Callie K. (ballofglitter) from GRAND ISLAND, NE Reviewed on 8/18/2014...
I can't help it. My husband and I debate because I love the Simpson's more than Family Guy and he's a Family Guy kind of guy. The Simpson's have been out many years longer than Family Guy. :)
Leanne S. (leannestaples) from WHITE PLAINS, NY Reviewed on 1/11/2010...
love the Simpson's. been a big fan since the beginning. I was a bit disappointed that it doesn't have closed captions.
Movie Reviews
"Mmm...64 slices of American Cheese" Homer's midnight snack
mwreview | Northern California, USA | 05/09/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The Simpsons DVD sets so far have been jam-packed with extras, commentaries, and creative menu pages, which may be the reason the seasons are fairly slow in coming out. I am getting a bit antsy because the next 7 seasons or so are so great, but good things come to those who wait. Season five has some of my favorite episodes. Some were pretty rare to see in syndication and now almost impossible to see as the current reruns seem to concentrate on the later seasons. Here are my season five highlights:"Homer's Barbershop Quartet" with an appearance by George Harrison. This parody of the Beatles is very clever, especially Barney's girlfriend, "the Japanese conceptual artist." "Rosebud" is in my top 10 Simpsons episodes ever. Mr. Burns is obsessed with finding his boyhood teddy bear Bobo. It is one of the funniest shows I've ever seen. The best part is when Smithers dresses like Bobo to try to, uh, cheer up Burns. "Bart's Inner Child": Self-help guru Brad Goodman is impressed by Bart's "do what you feel like" attitude. Springfield puts together a "Do What You Feel Festival," a welcome change from the "Do As We Say Festival" (started by German settlers)."Boy-Scoutz in the Hood": Another favorite of mine. A sugar high causes Bart to join the junior campers, lead by Ned Flanders. Enduring Homer's constant teasing, Bart dreads telling Homer about the father-son rafting trip (Homers response: "Ha, you don't have a son."). Ernest Borgnine guest stars."Homer and Apu": Apu gets busted for selling tainted meat and loses his job at the Kwik-E-Mart. At one point, Apu and Homer travel to India so Apu can seek forgiveness from the Keik-E-Mart CEO who resides in not the most conveniently located convenience stores. James Woods guest stars."Lisa Vs. Malibu Stacy": Lisa is on a rampage when her talking Malibu Stacy doll says things like "Don't ask me, I'm just a girl." She meets with the doll's creator Stacy Lovell to design a more politically correct doll. Lovell had been forced out of the company because her ideas were not cost effective (oh, and she was also "funneling profits to the Viet Cong"). It is hilarious. Smithers' start-up page on his computer is a must-see."Deep Space Homer": A classic where Homer goes into space. Buzz Aldrin and James Taylor are guests."The Boy Who Knew Too Much": Bart plays hooky and witnesses an incident that causes a trial against Mayor Quimby's nephew Freddy. On the jury is Homer "how many s's are in innocent" Simpson."Secrets of a Successful Marriage": Homer feels important teaching a class on marriage but Marge is not happy with his "tell all" lesson plan. These are my favorites of this DVD set. Other episodes include: Cape Feare (starring Springfield's criminal mastermind Sideshow Bob), Homer Goes to College, Treehouse of Horror IV (where Homer sells his soul for a donut), Marge on the Lam (a Thelma and Louise parody), The Last Temptation of Homer, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling, Homer the Vigilante, Bart Gets Famous (Bart as the "I didn't do it" boy), Homer Loves Flanders, Bart Gets an Elephant, Burn's Heir, Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song, and Lady Bouvier's Lover (with a parody of The Graduate)."
Whoo-hoo!
Chip L | Little Rock, AR | 10/27/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Seems like Fox Studio is getting faster at pumping these DVDs out. The fifth season might be where the simpsons jumped the shark pit, but I'll leave that discussion to the ubernerds. The fifth season includes the following episodes:
Homer's Barbershop Quartet: While looking through old records, the kids discover their dad was in a barbershop quartet. Guest appearnce by George Harrison.
Cape Feare [sic]: Side show bob is out to kill Bart and the family is put in the witness relocation program. Includes the famous "hello Mr. Thompson" scene.
Homer Goes to College: After a nuclear plant inspection, Homer has to go to college. The episode is a send up of popular college movies of the 80's (e.g. Revenge of the nerds or animal house). Homer falls in with the nerd crowd.
Rosebud: In a long turn of events, Mr. Burn's childhood teddy bear ends up in Maggie's hands. Burns and Homer negotiate for the return of the bear. Special guests: the Ramones.
Treehouse of Horror IV: Homer sells his soul for a donut, Bart spies a gremlin on the side of the school bus (ala twilight zone), and Homer kills the vampire Mr. Burns (ala Braum Stroker's Dracula).
Marge on the Lam: In a spoof of Thelma and Loise, Marge and her neighbor go on a cross country chase, when her neighbor steals her ex's car.
Bart's inner child: A self-help guru uses Bart as an example of freeing one's inner child. A "do what you feel like" style festival ensues. Guest stars James Brown.
Boy Scoutz in da Hood: After a sugar binge, Bart and Milhouse find themselves enrolled in the boyscouts. Hilarity ensues.
The Last Temptation of Homer: When a beautiful woman starts working at the plant, Homer's faithfulness is put to the test. Guest starring Michelle Pfeiffer.
$pringfield: Mr. Burns opens a casino in Springfield. Homer works at the casino, while Marge develops a gambling problem.
Homer the Vigilante: A catburglar is loose in Springfield. Homer forms a watch group (read mob) to catch the thief.
Bart Gets Famous: While working on the Krusty the Klown show, Bart inadvertantly steals Krusty's thunder and has his 15 minutes of fame. Guest starring Conan O'Brien (who used to write for the show).
Homer and Apu: Homer gets sick after eating rotting meat from the Quickie Mart. As penance, Apu moves in to be a servant for the Simpsons. Homer and Apu then try to get Apu's job back.
Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy: Lisa fights back against corporate America's barbi-style image by producing a doll designed to give girls a positive image for themselves.
Deep Space Homer: Homer competes for and wins (by default) a spot on the spaceshuttle. His incompetence nearly kills them, and then saves the crew. Stars Buzz Aldrin and James Taylor.
Homer Loves Flanders: Homer sucks up to Flanders when he learns Flanders has football tickets. His relationship grows with Ned (uncomfortably so for Ned), until Homer realizes that Flanders is a jerk.
Bart gets an Elephant: Through a wacky radio contest, Bart wins an elephant. Unable to care for it, he is forced to give it up to a wildlife refuge.
Burn's Heir: Bart competes for, and wins a spot as the heir to Burn's fortune. But he renounces the throne when Burns wants him to fire Homer.
Sweet Seymore Skinner's Baadasssss Song: Bart's hijinks finally get Seymore fired as the school's principle. He re-enlists in the army. Bart and Homer try to get him back as principle when Ned Flanders becomes the new school principle.
The Boy Who Knew Too Much: When Bart skips school he witnesses a crime, allegedly committed by the Mayor's brother. Bart's testimony can clear him, but Seymore will know Bart cut class. Homer serves on the jury ("I know you can read my thoughts boy...meow meow meow meow...")
Lady Boivier's Lover: Marge's mom falls for Homer's dad, only to fall for Mr. Burns.
Secrets of a Successful Marriage: Homer teaches class as a marriage counselor, but ends up dishing the dirt on his own marriage. Marge kicks him out, and Homer is forced to look after himself."
This is the season I've been wating YEARS for.
Chris N. Jacek | Irving, TX | 10/28/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Finally! A great holiday gift for myself. This is the Simpsons at their peak. Seasons 4, 5, and 6 were the prime of this series. There have been great shows since, but this period was consistantly the smartest, funniest, fastest paced era of the Simpsons, and I consider season 5 to be the master piece. In my opinion, 5 of the top 10 episodes of all time, are in this set. The Beatles parady set to early 80's Barbershop quartet. Deep Space Homer's Classic 2001 Homage with the potato chips. Homer improvising dinner for the kids while Marge is out gambling. The Animated Open to "The Tompson" in Cape Fear. And perhaps the greatest episode of all time, The Citizen Cane Parody with "Bobo.""
BEST. SEASON. EVER.
S. N. LLOYD-COOMBS | Sydney, Australia | 04/18/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is without a doubt the BEST SEASON EVER. The most classic, 5 star episodes are on this. The Scriptwriting goes above and beyond the call of duty with awesome work from Swartzwelder, Vitti and O'Brien. No matter how many times you see these episodes you can still watch them over and over again and get new quote-worthy material. Below are the episodes and a brief summary of each.Homer's Barbershop Quartet - While flipping through records at a flea market, Bart and Lisa discover an album by the Be Sharps, a barbershop quartet comprised of Homer, Barney, Apu and Principal Skinner.Cape Feare - Bart begins receiving threatening letters from Sideshow Bob. To protect Bart, the entire Simpson family undergoes Witness Relocation and moves to a houseboat docked on the aptly named Terror Lake.Homer Goes to College - When it is revealed that Homer is grossly unqualified to be a safety inspector at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, he goes to Springfield University to study nuclear physics.Rosebud - During a touching birthday slide presentation Smithers makes for Mr. Burns, we see the early life of Springfield's richest man and learn that despite all his power and money, he'll never be whole without Bobo, his favorite childhood teddy bear.Treehouse of Horror IV - In this year's tricky triptych of terror, Bart presents three Halloween treats based on paintings in the "Fright Gallery".Marge on the Lam - Marge spends some time with her neighbor, Ruth Powers, and the two find that they enjoy each other's company very much. Which, leads to Thelma and Louise proportions.Bart's Inner Child - Homer and Marge are entranced by a charismatic self-help guru named Brad Goodman. While attending a Brad Goodman seminar with his parents, Bart is asked to appear on stage with the man himself and, as usual, misbehaves.Boy-Scoutz 'N The Hood - Experimenting with a dangerous all-syrup Squishee, Bart and Milhouse get loopy and run around Springfield singing and having adventures. Waking up with a massive Squishee hangover, Bart remembers that he enlisted in the Junior Campers.The Last Temptation of Homer - Homer finds he's falling in love with Mindy Simmons, the beautiful new engineer at the plant. Things only get worse when Homer and Mindy are sent to represent the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant at the National Energy Convention in Capital City.$pringfield - When gambling is legalized in Springfield, Mr. Burns opens an extravagant casino on the boardwalk. Homer is hired as a blackjack dealer despite his counting difficulties and Marge finds herself drawn to the slots.Homer the Vigilante - A cunning cat burglar named Molloy is robbing Springfield's citizens of their most prized possessions. Homer forms a citizens' watch group that winds up breaking more laws than they protect.Bart Gets Famous - While working as Krusty the Clown's personal assistant, Bart accidentally steals the limelight when he knocks over a set on live TV and says four magic words: "I didn't do it".Homer and Apu - After Homer eats tainted meat from the Kwik-E-Mart, Apu finds himself out of a job. As an apology to Homer, Apu moves in with the Simpsons and becomes their personal chef and valet.Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy - After years of loving her Malibu Stacy doll, it begins to dawn on Lisa that her favorite toy sets a bad example for little girls. So, she begins to make a doll of her own.Deep Space Homer - Homer and Barney are recruited to be NASA astronauts, so the organization will be more appealing to the common man.Homer Loves Flanders - When Homer discovers that Ned Flanders has season football tickets, the two men begin spending a lot of time together. Homer takes a real liking to Ned, but Ned isn't so sure how he feels about his new best friend.Bart Gets an Elephant - Bart wins first prize in a wacky radio contest and becomes the proud owner of a giant elephant he names Stampy. Burns' Heir - Well into his eighth or ninth decade, Monty Burns realizes that he has no children and therefore no heir for his vast fortune. After an audition process in which every child in Springfield vies for the coveted position as Burns' kid.Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song - Principal Skinner must learn to live without his beloved elementary school when Bart gets him fired. Ned Flanders is brought in to act as principal in Skinner's place.The Boy Who Knew Too Much - In a case ripped right out of the headlines, Bart is the only witness when Mayor Quimby's ne'er-do-well nephew, Freddy, allegedly assaults a snooty French butler.Lady Bouvier's Lover - Having already fallen hard for Marge, Mr. Burns now finds himself smitten with Marge's mother, Jacqueline Bouvier. Competing for the old lady's affection is Grandpa Simpson, who also thinks that she's the bee's arthritic knees.Secrets of A Successful Marriage - Somehow Homer comes to teach an adult education class on how to have a successful marriage. Even stranger, he turns out to be pretty good at it, dispensing homespun advice that his students find useful. Although, in the end, he dispenses too much.EXTRAS - We can always expect the great commentary, animatics, audio outtakes, commercials, featurettes and anything and everything else that relates to that season of Simpsons with plenty of Easter Eggs thrown in.If you HAD to choose only ONE season of the Simpsons to get on DVD this HAS to be the one. This is Comedic Genius at its peak. This is a definite for all collections. Remember the finer points of the Simpsons with this pivotal set that oozes grace and social decour. Do what any person would do in this situation and pre-order this season RIGHT NOW! There's no buts about it. Its worth the D'oh."
On the DVD itself
Christina French | San Antonio, TX USA | 12/23/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Well, duh! This is the best season, and catchphrases?....Mwah! This is the one that got you talking like you watch this stuff 24/7. Well, okay, I do, but anyway.
The actual DVDs they've certainly improved upon. No painful pauses once you choose an option and the extras are fan-friggin-tastic compared to the last 4. They've got full moving episodes of the drawings for one. Even the menu screen entertainment is unique and... entertaining! The little episode booklet you get looks just like their paperback episode book (inside, not out), so it's a little funner.
The one thing I'd like to BEG the DVD people: Put the episode list ON THE DISKS!!! You always have to pull out that booklet to figure out what's where.
If you don't have any of the DVD sets, I'd start with this one. There's a lot more movie references, etc here. It's just funnier all around.
After 10+ years of taping these guys, I'm finally getting to see the full episodes, uncut. Once you miss their Sunday night showing, you're screwed since they start cutting it up.