respective voices of Homer, Marge, Bart and Lisa and other characters and countless numbers of guests… In short, it is the work of a collective, which Thomas Pillon forcefully recalls. And, to our greatest happiness, the story is not over. Now, Al Jean and Matt Selman jointly serve as showrunner and The Simpsons see a 36e season currently airing.
To Discover
Kangaroo of the day
Answer
But what about its future as it moved under the Disney flag after the 2019 takeover of Fox by the big-eared firm? Thomas Pillon puts forward a hypothesis: “What the Disney group is doing with Star Wars allows us to imagine what he could undertake with The Simpsonsnamely exploitation of the license in multiple formats. This has already started and could intensify. We must not forget that The Simpsons are a major argument for Disney+ subscriptions and derivative products sell en masse. » Wait and seeSO…
Welcome to The Simpsons, the incredible true story of the cult series, by Thomas Pillon (Third éditions, November 2024, 312 p., €29.90).
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