The Complete Simpsons Bibliography

Part I - TV Guide References

When there is a formal article about The Simpsons the title and author of the article appear on the first line immediately after the date/volume, and the first page number(s) listed are for that article. Other articles and all references that are just made in passing are noted after the 'date' line.

Note that this is an index to the original TV Guide, published in the U.S., and does not include TV Guide Canada, which shares it's name and nothing else. All foreign television guides are indexed in the regular index.

Yes, this section is under construction. Hope to begin rapidly adding new entries soon.. there's a lot to catch up on. As I go through each year I plan to 1) add the synopsis for any first-time broadcast and 2) transcribe any advertisements that were included.

Jun 10 1989 Cheers

In the Cheers 'N' Jeers section we get a Cheers for The Simpsons, with our first known TV Guide reference; "Cheers To the Simpsons, the cartoon clan on Fox's The Tracey Ullman Show. Oddball syndicated cartoonist Matt ("Life in Hell") Groening has created a very striking, turbulent sitcom family in his animated vignettes that air between Ullman's skits. The war amongst the Simpsons will be expanding, as Fox is planning on spinning off Groening's cartoon into a series of its own. That's a top-drawer idea."

Dec 2 1989 v37n48

This issue contained the Viewer's Guide to the Holiday Specials, including the various classic Christmas cartoons, but no mention yet of The Simpsons Christmas show.

Dec 16 1989 v37n50 This Week (Paul Droesche)

p50-51 Our first TV Guide Simpson reference on the actual series; Quote: "Cartoons: The Simpsons, an update on the Flintstones who have served as a cartoon bridge between sketches of the Tracey Ullman Show, will get their own series soon; they get a warm-up Sunday in a half-hour Fox special in which hapless father Homer loses the family's Christmas presents." Homer loses the presents?

p89 Sunday Guidelines, the first of many: Quote: "The Simpsons: Matt Groening's animated family from hell takes leave of The Tracey Ullman Show to celebrate the holidays."

p96 First Fox Simpsons' Advertisement, for episode 7G08: "Premiere Presentation! It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...The Simpsons Christmas Special: A tender tale of family love and holiday cheer."

Dec 23 1989 v37n51

Repeat of Christmas episode 7G08, but no other Simpson references at all until the Jan 6 1990 issue below.

Jan 6 1990 v38n1 (labeled v37n1 incorrectly)

p86-87 Fox advertisement: "The Simpsons Are Coming" with OFF pictured in 'Frodo was here' style peering over a wall

Jan 14 1990 v38n2

p43 "...New Fox Comedy Simply Offbeat"

p85 Sunday Guidelines

p96 Fox advertisement

Discrepancy between show and description:

Description indicates other boy (Martin Prince) "who is assigned to vocational studies in dishwashing", which may have been in the original script (and in the press release) but is NOT in episode 7G02 (could be an outtake).

Jan 20 1990 v38n3 The Top Stars of the '90s (Bill Bruns and Ivana Chubbuck)

p4-10 has box on p10 labeled "...and four who are simmering..." Quote: " 'He's going to be the voice of the '90s,' predicts Leslie Moonves, executive vice-president, creative affairs, at Lorimar Television. 'I think he's speaking what a lot of kids are thinking.' Moonves is speaking about Bart Simpson, the spicy, goggle-eyed older brother in The Simpsons, the new Fox animated-cartoon show on Sunday nights. 'He's going to be a great breakthrough character,' says Peter Chernin, president of Fox Entertainment. 'The public likes kids with lots of energy and verve, and Bart has all that.' "

Nothing like having unbiased opinions.

p89 Fox advertisement: "A Shining Example of Family Life at its Finest. The Simpsons Sunday nights will never be the same."

Jan 28 1990 v38n4 Simpsons, Videos off to good starts (David Gunzerath)

p44 Quote: "The Simpsons also had the young audience to thank for its successful opening bow, as it attracted a healthy 32 percent share of viewers under age 35.

Feb 3 1990 v38n5 Cheers 'N' Jeers (no author)

p39 Cheers Simpsons for changing from "...brief segments on The Tracey Ullman Show ..." to a "...weekly half-hour dose..."

p101 Fox advertisement

Feb 10 1990 v38n6

p104, 105 Fox advertisement

Feb 17 1990 v38n7

p81 Sunday Guidelines

p90,91 Fox advertisement

Feb 24 1990 v38n8

p89 Sunday Guidelines "Bart becomes the most hated boy in Springfield when he decapitates the statue of the town's beloved founder on a riotous installment of The Simpsons."

p102 Synopsis for 7G07 "The Telltale Head". "Bart pulls a stunt that shocks the entire town, including the questionable new friends he was trying to impress. Voices: Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta. Harry Shearer."

Mar 10 1990 v38n10

p45 Letters - and this one we quote;

"The Simpsons is the best new show in TV (referencing a Cheers 'n' Jeers cheer on Feb 3). I enjoyed their shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show but felt they deserved more time. I'm glad to see that they have their own show now. The Simpson outdo all the cartoon characters created in the last 20 years. Let's hear it for Simpsonmania!" (Cary Gradia, of Litchfield, Conn.)

Mar 17 1990 v38n11 "The Simpsons Rate TV: The Good, the bad and the ugly" (Bill Bruns)

Cover Story! "TV: The good, the bad and the ugly by The Simpsons, TV's hot new prime-time family"

p4-7 This is the producers review of OTHER television programs, elicited from MG, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon.

Quote, concerning thirtysomething: (Homer) "It must be very good - we don't understand a word of it."

Quote, concerning Cosby: (Homer) "I love the characters, but I'm worried that millions of Americans think that a good-humored, intelligent father can solve all the problems in a family."

Quote, concerning Alf: (Lisa) "I get the impression all they want to do is sell lunch boxes and T-shirts. They're losing sight of what they're really here for."

p7-8 "Are the Simpsons America's TV Family of the '90s?" (Joanna Elm)

Illustrates how The Simpsons more closely mirror the family of today than other sitcoms traditionally did.

p81 Sunday Guidelines recommends the Marge/bowling episode 7G11 - calling it "Outrageous, adult-oriented fun."

p92 Synopsis for 7G11 "Life on the Fast Lane (aka Jacques to be Wild)". "Homer's birthday present 'for Marge' is a bowling ball, prompting Marge to teach him a lesson by taking up the sport - and maybe also a handsome instructor who offers to teach her 'many things.' Voices: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright."

Mar 24 1990 v38n12 Switch in Time Helps Simpsons (David Gunzerath)

p44 Article describing how viewers are watching America's Funniest Home Videos on ABC but then switching to The Simpsons on Fox instead of watching Elvis on ABC at 8:30.

Mar 31 1990 v38n13 No special reference.

Apr 7 1990 v38n14 Review: The Simpsons (Robert MacKenzie)

p39 Robert MacKenzie's favorable review of The Simpsons

Apr 14 1990 v38n15 What's In...What's Out (ten critics opinions) and Is America Facing a Simpsons Shortage? (Tim Carlson)

p4-7, 10-12 What's In...What's Out list three clear winners, who are hottest of the hot - including The Simpsons. Specific awards also under "Celebs" we find Bart Simpson, nominated by Matt Roush of USA Today. Picture of Bart on p6.

p42-43 Is America Facing a Simpsons Shortage? - Discussing and lamenting the lack of new episodes. America suffered waiting until September.

Apr 21 1990 v38n16

p46 (A passing reference) "The Collins Report: ABC's challenge: Video companion" (Monica Collins)

"But while ABC maneuvers to shoot for the top (ratings), there's one big hitch: the twisted 'Simpsons' competing on Fox at 8:30 Sundays. Bad Bart Simpson licks his chops scheming how to throw a monkey wrench into ABC's best-laid plans."

May 5 1990 v38n18

p27 Not even a reference, but an interesting note:

"Hacker Yack: TV Fans are using their home computers to gossip about shows and stars" (Ed Weiner)

Using online services to discuss TV shows.

May 12 1990 v38n19 Don't have a cow, have a toothbrush (Stephen Galloway)

p50 Discusses Simpsons merchandise in the planning stages, including a "sink-top gadget that features a toothbrush wielding Bart Simpson", a life vest, underwear by Boxer Rebellion, a 3-D Simpsons board game, chewing gum, clothing, kites, air fresheners, talking dolls, video games and gum-ball machines.

For more information about all the Simpson games check out our Simpsons Games list right here!

p89 Sunday Guidelines, for Babysitter Bandit, season finale: "While Marge and Homer have a tryst in a local motel, Bart and company are held hostage by the 'Babysitter Bandit' on the hilarious season finale of The Simpsons"

p107 Synopsis for 7G01 "Some Enchanted Evening". "A row is avoided when Homer says 'I love you Marjorie' and takes her for a romantic night out, leaving the kids with a sitter (voice of Penny Marshall) - who's profiled on 'America's Most Armed and Dangerous.' Other voices include June Foray, Chris Collins."

May 19 1990 v38n20

p48 Passing reference - in review of Carol & Company, by Robert MacKenzie, says "Recent successful off-the-path shows like The Simpsons and America's Funniest Home Videos seem to indicate that there's an audience for something besides standard sitcoms and crime hours."

p52 Passing reference - in article "FCC hands Fox victory for now" discussing rules preventing networks from having a financial interest in show or selling reruns - indicates that "Don't have a cow, man" - the FCC may (did) proceed with a permanent change to the rules.

Jun 2 1990 v38n22 Simpson-Mania? Not in Vermont (Monica Collins)

p49 Fox (and The Simpsons) is generally unavailable in Vermont, even through local cable companies, and, they claim, no one cares.

Yes, but no one knows any better.

p2 Passing reference - article "TV test-drives new-wave comedy" indicates "Intriguing mutant comedic forms are proliferating. They're seen in such shows as The Simpsons (a sort of animated Married..with Children ) and In Living Color.. "

Jun 9 1990 v38n23 Tooned on! America Flips for Cartoons (David S. Wilson)

Cover - Bart Simpson, standing on shoulders of Raphael, from TMNT, with other cartoon characters (drawn by Michael Smolin)

p22-26, 28 Tooned on! America flips for Cartoons

First page of article illustrated with a minature Maggie. Making the point that adults are watching The Simpsons, it begins;

"Don't look now, but bears, ducks, turtles, crazy wabbits, Peter Pan, Captain Planet and Bart Simpson are all taking over your TV screen."

Later it continues;

"There are a number of theories explaining the current animation avalanche. The pop-sociological view is that aging baby boomers are nostagically seeking to re-capture the cartoon memories of their childhood - while keeping their own kids entertained. In short, grown-ups are fueling the toon-boom. Fox estimates that 94 percent of the audience for the breakway hit The Simpsons is over 18."

p39 n Cheers 'N' Jeers - Dirty tricks at ABC, and I quote:

"Jeers - To ABC for resorting to unscrupulous programming ploys. It's one thing to openly schedule shows off the hour or half-hour, it's another to deceive viewers the way ABC did when a recent episode of America's Funniest Home Videos ran three minutes long - ending at 8:31 PM (ET) - and slid right into America's Funniest...Part II with no commercial break. The idea, of course: fool inattentive viewers who normally would switch to Fox's 'The Simpsons' at 8:30 into staying tuned to ABC. On another occasion, at the beginning of ABC's Anything for Laughs, viewers were informed that The Simpsons wouldn't be on 'because of this ABC special'. Supposedly, it was meant as a joke. We're not laughing."

...and neither are we.

Jun 16 1990 v38n24

p79 Sunday Guidelines recommends a repeat episode of 7G10 "Homer's Night Out"; "The Simpsons repeats the hysterical episode in which paparazzo Bart catches Homer with a belly dancer."

Jun 23 1990 v38n25 Eight other TV standouts (Myles Calium)

p10 Bart Simpson listed first as follow-up to TV Person of the Year;

Bart Simpson He sneaks into movies, terrifies pedestrians with his skateboard, cracks up his pals with gross-out belches - is it any wonder Bart Simpson is suddenly everyone's favorite 10-year-old? The mischievous kid on Fox's The Simpsons came into his own this year. If you haven't heard the expression "Don't have a cow, man," you must have spent the last few years under the icecap in a nuclear sub. It's a hopeful sign for the country that this fresh, irreverent comedy has captured the heart of viewers.

As so often happens, a Simpson character is the only fictional person listed the article.

p73 Sunday Guidelines for an encore performance of 7G13 "The Crepes of Wrath". "On a hilarious repeat of The Simpsons, Bart participates in a student-exchange program that sends the quintessential problem child to France and brings "an affectionate little Albanian" spy to Springfield."

Jun 30 1990 v38n26 No mentions other than regular listings.

Jul 07 1990 v38n27 The Best and Worst TV Guide Reviews the 1989-90 Season

p4-7, 9-14 First picture is of The Simpsons, sitting in the opera box during episode 7G02

Under Best Series, lists Twin Peaks and The Simpsons.

Quote: "And there's never been a TV family - live or animated - as squirrelly as the Simpsons: Homer, Marge, Lisa, Maggie and (especially) Bart, 10-year-old anarchist turned T-Shirt icon. Long may he rain terror on principals, baby sitters and family therapists."

p12 Listed as 28th under highest Prime Time Series shows garnishing a 14.5 rating (% of 92.1 million TV households) and a 22% share (% of TV sets in use tuned to Fox)

Jul 14 1990 v38n28 The maestro behind Batman and Bart (Jane Marion)

p17 Article about Danny Elfman. Includes picture of Simpsons carrying jello molds in company picnic episode 7G04

p37 Letters - letter from viewer berating TV Guide for honouring Bart Simpson as runner up to TV person of the year, complaining that he steals, lies and has no concern for others. My only complaint was that Lisa Simpson didn't make the top ranking...

p75 Sunday Guidelines recommends a repeat episode of 7G11 "Life on the Fast Lane"; "On an outrageous and adult-oriented rerun of The Simpsons, Marge and Homer's happy marriage is threatened by a suave, sensuous, smooth-talking bowling instructor."

Jul 21 1990 v38n29 Bart may wear dress to Emmys (Stephen Galloway)

p26-27 in reference to Nancy Cartwright as a possible nominee.

Jul 28 1990 v38n30 Cheers 'N' Jeers

p23 "Cheers - To cartoonist Matt Groening, creator of Fox's 'The Simpsons', for slamming bogus Bart T-shirts bearing anti-gay sentiments. The shirts, on which Bart is labeled an 'AIDS Activist' and depicted with his trademark slingshot saying 'Back off, fag!' turned up in a store in Deerfield Beach, Fla. ...Groening is angry too, and had this to say to 'TV Guide': 'I guess ugly bigotry and copyright theft go hand in hand.' As Bart himself might say to anyone tempted to buy such phony goods, 'No way, man.' "

Aug 4 1990 v38n31 No mentions other than regular listings.

Aug 11 1990 v38n32 Foxes Babes in void-land (Stephen Galloway)

p36 After discussing Babes, reviews announcement that "Simpsons will not be ready until mid- to late October."

p77 Sunday Guidelines for the Babysitter Bandit repeat (7G01).

Aug 18 1990 v38n33 This Week (Paul Droesch)

p46 Leads off by discussing the Cosby vs. Simpsons battle, which begins a trial run Thursday, August 22, 1980 with repeat episodes, and mentions that The Simpsons have TWO episodes this week. Picture of Bart on bed reading Radioactive Man. It begins; "This is an unusually active summertime week on NBC, which is looking ahead to fall by previewing five of its new series. But you can excuse Bill Cosby if he's looking over his shoulder. That's because Cos will go head-to-head with The Simpsons beginning Thursday. He doesn't appear to be having a cow about it though. Not yet. For the time being, this NBC-Fox duel will be fought with reruns - and this week, The Cosby Show will counter Bart's statue-stealing shenanigans with a compendium of outtakes that first aired in February."

p81 Sunday Guidelines recommends a repeat episode of 7G12 "Krusty Gets Busted"; "Krusty the Clown: 'champion of children's literacy' or 'insane criminal genius?' Homer witnesses a convenience-store holdup and identifies Bart's TV idol as thief, on the first of two standout Simpsons episodes this week. Emmy nominee Kelsey Grammer (Cheers) lends his voice to Kristy's highbrow colleague, Sideshow Bob."

p157 The advent of the temporary move to Thursday evenings is heralded by a recommendation in Thursday Guidelines for episode 7G07 "The Telltale Head"; "The Simpsons settle into their new time slot with a savory repeat in which Bart decapitates a statue of the town's beloved founding father."

Aug 25 1990 v38n34 Insider Grapevine: Tooned Out (Marilyn Beck)

p19 Discusses how Harry Shearer (photo with article) is now doing the voice for many significant Simpson characters;

Political satirist Harry Shearer has The Simpsons coming out of his ears - and his mouth. Shearer started out doing narrations for just a few characters on Fox's animated hit, but now he does the voices of the school principal [Skinner], the school bus driver [Otto], Homer's boss [Burns], the town psychologist [Dr. Marvin Monroe], the town preacher [Rev. Lovejoy], the family doctor [Dr. Hibbert] and Homer's neighbor [Flanders] - to name a few. Shearer says the show's producers give him free rein to create the voices. "I do my concept of what I think a guy sounds like, and most of the time they are fine with that," he says. Sometimes, though, it can get confusing. Says Shearer, "I'm doing more characters all the time, and if one hasn't been around for a while or is new, I have to ask them to play me a tape because I've forgotten what the character sounded like."

Sep 1 1990 v38n35 The boys of Autumn (Monica Collins)

p7-9,12-13 Article on the network plans including Fox (p12), indicates how Peter Charmin, as a mild-mannered maverick overshadowed by chairman Barry Diller, is '..the man who maintains and coddles 'The Simpsons',..." and in addition "Chernin's boldest move this season....is placing The Simpsons dead opposite NBC's The Cosby Show.."

Sep 8 1990 v38n36 Bart shows up in Cosby's Den (Ileane Rudolph)

p35 In the TV Guide Plus section we find the following mini-article; "You might think that last think Bill Cosby and his TV family would want to do is give free publicity to the enemy - The Simpsons, their Thursday night competition on Fox. But at a recent taping, the audience roared when 4-year-old Raven-Symone, who plays Cosby's step-granddaughter Olivia, walked into her scene wearing a Bart Simpson mask. A spokesperson for the show says the episode will air early in the season."

"This isn't the first free advertising the Cosby crew has given The Simpsons. Cosby himself appeared on the cover of the Aug. 31 issue of Entertainment Weekly wearing a Bart T-shirt."

Sep 15 1990 v38n37 Confessions of an Emmy voter (Ivana Chubbuck)

The Fall Preview issue, featuring dozens of new shows that will be off the air before the year is out..

p106 Describing the process by which they must pick five nominees out of thousands of ballots; mentions Nancy Cartwright was submitted for "Best Actress" (but of course, not nominated) for role of the voice of Bart Simpson.

p281 Thursday Guidelines for The Cosby Show references our favorite family; "Ratings giant The Cosby Show enters a seventh season fending off a new challenger, Fox's The Simpsons."

Sep 22 1990 v38n38 TV'90-91: Season of Challenge, Season of Change (David Lieberman)

Cover - Bart Simpson on cover sitting on Cosby's shoulder with caption: "Bart Simpson and Bill Cosby face off on Thursdays"

The Fall Preview II issue, featuring the survivors from prior years.

p4-10, 16-18 Leads off mentioning Bart Simpson in first paragraph.

p17 Picture of our favorite family, previewing the upcoming year; "The show will draw on famous guest voices as they flesh out the Simpsons' past and introduce new characters. Danny DeVito will provide the voice for Homer's long-lost brother and Larry King will read the Bible for Books on Tape that Homer listens to when he thinks he's going to die. In flashback episodes, we'll see Homer with long hair and Marge looking like a flower child with long straight hair parted down the middle. And we'll discover why Homer and Marge got married: they had to. She was pregnant - with guess who."

p230 Fox full-page advertisement, joking about new episodes in October.. "Marge Simpson Speaks Out on Re-Runs", with Marge pictured, saying "If it's not asking too much, I think I'd like to get on with my life!". "Dozens of Original, Never-Before-Seen Epsidoes Beginning October 11th On Fox!"

p232-233 CBS advertisement stating "After Bill (Cosby) and Bart (Simpson), change the channel and catch The Flash..."

Sep 29 1990 v38n39 Yes, Marge can read - sort of (Herma M. Rosenthal)

p44 Marge Simpson's appearance on the Emmy Awards, discussing how Fox had to prerecord every nominee and then select and roll the tape for the winner

p189-191, Three half-page Fox advertisement for The Simpsons, joking about this being the last week of reruns; Bart Simpson, p189: "Hey, Man, one more re-run and I Walk!"; p190, "Fox is proud to announce dozens of new, original, never-before-seen Simpson's episodes beginning next Thursday night; p191, Bart; "I knew those network dudes would buckle!"

Oct 6 1990 v38n40 Critics' Picks What the pros say you should be watching this fall

p4-5,7-10 The critics pick their shows to watch this television season. Matt Roush of USA Today notes the following;

Cosby vs. Simpsons. Ratings mavens are laying bets already on which of America's fave families will triumph in the fall's bloodiest battle: NBC's wholesome Huxtables or Fox's perversely downtrodden cartoon clan. The battle royal won't really kick in until Oct. 11, when new Simpsons episodes start.

Meanwhile, Monica Collins of The Boston Hearld notes

HOMER-IC LAUGHTER - The Simpsons The producers have promised an episode in which baldy Homer Simpson uses a minoxidil-type product and grows long, luxuriant hair. He's then promoted at the nuclear-power plan and gets a gay male secretary. Homer feels an undeniable, indefinable attraction for this assistant. I heard about this episode and started laughing. I can't wait to see it.

p51 This Week highlights the Cosby-Simpson battle. It begins; "It's Bart vs. Bill and ballplayers vs. soap stars in a week of ballyhooed matchups. The Cosby-Simpsons battle that NBC and Fox have been building up to since August begins for real Thursday as the Simpsons return from a lengthy summer vacation to challenge the Cos with their first episode of the season. Curiously, it's set in the middle of winter - a winter of Bart's discontent. He's in imminent danger of flunking the fourth gradem and it really scares him."

p183 Thursday Guidelines for premiere of episode 7F03 "Bart Gets an 'F'" "The school psychologist recommends that Bart repeat the fourth grade - no matter how 'shameful and emotionally crippling' it may be - on the hilarious second-season premiere of The Simpsons."

p186 Close Up on season opener 7F03 "Bart Gets an 'F'";

Underachiever - And Scared if It

In this second-season opener, Bart finds there may be a price to pay for being an underachiever: one more failed history test, and he'll be held back in the fourth grade.

So Bart makes a deal with Martin, the class brain: study tips in exchange for antigeek lessons. Martin shows Bart how to use a highlighter pen. Bart teachers Martin how to pop a wheelie.

But on the eve of the next test, when he needs help most, Bart discovers he has created a Frankenstein. "Who cares about some test?" says Martin, heading off to the arcade.

Hopeless, Bart hits his knees in prayer - "the last refuge of the scoundrel," says Lisa - seeking just one more day to study. Lo and behold, the Lord comes through. Now can Bart?

Voices: Nancy Cartwright (Bart), Marcia Wallace (Mrs. Krabappel), Harry Shearer (Otto, Dr. Pryor, Marty), Russi Taylor (Martin, Twins, Grandmother), Dan Castellaneta (Homer).

p190-192, Three full page Fox advertisement for The Simpsons; Family (except Bart) standing on p190 with Homer saying "It's Going to be a Blast!" with a long wire leading across p191 to p192, where we find Bart with a detonator saying "No Kidding, Homer!"

Oct 13 1990 v38n41

p169 Thursday Guidelines for premiere of episode 7F02 "Simpson and Delilah"; "The Simpsons: Homer becomes a passionate lover and an executive at the nuclear plant when he uses Dimoxinil and gravity boots to cultivate a full head of hair. A must-see episode featuring the voice of the inimitable Harvey Fierstein. He plays Karl, Homer's efficient and oh-so-devoted secretary."

p174-175 Fox advertisement for episode 7F02 "Simpson and Delilah"; On p174 titled "BEFORE" we see Homer as he normally appears, lunchbox in hand; and on p175 titled "AFTER" we see executive Homer, head full of hair, attache case in hand. "Tonight, it's a miracle! Homer grows hair!"

p176 Synopsis for episode 7F02 "Simpson and Delilah"; "A promotion, a key to the executive washroom and an invaluable secretary named Karl (voice of Harvey Fierstein) are all Homer's, thanks to a 'miracle' hair grower - charged to the company's insurance."

Oct 20 1990 v38n42 TV's Flashiest and Trashiest Dressers (Mr. Blackwell) and Its Audience is Aging...So Why is TV Still Chasing the Kids? (Neil Hickey)

Cover - Marge Simpson, caption reads "Mr. Blackwell picks: the best and worst dressed on TV" and "Marge Simpson: A true-blue disaster"

p10-13, 15-16, 18 Once again, the only 'toon amongst the real people in an article; (p18) Quote: "Marge Simpson: A true-blue disaster. Bart's mom looks like the Bride of Frankenstein".

p23 Describes network chasing after youth for its advertisers; The Simpsons rated the number 6 show for people age 49 and under.

p169 Thursday Guidelines for premiere of episode 7F04 "Treehouse of Horror"; "The Simpsons: Bart and Lisa exchange scary stories to celebrate Halloween on a first-rate episode featuring the resonate voice of James Earl Jones."

p175 Fox advertisement for 7F04 "Treehouse of Horror"; "Tonight , Trick or Treat with The Simpsons!". "Halloween Special!" Entire family is seen trick-or-treat'ing, Lisa with a wand and tiara, Bart as Bartman, and Maggie as a ghost with her pacifier and hair ribbon nonetheless in place on top of her sheet.

p176 Synopsis for premiere of episode 7F04 "Treehouse of Horror"; "James Earl Jones lends his voice to a Halloween night when Bart and Lisa swap scary tales about a family of five in a haunted house; one family's misunderstanding with aliens; a rendition of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven." Other voices include Harry Shearer, Yeardley Smith, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright."

Oct 27 1990 v38n43

p167 Thursday Guidelines for premiere of episode 7F01 "Two Cars in Every Garage, Three Eyes on Every Fish"; "This 'anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes' becomes involved with politics when Homer's despicable - and environmentally irresponsible - boss at the nuclear power plant runs for governor."

p176-177 Half page Fox advertisement on p176 for 7F01 "Two Cars in Every Garage, Three Eyes on Every Fish" is titled "Tonight, when Bart catches a fish... you won't believe your eyes!" shows Bart fishing with Lisa and Maggie at this side (unlike the episode) with Bart saying "Get the tartar sauce, man!". On a quarter page on the far side of p177 we see Bart's lure and Blink captioned "New Episode! 8:00".

p178 Synopsis for premiere of episode 7F01 "Two Cars in Every Garage, Three Eyes on Every Fish"; "Homer's boss, Burns, wants to be 'lovable.' He wants the governor's chair. He really wants to lower nuclear-safety standards to keep his plant on line. He says the three eyed fish caught behind the plant is a result of 'natural selection.' Yeah right, man. Voices: Harry Shearer, Julie Kavner, Dan Castellaneta.

Nov 3 1990 v38n44 Cheers 'N' Jeers

p46 Cheers Lifetime television for picking up Tracey Ullman after it was dropped by Fox; mentions show as birthplace of The Simpsons but oddly enough calls Bart "..just the window dressing for the real star."

p199 Thursday Guidelines for premiere of episode 7F05

p210 Fox advertisement for The Simpsons Dancin' Homer

p262 Our first Crossword reference! 35 across, "Homer Simpson's job" site (PLANT)

Nov 10 1990 v38n45 Thursday night's mountain of youth (David Gunzerath)

p51 Notes that whoever wins the Cosby/Simpsons battle, both are doing something TV hasn't done for years; drawing a large number of younger viewers.

p199 Thursday Guidelines for premiere of episode 7F08

p208 Fox advertisement for The Simpsons for miniature golf tournament

Nov 17 1990 v38n46 A Grown-up Bart will sound Stern (Jane Marion)

p51 Announcing that Daniel Stern, who plays the adult voice of Kevin Arnold (Fred Savage) on The Wonder Years will play an adult Bart reminiscing.

p54 Babes trims the fat jokes - discussion of changes to see if Babes can be salvaged - mentions that even with The Simpsons premiere lead-in, during which The Simpsons scored eighth in the Nielsen's, Babes was still only 55th.

p199 Thursday Guidelines for the Macy*s parade mentions that the Bart Simpson balloon will appear

p199 Thursday Guidelines for premier of episode 7F07, the Thanksgiving episode, which includes my favorite self-reference; on the day the Bart Simpson balloon appeared in the Macy*s Thanksgiving Parade, which I watched just to see Bart, it appears on a television in the Simpsons Thanksgiving episode 7F07.

p210-211 Fox advertisement for The Thanksgiving episode.

Nov 24 1990 v38n47 No mentions other than regular listings.

Dec 1 1990 v38n48 Ever wonder who's the grown-up Kevin Arnold? (Jane Marion)

p36 Article on Daniel Stern mentions his appearance on the Simpsons as the grown-up Bart Simpson.

p179 Thursday Guidelines for premiere of episode 7F06, Bart the Daredevil

Dec 7 1990 v38n49 Now you can outsmart Bart and Sleuth along with Jessica Here are home versions of your favorite shows (Jane Marion)

p22-23, 25-26 Article about ten TV-based games, including two Simpsons games, The Simpsons Mystery of Life Game and The Simpsons Don't Have A Cow Dice Game (pictures of both games included)

For more information about all the Simpson games check out our Simpsons Games list right here!

p39 Insider Grapevine, "Troubled Waters" (Marilyn Beck), with picture of Simpsons, provides details on future episodes including Bart getting hit by a car (7F10), the blow fish (7F11), stories about Patty and Selma, and 'Bart Dog Gets as F' (7F14).

p177 Thursday Guidelines for repeat of episode 7F03

Dec 15 1990 v38n50

p19 Full page color advertisement on Simpsons XMAS book and Postcard book from HarperCp. For our complete list of Simpson books see our Simpsons Books list.

p175 Thursday Guidelines for premiere of episode 7F09

p178 Fox advertisement for Simpsons, picture of Maggie with quote "Quiet little baby terrorizes unsuspecting family. Tonight, the inside story..."

Dec 22 1990 v38n51

p7 Full page color advertisement on Simpsons XMAS book and Postcard book from HarperCp.

For our complete list of Simpson books see our Simpsons Books list.

Dec 29 1990 v38n52

p2+ "Your Guide to What's New in the New Year" (Bill Bruns and Emily Ormand) has a passing reference to The Simpsons, wherein "...(television) programmers are desperately looking for the next Simpsons or Twin Peaks, both midseason breakout hits."

p48-59 This Week (Paul Droesch) recommends this weeks Simpsons, repeat of the three-eyed fish episode 7F01.

Jan 5 1991 v39n1 Caught in the act The Annual ZAP Awards TV's silliest slips and biggest blunders of 1990 (Michael A. Lipton And John Roach)

p7 "Chill out, dudes! Don't have a meltdown!" notes nuclear industry complaints about their (accurate) portrayal

p23 Cheers 'N' Jeers gives Jeers on "Do the Bartman" video anticipates that it is about to flop (surprise, surprise..)

p149 Thursday Guidelines for premiere of episode 7F10, Bart hit by Burns car

Jan 12 1991 v39n2 No mentions other than regular listings.

Jan 19 1991 v39n3

p161 Thursday Guidelines for repeat of Homer sushi episode 7F11

Jan 26 1991 v39n4

p37 This Week On TV (Paul Droesch) recommends The Simpsons.

p147 Thursday Guidelines for premiere of episode 7F12

p156-157 Fox advertisement for flashback - Homer & Marge Fall in Love

Feb 2 1991 v39n5 Fabulous February: Your guide to what's hot in the month ahead (Bill Bruns and Emily Ormand)

Cover reference; "Coming This Month on TV: (listed with other items) A Simpsons family reunion"

p7 In it's entirety; "On The Simpsons, Danny DeVito supplies the voice for Homer's long-lost auto-tycoon half-brother (Fox, Feb 16),..." (episode 7F16)

p159 Thursday Guidelines for premiere of episode 7F13

p164 Fox advertisement for Homer stealing cable

Feb 9 1991 v39n6

p149 Thursday Guidelines for premiere of episode 7F15

p156 Fox advertisement for Skinner falls in love with Patty

Feb 16 1991 v39n7 Oh, Brother! Danny DeVito gives Homer Simpson's long-lost sibling a voice (Jane Marion)

p20 Danny DeVito: "We (Danny and his three kids) watch the show together every week, and I can't wait for this episode to be on so we can watch it together. It's going to be a real kick."

p169 Thursday Guidelines for premiere of episode 7F16

p176 Close Up

p178 Fox advertisement for Herb, Homer's half-brother auto executive

Feb 23 1991 v39n8 TV toys for tots: Michelle to Killer Tomatoes

p25 How toy companies are hoping to emulate the success of The Simpsons and TMNT

p151 Thursday Guidelines for repeat of Bart daredevil episode 7F06

Mar 2 1991 v39n9 Parent's Guide to Television (Special 38-page report)

Cover - Miniature Bart Simpson on cover (drawn by Bob Jones)

p2 Miniature Bart Simpson on Contents (not MG)

p6-9, 11, 14-15 Our Expert Panel rates This Season's Crop of Kid Shows (eleven people and TV Guide 's Larry Closs) The Simpsons rated as one of the best shows for ages 6-11 AND ages 12-16. Quote of reviewer David Bianculli from the New York Post; "Forget Bart being a bad role model; that's the point, not the problem. He's like an animated Archie Bunker, demonstrating occasional bad behavior so that the viewers, while being amused by it, will also witness the consequences. And Bart, like the rest of the Simpson family, has a heart, a feistiness and an honesty of characterization missing from most 'real' TV families. It's the most multi-layered cartoon since Rocky and Bullwinkle."

p33-35, 38 Don't Have a Cow, Parents: Here's How to Keep TV From Turning Your Kids into Bart Brats (Suzanne Pingree and Robert Hawkins)

p169 Thursday Guidelines for premiere of episode 7F14

p174-5, Fox advertisement for Simpsons Dog Training school & New Video Deep Deep Trouble

Mar 9 1991 v39n10

p141 Thursday Guidelines for repeat of Marge vs. cartoon violence - episode 7F09

Mar 16 1991 v39n11 Grown-Ups Are Tuning In To TV's New Generation of Toons (Stephen Galloway)

Cover - miniature Homer Simpson with line "On The Simpsons, Bart's out and Homer's In"

p2-7 Repeatedly referencing The Simpsons, credited with the new cartoon Renaissance. (They make it sound like an art movement, while all the other networks are also just trying to cash in. The new shows, while far superior to the Saturday morning cartoon dreck isn't up to Simpsons' standards.) References Bullwinkle as the Simpsons of the 1960s.

Mar 23 1991 v39n12

p149 Thursday Guidelines for premiere of episode 7F17.

TV Guide mentions 80 grand, but it was $106,000.

p153 Fox advertisement - Grandpa inherits a fortune

Mar 30 1991 v39n13

p41 Letters - Letter from irate viewer complaining that The Simpsons were chosen as one of the best TV shows for kids 12 - 16 (see Mar 2 1991) despite the main character being "...rude, obnoxious, crass and disrespectful.." Obviously the writer, from Illinois, didn't read or understand what the reviewer wrote.

Apr 6 1991 v39n14

p159 Thursday Guidelines for premiere of episode 7F18

p163 Fox advertisement - Marge paints Burns, Ringo Starr appears

Apr 13 1991 v39n15 What Things Cost on TV (Bill Bruns)

p2 Contents has miniature picture of Bart, same on p9

p8-9, 11-12, 14 Revealing that The Simpsons run $440,000 per show, and supplies the costs for many other shows

p35 Grapevine - Encore album for Simpsons (Marilyn Beck) Talking about a new album and videos; we're still waiting. Photo of MG

For a list of all The Simpsons Audio and Video releases, see our list on the archive right here!

p161 Thursday Guidelines for repeat of Homer steals cable episode 7F13

Apr 20 1991 v39n16 TV cartoon heroes have topical bite (Monica Collins)

p28 Analogy between Archie Bunker and Homer Simpson (without the bigotry). Quoting MG: "I'm always amazed that more people haven't made that connection." Picture of Homer.

p137 Thursday Guidelines for premiere of episode 7F19

p143 Fox advertisement - Lisa substitute teacher, Bart for Class President

Apr 27 1991 v39n17 It's Here! TV's Most A-May-zing Month (Bill Bruns)

p2-5, 8-10 Includes (p10) following notes on The Simpsons; "Bart's business deal with friends degenerates into a greedy power and ego trip. Daniel Stern (who does the voice-over for The Wonder Years) guest-voices as Bart recalls a moment with Homer."

p14 "Blast from the Past" (Timothy Carlson) describes the new Dinosaur show, inspired by The Simpsons.

p176-177 Fox advertisement for Simpsons, Homer & Marge at marriage retreat and Homer catches the big one (episode 7F20)

May 4 1991 v39n18

p177 Thursday Guidelines for premiere of episode 7F21

p184 Fox advertisement - Bart and Radioactive Man #1

May 11 1991 v39n19

p185 Thursday Guidelines for repeat of Homer sushi episode 7F11

May 18 1991 v39n20

p175 Thursday Guidelines for repeat of Thanksgiving episode 7F07

p238 Crossword reference; 13 Across, "Homer and Marge, for example" (SIMPSONS)

May 25 1991 v39n21

p40 Dinosaurs: I have to pick a bone (Marvin Kitman) In negative review of Dinosaurs, complaining about the level of wit, he says "It makes The Simpsons seem like Jonathan Swift." Which makes me think about writing a comparison and analyses between the two...

p153 Thursday Guidelines for repeat of Marge & Homer falls in love episode 7F06

Jun 1 1991 v39n22

p15 "Off the Set" has Joanna Kerns of Growing Pains standing next to an ugly Bart Simpson costume in connection with a school fund-raiser

p149 Thursday Guidelines for repeat of Homer Grows Hair episode 7F02

p190 Crossword reference; 21 across, "Mr. Simpson" (HOMER)

Jun 8 1991 v39n23 "If your name's Bart Simpson, expect to get razzed, dude" Meet some real-life namesakes of TV's top cartoon family (Jane Marion)

p1 Miniature picture of Bart

p11-14 Real life Bart Simpson, Homer Simpson, etc. Marge Simpson (person) pictured holding the Marge Simpson Burger King doll

p155 Thursday Guidelines for repeat of episode 7F17 - Grandpa inherits money

Jun 15 1991 v39n24 Bart's on the Block (Herma M. Rosenthal)

p27 Christie's Auction of cels from The Simpsons from The Tracey Ullman Show

p190 Crossword reference; 40 across, "Bart's papa (init.)" (HS)

Jun 22 1991 v39n25 No mentions other than regular listings.

Jun 29 1991 v39n26 Eat his shorts: Bart will stay brat next Season (Marilyn Beck)

p17 Quote (MG): Bart will continue to be the fun-loving anarchist beloved by millions of groovy kids and loathed by millions of uptight grown-ups." (includes picture of Bart)

p34 Letter referencing June 8th article concerning names.

Homer Simpson is a character in a 1939 Nathaniel West novel The Day of the Locust as the ex-accountant whose beating of a child actor caused the book's climactic riot.

p147 Thursday Guidelines for repeat of episode 7F18 - Marge paints Burns

Jul 6 1991 v39n27 The Best and the Worst (7 authors)

p6-9 Father of the Year - Homer Simpson, because (Quote) "Hey-you try raising Bart"

p23 Cheers 'N' Jeers - Jeers (Quote) "To Emmy's arbitrary and highhanded way of putting certain shows in certain categories. Our particular beef: Emmy does not allow Fox's The Simpsons to be nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series. Why? Because it's animated. The actors who supply the voices for Bart & Co. (Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright and Harry Shearer) can be nominated as Outstanding Performer in a Comedy Series, but the show itself is not considered a Comedy Series."

p148 Fox advertisement for Simpsons for premiere of Bart's blood saves Burns (episode 7F22)

Jul 13 1991

p14 President Reagan and Nancy Reagan meeting with Simpsons (people in costumes) for Pediatric AIDS foundation fund-raiser

Jul 20 1991 v39n29 The hot new market in animation art: Would you pay... $1100 for Rocky and Bullwinkle? or $286,000 for Mickey and Donald? (Teresa Hagan)

p11-13 Quote: "Even Bart is art. At the recent Christie's sale, 27 animation cels from the Fox series signed by Simpsons' creator Matt Groening netted almost $94,000. A 28th cel, especially designed to benefit the AIDS Project Los Angeles, depicting Bart auctioning off his sister Maggie, sold for $24,200." Includes picture of Marge kissing Homer at door, Homer holding a single rose and heart shaped box of candy taken from Babysitter Bandit episode 7G01

p149 Thursday Guidelines for repeat of episode 7F14 - Bart dog gets an 'F'.

p198 Crossword reference; 48 Across, "The Simpsons' Dad" (HOMER)

Jul 27 1991 v39n30 (TV Guide's 2000th Anniversary issue)

There was a special commemorative issue issued at the same time - see below for details!

p18-20, 22, 24 Fads: From Coonskin Caps to Farrah's Locks, TV has been America's No. 1 Fad Factory (Gary Alan Rosen) Quote (and the lead paragraph): "It's hard to go anywhere these days and not spot a child - or an adult, for that matter - wearing a Bart Simpson T-shirt. That rebel without a cause has become the Mickey Mouse of the '90s - and he shows no signs of wearing out his welcome. Not only are Bart's immortal lines 'Eat my shorts' and 'Don't have a cow, man!' emblazoned on clothing, posters and lunch boxes, they can be heard in schoolyards and offices all over the world. The whole Simpson family, in fact, has become one of the biggest fads to hit this country in more than a decade. We can only be thankful that Marge's hairdo - a bright blue beehive - didn't catch on the way Farrah Fawcett's do did in the '70s."

p173 Thursday Guidelines for repeat of 7F13 Homer steals cable

Jul 27 1991 Special 2000th Anniversary Commemorative issue

Larger format than regular TV Guide

Cover - has miniature Bart Simpson on cover, and a 'find the Bart' TV Guide cover spread inside

Aug 3 1991 v39n31

p141 Thursday Guidelines for repeat of episode 7F20 - Homer & Marge at marriage retreat

Aug 10 1991 v39n32 Doctors, Lawyers, Cops... Even Homer Simpson is Guilty of Cable Piracy (Rick Marin)

p8 Article about cable piracy references Simpson episode 7F13

Aug 17 1991 v39n43 No mentions other than regular listings.

Aug 24 1991 v39n44 The Weird, Wacky, Winding Road to Winning an Emmy It takes more than talent to cop top honors - you have to play by the rules (Timothy Carlson)

p2-6 Mentions the fact that the "..series was consigned to the ghetto of Outstanding Animated Program - one of the arcane rules Emmy hasn't gotten around to changing." Also mentions that Tracey Ullman won four Emmys in 1989

p23 Cheers 'N' Jeers - Cheers to Fox for original summertime programming, mixing in new episodes of Simpsons, Cops and Beverly Hills, and 90210.

Aug 31 1991 v39n45 No mentions other than regular listings.

Sep 7 1991 v39n46 MJ's new video sweeps into November prime time (Stephen Galloway and Jane Marion)

p37 Quote: "For Jackson fans who can't wait until then (the new video) to get a dose of their idol, check out the season premier of The Simpsons (Fox, Sept. 19). The episode involves an insane guide who thinks he is the pop star. For contractual reasons, the network could not identify the voice of the character as Jackson's, but it is. His is just the first celebrity larynx this season. Also expect, Sting, Jackie Mason, Steve Allen, Aerosmith and, in a special spring installment, a roster of baseball's finest.."

p171 Thursday Guidelines for repeat of Marge vs. cartoon violence - episode 7F09

Sep 14 1991 Fall Preview Issue

p95 This week on TV highlighting MJ

p261 Thursday Guidelines

p278 Close Up

p274-275 Two page advertisement

Sep 21 1991

p203 Thursday Guidelines

p210 Advertisement

Sep 28 1991

p181 Thursday Guidelines

Oct 5 1991

p165 Thursday Guidelines

Oct 12 1991

p161 Thursday Guidelines

Oct 19 1991 Simpsons warns: Don't have a meltdown, dude"

p23 Simpsons warns: Don't have a meltdown, dude

Simpsons vs. nuclear power industry

p165 Thursday Guidelines

Oct 26 1991

p169 Thursday Guidelines

p173 Full page ad for Hallowe'en

Nov 2 1991

p6 Article on Michael Jackson new video references The Simpsons

p187 Thursday Guidelines

p195 Advertisement

Nov 9 1991

p195 Thursday Guidelines on Jackson video "Black or White" with Simpsons

Nov 16 1991

p179 Thursday Guidelines

p188 Advertisement

Nov 23 1991

p189 Thursday Guidelines

Nov 30 1991

p169 Thursday Guidelines

Dec 7 1991

p12 Lists original Simpsons episode 7F08 - as Santas Classics to be aired Dec 19 1991

p19 Lists again with picture!

p46 Cheers to The Simpsons and Dinosaurs for sendups of real programming.

Dec 14 1991 Prime time's Brat Pack

p10 Prime time's Brat Pack

One of 6 brats listed currently on TV (Bart is only animated Brat, of course) Picture of Bart rated 4 'brat faces'.

p165 Thursday Guidelines

p168 Advertisement

Dec 21 1991 The Simpsons in a clear-cut issue

p18 The Simpsons in a clear-cut issue After episode 8F01 - with lobbyist bribing a congressman to permit clear-cutting Groening receives angry mail. Which may result in another episode...

p143 Thursday Guidelines

Dec 28 1991 Resolutions '92

p9 "Resolutions '92" included interview of Bart Simpson who resolved to solder up manholes to snuff out Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

p149 Thursday Guidelines

Jan 4 1992

p16 TV critic Jeff Jarvis says Simpsons was his favorite cartoon until Rugrats came along

p32 This Week on TV - Sting on Simpsons

p149 Thursday Guidelines

Jan 11 1992 No mentions other than regular listings.

Jan 18 1992

p11 In Rating TV's Top 20 Shows, they add on "Teacher's Pets" ratings for three additional shows

p163 Thursday Guidelines

Jan 25 1992

p169 Thursday Guidelines

Feb 1 1992

p155 Thursday Guidelines

p163 Advertisement

Feb 8 1992

p28 This Week on TV - Krabappel in Love

p175 Thursday Guidelines

p182 Advertisement

Feb 15 1992

p32 This Week on TV - Baseball players

p175 Thursday Guidelines

Feb 22 1992

p177 Thursday Guidelines

p183 Advertisement (2 episodes!)

Feb 29 1992

p165 Thursday Guidelines

Mar 7 1992 The Best and Worst Kids' Shows

p10 The Simpsons rated under 'Best Sitcoms for Families to Watch Together'

p12 Under 'The Kids Pick', The Simpsons rated under 'My Parents Love When I Watch...'

p13 Macaulay Culkin (Home Alone) watches The Simpsons

p38 'Simpsons Krusty to Kayo Emmy', Groening, angry at Emmy's, will have Krusty win Daytime Emmy on The Simpsons

p163 Thursday Guidelines

p167 Advertisement

Mar 14 1992

p161 Thursday Guidelines

Mar 21 1992

p30 Maggie Talks next season

p159 Thursday Guidelines

p162 Advertisement

Mar 28 1992- No reference.

Apr 4 1992

p173 Thursday Guidelines

Apr 11 1992

p167 Thursday Guidelines

Apr 18 1992 Big Fans On Campus

p26 'Big Fans On Campus', Article about how college students rated The Simpsons #2 behind Cheers

p44 This Week on TV - Spinal Tap

p173 Thursday Guidelines

p178-179 Two page advertisement

Apr 25 1992 - Missing - Will have shortly!

May 2 1992

p181 Thursday Guidelines

p186 Advertisement

May 9 1992 TV's favorite moms wish you a happy, snappy Mother's Day"

p22 First in line, only Toon, Marge Simpson

p91 Advertisement (for Sunday)

p190 Advertisement (for Thursday)

May 16 1992 - Missing - Will have shortly!

May 23 1992 v40n21 Bush barks up wrong tree when he slams Simpsons (Harry Stein)

p31 Full page article on Presidents remark that "We need a Nation, closer to the Waltons than The Simpsons"

p149 Thursday Guidelines

May 30 1992 - No reference.

Jun 6 1992 Home run Reruns - TV Guide recommends shows to catch the repeats of - including The Simpsons, naturally

p157 Thursday Guidelines

Jun 13 1992

p1 In Q & A, person asks if Bart Simpson's voice could really be a woman...

I wonder if this person could really be a viewer...

Jun 20 1992 The Best and Worse of the Year"

p12 The Best and Worse of the Year lists; 'Favorite Flashback' references Homer's courtship of pregnant Marge (with Bart) in episode 8F10

'One Baby-Prop We'd Like to See Dropped', advocates removing Maggie's pacifier!

p157 Thursday Guidelines

Jun 27 1992

p145 Thursday Guidelines

Jul 4 1992

p141 Wednesday Guidelines

Jul 11 1992

p153 Thursday Guidelines

Jul 18 1992

p155 Thursday Guidelines

Jul 25 1992

p39 Week at a Glance - Must-See Reruns recommending Simpsons rerun episode

p153 Thursday Guidelines

Aug 1 1992

p5 'What I Watch', by Olympic athlete, lists The Simpson's as number five on his top ten

That's interesting - it's number five on my list too! It's also number one, two, three, four, six, seven, ....

p147 Thursday Guidelines

Aug 8 1992

p151 Thursday Guidelines

Aug 15 1992

Homer on Cover!, referencing article on Zapping with the remote control

Aug 22 1992

p153 Thursday Guidelines

p157 Advertisement

Aug 29 1992

p1 Q & A: How much does Maggie cost when passed over register?

Answer: $847.63

p30 "This Week at a Glance" section lists Simpsons as must-see rerun

p157 Thursday Guidelines

Sep 5 1992 What I Watch

p3 Singer from group Red Hot Chili Peppers says Simpsons is what they watch

p13 "TV's Watchdog From Tupelo", article about Rev. and president of the American Family Association's hit list which includes The Simpsons

p16 Includes pictures of Homer & Bart

Sep 12 1992 - Fall Preview Issue - For New Shows - No special reference.

Sep 19 1992

p14 Preview of Simpsons' season to come, actors in new season, etc.

p30 This Week At a Glance

p207 Thursday Guidelines

p214-215 Simpsons Premier advertisement

Sep 26 1992

p2 "Ask TV Guide" foolhardy viewer asks the question from the thread that wouldn't die - where is Springfield - to which they reply, with Springfields in 26 states, you can pick it yourself.

p34 "This Week At A Glance" recommends "Streetcar Named Desire".

p183 Thursday Guidelines

p189 Simpsons advertisement

Oct 3 1992 - No special reference.

Oct 10 1992

p15 When asked what TV family viewers would like to be part of, only 4 percent said The Simpsons

p47 "This Week At A Glance" notes the presence of Bob Hope

p171 Thursday Guidelines

Oct 17 1992

p15 Article citing Brandon Tartikoff's all-time lineup includes The Simpsons

p42 "TV Clips" cites rumours that Krusty the Clown may get his own spinoff

Oct 24 1992 What I Let My Kids Watch

p27 Interview of Matt Groening discusses children Homer, 3, and Abraham, 1

p47 "This Week At A Glance" notes The Simpsons Tremulous Hallowe'en tales

p183 Thursday Guidelines

p192 Simpsons Hallowe'en Advertisement

Oct 31 1992 Sizzle in Sweeps

p16 Discusses Election Day Special

p139 Tuesday Guidelines

p146 Simpsons Election Advertisement

p189 Thursday Guidelines

p198 Simpsons Hallowe'en Advertisement

Nov 7 1992

p38 This Week At A Glance - Bart falls in Love

p191 Thursday Guidelines

p196 Simpsons Advertisement

Nov 14 1992 What I Watch

p5 What I Watch has Hugh Hefner naming The Simpsons as a show he watches.

p187 Thursday Guidelines

p194-195 Simpsons Advertisement

Nov 28 1992 Maggie Mouths Off

Cover has Maggie and Bart Simpson on lower left corner of cover with caption "Maggie Speaks"

p16 Three page article celebrating Maggie's first words

p38 This Week At A Glance notes that Elizabeth Taylor will be on The Simpsons

p171 Thursday Guidelines

p174 Simpsons Advertisement

TV Guides from December 5, 1992 to 1996 in progress!

Jul 17 1993 Cheers 'N' Jeers

p4 Cheers to changes in the Emmy rules including this; "A silly rule consigning animated programs to a separate award ghetto has been lifted, paving the way for The Simpsons to receive consideration in the sitcom categories (Best Directing, Best Show, Best Writing)."

Feb 3 1995 vnnnnn Dan Castellaneta

Too important to continue leaving out. An interview which is transcribed right here!

Oct 21 1995 v43n42 Fatal Reception Trick-or-treating with "The Simpsons" has become a Halloween tradition, thanks to the annual "Treehouse of Horror" episode. To celebrate "Treehouse VI," TV GUIDE commissioned this exclusive mini-comic book.

Cover has the following: "Haunting Season! A fun-filled Halloween preview with the Lawrence brothers, Bart Simpson, the Munsters, and more!

p20-22 What may be another TV Guide first, a glossy color comic book within the pages of TV Guide.

While we're waiting we've decided to begin from 8th Season.

Sep 21 1996 v44n38 Returning Favorites

p27 Preview of the upcoming Simpsons 8th season, discussing episodes You Only Move Twice where Homer takes another job (4F02), Treehouse of Horror VII with Bart's evil twin, space aliens and Lisa creating test-tube life (3F23), The Homer they Fall episode where Homer turns prize pugilist (4F03), Burns, Baby Burns with Rodney Dangerfield as Burns long-lost illegitimate son (4F05), The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie show, with Poochie voiced by Homer (4F05), and an episode where Bart becomes friends with a gay florist voiced by John Waters. Other guest voices we'll hear include Albert Brooks, David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Leonard Nimoy, Jack Lemmon, Rod Steiger, Johnny Cash, Fyvush Finkel, Bob Denver, David Hyde Pierce and Kelsey Grammer (...guilty as charged!).

Oct 5 1996 v44n40

p288 Crossword #401 reference: 13 across, "Bed for Maggie Simpson" (CRIB)

Oct 12 1996 v44n41 - No special reference.

Oct 19 1996 v44n42 Fright Nights (Stef McDonald)

p29, 31, 33-34 A preview of upcoming Hallowe'en television specials includes The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror VII episode 4F02.

Oct 26 1996 v44n43 Kids TV Issue

p6 "From the Editor" where TV Guide Editor-in-Chief Steven Reddicliffe indicates the two shows the family watches together - Hercules and, of course, The Simpsons.

p22-24, 26, 28 "Hot Tots" (Jacquelyn Mitchard) In describing the Rugrats new fall season they compare it to The Simpsons as follows: "...(Rugrats for adults is) as sharp and witty a mirror, social if not cultural, as The Simpsons.

p28 "Cartoon Central" (Bruce Newman) Article on (Arlene) Klasky (Gabor) Csupo animation studio traces their first opportunity to do cutting edge animation to The Simpsons on the Tracey Ullman Show. "The first thing Klasky Csupo did was to make Groening's bizarre characters look weirder still. 'We wanted to push even farther the strange colors, the minimalistic movements'.."

p72 'Home Takes' (Stef McDonald) Article on what the TV stars kids' watch leads to Kate Mulgrew of Star Trek: Voyager indicating that her 12-year-old son adores The Simpsons.

p130-131 has advertisement for Treehouse of Horror VII episode 4F02.

Nov 2 1996 v44n44

We're personally disappointed TV Guide didn't highlight the opening episode.

p120 has advertisement for You Only Move Twice episode 3F23.

Nov 9 1996 v44n45 Insider: Flirting with Disaster (Michael Logan)

Good Day, Sunshine (Joe Queenan)

p9 Article on Richard Dean Anderson, aka "Macgyver", includes the following;

"The actor refers to the frequent homages paid him on The Simpsons: Marge's chain-smoking sisters, Patty and Selma, both have a desperate mad crush on Macgyver. Wouldn't a guest appearance by Anderson just be the sibs' dream come true? 'And it would be my dream come true, too. It's my favorite show'.

p20 Television critic Joe Queenan writes an interesting piece about how they're expected to "...admire Masterpiece Theatre, multipart documentaries about the Civil War, and anything produced by Bill Moyers." He then goes on to say what he and most critics actually enjoy are "...high-quality, hip programs like Seinfeld, The Larry Sanders Show, Law & Order, The X-Files, Homicide, and The Simpsons.

p51 Punchlines: Choice TV Quotes

"Homer Simpson" "Don't eat me! I have a wife and three kids... Eat them!" - upon being abducted by aliens, on The Simpsons

p112 has advertisement for The Homer They Fall episode 4F03.

pA20 Crossword #406 reference: 6 down, "Kwik-E-Mart clerk on The Simpsons" (APU)

Nov 16 1996 v44n46

p108 has advertisement for Burns, Baby Burns episode 4F05.

Nov 23 1996 v44n47

p69 Punchlines: Choice TV Quotes

"Moe" "Fun's up, fellas. If you're gonna beat up my friend in my bar, there's a two-drink minimum." - saving Homer Simpson from a beating, on The Simpsons.

p132 has advertisement for Bart After Dark episode 4F06.

Nov 30 1996 v44n48 Watching in a Winter Wonderland

Article that starts on p18 has on p42 a full page Simpsons graphic "Holiday Greetings from The Simpsons"

Dec 7 1996 v44n49 Milky Waifs (Rick Schindler)

p10 "You saw it here first: The latest celebrities to sport milk mustaches are Bart and Lisa Simpson. The Simpson sibs' milk ad will start running in other magazines in a few weeks, but you don't have to wait. You can also check out the milk web site (http://www.whymilk.com) to read the ad's accompanying text, which includes Bart telling his sister: 'I even like that mustache better than the one you usually have.'"

p10 Accompanied by picture of Bart & Lisa in milk smiles.

Dec 21 1996 v44n51 - No special reference.

Dec 28 1996 v44n52 - No special reference.

Jan 4 1997 v45n1 - No special reference.

Jun 28 1997 v45n26 The 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time

p10-12, 14, 18-20, 25-26, 28, 30-32, 34, 39-40, 42, 44, 46, 48-50, 52, 54, 56-67 List of the Top 100 Episodes of All Time includes, of course, our favorite family. Multiple times.

p34 Listed as number 66 we find the following:

The Simpsons: May 13, 1993 Krusty the Clown has always beaten the competition. "I slaughtered the Special Olympics," he muses. But that was before the arrival of Gabbo, the ventriloquist's dummy. "Gabbo is Fabbo," gush the trade papers. Krusty is soon reduced to standing by the road with a sign that says, "Will Drop Pants For Food." Bart and Lisa to the rescue! They plan a comeback special and recruit Johnny Carson, Hugh Hefner, Bette Midler, Luke Perry, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers (below) for the show. It's a smash, and so is "Krusty Gets Kancelled."

Accompanied by a picture of the Red Hot Chili Peppers from episode 9F19.

p59 Listed as number 17 we find the following:

The Simpsons: Apr 15, 1990 A Simpsons episode très extraordinaire! Principal Skinner ships Bart off to France as an exchange student because of a cherry-bomb-in-the-toilet incident. ("I have a weakness for the classics," the young vandal explains.) This allows The Simpsons' creative team to deal with a few classics of their own, as Bart rides through a French countryside that looks auspiciously like famous paintings, one after another. "We had to figure out a way to draw those paintings in a Simpsons style," recalls director Wes Archer. That eye-popping sequence helped push this episode past all other crackerjack Simpsons clamoring for a spot on this roster. Even without it, "The Crepes of Wrath" is more savory than Provençal cuisine, as Bart is enslaved by his wine-making sponsors while, back home, an Albanian exchange student relieves Homer of countless nuclear secrets. And while foiling a plot to lace the Beaujolais with anti-freeze, Bart discovers that he can finally speak fluent French! Incroyable! "The Crepes of Wrath" is vintage Simpsons.

That's episode 7G13.

Jan 3 1998 v46n1 Crazy for the Simpsons (David Owen)

Special four cover issue of The Simpsons, one of the first times TV Guide issued four different covers. Collectors could buy four different TV Guide covers that were labeled "One of Four Collectors' Covers This Week".

p14-25 Great articles on our favorite family, as follows;

p14-16 Crazy for the Simpsons by David Owen

p16-20 A Dozen Doozies Complied by Mark Lasswell, Stef McDonald, Annabel Verred, Ed Weiner and Elisa Zuritsky

p21 Behind the Lines on 'The Simpsons' by Annabel Verred

p22-24 Home Sweet Homer by Frank DeCaro

p25 Springfield Confidential (compiler not named)

Jan 10 1998 v46n2 Winter Preview Issue

p28 Preview for Invasion America says it "...could do for dramatic TV animation what The Simpsons did for comedy." Right.

p120 Synopsis of 5F08 "Bart Carny". "After Bart damages an attraction, Homer and Bart become carnival workers, and take in two carnies after their crooked game is closed."

Jan 17 1998 v46n3 - No special reference.

Jan 31 1998 v46n5 - No special reference.

Feb 7 1998 v46n6

Note: Effective with this issue of TV Guide, Matt Roush begins his reign as TV critic for TV Guide after 14 years at USA Today.

p120-121 has 1 1/2 page advertisement for 5F23 "The Joy of Sect". "Tonight, Homer is brainwashed into joining a cult!" Bart is pictured responding "Can't wash what isn't there, man." Homer has assumed the Lotus position and is chanting his mantra; "D'oooooh D'oooooh D'oooooh D'oooooh D'oooooh D'oooooh". Fox slogan: "Just One Fox".

p122 Synopsis of 5F23 "The Joy of Sect". "Cult members find Homer difficult - but not impossible - to win over, as they woo Springfield citizens with the promise of a life of serenity."

Mar 7 1998 v46n10 Cheers and Jeers

p8 Cheers & Jeers section has Cheers again for The Simpsons; "Cheers to karmic coincidence. Two of the most original and entertaining comedies we can recall involve ornamental Indian wedding cermonies. In The Simpsons' "The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons," Kwik-E-Mart manager Apu faces a marriage arranged by his mother some 20 years before. During the wedding, Homer tries to pass himself off as the Hindu god Ganesha in a pathetic attempt to break up the nuptial." It then goes on to discuss the second, obviously less important show...

p116 has advertisement for 4F24 "Lisa the Simpson". "Daddy's Little Girl! Tonight, will Lisa become a true Simpson?" Lisa is seen spilling a bag of Pork Rinds saying "D'oh. I guess." with Bart and Homer, bellies showing, sprawled out on the sofa behind her. Fox slogan: "Just One Fox"

p117 Synopsis of 4F24 "Lisa the Simpson". "Lisa Simpsons believes her future is doomed when Grandpa says "Simpson genes" are behind her sudden lack of brain power. Meanwhile, Jasper tries to ensure his future by climbing into the Kwik-E-Mart freezer."

Mar 28 1998 v46n13

p22-25 Just wanted to mention here that the newsstand edition of TV Guide had a South Park cover and these pages ran the article "25 Shocking Secrets You Need To Know About South Park" by Stef McDonald.

p37-38 The Robbins report confirms what we already knew; "Having made fewer changes than any of the networks last season, Fox is reaping the benefits of stability. Fox Entertainment Group president Peter Roth has given early go-aheads to Ally McBeal; Beverly Hills, 90210; Melrose Place; King of the Hill; Party of Five; The X-Files and The Simpsons.

p102 has advertisement for 3G04 "Simpson Tide". "Tonight, Homer becomes the captain of a nuclear submarine!" Homer is seen, in uniform, saying "Is the poop deck really what I think it is?"

p105 Synopsis of 3G04 "Simpson Tide". "Apu, Moe, Barney and Homer join the Naval Reserve, where a nuclear-sub captain (Rod Steiger) puts Homer in charge during war games. Bob Denver has a cameo. Other voices: Hank Azaria, Dan Castellaneta."

Apr 18 1998 v46n16 Cheers and Jeers

p14 Cheers to The Simpsons!: "Cheers to risable, rapid-fire references. 'Simpsons Tide,' (3G04) the recent episode of The Simpsons in which Homer joins the Naval Reserves, was a cornucopia of pop-culture allusions right from the opening sequence, a faithful homage to The Bullwinkle Show. The program, which featured the voices of Rod Steiger and Bob (Gilligan's Island) Denver, spoofed films from 'Planet of the Apes' to 'Crimson Tide' and was peppered with a wild array of sight gags, ranging from the Village People to Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots. 'Simpson Tide' was quick, clever and irrepressible - another Springfield symphony."

p110 has advertisement for 5F15 "Girly Edition". "Rather. Brokaw. Jennings. Simpson? Tonight, Bart Simpson reports live from Springfield!" Slogan: "Just One Fox".

p112 Synopsis of 5F15 "Girly Edition". "Lisa is 'anchorchild' of a TV news show for kids, but Bart steals the show after some coaching from Kent Brockman. Meanwhile, Homer's 'helper monkey' is no help to Marge."

p282 Crossword #482 reference: 7 across, "One of the Simpsons" (BART)

May 2 1998 v46n18

p107 has advertisement for 5F16 "King of the Hill". "Homer climbs the highest peak in Springfield" A snow-capped mountain is seen, with an unseen Homer yelling "D'oh!" from the peak.

p111 Synopsis of 5F16 "King of the Hill". "Homer gets in shape (no, really!) and is chosen to climb a mountain to promote the alleged health-food product that helped him achieve success.

May 9 1998 v46n19 Mommie Dearest A tribute to the mothers who made TV feel like home (Frank DeCaro)

p66-68, 70 On page 68 we find Marge Simpson; "Best Blue-Haired Mother: Marge Simpson (Julie Kavner) on The Simpsons". On page 70 it says "The most endearing mothers on contemporary TV - Marge Simpson on The Simpsons and Marie Barone of Everybody Love Raymond - are anything but idealized." It then goes on to say why Marie isn't, but makes no further mention of Marge.

p146 has advertisement for 5F17 "Lost Our Lisa". "Lost! Tonight, Lisa is missing... where will they find her?" Bart is pictured, holding a milk carton with Lisa's picture, saying "Got Lisa?" (Doubly ironic to do a take-off on the "Got Milk?" advertising campaign, since The Simpsons were also part of that campaign!)

p151 Synopsis of 5F17 "Lost Our Lisa". "Lisa takes the bus downtown alone after tricking Homer into giving her permission. But he comes to the rescue when she gets lost, and teaches her a lesson about taking risks."

May 23 1998 v46n21 - No special reference.

May 30 1998 v46n22 - No special reference.

Jun 6 1998 v46n23 - No special reference.

Jun 13 1998 v46n24

Top of cover has inset "Remembering Phil Hartman" with a picture of Phil.

p47-48 Friends of Phil Hartman recollect their fond memories of Phil. Victoria Jackson, Andy Dick, Tom Cherones, Tim Stack, Lorne Michaels and Joe Dante provide the write-up, but no one connected with The Simpsons.

Jun 20 1998 v46n25

p41 Susan Stewart's Hits & Misses recommends Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist referencing our favorite family; "We get this Simpsons-like shock of recognition with the beleaguered Dr. Katz, who struggles with his patients, his son, and, in the fifth-season opener, his fanny pack."

p252 Crossword #491 reference: 2 down, "The Simpsons' Lovejoy, e.g. (abbr.)" (REV)

Jul 25 1998 v46n30 - No special reference.

Incorrectly labelled v47n30.

Sep 5 1998 v46n36 Returning Favorites

p22 Our favorite family is certainly the returning favorite. It has the following write-up;

Starts: September 20

The Big News: In the tradition of the annual "Treehouse of Horror" Halloween specials, The Simpsons plans its first Easter anthology of Bible-story parodies. Says executive producer Mike Scully, "It should generate a lot of letters." The Halloween spectacular, to air October 25, will feature TV stars such as Jerry Springer, Ed McMahon, Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford. In one tale, Bart and Lisa are zapped inside their TV and end up in an "Itchy and Scratchy" cartoon, running for their lives.

Midlife Crises: Homer, inspired by his mother's past as a '60s radical, decides to become a hippie. (George Carlin and Martin Mull provide the guest voices.) Neighbor Ned Flanders, in search of adventure, talks Homer into taking him to Las Vegas, where they wake up married to cocktail waitresses.

Matt Says: [That's Matt Roush, not MG - BG] Entering its 10th season, The Simpsons is now officially older than Bart. But you'd never know it. The show will be as fresh as ever.

p39 In the write-up for King of the Hill, Matt Roush comments that "This twangy toon, a great fit with The Simpsons, may have been uprooted [it was temporarily moved from Sunday to Thursday - BG], but we would follow these lovable rednecks anywhere.

Oct 17 1998 v46n42 Halloween preview Favorite shows play dress-up as something wicked - Halloween! - this way comes (Stef MacDonald and Annabel Vered)

Incorrectly labelled v47n42.

Cover features our favorite family for the annual Treehouse of Horror episode, including Homer Frankenstein Simpson. Pencils for this cover by Stephanie Gladden.

p24-26, 28-29 "...The Simpsons have become as much a Halloween tradition as pumpkins and candy, with the show each year treating viewers to an episode filled with horror-film references."

Nov 28 1998 v46n48

TV Guide Awards Show Readers Poll Ballot card inserted after page 16 allows viewers to vote for a nominee in each category; for "Favorite Comedy Series" our favorite family is one of the twenty-four choices, including a blank write-in choice. In subsequent years they would limit the number of choices and eliminate the write-in vote.

Dec 5 1998 v46n49

TV Guide Awards Show Readers Poll Ballot card inserted after page 18 with our favorite family eligible for "Favorite Comedy Series". See Nov 28 1998 for further info.

p112 Advertisement for AABF04 "Homer Simpson in: Kidney Trouble". "Which Part Would You Want? Tonight, Homer donates an organ." Homer is seen in underwear, with the following parts labelled; "pea brain, beer can hand, worn out liver, iron stomach, stinky feet, remote thumb, big, but clogged heart, lard butt."

p116 Synopsis for AABF04 "Homer Simpson in: Kidney Trouble". "After inadvertently damaging Grandpa's kidneys, Homer offers to donate one of his. But he chickens out and runs away to the sea, boarding 'The Ship of Lost Souls.' " Yes, we know it's "Grampa".

Dec 19 1998 v46n51

p47 Full page glossy advertisement from HarperPerennial for the book "The Simpsons Guide to Springfield". Heading: "Road Trip! Visit America's favorite family with this handy new guide to America's favorite town." A 4" by 3" picture of the book is seen, with a worried looking Homer below looking at a road map. Description under book reads: "It's the guide that shows you where to go, what to do, and what to see in Springfield, America's most picturesque city. Take in the smoky majesty of the Tire Yard, browse the South Street Squidport and nut-watch at the Bloodbath and Beyond Gun Shop. Come for the fun and stay for the Krustyburgers with The Simpson's Guide to Springfield. (Another "Are We There Yet?" book) Available where books are sold." And, of course, on Amazon..

For our complete list of Simpson books see our Simpsons Book list.

p95 TV Guidelines recommends AABF05 "Mayored to the Mob". "Mark Hamill has a cameo and Joe Mantegna returns as a rackateer Fat Tony as The Simpsons looks at irrepressibly corrupt Mayor Quimby. See the Close-up on p. 108"

p108 Close-up: May the Farce Be With You Mark Hamill (pictured) offers a musical spoof of his "Star Wars" fame in a top-notch episode in which Homer becomes Mayor Quimby's bodyguard. It all begins at Springfield's sci-fi convention, where Homer rescues hizzoner and Hamill from an angry mob. Speaking of mobs, Springfield's own Fat Tony (Joe Mantegna) reminds the mayor that "accidents will happen" after Homer forces Quimby to end a kickback scheme involving Tony's supply of milk to Springfield Elementary. The action climaxes at the Springfield Dinner Theatre, where Hamill stars as Nathan Detroit in "Guys and Dolls," warbling "Luke, Be a Jedi Tonight."

p112 Full page advertisement for AABF05 "Mayored to the Mob". "Costner. Eastwood. Simpson? Tonight, Homer becomes a bodyguard!" Homer is seen dressed as a bodyguard, wearing jacket, shades and an earphone saying "I'll take a bullet, but only if it doesn't hurt." "Guest Voice: Mark Hamill". (No Fox slogan)

Jan 2 1999 v47n1 The Year in Cheers Which series scored this year? Here are Matt Roush's top 12 (Matt Roush)

p26 On Matt Roush's list we find King of the Hill at number 9: "It's not that I'm disenchanted with The Simpsons. It's just that I love this oddly authentic cartoon family even more,..."

p28 Best Line #1: Who Said? "Used grease is worth money? Then my arteries are clogged with liquid gold!" It indicates that answers are on page 27, but it turns out that they're on page 31. Not that any Simpsons' fan wouldn't recognize that classic Homer line from 5F20 "Lard of the Dance".

Jan 9 1999 v47n2 Winter Preview Issue

p18 Introducing the new show Family Guy, it has the following; "Premise: Cross pollinate The Simpsons with Married... With Children to get a sense of suburban life at the off-the-wall Griffin domicile..."

Later in the same article it concludes "Animation is the dominant trend this medseason, and with Family Guy enjoying the high-profile Super Bowl launching pad, the Griffins should fit right in with the tribes of Homer Simpson and Hank Hill."

p28 Introducing the new show Futurama;

Stars The voices of Billy West, Katey Segal, John DeMaggio

Why to Watch To check out The Simpsons's creator Matt Groening's second act.

Premise A darker, stranger Jetsons. We see Groening's brave new world through the eyes of a Homerian misfit: Fry (West), a pizza-delivery guy who is accidentally frozen in 1999 and isn't thawed out until New Year's Eve 2999. He awakens in a world that looks a lot like New York City: noisy, crowded, annoying, where consumerism has run amok with products like highly addictive soft drinks and hit TV shows such as The Mass Hypnosis Hour. Fry's cohorts include the alien Leela (Sagal), a Xena-like Cyclops, and Bender (DiMaggio), a neurotic robot with quaint vices like smoking, drinking and shoplifting.

They Say "This is much more ambitious than The Simpsons. That was about a family,: says creator/executive producer Groening, an admitted sci-fi fan who is aiming his subversive humor at bigger targets than Springfield. "This is no utopia. Stupidity is still rampant." The characters will resemble the Simpsons: "They'll still have big eyeballs and no chins, but their skin won't be yellow. It's 1,000 years from now, and there's been some evolution.

We Say No footage or scripts are available, but there's no ignoring the anticipation surrounding this far-out project.

p114 has advertisement for AABF06 "Viva Ned Flanders". "Homer Hits Vegas!" Homer is pictured holding a dozen bags of pork rinds and a couple of six-packs of Duff saying "The All-You-Can-Eat Pork Rind Buffet! How I Love This Town!" Fox slogan: "Just One Fox"

p117 Synopsis of AABF06 "Viva Ned Flanders". "Chastised for living so little for a man his age, Flanders asks for fun lessons from Homer, who obliges him with a trip to Las Vegas and Ned's first hangover. The Moody Blues have a cameo."

Jan 16 1999 v47n3

p114 has advertisement for AABF07 "Wild Barts Can't Be Broken". "Are the Kids of Springfield Possessed?" Homer is staring at Bart, Milhouse and Lisa in the background saying "It's the Children of the Corn! Who's Got the Melted Butter?" "Guest Star: Cyndi Lauper" Fox slogan: "Just One Fox"

p115 Synopsis of AABF07 "Wild Barts Can't Be Broken". "Wiggum declares a curfew for kids, who are being blamed for the school vandalism committed by drunken Homer and friends after a sports-team victory. Bart, of course, leads the ensuing revolt. Cyndi Lauper has a cameo."

Jan 23 1999 v47n4 The 50 Funniest TV Moments of All Time (Joe Rhodes)

p20-32, 34-40 In the top fifty Simpsons takes spots 32 and 20 and is once again the only cartoon amongst so called real people.

p24 Spot number 32 is awarded to episode 1F10 Homer and Apu, where "Rancid lunch meant from the Kwik-E-Mart puts a dent in Homer's cast-iron stomach...". "In an inspired moment, Apu tosses off a song-and-dance number called 'Who Needs the Kwik-E-Mart?'".

p31 Spot number 20 is awarded to episode 9F19 Krusty Gets Kancelled, where "...Krusty the Clown TV show - crushed by ratings by ventriloquist Arthur Crandall and his dummy Gabbo - is canceled".

Jan 30 1999 v47n5 Cheers and Jeers

p14 Cheers to The Simpsons!: "Cheers to hitting the jackpot on Las Vegas. In the January 10 episode of The Simpsons, (AABF06 "Viva Ned Flanders") in which Homer shanghaied Goody Two-shoes Ned Flanders to the gambling mecca, the Springfield rakes end up being chased by a mob of Vegas characters more than vaguely resembling Mike Tyson, Siegfried & Roy and...the Moody Blues?! 'Coldhearted Homer, ditching his wife,' says Graeme Edge, spoofing the band's 1968 opus, Days of Future Passed. It was an encounter both sublime and surreal."

p52 The Roush Review does a article on Family Guy with the following opening salvo; "In you ever doubted the future of primeimte animation, take note: Fox is devoting Sunday's post-Super Bowl time slot to a sneak peek at the gloriously twisted animated comedy Family Guy. With its merciless rapidfire skewering of suburban and pop culture, it makes The Simpsons almost as square as the Bradys."

p105 TV GuideLines has the following; "Dolly Parton and Rupert Murdoch are among the guests as The Simpsons - and most of Springfield - hist Super Bowl XXXIII. See Close-Up on p.123. - 10:30 PM"

p119 has advertisement for AABF08 "Sunday, Cruddy Sunday". "Tonight, Homer Changes His Name!" Marge appears with Homer pondering this change saying "But what about the tattoo on my you-know-what?" Fox slogan: "Just One Fox"

p123 Close-up of AABF08 "Sunday, Cruddy Sunday". "Homer leads a slew of Springfieldians to Miami for the Super Bowl in a rollicking episode with a plethora of guest appearances. A travel agent (voice of Fred Willard) offers a free trip if Homer can help fill a charter bus. Several phone calls later, the bus departs. Alas, a ticket snafu keeps the group outside the stadium for awhile, but ultimately they land in the winning team's locker room - but not before visiting the skybox of media titan and (ahem) News Corp. chairman and (ahem, ahem) TV Guide owner Rubert Murdoch (who's miffed about the instrusion, above). Also appearing: Dan Marino, John Elway, John Madden, Pat Summerall."

Feb 6 1999 v47n6

p114 has advertisement for AABF09 "Homer to the Max". "Tonight, Homer Changes His Name!" Marge appears with Homer pondering this change saying "But what about the tattoo on my you-know-what?" Fox slogan: "Just One Fox"

p118 Synopsis of AABF09 "Homer to the Max". "Having the same name as a bumbling TV character prompts a name change for Homer, whose impressive new moniker puts him on SPringfield's 'A' list. Ed Begley Jr. has a cameo."

Feb 13 1999 v47n7

p110 has advertisement for AABF11 "I'm With Cupid". "My Sexy Valentine? How far will Homer go to prove his love for Marge? Too far!" Homer appears wearing nothing but a bow tie, eating chocolates from a heart-shaped box while Marge ogles him lovingly. "Guest Star: Elton John" Fox slogan: "Just One Fox"

p120 Synopsis of AABF11 "I'm With Cupid". "Elton John has a cameo, as Apu's continuous valentines to his wife (voice of Jan Hooks) makes the rest of Springfield's men pale in comparison. And neither the men nor the women like it."

Feb 20 1999 v47n8

p114 has advertisement for AABF10 "Marge Simpson in: 'Screaming Yellow Honkers'". "Get Our of Her Way! Tonight, road rage drives Marge over the edge." An angry Marge appears behind the wheel, saying 'Move it you @#$%& &$%# @#! &%#$ #$%@!'" Fox slogan: "Just One Fox"

p116 Synopsis of AABF10 "Marge Simpson in: 'Screaming Yellow Honkers' ". "The Simpsons' new sport-utility vehicle gives Marge road rage against less powerful vehicles, sending her to traffic school taught by Chief Wiggum."

Feb 27 1999 v47n9

p104 has advertisement for AABF12 "Make Room for Lisa". "The Odd Couple! Tonight, Bart and Lisa become roommates! An angry Lisa is seen standing behind a casual Bart who's saying "Rule #1: You Will Worship Me as Thy God!". Fox slogan: "Just One Fox"

p106 Synopsis of AABF12 "Make Room for Lisa". "Thanks to Homer, the Simpsons are forced to house a cellular transmitter, giving Lisa stress, while Marge gets an earful of Springfield secrets via Maggie's baby monitor."

Mar 6 1999 v47n10 - No special reference.

Mar 13 1999 v47n11

Generic advertisement for The Simpsons.

Mar 20 1999 v47n12 - No special reference.

Mar 27 1999 v47n13

p83 TV Guidelines recommends the premiere of Futurama; "Leonard Nimoy and Dick Clark's heads (and voices) appear on the much-anticipated opener of Matt Groening's Futurama. Billy West, who voiced Ren and Stimpy, pipes up as Fry, a guy trapped in the future. See the Close-Up on p103.

p98 has advertisement for AABF13 "Maximum Homerdrive". "All-New! Tonight, Homer and Bart hit the road in a big rig! Bart balancing on top of a truck cab with Homer (unseen) within yelling out "Woo Hoo!" Fox slogan: "Just One Fox".

p98-99 Adverstisement for the premiere of Futurama: "The Television Event of the Future! From the creators of 'The Simpsons' Futurama Special Sneak Preview!"

p100 Synopsis for AABF13 "Maximum Homerdrive". "Homer takes over a run for a recently deceased trucker and blabs about an industry scam, irritating other drivers, who try to silence him. Voices: Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, Julie Kavner, Yeardley Smith."

p103 Close-Up for the premiere episode of Futurama; Groening's New Frontier Debut: Simpsons creator Matt Groening launches his second animated series - a sci-fi comedy set in the year 3000. 'It's very hip...darker veins are tapped here.' says Billy West, who voices Fry, a modern-day slacker who emerges from a 1000-year freeze with a really big Y3K problem. Like Groening's landmark show, West feels this new venture is 'something kids as well as adults will get a big kick out of.' In the pilot, Fry explores his brave new world, which includes a museum of disembodied celebrity heads, a much taller New York City, a one-eyed alien named Leela (voiced by Katey Sagal) and a vice-ridden robot named Bender (John DiMaggio).

Apr 3 1999 v47n14 Future Mock (Joe Rhodes)

The cover of this TV Guide is modified just for Futurama; instead of just saying "TV Guide" it say's "TV Guide 3000". Cover features Bender of Futurama with caption "Alens, Cyclops, Robots, Oh My! It's Futurama! In his cosmic new comedy, Simpsons creator Matt Groening does the time warp (wait till you get a load of Y3K!)"

p16-18, 20-21 Futurama article with frequent references to The Simpsons, of course. One someone will need to transcribe!

Cardboard insert (one of three in this week's TV Guide) has Futurama ad with punch-out card (is this also a first?).

p89 TV Guidelines Also of Note recommends this weeks episode AABF14 "Simpsons Bible Stories" saying "The Simpsons dream themselves into biblical tales, including one with Homer and Marge as Adam and Eve; and Bart and Nelson as David and Goliath II (the giant's son)."

p109 Close-up recommends this weeks episode with the following: "The Gospel According to Springfield - A hot day and a frigid sermon set the Simpsons to sleep in church, prompting dreams of a biblical nature...

In Eden, Marge's Eve meets Homer's Adam, who encourages her to join him in eating the forbidden fruit. Then Adam feigns innocence in the presence of the Almighty (Flanders).

Reluctant to stand up to Pharaoh Skinner, Moses (Milhouse) is urged on by Lisa, who plots a plague and a plan to part the Red Sea.

Bart and Nelson are the leads as David battles GOliath II ("this time, it's personal!"), with the giant's son winning round one. That prompts David to buff up and return.

Apr 10 1999 v47n15

p110 Close-Up for the premiere episode of Family Guy says "The animated and offbeat Rhode Island clan move in right next door to The Simpsons." simply referring to the fact that The Simpsons at 8:00 PM Sunday was the lead-in to Family Guy.

p114 has advertisement for AABF15 "Mom and Pop Art". "Picasso. Monet. Simpson? Is Homer the world's next great artist? Homer is pictured in an artists smock wearing a beret and holding a chainsaw saying "I Call It Junk in Tub". He's standing next to a tub of junk. "Guest voices: Isabella Rossellini and Jasper Johns". Fox slogan: "Just One Fox"

p116 Synopsis of this weeks episode: "Isabella Rossellini plays a gallery owner who sees art in the concrete mess that results from Homer's attempt at building a barbeque. After the piece sells, she arranges a one-man show."

Apr 17 1999 v47n16 Desperately Seeking Next Year's Hits (J. Max Robins)

p47 Article discussing next season's new shows includes a discussion on the latest attempts at animation; "NBC, which wants a piece of the animation mania too, is developing two cartoons: God, the Devil and Bob, featuring the voice of James Garner and French Stewart; and Sammy, which features voices from David Spade (Just Shoot Me). Fox may have The Simpsons, The PJs, Family Guy, Futurama and King of the Hill, but the network is still looking for more animation. The candidates include Gary and Mike, about the misadventures of two clay characters on the road; Wake Up America, a Good Morning America parody peopled with life-size animatronic puppets; and TV Funhouse, which the network describes as a send-up of 'kiddy morning shows' that's 'strictly for adults.' "

p109 has general advertisement for The Simpsons picturing our favorite family with the caption "Fox Sunday The Simpsons".

Apr 24 1999 v47n17 May Madness (Diane Clehane)

p12 Jeers to ABC for not following their annual tradition of broadcasting "The Ten Commandments" remarks "Viewers eager to see Moses part the Red Sea that night had to convert to The Simpsons, which offered up a hilarious rendition of that and other Old Testament stories. Principal Skinner makes a commanding pharaoh, but let's face it; he's no Yul Brynner." Convert to Simpsons? Well, we always did think of them as a religion.

p16-18, 20-23 May Madness article illustrated with a scene from AABF18 "They Saved Lisa's Brain" says "Physicist Stephen Hawking visits May 9, Lisa becomes the youngest member of Springfield's Mensa chapter. On the May 16 season finale, George Takei (Star Trek) lends his voice.

p107 Letter to the editor in which Frederic D. Weaver of Washington, D.C. writes; "Thank you for the feature article on Futurama ["Future Mock," April 3]. This show truly lives up to the hype. It has endearing characters and is genuinely funny. Matt Groening's unique and humorous sci-fi sitcom will enjoy a long and popular run rivaling The Simpsons.

p118 has advertisement for AABF18 "They Saved Lisa's Brain". "Is Homer a Stud? This one you have to see to believe." Fox slogan: "Just One Fox"

p120 Synopsis of AABF18 "They Saved Lisa's Brain". "After protesting Springfield's lack of civility, Lisa is invited to join local members if Mensa, who take a complaint to City Hall - and wind up running it. Physicist Stephen Hawking has a cameo."

May 1 1999 v47n18

p20 The Roush Review reviews Futurama and then The Simpsons. To be transcribed.

p118 has advertisement for AABF17 "Monty Can't Buy Me Love". "The Loch Ness Monster in Springfield?! Homer (replete with kilt), Groundskeeper Willy, Mr. Burns and Professor Frink pictured staring up in horror under the shadow of a monster. Homer says "I'd wet my pants if I were wearing any." Fox slogan: "Just One Fox".

p119 Synopsis of AABF17 "Monty Can't Buy Me Love". "After another billionaire makes a memorable impression on Springfield, Burns asks for Homer's help on a quest for popularity."

p147 Advertisement for The Nanny and The Simpsons in weekday syndication repeats. "Watch The Nanny Hit A Homer 5 Nights A Week".

May 8 1999 v47n19

p118 has advertisement for AABF18 "The Old Man and the 'C' Student". "An episode of Titanic proportions. Grampa, Bart, Lisa and Jasper are hanging onto the rail of a boat pitched "a la Titanic" at a 60 degree angle with Bart saying "Eat My Shorts Leonardo." Fox slogan: "Just One Fox"

p120 Synopsis of AABF18 "The Old Man and the 'C' Student". "After blowing Springfield's shot at hosting the Olympics, Bart is assigned to do community service at the Retirement Castle, where he tries to inject some life into the recreation activities."

p284 Crossword #535 reference: 21 down, "Lisa, to Bart (abbr.) (SIS)

May 22 1999 v47n21 - No special reference.

May 29 1999 v47n22

p256 Crossword #540 reference: 5 down, "Simpson patriarch" (HOMER)

Jun 5 1999 v47n23 - No special reference.

Jun 12 1999 v47n24 Force Field For two decades, George Lucas's galaxy has been praised, parodied and otherwise represented on television. Here are some of the more memorable moments.

p34 Article showing Star Wars moments on other shows has scene from episode AABF05 "Mayored to the Mob" saying: "Meet Mark Hamill's bodyguard: Homer Simpson. D'oh!".

Jun 19 1999 v47n25 - No special reference.

Jun 26 1999 v47n26 - No special reference.

Jul 3 1999 v47n27 - No special reference.

Jul 10 1999 v47n28

p37 Sitelines section has the following: "Chat with the man who made 'D'oh!' a household exclamation, Dan Castellaneta, the voice of Homer Simpson, at TV Guide Online, Jul 13, 9 P.M./ET.

Jul 17 1999 v47n29 - No special reference.

p41 Announcement of the elimination of daily Guidelines and the expanded use of various types of "Close-Up"s.

Jul 24 1999 v47n30

p22-24 Article on Barry White has the following; "...he has also appeared as a cartoon character on The Simpsons, singing his 'I Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe' to a horde of snakes." (From 9F18 "Whacking Day")

p41 Announcement of the elimination of daily Guidelines and the expanded use of various types of "Close-Up"s.

p248 Crossword #548 reference: 12 across, "Bart Simpson is one" (BRAT)

Jul 31 1999 v47n31 - No special reference.

Aug 7 1999 v47n32 - No special reference.

Aug 14 1999 v47n33 - No special reference.

Aug 21 1999 v47n34

p280 Crossword #552 reference: 34 across, "Springfield bartender" (MOE)

Aug 28 1999 v47n35 - No special reference.

Sep 4 1999 v47n36 Returning Favorites

This is the annual TV Guide issue that supplies "An exclusive preview of the hottest shows", as it says on the cover.

p15 Preview for Felicity includes the following: "MATT SAYS: (that's Matt Roush, of course) Dear Sally...I'm still hooked on this beautifully produced, if somewhat over-wrought, college soap opera. But how to choose between this and The Simpsons? I simply can't cope." No problem for us.

p16 Fall preview for Futurama;

Starts: September 26.

The big news: Things are kind of looking up for poor, time-transplanted Fry as the futuristic toon enters its first full season. Creator Matt Groening (The Simpsons) says the writers plan to explore a romance, albeit largely unrequited, between their hapless hero and the one-eyed alien Leela. Things start percolating in the season premiere, set aboard a new space-age Titanic.

Oh, unholy night: In the year 3000, "Christmas has turned into a holiday of fear," says Groening, who plans a yuletide episode, in which the holidays are clouded by the ominous presence of a mutant robot Santa Claus. "People want to hide on Christmas Eve, because Santa Claus will get you."

Gulp: In a plotline inspired by "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," Fry will visit the plant where the addictive soft drink Slurm is produced and learn the horrible secret of its contents.

Money Business: Fry will attend Mars University, where he rooms with a super-intelligent monkey named Guenter.

Election Year: Richard Nixon's head (preserved in a jar) returns, running for president of Earth. "That's the greatest thing about science fiction," says Groening. "We can still do Nixon jokes."

Matt says: Let me make this perfectly clear. Futurama is a timeless flight of fancy, and it's great to have it back with The Simpsons, where it belongs.

Fall preview for The Simpsons;

Starts: September 26.

The Big News: To launch the 11th season of TV's longest-running comedy, Mel Gibson will play himself in "the biggest guest-star part we've ever had," says executive producer Mike Scully. "Once he's in the show, he's in just about every scene." The plot: Homer advises on Gibson's new film, turning it into a violent remake of "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

Oooh, scary: Lucy Lawless appears as herself and her Xena character, who is kidnapped by the Comic-Book Guy. It's Bart and Lisa to the rescue.

Opie's back: Ron Howard makes a repeat visit as himself in an episode, in which Homer becomes a celebrity after bowling a perfect 300 score.

Matt says: As we get older, The Simpsons remains forever young. And hilarious. Let's never take it for granted.

Sep 11 1999 v47n37 Fall Preview

This is the TV Guide issue that reviews new shows, but still we find our favorite family with multiple references.

p14 Leadoff to Sunday section of the Fall Preview issue is as follows; "Animation fans will be singing a happy toon, now that Fox has reunited its cartoon hits King of the Hill, The Simpsons and Futurama in a Sunday-night block."

p14 Fall-preview for Malcolm in the Middle includes the following block; "We Say: Don't let the pint-sized protagonist fool you into thinking this is just a kid's show. With its twisted take on domestic routine, such as a back-shaving ritual at the breakfast table, think of this as a live-action Simpsons."

p74 Fall preview for the show Mission Hell describes the show as a "new animated series from former Simpsons writer-producers." (Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein).

Sep 18 1999 v47n38 - No special reference.

Sep 25 1999 v47n39

p122 Close-up recommends this weeks episode AABF23 "Beyond Blunderdome". "Mel Gibson stars on The Simpsons, whose 11th-season opener finds him directing and starring in a remake of "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." But Homer's lethal criticism of the work-in-progress ("bo-ring") prompts Mel to hire Homer to help "tweak" the show. Tweak (and more) he does."

p112 has full page advertisement for AABF23 "Beyond Blunderdome". "Mel Gibson. Homer Simpson. Two Men. One Mission. And lots of special effects. Guest star: Mel Gibson"

p121 Synopsis of this weeks episode: "Homer Simpson and Mel Gibson become an action-buddy duo in the 11th-season opener after Gibson seeks - and accepts - his help on his new film."

Oct 2 1999 v47n40

p110 has advertisement for AABF22 "Brother's Little Helper" "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad Simpsons! Has Bart finally lost it?"

p115-116 Synopsis of AABF22 "Brother's Little Helper" "A drug for Attention Deficit Disorder makes Bart studious, productive - and paranoid about satellites spying on him. Mark McGuire has a cameo. Other voices: Nancy Cartwright.

Oct 9 1999 v47n41 Crazy Sexy School Girl From her saucy debut video to her new live concert to her turn on Dawson's Creek, Britney Spears knows how to shake us up (Annabel Vered)

p28-31 In connection with her appearance on BABF08 "The Mansion Family" we get the following:

TVG: Tell us about playing yourself on an episode of The Simpsons for next year.

BS: I'm hosting an awards show, and I kind of obnoxious because I'm trying to take over the show. I'm curious to see what I'm going to look like. [The writers] are like, "Of course you're going to have the overbite."

Oct 16 1999 v47n42 TV's Fifty Greatest Characters Ever! (Lee R. Schreibner with Ed Weiner)

p44 Cover story listing greatest television characters ever lists Homer Simpson at number 14: "OK, so he's a yellow cartoon figure. That doesn't detract from Homer J. Simpson's significance, which is, to wit: He is the American male...with only slight monumentally hilarious exaggerations for effect. After all, this Springfield 'D'oh' boy does hold down a job (calling it steady might be stretching the point), brings home work with him (with a half-life of 40 million years) and despite being a coarse, oafish, self-involved, oblivious, overgrown child, he's a devoted husband and a role model to his youngsters (if you're not too picky about which role, and you loosely define 'model'). His credo: 'To alcohol: the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems.' OK, he's flawed, but consistently so. That's got to count for something. Hey, he's only human."

p280 Crossword #560 reference: 34 across, "Homer Simpson exclamation" (DOH)

Oct 23 1999 v47n43

p108 Synopsis of AABF21 "Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner". "With Lisa's help, Homer becomes the food critic for the Springfield Shopper, but fellow critics criticize his always-positive reviews."

Oct 30 1999 v47n44

p32 Within an article titled "Boy Trouble" as part of this special Parents Guide to Kids' TV issue is the chart "What Boys Watch". It says: "According to Nielsen Research, these were the most popular programs among male viewers aged 12-17, in September: 1. Family Guy, 2. Futurama, 3. WWF Smackdown!, 4. The Simpsons, 5. NFL Monday Night Football, 6. That '70s Show, 7. "High School High", 8. When Good Things Go Bad, 9. Action and 10. The SNL 25th Anniversary.

p61 Susan Stewart's review for Dilbert starts off "The brilliance of The Simpsons, Daria and King of the Hill has raised our expectations of animated sitcoms. We assume cartoon characters will be funnier than real people, but sometimes they're merely loony."

p116 Close-up recommends this weeks episode BABF01 "Treehouse of Horror X". "Pop culture is a running theme in the 10th trilogy of terror, introduced by aliens Kang and Kodos (pictured). Dick Clark and Tom Arnold play themselves in 'Life's a Glitch, Then You Die," an apocalyptic tale in which Homer's negligence about Y2K compliance sparks a global catastrophe. In "Desperately Xeeking Xena," an explosion turns Bart and Lisa into superheroes who try to rescue Lucy Lawless (as herself) from Comic Book Guy, who has kidnapped her for his celebrity collection. Finally, Homer tries to fake Flanders' death after Marge accidentally runs him over in "I Know What You Diddily-iddily-Did."

p117 has advertisement for BABF01 "Treehouse of Horror X". "Tonight, don't miss an all-new hair raising, blood curdling, Halloween special! Homer's silhouette, howling like a wolf, is seen against the full moon.

Nov 6 1999 v47n45

p3 In article on Charlotte Church she says "I'd like to be Lisa's friend or Bart's girlfriend on The Simpsons."

p116 has full page advertisement for AABF19 "E-I-E-I-D'oh" Parody of a tobacco ad, if not a Marlboro ad specifically, with Bart and Homer in cowboy outfits surveying a mountain range. It reads: "Welcome to Tomacco Country; Smooth and Mild; Tonight, Homer crosses tomatoes with tobacco and everybody's hooked." In a traditional warning label format: "Warning: tonight's episode is highly addictive and can be hazardous to one's health when viewed in fast moving vehicles."

p121 Synopsis of AABF19 "E-I-E-I-D'oh" "To avoid a duel, Homer moves the Simpsons to Grandpa's old farm, and grows a profitable, but dangerous, hybrid crop."

Nov 13 1999 v47n46

p124-125 has double page allocated horizontally for three shows, including an advertisement for BABF02 "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder" "Can Homer bowl a perfect game? Guest stars: Ron Howard, Penn & Teller, Pat O'Brien, and Nancy O'Dell" Homer is seen holding bowling ball, poised to bowl.

p132 Synopsis of BABF02 "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder" "Homer bowls a perfect game, but celebrity goes to his head. Cameos: Ron Howard; Penn and Teller; entertainment reporters Nancy O'Dell and Patt O'Brien. Dan Castellaneta."

p318 Crossword #564 reference: 38 across, "Series that originated on 35-Across". The answer for 35-Across, is The Tracey Ullman Show, so naturally this answer is "THESIMPSONS".

Nov 20 1999 v47n47

p116-117 has double page allocated horizontally for three shows, including an advertisement for BABF03 "Eight Misbegavin'." "Can Homer save Apu's octuplets from the zoo?" Homer is pictured holding all eight children.

p125 Synopsis of BABF03 "Eight Misbegavin'."Feeling more stressed than blessed after the birth of their octuplets, Apu and Manjula get child-care help in a deal they come to regret.

Nov 27 1999 v47n48 Xmas files (Lauren David Peden)

p4 Insider features story on Billy West, voice of Fry on Futurama.

p22, 24, 26, 28-34. Viewing guide for the holidays includes the following;

Futurama (Fox, December 19) Christmas sure has changed since the 20th century. Santa is an 8-foot robot who machine-guns folks he deems naughty. While vacationing at a ski resort, Bender takes up snowboarding and Fry feels sorry for himself until he realizes that Leela - the only member of her species on earth - is truly alone on the holidays.

The Simpsons (Fox, December 19) In the "Grift of the Magi," [BABF07] Springfield Elementary School goes bankrupt and is turned into a factory where Bart, Lisa and their classmates are forced to develop the ultimate Christmas toy for the big holiday rush. Guest voices: Tim Robbins, Gary Coleman and Joe Mantegna.

Olive, the Other Reindeer (Fox, December 17) Based on the popular children's book, this animated special follows a dog named Olive (voiced by Drew Barrymore) whose holiday spirit helps Santa (Ed Asner) save Christmas. Jay Mohr and Joe Pantoliano also lend their voices, as does R.E.S.'s Michael Stipe, who sings an original song.

p136-137 has double page allocated horizontally for three shows, including an advertisement for BABF05. "Take My Wife, Sleaze". "Can Homer be b-b-b-bad to the b-b-b-bone to save Marge from a biker gang? Guest stars John Goodman, Henry Winkler & Jay North". Homer appears in sunglasses riding a motorcycle with Marge holding on from behind.

p138 Close-up recommends this weeks episode BABF05. "Take My Wife, Sleaze". "John Goodman and Henry Winkler guest star as members of a motorcycle gang with a beef against Homer, the too-proud winner of a vintage Harley. An inspired Homer forms his own gang (Moe, Carol, Lenny and...Flanders?) and dubs then "Hell's Satans." But Flander's isn't the only one upset with the name. Another group called Hell's Satan makes Homer eat those words when they come to Springfield and make the Simpsons' home their own. Marge's cooking and cleaning talents make a big impression, and when they finally leave, they take her with them. 'You're completely safe,' says Meathook (Goodman). "None of us finds you sexually attractive.'

Dec 4 1999 v47n49 - No special reference.

Dec 11 1999 v47n50 Insider - Screen Presents (Shawna Malcolm)

p10 Recommends six television related toys for Christmas, including something from our favorite family: "D'oh! A Simpsons timepiece from Fossil comes complete with matching frame. Price: $80"

Dec 18 1999 v47n51

p114 Close-up recommends this weeks episode BABF07 "Grift of the Magi". "Tim Robbins and Gary Coleman provide guest voices in a riotous episode (for there is a riot) spoofing the annual 'must have' Christmas toy. When construction costs owed to Fat Tony (Joe Mantegna) bankrupt Springfield Elementary, a private company called the Child Development Group takes over. Its leader, Jim Hope (Robbins) promises a curriculum of 'less 'ick' and more 'yum', but his real hope is to mine the kids' minds for ideas to create the perfect toy. When Lisa realizes the truth, she and Bart sneak past a security guard (Coleman) and obtain a sample product, a doll that seems to do everything - and that includes destroying the other toys."

Dec 25 1999 v47n52 Critic's Choice A Few of Matt's Favorite Things - A Quick Look at this Year's Unforgettable Shows, Stars and Stunts (Matt Roush)

p36, 38. Under 1990s Hall of Fame (Comedy) we find The Simpsons. "Matt Groening's ageless spoof of the American and TV family (not always the same thing) launched a cottage industry of cutting-edge prime-time cartoons. This is still the best and funniest.

Jan 1 2000 v48n1 The Roush Review (Matt Roush)

p13 In reviewing Malcolm in the Middle Matt repeatedly and appropriately references our favorite family. It begins; "Meet The Simpsons new neighbors, a family so twisted they almost make those cartoon mutants seem ordinary. Malcolm in the Middle (Fox, Sundays, 8:30 PM/ET, starting January 9) single-handedly rescues this laugh-deprived season from its long funk. A great fit with The Simpsons, it's an irreverent, visually stylized, totally riotous and cheerfully rude comedy about a grade-school genius (the brilliant Frankie Muniz) who wants only to be normal." Later in the same article; "Muniz is terrific, but Kaczmarek [BG - the mom] is the true breakout; a female Homer Simpson, she's vulgar yet proud, walking around topless and doling out scathing tough love while comforting her braniac saying, 'Any kid who makes fun of you is a little loser who'll end up working in a car wash.'"

Jan 8 2000 v48n2

p106 has advertisement for BABF04. "Tonight, The Simpsons hit the slopes...literally." Homer is pictured skiing head-on into a tree, screaming "D'OH!".

p109 Synopsis of BABF04. "Little Big Mom". "When Marge is laid up by a skiing (lodge) accident, Lisa tries to run the house and plays a trick on Homer and Bart to get them to help clean. Julie Kavner, Yeardley Smith"

p284 Crossword #572 reference: 31 across, "The The Simpsons store owner" (APU)

Jan 15 2000 v48n3

p106 has advertisement for BABF06. Bart is on stage in a white suit, one hand holding a mike and the other on Homer's head saying "Be Healed Brother Homer!". "Tonight, when Bart becomes a faith healer, can he save Homer?" Homer responds "Does this mean I have to give up beer?".

p109 Synopsis of BABF06, "Faith Off": "After Bart's successful laying on of hands at a revival meeting, a preacher declares Bart has 'the power.' So the boy pitches his own tent."

p280 Crossword #573 reference: 46 across "Like The Simpsons" (ANIMATED)

Jan 22 2000 v48n4

p122 Close-up recommends this weeks episode BABF08 "The Mansion Family". "Britney Spears is a guest voice as the Simpsons house-sit for Burns. It all begins at the Springfield Pride Awards (hosted by Spears and Kent Brockman), where Burns is honored for being Springfield's oldest man, which prompts the billionaire to get a checkup at the Mayo Clinic. He chooses Homer to watch the mansion, figuring the employee is 'due for a good performance.' Well, not so fast, money breath. Homer turns Burns yacht the 'Gone Fission,' into Party Central on a voyage with his pals in international waters, 'the land that law forgot.' Meanwhile, doctors find Burns has 'everything' - but 'in perfect balance.'"

p282 Crossword #574 reference: 27 down, "The Simpson's neighbor" (FLANDERS)

Jan 29 2000 v48n5 - No special reference.

Feb 05 2000 v48n6 Cheers and Jeers

p12 Under Jeer and Cheers we find Jeers to WB network executives for blaming a ratings decline in Felicity's ratings on the fact that she shorn her locks vs. the obvious reason; "But surely the show's move from Tuesday to Sunday was a bigger factor. Something tells us that even a long-haired Felicity would have trouble up against Marge Simpson's big blue 'do or the black-and-white bob Della Reese sports on Touched By an Angel."

p132 has advertisement for BABF09. "Can Bart win the Springfield Derby?" Bart appears on a horse in a jockey outfit, Homer standing front left saying "It's not about winning or losing, but who comes in first."

p136 Synopsis for BABF09. "Saddlesore Galactica". "At the state fair, Lisa feels robbed at the band competition, and the family acquires a horse that becomes a winner after an attitude adjustment. Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright.

Feb 12 2000 v48n7

p122 Close-up recommends this weeks episode BABF10 "Alone Again, Natura-Diddly". "Springfieldians mourn the untimely death of one of their own, a tragedy that occurred at the new auto-racing venue. And Homer, a pivotal figure in the tragic incident, assists in consoling the grief-stricken. Why kill off someone? 'It was a chance for one of our regular characters to face a challenge and grow in a new direction.' says executive producer Mike Scully. 'Also,' he said laughing, 'it's sweeps. That's my official quote.' The idea 'came quickly, we all latched on to it, and it just felt right. We didn't want to kill a character for the sake of killing. We wanted it to have consequences for surviving characters to deal with in future episodes."

p128 has full page advertisement for BABF10. "The Most Shocking Episode Ever! Somebody Dies in Springfield! Tonight, find out who? Illustration has Bart, Ned, Maude, Dr. Hibbert, Apu, Marge, Otto and Homer in a circle with Homer saying 'The Suspense is Killing Me...Kidding!"

Feb 19 2000 v48n8

p116 has advertisement for BABF11. "Stranded on a Tropical Island! No TV, No couch. No beer! Can Homer survive?" Illustration shows Homer on the beach, with arms outstretched upward to Heaven with "HELP! NO BEER" drawn into the sand.

p122 Synopsis of BABF11, "Missionary: Impossible": "Homer becomes a South Seas missionary to escape an angry PBS mob that includes Betty White, who wants to collect his pledge."

Feb 26 2000 v48n9 The Web Page

p52 "On February 28, Bart Simpson reveals everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask about Springfield's favorite son at www.eonline.com (Information was subsequently removed)

p118 has advertisement for BABF12. "Guess Who Gets a Face Lift in Springfield?" Illustrated with Homer saying "Some of us are just born beautiful" and a doctor removing the bandages from an unidentified person.

p120 Synopsis of BABF12, "Pygmoelian": "Moe wins Duff's 'beer-tending' contest but loses out on making their calendar. So he undergoes plastic surgery."

Mar 4 2000 v48n10 - No special reference.

Mar 11 2000 v48n11 - No special reference.

Mar 18 2000 v48n12 Fourteen Things We Love About TV Just the Way it Is (Pamela Redmond Satran)

p4 Article lists number three as "Edie Falco's accent, Marge Simpsons's hair, Sarah Jessica Parker's nose".

p90 Close-up recommends this weeks episode BABF13 "Bart to the Future". "Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States...Lisa Simpson! That's the story in this fanciful glimpse 30 years into the future. The episode begins when Bart encounters a Native American mystic (and casino manager) who shows Bart his future - as a ne'er-do-well musician rooming with Ralph Wiggum. Upon hearing of Lisa's election to the Oval Office, Bart heads for the White House, where he mooches, criticizes Lisa for no longer being cool and promotes his band during her address to the Nation. Wrestling with a fiscal crises, President Simpson sends Bart to Camp David, ostensibly to help. Meanwhile, Homer searches the White House for Lincoln's hidden gold."

p92 has advertisement for BABF13. "It's the Simpsons' Future! Tonight, Lisa becomes president and you'll never guess what happens to Bart!"

Mar 25 2000 v48n13 - No special reference.

Apr 1 2000 v48n14 - No special reference.

Apr 8 2000 v48n15 The Roush Review (Matt Roush)

p14-15 The Roush review discusses the current season's sitcoms and makes this observation; "If anything, this season has provided something of a course correction to a sitcom glut. And as the pendulum has swung this year in favor of dramas, perhaps too much fuss was made over the deficit of new comedies and not enough attention paid to the continued glories of old favorites. Consider the classics. The Simpsons's sense of cultural parody remains as sharp as the show is ageless (loved Bart Simpson's chalkboard scrawl homage to 'The Sixth Sense' - 'I can't see dead people.')."

p94 has advertisement for episode BABF14: "Tonight, experience HOMERVISION ...when Homer has one (dozen) too many." (Advertisement has multiple overlapped images of Bart, as he would appear to someone intoxicated, saying..) "Over here Homer."

p98 Synopsis of BABF14 "Days of Wine and D'oh'ses": "Barney quits drinking to take helicopter-flying lessons, leaving Homer feeling resentful and inferior; Lisa and Bart enter a contest to photograph the cover of the Springfield phone book."

Apr 15 2000 v48n16 From the Editor (Steven Reddicliffe)

p5 In reference to this edition of "The Parent's Guide to TV" he makes this observation; "What can we all watch together? ....But aside from a few exceptions - Malcolm in the Middle and The Simpsons - there aren't many shows on the major broadcast networks that appeal to all age groups."

p40, 42 In article "Mother Knows Best" by Susan Stewart she notes that "We watch the Sunday-night lineup: King of the Hill, The Simpsons, Malcolm in the Middle."

p130 has advertisement for repeat episode BABF04.

Apr 22 2000 v48n17 - No special reference.

Apr 29 2000 v48n18 Cheers and Jeers (Marc Bryan-Brown)

p8 Jeers to an advertisement; "Jeers to going psycho. Chainsaw- wielding maniacs on The Simpsons are usually confined to Itchy and Scratchy routines, but the April 9 episode was rudely interrupted by a commercial for the feature film "American Psycho." The ad for the grisly movie (about a saw-wielding, serial killing yuppie maniac who's into 'murders and executions') certainly could have found a better spot on Fox than the Sunday evening Simpsons." Yeah, we're family entertainment.

p102 has advertisement for episode BABF16. "Simpsons at Spring Break!? Tonight, when The Simpsons hit Spring break, Spring break hits back." Homer quote "Mr. Rock, sir.. can you play something from Jefferson Starship?".

p105 Synopsis of BABF16 "Kill the Alligator and Run": "The family seeks a restful vacation in Florida, but arrives during spring break, which Homer extends."

May 6 2000 v48n19

p104 has advertisement for episode BABF15. "Fox Sunday: Homer Gets Laser-Eye Surgery! (Homer:) Ahhh!!!! Stop! It burns...it burns! (Lady Technician:) Uhhh, sir. We haven't started yet."

p106 Synopsis of BABF15 "Last Tap Dance in Springfield": "Lisa struggles in a tap-dance class taught by a former child star; Bart and Milhouse ditch camp to spend a week creating havoc in the mall. Yeardley Smith, Tress MacNeille."

May 13 2000 v48n20

p128 has advertisement for episode BABF18. "A Mother of a Fox Sunday! Has Marge Gone Nuts? Homer: Mmmm... nuts. Guest Starring: Parker Posey"

p130 Synopsis of BABF18 "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge": "Otto's girlfriend (Parker Posey) seems to be usurping Marge's role when she moves in with the family after a dispute over heavy metal. Julie Kavner, Harry Shearer."

May 20 2000 v48n21

p116 Close-up recommends this weeks season finale BABF19 "Behind the Laughter." "In the sharp 11th-season finale, the Simpsons are studied in a Behind the Music-style documentary depicting their rise to stardom - and the 'private hell' that followed. VH1's Jim Forbes narrates their story, beginning with the evolution of The Simpsons TV show, from Homer's original idea called "My Funny Family." The series took off, but the physical comedy took a toll on Homer, bringing an addiction to painkillers. Wild spending, bad investments and tax problems ensued, leading to an incident at the Iowa State Fair that split them up, and prompted solo projects - until Willie Nelson stepped in."

p128 has advertisement for episode BABF19 "When the Camera Stops... Who Are the Real Simpsons? Tonight, see a side of them you've never seen before! Bart: Eat My Shorts? I'd never say that! Homer: Be quiet! And take your anti-growth hormones."

May 27 2000 v48n22 - No special reference.

Jun 3 2000 v48n23 The Robins Report: Spring Forward, Fall Back: Networks Unveil a New Season With few exceptions, advertisers say "Ho Hum" to the lineup (J. Max Robins)

p45-47 Discussion of the Fall 2000 prime-time lineup includes a chart which lists Futurama at 7 PM, KOTH at 7:30, Simpsons at 8, Malcolm in the Middle at 8:30 and X-Files at 9, as expected.

Jun 10 2000 v48n24 That's Entertainment (Ward Sutton)

p4 Half-page cartoon has seven panels of exclamations by various television characters titled "A Brief History of Television told through Exclamation". Naturally Homer Simpsons appears saying "D'oh!". Kudos to TV Guide for spelling it correctly.

Jun 17 2000 v48n25 Attention Springfield Shoppers (Frank Decaro)

p6 Article celebrating the return of Simpson merchandise. The article is as follows:

Ten years after the beginning of Bartmania, America's favorite animated family is again spawning enough tie-in products to make Simpsons collectors shout "Ay carumba!" A new line of "Intelli-Tronic" talking action figures from Playmates Toys, Pez Dispensers and a bright yellow Weber backyard grill are the grooviest of more than 1,000 Simpsons products being made.

"Die hard Simpsons fans are rejoicing," says William LaRue, author of Collecting Simpsons!: An Unofficial Guide to Merchandise from the Simpsons (KML Enterprises Publishers). His own collection has more than 3,000 items, including "the single coolest Simpsons item to own," a pinball machine from 1990.

This time, though, Bart isn't the center of attention. "The things that make collectors' hearts beat faster now are the secondary characters," LaRue says, noting that action figures of the coldhearted Mr. Burns which are tougher to find than Homer or Bart, are being resold on eBay for $14-$25, three to five times what you'd pay at Toysrus.com when they're in stock. "Ten years ago, the show was about the nuclear family, and so was the product line," says Jeff Trojan, Vice-President of marketing of Boys Toys at Playmates. "But it's becoming the world of The Simpsons.

Steve Ross, president of Fox Licensing and Merchandising, says that new products, such as a Simpsons-ized version of the mystery board game Clue "aren't just logo slapping." The merchandise makes an effort to capture the wink-wink humor of the series. "It's about understanding the psychographic of the audience," he says. Whoa, mama! We just thought they were fun.

For more information about all the Simpson games check out our Simpsons Games list right here!

Jun 24 2000 v48n26 - No special reference.

Jul 1 2000 v48n27

p87 Repeat of BABF01 is an Editor's Choice with this writeup;

A Standout Episode: Perennial Halloween visitors Kang and Kodos introduce the 10th trilogy of terror, which first aired on Halloween in 1999. Dick Clark and Tom Arnold play themselves in "Life's a Glitch, Then You Die," an apocalyptic tale in which Homer's negligence about Y2K compliance sparks a global catastrophe. In "Desperately Xeeking Xena." an explosion turns Bart and Lisa into superheroes Stretch Dude and Clobber Girl, who try to rescue Lucy Lawless (as herself) from Comic Book Guy, when he kidnaps her for his celebrity collection. Finally, Homer tries to fake Flanders' death after Marge accidentally runs him over in "Know What You Diddly-iddily-Did."

pA16 Crossword #597 reference: 4 down, "Simpson and Starr" (BARTS)

Jul 8 2000 v48n28 - No special reference.

Jul 15 2000 v48n29 - No special reference.

Jul 22 2000 v48n30 - No special reference.

Jul 29 2000 v48n31 The Roush Review (Matt Roush)

p10 Reviewing animation shows that have recently come and gone he notes that "Only Fox, with its Simpsons anchored lineup of satiric cartoons, seems to have escaped the network jinx on prime-time animation." As for other shows, he says "This season, we've already witnessed the mercifully quick fades of ABC's Clerks and NBC's God, the Devil and Bob. And they were gems compared to NBC's repellent Sammy", a show that hasn't even been aired yet. He does describe WB's Baby Blues as "a likeable though toothless expansion of the popular comic strip starring eternally harried new parents Wanda and Darryl."

Aug 5 2000 v48n32 Oh, Bloody Mel! (Danny Spiegel)

p5 Article with side-by-side comparison of episode where Mel Gibson appeared (AABF23 "Beyond Blunderdome") and his latest movie The Patriot. We quote, although we haven't been able to determine why;

Last year, Mel Gibson gamely parodied himself in a hilarious Simpsons episode in which Homer Simpson helped him turn his "boring" remake of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington into a crowd-pleaser - in other words, filling it with murder and mayhem. When you compare Homer's film to Gibson's current movie, The Patriot, it seems as if Homer may have been consulted on this one, too.

Filmmakers The Simpsons: Homer Simpson, producer of loud burps. The Patriot: Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin, producers of loud movies.

Total Body Count The Simpsons: Two butchered; many blown up in Capital building. The Patriot: Over 240 (and one fish speared for dinner).

Wild Tomahawking? The Simpsons: No. The Patriot: Sure.

Impaled by An American Flag The Simpsons: The unfortunate senator who ticked off Gibson. The Patriot: The unfortunate horse that carried the villain

Reaction to Impaling The Simpsons: Animated studio executive: "You impaled a United States senator with the American flag!" The Patriot: Devlin: "A horrifying moment. But as the filmmaker, I'm looking to see if people can tell it's a dummy and not the real horse."

Audience Reaction The Simpsons: Made Ted Flanders nauseous. The Patriot: Made Spike Lee write an angry letter

What Gibson has said About the Film The Simpsons: The cartoon Mel: "Oooh, that digital sound really lets you hear the blood sputter!" The Patriot: The real Mel: "Fred Astair made dancing look easy. Hopefully, we can do the same for hatchet fights."

Aug 12 2000 v48n33

p8 Article about The Powerpuff Girls mentions that it was nominated for an Emmy as Outstanding Animated Programming saying "it'll battle The Simpsons and South Park". The Simpsons subsequently won this battle, their 11th Emmy award.

Aug 19 2000 v48n34 - No special reference.

Aug 26 2000 v48n35 - No special reference.

Sep 2 2000 v48n36 - No special reference.

Sep 9 2000 v48n37 Returning Favorites 2000

p5 Preview of the upcoming 12th season.

The Simpsons

Starts: November 5.

Where We Left Off: The Simpson family revealed their true selves in a Behind the Music-style parody.

The Big News: As the 12th season opens, the WHO come to town. The legendary rockers voice themselves as they help reconcile a divided Springfield after Homer convinces West Springfield to secede from the east side when they're assigned different area codes. "Roger Daltry showed up 20 minutes early [to record his dialogue], and I immediately lost respect for him as a rock star," jokes executive producer Mike Scully.

Cult Comeback: Patrick McGoohan appears in an homage to his visionary '60s series The Prisoner. "Fans of the show will enjoy it a lot, and the rest of the country will scratch their heads in confusion," says Scully.

Who Said That? Other guest voices lined up for the season include Drew Barrymore, as Krusty the Clown's long-lost daughter, Sophie; Edward Norton, in multiple roles in a episode where Homer and Bart become father-son drifters; Dawson's Creek star Joshua Jackson, as an environmental activist on whom Lisa develops a crush; and Kelsey Grammer, as the dastardly Sideshow Bob.

The Maude Squad: In memory of Maude Flanders, who perished last season, widower Ned builds a Bible-themed amusement park.

Matt Says: Thankfully, some things never change - most notably and indelibly, The Simpsons's long-running act of subversive hilarity. Sundays on Fox are unthinkable without it.

That last line was from Matt Roush, not Matt Groening, and rings of Fox's slogan almost eleven years ago when The Simpsons debuted; "Sunday nights will never be the same." The first heading, used for every returning show they reviewed, has more than one meaning for us - "Where we left OFF!".

p68 A TV Guide advertisement, asking viewers to check their web site to choose which of Bart's friends will appear on the 24-cover edition. On the web site for a single week appeared the following notice; "Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie get all of the attention! But who can forget Springfield's supporting cast? To celebrate the 250th episode of The Simpsons, the October 21 issue of TV Guide will feature 24 Secret Stars with their own collectible covers. Simpsons fans, we need your help to choose the 24th cover from among Bart's buddies. Cast your vote for Martin Prince, Todd Flanders, Rod Flanders, Nelson Muntz or Milhouse Van Houten by selecting the corresponding image below."

Sep 16 2000 v48n38 - No special reference.

Sep 23 2000 v48n39 Music Guide Behind the Music Fourth Anniversary (Fred Mitchell)

p47 "This series profiling music stars' often-troubled lives has become VH1's flagship - and the butt of ingenious parodies. Well, if you can't beat 'em... The special is slated to kick off with clips of BTM spoofs by The Simpsons and David Letterman."

Sep 30 2000 v48n40

p12 In the comic "How to Make Your Pitch" by Ward Sutton he shows how one should vary your pitch depending on the network your dealing with - and when selling a show to Fox, he changes it into an animated show, and we see a character drawn in Simpsons style including an overbite...

Oct 7 2000 v48n41 Brave Hearts (Diane Clehane)

p3 A discussion of Lifetime's Women Rock! Girls & Guitars, a concert benefiting the National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations and the National Breast Cancer Coalition concludes with the following paragraph; "Marcia Wallace is a 15-year breast cancer survivor who is living proof that the disease isn't always fatal. The voice of Mrs. Krabappel on The Simpsons and an alum of The Bob Newhart Show, Wallace is the new celebrity spokeswoman for Saks Fifth Avenue's contribution to the nationwide campaign Fashion Targets Breast Cancer. 'I've been extremely lucky since nothing has recurred.' says Wallace. "The most powerful weapon we have is early detection, and that means women taking responsibility for their health.'"

Oct 14 2000 v48n42 - No special reference.

Oct 21 2000 v48n43 Flash! 24 Simpsons Stars Reveal Themselves (Joe Rhodes)

An astonishing array of twenty-four different Simpson covers, featuring Milhouse, Mr. Burns, Apu, Ned Flanders, Comic Book Guy, Kang, Barney Gumble, Dr. Hibbert, Bumblebee Man, Groundskeeper Willy, Waylon Smithers, Chief Wiggum, Grampa, Captain McAllister, Mrs. Krabappel, Krusty the Clown, Ralph, Principle Skinner, Itchy & Scratchy, Sideshow Bob, Moe, Selma, Santa's Little Helper, and Professor Frink. Each cover has the caption "The 24 Secret Stars of The Simpsons". We note the following;

- The five members of our favorite family do *not* appear as one of the 24 covers.

- They chose to show Santa's Little Helper over Snowball II.

- They chose to show Selma instead of Patty

- They chose Kang over Kodos

- None of Phil Hartman's characters or anyone who has passed away appears

- The background for Waylon Smithers is pink

- Ralph is picking his nose, surely a TV Guide cover first...

- The Bumblebee Man and the Comic Book Guy remain nameless on the TV Guide

p1 Grampa Simpson illustrates the table of contents.

p2 A full page advertisement illustrating all 24 covers. On the bottom it has the following "Not all of TV Guide's Simpsons covers are available in all areas. To purchase a complete set of this week's 24 collector's covers, call 1-800-861-2542 or visit http://www.tvguide.com/store. Complete sets are available in limited quantities.

p17-24, 26, 28, 30-33 A great article discussing the 24 stars listed above, a copy of which we've transcribed right here!

p111 Another TV Guide first, an advertisement to buy TV Guides, and more specifically, The Simpson TV Guides. "A TV Guide Online Exclusive! Buy The Simpsons 24 Secret Stars Collector's Covers Set. Includes: 24 magazines, featuring each of the collector's covers. An 11" x 17" press sheet showing all 24 collector's covers. Safely packaged in mint press condition in a TV Guide logo carton. Shop TV Guide Online www.tvguide.com/store or call 1-800-861-2542"

Last, note that the large format cable edition of the TV Guide featured all 24 covers on one cover - albeit Burns and the Comic Book Guy were hidden behind the TV Guide logo.

Oct 28 2000 v48n44

p63 Under the feature "The Web Page" we find the following recommendation (or should we say advertisement?): "Hey dude, don't have a cow. Have a chat with Nancy Cartwright (the voice of Bart Simpson) at TV Guide Online, November 3, 7 P.M./ET.

p193 Halloween Close-up recommends this weeks episode BABF21 "Treehouse of Horror XI." Behold the horrors that spring forth in the 11th annual Halloween trilogy. For starters, Homer is 'Shoved By An Angel' as St. Peter sends him back to Earth to perform a good deed before entering Heaven. As you might guess, there's an encounter with Satan. 'Scary Tales Can Come True' for Bart and Lisa after Homer grimly banishes them to a Brother Grimm forest, where they narrowly miss the Three Bears and then decide to trust a witch in a gingerbread house. In the finale, Springfield plunges in the 'Night of the Dolphin' after Lisa frees a dolphin from the Marina Park, only to learn that it's plotting a revolt against humans.

p196 has advertisement for episode BABF21 "The 11th Annual Simpsons' Halloween Special! Celebrating ten scary years of spine-chilling, flesh-crawling zombie-flying terror! All-New! Special Night!" Illustration shows cemetery scene with Zombie Bart walking with an eye hanging out, Zombie Homer with his arm severed, and the shadow of Witch Marge riding a broomstick shown against a full moon.

Of course, the question everyone is asking is why they choose to show the Hallowe'en special on November 1 instead of October 31. With That 70s Show showing at 8 PM and Dark Angel showing at 9 PM the answer should be obvious. Tuesday night is already a strong night for FOX that they don't want to interfere with so they decided to broadcast The Simpsons a day later. It also provided the lead-in to the premier of a new show for Fox. Unfortunately it misses the spirit of Hallowe'en for us; having it the day after just seems anticlimactic.

Nov 4 2000 v48n45 George Bush and Al Gore: The TV Guide Interview

Front cover foldout flap has full page promo still for episode BABF20 and inside front cover has a second smaller promo still.

p32 During the TV Guide interview of the presidential candidates TV Guide asks "What do you watch now?" to which Gore replies "I watch reruns of the The Mickey Mouse Club [laughs], and I watch The Sopranos. It's great. What else? The Simpsons and Futurama. My daughter Kristin is a writer for Futurama."

p106 has advertisement for episode BABF20 "A Tale of Two Springfields". "The Best Night of Television is Back! Tonight, the Who rocks Springfield! Season Premiere The Simpsons Celebrating our 250th episode! New! 8PM". Illustration shows The Who and Homer with Homer saying "Where's Ringo?".

p112 TV Guide entry for The Simpsons redirects you: "The 12th season opener - the series' 250th episode - features the Who. See the Close-up...

p110 Close-up recommends this weeks episode BABF20 "A Tale of Two Springfields" "The Who appears in the 12th-season opener as the explosion of new telephone area codes signals a revolt in Springfield."

The new lines certainly don't click with Homer, especially after the change costs him free Who concert tickets. After noting that it's the affluent side of town that gets to keep the old code, Homer suggests that "we Joe 12-packs" form a separate town. Thus is born New Springfield, whose mayor - Homer - engineers a campaign of disruption against the snobs of Olde Springfield. But when his efforts backfire, Homer turns to Roger Daltry, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle and Zac Starkey for help."

Nov 11 2000 v48n46

p8 In "That's Entertoonment" by Ward Sutton, a TV Guide comic strip, we find the following in the first panel: "In the '70s and '80s, we saw TV cartoons of 'Star Trek', 'The Brady Kids,' 'The Fonz,' and many more. Now in the modern era of The Cartoon Network and The Simpsons, isn't it time to bring back the trend of creating animated versions of live-action shows?

p116 has advertisement for episode BABF17 "Insane Clown Poppy". "Krusty...The Dad? Tonight, he finds out DREW BARRYMORE is his daughter!" With Krusty standing off in the distance (looking somewhat horrified) we see Bart talking to Drew Barrymore (aka Krusty's daughter) saying "Looks like I'm not the only one with a clown for a father!".

p122 Synopsis of BABF17 "Insane Clown Poppy": "Drew Barrymore plays Krusty's long-lost daughter, a surprise to the clown, who betrays her in a poker game with Fat Tony (Tony Mantegna)."

Nov 18 2000 v48n47 Roush Rave (Matt Roush)

p12 Encourages viewers to watch PBS's Great Performances tribute to animation legend Chuck Jones, 88, saying "Admirers from Steve Spielberg to The Simpsons Matt Groening weigh in.."

p64 Letters to the editor section titled "A Salute to Springfield" has various readers comments concerning the 24 different Simpson TV Guide covers:

"Regarding 'Flash! 24 Simpsons Stars Reveal Themselves' [October 21]: It's about time someone shined the spotlight on these folks. They, not the Simpsons clan, are the reason why I watch the show. The amazing talents behind these characters should all take a bow." Katherine Black, W. Terre Haute, Ind.

"D'oh! Your tribute to the secret stars of The Simpsons left out bully Nelson Muntz, the pious Reverend Lovejoy, freaked-out school bus driver Otto, the corruption-loving Mayor Quimby, the tyrannical Superintendent Chalmers and the ambulance-chasing attorney Lionel Hutz. Your feature should also have included tributes to Dr. Marvin Monroe and 'Bleeding Gums' Murphy." Michael E. Folkman, Orlando, Fla.

"Cheers to your article on The Simpsons. It was both enjoyable and informative. Jeers, however, to your omission of the Troy McClure character. True, his voice was silenced due to the untimely death of Phil Hartman, but he still deserved to be profiled." Joanne Skier, Howard Beach, NY

"Executive producer Al Jean does not insult me as a senior with his caricature of Grampa. He insults me by assuming that "people over 55 never watch our show," as if we can't appreciate the total brilliance of The Simpsons. Molly McKinney, Tucson, Ariz.

p110 has advertisement for episode CABF01 "Lisa the Tree Hugger". "How Far Will Lisa Go To Save A Tree? Lisa risks it all to protect Springfield's oldest redwood! Lisa is pictured high up in a tree, with Homer and Bart watching from below. Bart is holding up his slingshot saying "Nah... too easy."

p118 TV Guide synopsis: "Joshua Jackson plays a committed - and cute - teen environmentalist who inspires Lisa to take up residence in a redwood tree."

Nov 25 2000 v48n48

p120 has advertisement for episode CABF04 "Homer vs. Dignity". "Homer usually plays dumb for free. Tonight, see how low he goes for money!" Burns appears holding a wad of cash, and Homer is standing there in a Panda suit, head removed, saying "Look, I'm smarter than the average bear!"

p121 TV Guide synopsis: "With Smithers away, Burns hires a cash-hungry Homer as his "prank monkey" to perform stunts that ultimately damage Homer's dignity. Leeza Gibbons has a cameo. Harry Shearer, Dan Castellaneta, Yeardley Smith."

Dec 2 2000 v48n49 The Web Page (Robert Fraser)

p42 "The Web Page" recommends Fox's web site, www.fox.com, to the astonishment of Simpsons and Simpsons Archive fans everywhere. Specifically in reference to our favorite family it says "Last laugh goes to The Simpsons site: 'Action News Online' is an Internet news parody with local Springfield updates, and Burns Worldwide presents 'Helping Darwin,' lauding the benefits of nuclear power. As Mr. Burns himself might say, 'Exxxx-cellent.' - Robert Fraser"

p96-97 has generic Fox advertisement for Futurama, The Simpsons, King of the Hill and Malcolm in the Middle with quotes from general reviews for each show. For our favorite family: "The best TV show of the 20th century! - Time Magazine"

p104 TV Guide synopsis for CABF02 "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes". "Homer buys a computer and builds a Web site where he anonymously spreads local rumor and innuendo."

Dec 9 2000 v48n50

p11 "Worth Repeating" quotes the following from episode CABF01 "Lisa the Tree Hugger".

"Take that!, Lisa's beliefs!" - Homer Simpson, when Bart offers to buy Krusty Burgers with money made through environmentally unfriendly means.

p92 has advertisement for CABF03 "The Great Money Caper". "Bart and Homer: Con Men? Tonight, they're scamming their way through Springfield! Homer appears in disguise, and Bart is wearing dark glasses and carrying a cane saying 'Won't you help a poor blind boy - hey you in the hat! I'm talking to you.' "

p98 TV Guide synopsis for CABF03 "The Great Money Caper". "With Homer-logical justification, Bart and Homer go on the grift, and do fairly well before joining a more experienced con man for a big score. Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright."

Dec 16 2000 v48n51

p5 "What a Girl (or Guy) Wants" recommends seven television oriented Christmas gifts, including a Simpsons game; "Who killed Mr. Burns in The Simpsons edition of Clue? Perhaps it was Homer in the nuclear power plant with a poison donut." For more information about this board game and all the Simpson games check out our Simpsons Games list right here!

p90-91 has double page advertisement for CABF06 "Skinner's Sense of Snow". It features Homer Simpson stuck in a chimney with him remarking "Ho! Ho...D'oh!" Across the bottom it advertises four shows, including "Classic: The Simpsons - Special Holiday Episode", a repeat of BABF07 "Grift of the Magi" as well as "All New! The Simpsons - Springfield Gets Snowed In!", this weeks new episode.

p94 TV Guide synopsis for CABF06 "Skinner's Sense of Snow". "A blizzard traps Skinner and Groundskeeper Willie with an assortment of students at Springfield Elementary."

Dec 23 2000 v48n52

p37 Just a passing reference - In describing Malcolm in the Middle, TV Guide says "Like a live-action cartoon (it's a great companion to The Simpsons) this affectionately stylized riot excels in overstatement."

Dec 30 2000 v48n53

p12 "Worth Repeating" section again finds The Simpsons worth repeating, this time from CABF03 "The Great Money Caper". The quote was "Call me mint jelly, 'cause I'm on the lam." by Grampa (not Grandpa, as they spelled it in TV Guide).

Jan 6 2001 v49n1

TV Guide Official Ballot card inserted after page 8 allows viewers to vote for a nominee in each category; for "Comedy Series of the Year" our favorite family is one of the twelve choices.

p87 has advertisement for The Simpsons; Homer in bathrobe standing in front of the open refrigerator, holding a plate of food saying "What... It's Fat Free!"

p94 TV Guide synopsis for BABF22 "HOMR". "Researchers find and fix the cause of Homer's "subnormal" intelligence, but Homer finds life as a brain is a drain on his popularity."

Advertising card for new subscriptions after page 104 uses the "Krusty the Clown" cover from the Oct 21 2000 v48n43 issue "The 24 Secret Stars of the Simpsons".

Jan 13 2001 v49n2

p15 "Worth Repeating" section finds our favorite family worth repeating for a third time;

"We'll miss the Itchy and Scratchy where they finally kiss." - Bart Simpson, snowed in at school, on The Simpsons.

Taken, naturally, from CABF06 "Skinner's Sense of Snow".

TV Guide Official Ballot card inserted after page 40 allows viewers to vote for a nominee in each category; for "Comedy Series of the Year" our favorite family is one of the twelve choices.

p94 Synopsis for CABF05 "Pokey Mom". "Homer hurts his back at a prison rodeo, where Marge meets an artistic inmate (Michael Keaton) whom she takes under her wing.

Jan 20 2001 v49n3

p11 "Worth Repeating" section has the following quote;

"I didn't want to become Kursty the Clown in front of the nation" - Blue's Clue's host Steve Burns on why he quit after fice years on the children's show.

p108 Advertisement for a repeat episode of BABF17 "Insane Clown Poppy". "Homer gets mixed up with the mob!" Homer is seen sitting down, under the spotlight, being...interviewed by two mobsters.

Advertising card for new subscriptions after page 160 uses the "Krusty the Clown" cover from the Oct 21 2000 v48n43 issue "The 24 Secret Stars of the Simpsons".

Jan 27 2001 v49n4

p6 Insider section does a Futurama Superbowl special with a full page (official) Futurama drawing. In it we see the Futurama family drinking "Lobrau" beer, watching the superbowl. It says;

"Futurama presents Bender's 31st-Century Super Bowl MXXXV Party". Labelled items in the drawing are as follows; 1) Digital recorder allows viewer to skip past boring football game, straight to year's best commercials. 2) Tailgating! (We see Bender with his front door open downward holding snacks) 3) Dennis Miller's commentary - as popular as ever. (Dennis seen gagged, head-in-jar) 4) At halftime, one unlucky "winner" gets blasted by the Population Clearing House Deathcopter. 5) Fan genetically modified to be actual cheesehead. 6) A cake-shaped like a football! Thirty-first-century science is powerless to explain how this can be. 7) Wide-screen TV - starting to catch on. (a television two feet high and at least eight feet wide is pictured) 8) TV Guide: Featuring a hilarious look at the Super Bowl in the year 4001.

Feb 3 2001 v49n5

p106 Advertisement for episode CABF08 "Worst Episode Ever". "See Springfield's Dirty Little Secrets on Tape!" An angry Moe and a shocked Wiggum, Krusty and Apu stand in the background, with Bart in front holding a tape cassette player saying "My Name is Bart Simpson. I Will be Your Guide"

p108 Synopsis for CABF08 "Worst Episode Ever". "Bart and Milhouse are banned for life from the comic-book store, until Comic Book Guy becomes a man in need of friends."

Advertising card for new subscriptions after page 120 uses the "Krusty the Clown" cover from the Oct 21 2000 v48n43 issue "The 24 Secret Stars of the Simpsons".

Feb 10 2001 v49n6 TV's MVPs

p26 In TV MVP's article under "The Hosts" we find this item under Conan O'Brien; "Cameo Conan: O'Brien has played himself so many times, it isn't funny (actually, it is): The Simpsons, Veronica's Closet, DAG, Futurama, Lateline, Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist and his upcoming film "Pootie Tang."

p28 Under "The Producers" The Simpsons get their due; it leads off; "Even after 12 seasons of Simpsons high jinks, Matt Groening, 46, "cares as much about the show as he did in season 1," says Mike Scully, the Fox classic's head writer and executive producer for the last four years. 'The Simpsons is famous for its subversive humor, but there's always been a big, underlying heart to the show that's as, if not more, important. And Matt is good at keeping the writers honest. If he thinks Homer is becoming too insane, he'll pull us back.'" Article illustrated with photo of Matt Groening surrounded by those ugly life-sized costumes of Homer, Bart and Lisa.

p48 Article about Bruce Helford indicates that he's now busy "developing a live sitcom with interactive potential for NBC, with (Drew) Carey and Simpsons cocreator Sam Simon."

p101 Advertisement for episode CABF07 "Tennis the Menace". Homer is pictured in a tennis outfit (who would have ever thought?) being struck by a tennis ball saying "Game, Set, D'oh!". Looking on is four tennis greats; "Special Guest Stars: Andrew Agassi, Pete Sampras & The William Sisters".

p105 Synopsis for CABF07 "Tennis the Menace". "The Simpsons win points for their new tennis court, but constantly lose on Homer's poor play. Serena and Venus Williams, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi have voice cameos."

Advertising card for new subscriptions after page 172 uses the "Krusty the Clown" cover from the Oct 21 2000 v48n43 issue "The 24 Secret Stars of the Simpsons".

Feb 17 2001 v49n7

p110-111 Double page advertisement for episode CABF10 "Day of the Jackanapes". "Sideshow Bob Returns to Springfield for Revenge!" "Guest Star: Kelsey Grammer". The head (and hair) of Sideshow Bob appears spread across two pages, with Bart in the background, arms crossed, saying "It's not every kid my age who has an archenemy." Fox is pulling out all the stops for the February sweeps.

p120 Close-Up for CABF10 "Day of the Jackanapes".

Inside the Criminal Mind Kelsey Grammer returns as Sideshow Bob, who surfaces with yet another murderous scheme. Krusty the Clown decides to retire (again) because he's sick of creative input from network executives. In an interview leading up to his last show, Krusty reveals that his early episodes with Bob were lost (Krusty taped over them). That news makes Bob see red, so he talks his way out of prison and into a job at Springfield Elementary. There, he captures Bart, who declares he has no fear as Bob's always been the loser in their entanglements. But hypnosis turns Bart into a zombie-like accomplice for Bob's plan to send Krusty on a fond-and-explosive-farewell.

Advertising card for new subscriptions after page 120 uses the "Krusty the Clown" cover from the Oct 21 2000 v48n43 issue "The 24 Secret Stars of the Simpsons".

Feb 24 2001 v49n8

p55 "Music Guide" by Fred Mitchell advises that on Total Access 24/7" (Sat., Feb 24, 2001, Fox Family Channel) they're doing a show on 'N Sync; "The show captures the band in performance in Orlando, Florida, and tags along as they tape a Simpsons episode, giving voice to their animated alter egos. That gig, says JC Chavez, gave him "brand-new respect" for those who do voice-over work.

p103-104 Double page advertisement for episode CABF12 "New Kids on the Blecch". "Bart Becomes a Pop Star!" 'N Sync is pictured with their arms outstretched (four fingers per hand, of course) with Bart standing in front saying "A shout out to all my homies in detention." "Guest starring: *NSYNC The Simpsons New! 8 PM" Smaller adverts for Futurama, King of the Hill and Malcolm in the Middle line the bottom, and Futurama ad says "Guest Starring: Hank Azaria".

p108 Synopsis for CABF12 "New Kids on the Blecch". "'N Sync has a cameo as a record producer tries to create the next big boy band out of Milhouse, Bart, Nelson and Ralph Wiggum."

Advertising card for new subscriptions after page 88 has dropped use of the "Krusty the Clown" cover, unlike prior weeks.

Mar 10 2001 v49n10

p96 Double page advertisement for episode CABF11 "Bye Bye Nerdie". "The School's New Bully Picks A Favorite Target: Lisa!" Bully is seen in background with Lisa with Bart in foreground saying "It's a swirlie, wedgie and indian burn extravaganza." "Special guest star: Kathy Griffin".

p100 Synopsis for CABF11 "Bye Bye Nerdie". "Lisa's attempt to befriend the new girl in school is met with a fist: Homer enters the business."

Mar 17 2001 v49n11

pA14 Advertisement for TV Guide uses the "Krusty the Clown" cover from the Oct 21 2000 v48n43 issue "The 24 Secret Stars of the Simpsons".

Mar 24 2001 v49n12

p73 David Nevins, Fox's executive vice president of programming comments; "If we do family comedy, It's going to be in the spirit of everything from Malcolm in the Middle and Titus to The Simpsons."

pA14 Advertisement for TV Guide uses the "Krusty the Clown" cover from the Oct 21 2000 v48n43 issue "The 24 Secret Stars of the Simpsons".

Mar 31 2001 v49n13

p13 "Worth Repeating" quotes our favorite family for a fourth time; " 'I will not scare the vice president' -Bart's blackboard message during the opening of Fox's March 11 episode of The Simpsons."

p94 Half page advertisement for episode CABF13 "Simpson Safari". "Will The Simpsons survive in Africa?" Our favorite family appears in a raft about to go over the falls with Homer remarking "I'm voting myself off right now!", alluding to reality programming.

p94 Synopsis for CABF13 "Simpson Safari". "The Simpsons win a trip to Africa, where they get lost on safari and become caught between poachers and a chimp researcher."

Apr 7 2001 v49n14

p97 Half page advertisement for repeat episode CABF03 "The Great Money Caper". "Like Father... Like Son!" "Homer's plan to earn a buck lands them behind bars!" Homer and Bart wearing prison uniforms with Bart saying "Bad genes!"

pA14 Advertisements for TV Guide subscriptions uses the "Krusty the Clown" cover from the Oct 21 2000 v48n43 issue "The 24 Secret Stars of the Simpsons".

Apr 21 2001 v49n16

p41 Full page advertisement for the TV Guide Store featuring the set of 24 Simpsons magazines from the Oct 21 2000 v48n43 issue "The 24 Secret Stars of the Simpsons", and a set of 24 cover reprints.

p46, A14 Advertisements for TV Guide subscriptions uses the "Krusty the Clown" cover from the Oct 21 2000 v48n43 issue "The 24 Secret Stars of the Simpsons".

Apr 28 2001 v49n17

p90 Half page advertisement for episode CABF14 "Trilogy of Error". "Tonight, Homer becomes a victim of a tragic snack-related incident!" "Guest Starring Malcolm's Frankie Muniz". Illustrated with a grotesque severed thumb and Homer off camera saying "D'oh!".

p94 Synopsis for CABF14 "Trilogy of Error". "Homer's severed thumb, Lisa's science project and Bart's discovery of fireworks prompt separate but simultaneous adventures."

pA14 Advertisements for TV Guide subscriptions uses the "Krusty the Clown" cover from the Oct 21 2000 v48n43 issue "The 24 Secret Stars of the Simpsons".

May 5 2001 v49n18 What Ranked and What Tanked? (J. Max Robins)

p27-28, 57-58 Article on the successes and failures of the past season says "NBC's long running Law & Order arrested more viewers this season than last, as did CBS's Everybody Loves Raymond and Fox's That '70s Show and The Simpsons."

p104-105 Double page advertisement for Fox shows that night, including episode CABF15 "I'm Goin' to Praiseland". "It's the Grand Opening of Springfield's New Amusement Park!" Roller coaster full of Springfield's denizens are seen with Homer sitting in front apparently about to bring up his... desire to get off.

p108 Synopsis for episode CABF15 "I'm Goin' to Praiseland". "Flanders fulfills his late wife's dream by building a Bible-themed amusement park. Shawn Colvin plays Christian singer Rachel Jordan."

May 19 2001 v49n20

p10 Insider: Tribute to the Ramones begins as follows;

"Joey Ramone loved television almost as much as he loved rock and roll. The Ramones' lead singer, who died on April 15, at age 49, after a long battle with cancer, was proud of the quintessential punk group's appearances on everything from Late Show With David Letterman to The Simpsons."

Article illustrated with miniature picture of The Ramones with Homer Simpson.

p105 Half page advertisement for Spencer Gifts is illustrated with a picture of Homer and Bart with the caption "Spencer Gifts wants to know... Why is Your Dad Like Homer Simpson?".

p106 Full page advertisement for season finale CABF17 "Simpsons Tall Tales". "A Simpsons Marathon! One classic hour followed by an ALL-NEW season finale!" Homer is sitting on the sofa cup in one hand and a handful of peanuts in the other saying "What? I'm in training." A crumpled Duff beer can lies on top of the sofa.

p110 Close-Up for the season finale;

Tall Tales The 12th season finale ends with the Simpsons in a trio of folk-tale parodies, as told by a rail-riding hobo (Hank Azaria) whom the family meets en route to Delaware (they won a trip). He begins with the tale of Paul Bunyan (portrayed by Homer), who's viewed as a general nuisance by his normal-sized neighbors - until they need his help to stop a meteor. The second story is about Connie Appleseed (Lisa), a wagon-train traveler who leaves her family when they refuse to stop slaughtering buffalo. In the third yarn, Bart and Nelson Muntz play Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, who raft into adventures on the Mississippi after Tom helps Huck flee from a shotgun marriage to Becky Thatcher (he merely held her hand!).

pA14 Advertisement for TV Guide uses the "Krusty the Clown" cover from the Oct 21 2000 v48n43 issue "The 24 Secret Stars of the Simpsons".

Jun 2 2001 v49n22

p6 "The Bald and the Beautiful" discusses how bald men are being portrayed positively on television. "For every Homer Simpson, the overcompensating oaf in The Simpsons, there's a Steven Harper, the charismatic bald principal on Boston Public." Illustrated with a picture of Homer Simpson from "Tennis the Menace".

p82 Color advertising card after page 82 for TV Guide uses the "Krusty the Clown" cover from the Oct 21 2000 v48n43 issue "The 24 Secret Stars of the Simpsons".

pA14 Advertisement for TV Guide uses the "Krusty the Clown" cover from the Oct 21 2000 v48n43 issue "The 24 Secret Stars of the Simpsons".

Jun 9 2001 v49n23

p13 Cheers and Jeers section Cheers the season finale for our favorite family; "..and the best finales of all? The ones that favored good, solid episodes without strained contrivances. So cheers and wishes for a good summer to Malcolm in the Middle, The Simpsons, Everybody Loves Ramond, Frasier, CSI and Spin City."

Jun 16 2001 v49n24

p49 "May I Stay Up Late and Watch Cartoons?" The Robins Report, by J. Max Robins, discusses Cartoon Network's plans to launch a program in September titled "Adult Swim" featuring cartoons for adult sensibilities. "All the new series in Adult Swim block will have plenty of edgy humor, Cohen says [Betty Cohen, Cartoon Network president], but the series will not go to the extremes of other adult-oriented fare, such as Comedy Central's scatalogical South Park. 'I guess a high-water mark out there for what we're aiming is The Simpsons' Cohen says."

pA14 Advertisement for TV Guide uses the "Krusty the Clown" cover from the Oct 21 2000 v48n43 issue "The 24 Secret Stars of the Simpsons".

Jun 23 2001 v49n25

p92 Color advertising card after page 92 for TV Guide uses the "Krusty the Clown" cover from the Oct 21 2000 v48n43 issue "The 24 Secret Stars of the Simpsons".

pA14 Advertisement for TV Guide drops use of the "Krusty the Clown" cover.

Jun 30 2001 v49n26

p96 Color advertising card after page 96 for TV Guide uses the "Krusty the Clown" cover from the Oct 21 2000 v48n43 issue "The 24 Secret Stars of the Simpsons".

Jul 7 2001 v49n27

p5 Insider article on Hank Ketchum by Ed Weiner shows the tie-in to our favorite family; "Says Simpsons creator Matt Groening: 'Bart Simpson based his life on the teachings of Dennis the Menace.'"

p8 Cheers and Jeers Worth Repeating section has the following;

"Expressing frustration at the realization that things have turned out badly or not as planned, or that one has just said or done something foolish." - The definition of D'oh!, as newly listed in the online Oxford English Dictionary.

p108 Color advertising card after page 108 for TV Guide uses the "Krusty the Clown" cover from the Oct 21 2000 v48n43 issue "The 24 Secret Stars of the Simpsons".

pA16 Crossword #650 reference: 41 down, "Mrs. Krabappel on The Simpsons" (EDNA)

Jul 21 2001 v49n29

p16 Article on Rugrats "The Rat Pack" by Mark Laswell mentions the Simpson connection to Arlene Klasky and Gabor Csupo; "They attracted a bit of notice when they were hired in 1988 to create teasers for an animated segment of The Tracey Ullman Show called 'The Simpsons' (they went on to animate the first three years of The Simpsons)." Of course, it was 1987 when The Simpsons first appeared on The Tracey Ullman Show.

p144 Advertising insert after page 144 featuring a free $20 Red Lobster Gift Card with a subscription is creatively illustrated with the Captain McCallister cover from the Oct 21 2000 v48n43 issue "The 24 Secret Stars of the Simpsons".

Aug 4 2001 v49n31 - No special reference, for the first time since last October. Maybe we should check again.

Aug 11 2001 v49n32

Inside front cover has full page color advertisement for Butterfinger with Edna Krabappel handing the reader a Butterfinger bar with Bart in the background at the blackboard writing "The answer to all test questions is not crunchety"

p6-7 Insider article titled "No Stooges We - TV Guide's Design Team Earns Accolades" has the following;

"They don't look good only on the coffee table. Four weeks' worth of TV Guide covers from 2000 have been selected as Merit Winners in the Society of Publication Designer's 36th Annual Competition. The Three Stooges, Beatles, Jim Carrey and The Simpsons covers by design director Maxine Davidowitz and photo director Hazel Hammond, which were judged by photo and design pros at such publications as Martha Stewart Living and Vanity Fair, are on display through August 15 at New York City's Parson's School of Design. Says SPD executive director Bride M. Whelan, "The multiple covers make the magazine grab our attention."

Oct 26 2002 v50n43

pA16 Crossword #718 reference: 45 down, "Bart Simpson's bus driver" (OTTO)

Nov 2 2002 v50n44 The Dream Themes by Mike Klingaman

Inside front cover has double page foldout color advertisement for FOX SUNDAY that includes a page advertising the annual Treehouse of Horror episode. The caption "A mad scientist makes monsters out of The Simpsons!" appears above Walrus Homer, Feline Marge, Spider Bart, Owl Lisa and Anteater Maggie.

p1 What You Have To Watch This Week includes our favorite family;

"The Simpsons: First Homer is cloned ad infinitum, then all Springfieldians are mutated into animal hybrids on "The Island of Dr. Hibbert." Yes, it's the 13th annual 'Treehouse of Horror.' " Illustrated with ten Homer's and the caption "Can there ever be too many Homers?"

p30 Article by Mike Klingaman discussing television's favorite themes and their writers is suspiciously followed by a sidebar advertising TV Guide's 50 All-Time Favorite TV Themes which includes, of course, the theme from The Simpsons.

p86 Editor's Choice Season Premiere The Simpsons

Treehouse of Horror XIII The series begins its 14th season - tying it with Ozzie and Harriet as TV's longest-running-comedy - with it's annual Halloween trilogy. In the first story, a magical new hammock enables Homer to "Send in the Clones," a small army of duplicates that he happily dispatches to do chores - until one kills Flanders. Next is "The Fright to Creep and Scare Harms," in which Springfield is invaded by a posse of cowboy zombies led by Billy the Kid, prompting Homer to go back in time to save the day. In the finale, the family ships out for "The Island of Dr. Hibbert," where they become guinea pigs in experiments to cross humans with animals.

p94 Half page advertisement for episode DABF19 "Treehouse of Horror XIII". "It's Halloween's Spookiest Special, Treehouse of Horror! Homer Cloned!" Illustrated with ten Homers.

p96 TV Guide entry for episode DABF19 "Treehouse of Horror XIII" redirects you: "The 12th season opens with the annual Halloween trilogy. See the Editors' Choice on p. 86.

Nov 9 2002 v50n45

p1 What You Have To Watch This Week includes two MG productions;

Futurama: Launching this space-age toon's final season, Al Gore ("inventor of the environment and first emperor of the moon") provides his own voice as moderator of an emergency global-warming conference.

The Simpsons: Homer gets coaching from the likes of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Tom Petty and Elvis Costello at a rock and roll fantasy camp.

p6 Hollywood Grapevine by Mark Schwed leads with a story on this weeks episode illustrated with Keith Richards, Homer and Mick Jagger:

Homer Simpson, a wannabe rock star? It's true, as you'll discover in the 14th-season opener (November 10) of Fox's The Simpsons. Homer's family sends him off to a rock and roll fantasy camp where the Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Tom Petty, Elvis Costello and Brian Setzer teach him the ropes. What was it like having such heavy-weights around? "They were terrific. They didn't complain about the jokes," says producer Mike Scully, who wrote the episode. "They were far more pleasant than rock stars have to be."

p39 Full page advertisement for TV Guide Fifty Years of Television book starts off "From Ozzie Nelson to Ozzy Osbourne, from The Simpsons to The Sopranos..."

p100 Half page advertisement for episode DABF22 "How I Spent My Strummer Vacation". "Homer goes to Rock-n-Roll fantasy camp! Guest starring: Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Brian Setzer, Lenny Kravitz, Elvis Costello and Tom Petty." Homer is pictured hogging a guitar surrounded by his Rock-n-Roll camp guest stars.

p104 Close-Up The Simpsons

How I Spent My Strummer Vacation

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Tom Petty, Elvis Costello, Lenny Kravitz and Brian Setzer teach Homer a thing or two about music when he attends a rock-and-roll fantasy camp as a gift from his family. Homer joins Apu, Barney, Otto and Chief Wiggum for a week of training in the complete rock-star lifestyle, "without the lawsuits and the STDs," says Mr. Jagger, who leads a session on "Inducing Crowd Frenzy." There are also workshops on slinging guitars; plowing through groupies and paparazzi; and songwriting, in which Homer gets on Tom Petty's nerves. But one rockin' week isn't enough for Homer, who wangles an invitation to join his instructors for a benefit concert.

Nov 16 2002 v50n46

p94 Half page advertisement for episode DABF20 "Bart vs. Lisa vs. 3rd Grade". "Bart gets left back! Will the third grade be big enough for the two of them?" Lisa and Bart are seen strangling each other, with Homer saying "My money's on the boy."

p96 Synopsis for DABF20 "Bart vs. Lisa vs. 3rd Grade". "Lisa's high score on an achievement test gets her promoted to the third grade, the same class as Bart when he's demoted for his low score. Yeardley Smith, Nancy Cartwright, Julie Kavner."

Nov 23 2002 v50n47

p1 What You Have To Watch This Week includes our favorite family;

"The Simpsons: Marge gets breast implants meant for a younger woman. Down, Homer."

p94 Half page advertisement for episode DABF18 "Large Marge". "Tonight, Marge gets two big enhancements!" Marge is seen with her back to the reader, topless, facing eight gasping bug-eyed males from Springfield. Homer: "Whoa... It must be sweeps!"

p96 Synopsis for DABF18 "Large Marge". "Marge goes to a clinic for liposuction and comes out with breast implants. Adam West and Burt Ward have cameos."

Nov 30 2002 v50n48 The 50 DVDs You Must Have

p16 Worth Repeating quotes our favorite family: "'All we have to do is install your satellite dish. Can you be home from 8 A.M. Monday morning through June?' - Satellite dealer to Homer Simpson, on Fox's The Simpsons"

p21-30, 32, 24, 36-40, 45-47 On page 45 we find the following review of the first two DVD sets that every Simpson fan must have:

The Simpsons: The Complete Seasons, One and Two, Collector's Editions 20th Century Fox, $39.98 and $49.98: Devotees of the long-running cartoon sitcom about divine familial dysfunction know that individual episodes can be denser than Moby Dick. Thankfully, creator Matt Groening and various writers and directors provide commentary to every show, pointing out jokes you probably missed and explaining the references you never got. (Example: "Homer getting hit by the truck... we stole that from 'North by Northwest.'") While the first season is a must-own for collectors, the second-season shows a classic sitcom really starting to hit its creative stride. Look For: Cool cultural ephemera like the "Do the Bartman" video, Simpsons Butterfinger commercials and clips of the show in Spanish. ¡Ay carumba!

Article is illustrated with Bart at the blackboard, slingshot in pocket, writing the very first blackboard quote from 7G02 "I will not waste chalk" repeatedly on the blackboard.

p106 Close-Up: Simpsons

Helter Shelter: Reality-TV shows are skewered smartly when The Simpsons go back in time (sort of) to complete on a show that suggests PBS's Frontier House. Finding their friends of little help when their home needs long-term fumigation, the Simpsons find shelter as contestants on 1895 Challenge, which requires them to dress and live in the fashion of the time. It's not easy, and the family's stress makes for good television. But as they adjust, they become boring and the ratings go down. So to spice things up, the producers add a celebrity - David L. Lander (Laverne and Shirley's Squiggy) - to the mix. Boxing's Larry Holmes also has a cameo.

p108 TV Guide entry correctly directs one to the Close-Up of episode DABF21 "Helter Shelter" for the synopsis but then errs by indicating this episode is a repeat.

Dec 7 2002 v50n49

No special reference, but wanted to point out that for the second week in a row the synopsis is a bit strange; last week it indicated a new episode was a repeat, and this week they appear to indicate that it's the THOH season opener, repeating part of a prior synopsis; "The series' 14th season - tying it with 'Ozzie and Harriet' as TV's longest-running comedy - opens with 'Treehouse of Horror XII'....", although they do then mention it's a repeat.

Dec 14 2002 v50n50 50 Things I Love About TV (Matt Roush)

Cover story is illustrated at the top right with a minature picture of Homer and Marge dancing with Homer and Marge going a dip.

p1 What You Have To Watch This Week includes our favorite family;

The Simpsons: Kelsey Grammer returns as the nefarious Sideshow Bob, newly released from prison to find out who's trying to kill Homer.

p18 Cheers and Jeers has the following cheer;

Cheers to a well-drawn gathering. Bravo's Inside the Actors Studio has given us hope for a sunny spot in the middle of a wintry February: To celebrate the coming 300th episode of Fox's The Simpsons, Studio recently assembled all six of the main "voices" of the animated series. That's a first - Julie Kavner (Marge, of course) has never appeared in a cast interview. The Studio episode will feature the Simpsons gang being interrogated in and out of character by oh-so-erudite host James Lipton. This is gonna be a fun one.

p32 Given that Matt Roush is a Simpson fan, we could be sure that he wouldn't disappoint us, and he hasn't. Listed as number 42 we find the following;

Springfield Capital city of the state of lunacy. Ground Zero for The Simpsons and a sprawling community of dizzily dysfunctional misfits living in a nuclear shadow. Matt Groening, the wizard of this cartoon Oz, never met an institution (school, church, government, family, TV) whose Achilles' heel of pretentiousness he couldn't puncture with savagely funny satire.

p108 Close-Up: Simpsons

He's baaaack! Kelsey Grammer returns as venerable criminal Sideshow Bob. who sets aside his deep-rooted hatred for Bart as he tries to find out who's trying to kill...Homer? Apparently someone is out to get Homer J., who barely escapes after a shadowy figure locks him in a spa steam room. Seeing the need for someone who understands a murderous mind, Chief Wiggum calls on the incarcerated Bob, who moves in with the Simpsons to keep close tabs on the intended target. When Bob asks why someone might want to do Homer harm, he's taken aback by Homer's explanation: "I'm a people person... who drinks."

Dec 28 2002 v50n52 - No special reference.

Jan 4 2003 v51n1

p120 Synopsis for EABF02 "Special Edna". "Bart nominates Mrs. Krabappel for Teacher of the Year, netting the family a trip to the awards show in Orlando, where Little Richard is to present the prize. Marcia Wallace, Harry Shearer."

Jan 11 2003 v51n2 100 Music Moments that Rocked TV (David Hiltbrand)

p14-21, 46-48 Article listing the top 100 music moments from television includes two reference to our favorite family;

21. Homer plays Hullabalooza, The Simpsons, May 19, 1996 [from 3F21 "Homerpalooza".]

84. On the September 19, 1991, episode of The Simpsons, Michael Jackson voices the character of Michael Jackson, an overweight white male - and psychiatric patient [from 7F24 "Stark Raving Dad".]

p120 Synopsis for EABF03 "The Dad Who Knew Too Little". "After his insensitive birthday gift to Lisa, Homer hires a PI to dig up information on her so he can know her better."

Jan 18 2003 v51n3 Golden Globes Awards 2003

Inside front cover has an advertisement by Chrysler, sponser of the Golden Globe Awards, which lists the nominees - including our favorite family.

p48 TV Guide's lists of nominees, which includes;

Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy The nominees are Curb Your Enthusiasm, Friends, Sex & the City, The Simpsons and Will & Grace.

Jan 25 2003 v51n4 In Their Prime Cartoons Sink on Networks, Swim to Cable (Sharon Goldman Edry)

p8-9 Article discussing how cartoons have largely disappeared from the networks;

D'oh! With only two other animated shows on networks in prime time - Futurama and King of the Hill - The Simpsons leads a lonely life. On cable, though, cartoons for adults are alive and well drawn; Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants is a hit with both grown-ups and kids, while Cartoon Network's five-nights-a-week Adult Swim lineup has such fare as Aqua Teen Hunger Force and WB's castoff The Oblongs. Comedy Central has South Park, Undergrads and Clerks, and TNN, WE and Sci Fi Channel all have new animation set for 2003. "It's a hard sell (for a network) to put a quirky animated show on amidst a bunch of live-action sitcoms," says Cartoon Network's Mike Lazzo. Cable, he says, can take greater risks. A Fox spokesperson calls animation a "high priority," but it's very expensive. While the networks dillydally, Cartoon Network's latest 2-D star, Aqua Teen's Meatwad ([pictured] with Frylock and Master Shake), could be the next SpongeBob. Says Lezzo: "He's charming."

May 20 2004 v52n22 The 25 Top Cult Shows Ever!

Cover! One of four covers featuring four of the top 25 cult shows, including Star Trek, The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and of course, The Simpsons. Full Simpsons cover features various denizens of Springfield, including Blinky, Moe, Chief Wiggum, Apu, Bumblebee Man, Mr. Burns, Captain McAllister, Nelson, Scratchy, Bart, Itchy, Homer, Krusty the Clown and Ralph Wiggum.

p26-30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 Article listing the top 25 Cult Shows ever is sure to ruffle the feathers of fans of some other shows, but for OFF fans The Simpsons comes in at number 6;

6. The Simpsons (1989-present) We promised ourselves we'd avoid the overused subversive to describe any of these cult shows, but The Simpsons makes it impossible. Hiding behind the bright colors and big, happy eyes of TV's most functional dysfunctional family, The Simpsons is the most consistently funny and smart program on TV. Period.

Cult-ability: "People see themselves in those characters," says singer Tom Jones, who lent his voice to an episode. Let us repeat: Tom Jones. If such casting is not cultworthy, what is? The comedy has sold more than five million DVDs, inspired more than 5,000 products (including asthma inhalers and Chia Pets) and has made Bart's weekly chalkboard messages the most deciphered scribbling since the Rosetta stone.

Dec 7 2009 v57n50 Woo-Hoo! The Simpsons Celebrate 20 Years! Everyone's head over heels (Bart, too!) for the 20th anniversary of Springfield's finest. For the occasion, we pick our 20 favorite episodes! (Arnold Wayne Jones)

Five full covers of Homer, with fifteen additional covers randomly placed (three in each issue) behind the first one, representing a total of 20 covers, a Homer from each season.

Five different full Simpson covers followed immediately inside with three different randomly chosen inside covers, total of 20 covers, all featuring Homer Simpson from 20 different seasons. All twenty covers identify the season and episode they were taken from and the front covers have the caption "D'oh! The Simpsons Turns 20"

p30-34 Begins the list of TV Guide's 20 favorite episodes (with explanations), and sidebars lists "Top 5 Simpsons Songs", "Top 5 Ways You Might Remember Troy McClure...", "5 Funniest Springfield Businesses" and "The Springfield Hillbillies: Names of Cletus' Kids".

Oct 24 - Nov 6, 2011 v59n44 n3073-3074 Oh, The Horror! From haunted houses to crazy costumes, we've got the scoop on TV's spookiest - and silliest - tricks and treats (Simpsons segment written by Michael Logan)

Cover! Full cover with promo for Treehouse of Horror XXII with caption "Tricks & Treats" The Simpsons, Walking Dead, Castle and 18 more!

p16 Our favorite family is the lead segment on this Hallowe'en preview;

The Simpsons' 22nd annual "Treehouse of Horror" Halloween episode is going to be a gas - literally! A takeoff on the esoteric French Film "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" finds Homer losing his ability to speak after being bitten by a poisonous spider. The only way he can communicate, and show his love for Marge, is by farting. Another sketch, a riff on "127 hours," has the D'oh Man trapped in a canyon with a boulder crushing his arm. No prob. He calls 911 and gets a dispatcher voiced by Aron Ralston - the real-life subject of the film. "We also have Bart and Milhouse inhabiting the bodies of Kang and Kodos on an 'Avatar'-type planet where Bart - naturally - falls in love with one of the locals," says executive producer Al Jean, who will save his wildest Halloween "trick" for wholesome preacher Ned Flanders. "We turn him into a serial killer, Dexter-style!" - Michael Login

Other TV Guide Publications

v2n6 Best of TV Guide Crosswords 1992

Entire family on cover (sitting in opera box from 7G02)

v3n2 Best of TV Guide Crosswords 1993

Bart Simpson on cover

v3n6 Best of TV Guide Crosswords 1993

Entire family on cover

v9n14 TV Guide Crosswords Oct 19 1999

Cover!