The Complete Simpsons Bibliography

Part II - Entertainment Weekly References

Feb 23 1990 Issue #2 News & Notes: Mastication Sensation (no author)

p18 Announcing Bart Simpson bubble gum, shaped like Bart's head

Cardboard Insert for subscription following p18 shows Bart on cover

(insert also in subsequent issues)

Mar ? 1990 Issue #? (Sorry! To be corrected!)

p15 News & Notes - "Aye, Carumba", (Uproar over underachiever T-shirts)

Mar 30 1990 Issue #7

Cardboard insert "Cue Card" after p68 recommends The Simpsons

May 11 1990 Issue #13

p15 Under "The Ratings" lists The Simpsons as #3 in top five, with rating of 30.4 (millions of viewers).

May 18 1990 Issue #14 The Making of 'The Simpsons' Behind the scenes at America's funniest Homer video (Joe Rhodes),

Ken Tucker Reviews 'The Simpsons' (Ken Tucker)

From Bright Buttons to Bart Bubble Gum (Melina Gerosa)

Sizing up 'The Simpsons' (no author)

Cover Story, "The Making of The Simpsons The Art of Bart" with Barts (more than one) on the cover.

p36-43 Excellent story detailing the making of a Simpsons episode. Quote: "Although Groening drew the original character designs, Archer and Silverman designed many of the secondary characters. Even Sam Simon gets involved in character design. He created the character Bleeding Gums Murphy, a saxophone-playing drifter."

We're happy to say that the entire article is maintained on the Entertainment weekly web site, right here!

p43 Rates Simpsons an 'A-'. So what's with the minus? Quote: "...why is Bart more interesting than, say Pains' Kirk Cameron? It's because Groening has invested Bart - and all the other Simpsons, for that matter - with a sensitive, vulnerable side that most sitcoms with human beings lack."

This review is also on the Entertainment Weekly web site, right here!

p44 Typical merchandise success story; things are sold out, Fox is turning down new products. Notes there are 70 licensees for 200 products. Also on the Entertainment Weekly web site, right here!

p74 Cardboard insert 'Cue Card' following this page includes a postcard survey, Quote: " 'Don't have a cow, man!' and 'Ay, carumba!' are two already-classic sayings of radical dude Bart Simpson. Here are some others I think he should try:" (blank lines for suggestions).

p84 Last page story quoting therapists from the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services who were asked if The Simpsons are a typical American family. (Two no's, three yes's, and one yes and no.)

This cover was reproduced on page 44 of the book "Simpson Mania" by Steve Dale and Shane Tritsch. See The Simpson Book List here!

May 25 1990 Issue #15 News & Notes: Aye, Carumba (Mark Harris)

p15 Two Orange County, CA school districts ban two Bart Simpson T-shirts. Picture of Bart with Slingshot with story.

Jun 15 1990 Issue #18 Television Reviews: The Season's 10 Best Series (Ken Tucker)

Review of The Simpsons illustrated with The Simpsons at the breakfast table;

It's a pop-cultural phenomenon, a prime-time cartoon show that appears to the entire family. It has yielded the season's one new breakout star, the glowering preteen Bart "Don't Have a Cow, Man" Simpson. But more than that, The Simpsons' creator, cartoonist Matt Groening, has brought forth television's most complicated family, a gaggle of squabblers who know, deep down, that arguing is a way of expressing affection in this era of irony.

All this said, here's one reservation: When Bart's insults aren't absolutely top-notch, they can seem like the sort of oppressive rudeness that comes out of the mouths of so many flesh-and-blood prime-time children. As The Simpsons' first season went on, however, Bart's character deepened, becoming more detailed and varied-more than just another disrespectful little wiseacre. A-.

p13 The Week At A Glance, recommends Princess Kashmir repeat episode 7G10.

p14 The Ratings lists Simpsons as #1 with 28.7 million viewers. Ironically lists The Tracey Ullman Show in last place.

p66 Cue Card includes Princess Kashmir repeat episode 7G10.

Jun 22 1990 Issue #19

p12 The Ratings lists Simpsons as #2 with 22.7 million viewers.

Jun 29 1990 Issue #20

p12 The Ratings lists Simpsons as #1 with 25.4 million viewers.

Jul 6 1990 Issue #21

p12 The Ratings lists Simpsons as #1 with 23.2 million viewers.

Jul 13 1990 Issue #22

p10 The Ratings lists Simpsons as #2 with 22.8 million viewers.

p74 Responses to EW survey requesting new catch phrases for Bart Simpson (See May 18 1990 p74) with uninspired suggestions.

Jul 20 1990 Issue #23 Television Treasures (Ken Tucker)

Cover has miniature Bart Simpson

p12 The Ratings doesn't include The Simpsons, and they go so far as to tell you why - they weren't on that week, pre-empted by Cops. Even with every episode thus far taped and played dozens of times we were sooooo disappointed not to have a broadcast.

p34-37, 40-43 As part of Television Treasures article, discussing classic shows, they include a box on p37 with "Catch 'Em Again" story recommending the Moaning Lisa (rerun) episode 7G06. Lisa pictured.

Jul 27 1990 Issue #24 But Is It Bart? (Benjamin Svetkey)

Cover has Simpsons mention: "Bootleg Bart T-Shirts"

p42-43 Story with pictures of 9 bootleg Bart T-Shirts. Quotes MG as follows: "Rampart copyright infringement is the sincerest form of flattery" (paraphrasing Oscar Wilde) Nine shirts are as follows: "I'm Black Bart Simpson. You wouldn't believe it!"; "Bart Simpson for Liberty", Black Bart dressed with crown and torch (AKA Statue of Liberty); "Rasta-Dude Bart Marley"; "Mr. Bart Simpson for President"; "Teenage Mutant Ninja Simpson"; "It's Cool Being Black"; "M.C. Bart" with "You Can't Touch This Home Boy"; "Air Simpson"; "RastaBart Master of Respect" with "Watch'it mon!!! "IRIE'" Article also mentions Bart as Michael Jordon shattering a backboard and Bart with Nelson Mandela.

p12 The Ratings lists Simpsons in three way tie for #1 (against Baseball All-Star game and Cheers) with 24.8 million viewers.

p76 "Unplugged: Which TV shows do kids at camp pine for?" Kids at camp pictured, one wearing a Simpson shirt. Two out of the six kids quoted mention The Simpsons as the show they miss most.

Aug 3 1990 Issue #25

p12 The Ratings lists Simpsons as #3 with 22.0 million viewers.

p13 "News & Notes: An Early Fall" (Benjamin Svetky) notes that NBC and FOX will get an early jump on the Fall 1990 season by starting some shows in August, but notes that The Simpsons won't be broadcast until late October because of longer production schedules

Aug 10 1990 Issue #26

p12 The Ratings lists Simpsons as #6 with 19.0 million viewers.

p13 "News & Notes: Toons Amidst Tunes" (Benjamin Svetky) notes MTV's answer to The Simpsons - Liquid Television.

Aug 24 1990 Issue #28

p12 The Ratings lists Simpsons as tied for #1 with 21.8 million viewers and listed as #1 for previous week.

Aug 31 1990 Issue #29 It's Cosby's Brood vs. the Radical Dude (Tim Appelo)

Cover Story, "Can Bill Beat Bart?", with photo of Bill Cosby with Bart Simpson T-Shirt with Bart saying "Yo, Bill!" Under caption it reads; "Javving and joking, America's dad tells how his revamped 'Cosby Show' plans to go toe-to-toe with those scrappy 'Simpsons'.

p32-35 The Cosby vs. Simpsons battle, but primarily just an article about The Cosby Show. Quote: "This fall, an upstart brat named Bart Simpson and his cartoon clan are taking Cosby on in head-to-spiky-head combat Thursday nights at 8....Astonishingly, considering that Fox has 131 affiliates versus NBC's 209, Bart already has finished in the weekly Nielson top 10 seven times since his January premiere."

p12 The Ratings lists Simpsons as #1 with 23.4 million viewers.

Sep 14 1990 A Guided Tour of the New Fall TV Season (Ken Tucker and Mark Harris)

p32-38, 42-44, 48-50, 52, 54-60, 62-64, 66 Illustrated with Bart Simpson's picture on p33 but since The Simpsons aren't a new or significantly changed show for the fall there's hardly a mention within

Oct 5 1990 Issue #34

p10 Picture of Simpsons playing scrabble, caption discussing new season

p10 Simpsons Bart Gets an F episode 7F03 recommended.

p66 Cardboard insert "Cue Card" after p66 recommends The Simpsons

Oct 12 1990 Issue #35

p10 Simpson and Delilah episode 7F02 recommended.

p64 Cardboard insert "Cue Card" after p64 recommends The Simpsons

Oct 19 1990 Issue #36 News & Notes: Hoffman Meets Bart Man (Mark Harris, Benjamin Svetkey)

p12 Announcing that Dustin Hoffman will do an episode "early next year". We subsequently saw this on Lisa's Substitute episode 7F19 airing April 25, 1991 for which he was not credited.

p10 Simpson first Hallowe'en episode 7F04 recommended.

p64 Cardboard insert "Cue Card" after p64 recommends The Simpsons

Oct 26 1990 Issue #37 News & Notes: Larry King's People (Benjamin Svetkey)

p16 Announcing that Bart Simpson (as well as many unanimated guests will appear on Sunday Night with Larry King.

p13 Burns runs for governor episode 7F01 recommended.

p14 The Ratings lists Simpsons as #1 with 33.6 million viewers for the second season premier on October 10th, setting Simpsons records and trouncing The Cosby Show, which ended in 6th place with 28.5 million viewers.

p48 "Finger Painting, Chicken Pox, and Some TLC" (Mark Harris) article on show Parenthood notes on p51 that "Parenthood is pro-family, unlike the media sensations The Simpsons and Married...With Children. In these jaded shows, a family is something to escape from as soon as possible;..."

Nov 2 1990 Issue #38 The 101 most powerful people in entertainment(twenty writers/reporters/editors credited)

The Simpsons (review) (Ken Tucker)

p16-37, 40-43 Included in this list we find:

p20 (#3) Barry Diller "..the Simpsons, 1990's most successful new primetime show."

p28 (#28) James L. Brooks "His latest venture: The Simpsons"

p35 "Are you a player?" quiz second question: "Do your T-shirts outsell Bart's?"

p43 (#91) Bill Cosby "...his sitcom is even more vital to NBC's fortunes now that it's competing with Fox's The Simpsons

p50-51 Review of The Simpsons, as follows;

It's becoming obvious that The Simpsons, now in its second season, isn't just a product of media hype: Matt Groening's cartoon family is one of the few current works of popular art that possess wit and integrity.

For evidence of wit, I need only point to the season's masterful fourth episode, in which Homer Simpson's boss, Mr. Burns, runs for governor. The head of a nuclear power plant, Burns wants the position so he can pass laws favorable to his industry. He hires a slew of image consultants, who come up with sketches of how they would transform the rude, glowering Burns into a desirable politician.

"Why are my teeth showing like that?" hisses Burns, pointing at one picture. "You're smiling, sir," says one smoothie. "Oh," says Burns, surprised and delighted. "Excellent! This is exactly the kind of trickery I'm paying you for!"

As for integrity, this second season has proven that the massive popularity of wise guy Bart and his clan hasn't softened Groening; he and his writers continue to promote skepticism as a way of life. "Dear God," Bart began grace at dinner a few weeks ago, "we pay for all this stuff ourselves, so thanks for nothing." There was a shocked silence from Homer, wife Marge, and sister Lisa (baby Maggie is always silent).

What's significant is not just Bart's jolting impiety (no flesh-and-blood sitcom kid would have gotten that prayer past the other networks' standards-and-practices departments), but also the fact that the rest of the Simpsons really were shocked. This is a family that has values, and for all of Homer's laziness and Marge's prissiness, they're raising a lively, questioning crew, not a bunch of brain-dead cynics, like the Bundys on Married With Children.

The Simpsons as role-model programming, as intelligence-affirming fare? Bart would probably tell me to blow it out my ear. But it's true. A.

Nov 9 1990 Issue #39 News & Notes: Pop Bart (Bob Mack)

p7 Announcing Simpsons Sing the Blues from Geffen Records whose release date has been bumped up from Dec. 4 to Nov. 27.

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

p64 Golf tournament episode 7F08 recommended.

p65 The Ratings lists Simpsons as tie for #8 with 27.4 million viewers, beating Cosby at #10, and gives prior week position as #7

Nov 16 1990 Issue #40 News & Notes: The Bald and the Beautiful (Giselle Benatar)

p8 mentions Homer's baldness and his coming to terms with it in Simpson and Delilah episode 7F02.

Nov 23 1990 Issue #41

p55 Repeat of Homer grows hair episode 7F02 recommended.

Nov 30 1990 Issue #42 Bart, Blobs, and Oz (Various authors; Games section by Karen Ray)

p25-31 Holiday gift recommendations. Within Games section on p29 recommends "The Simpsons: Don't Have a Cow Dice Game".

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

p50 Recommends Bart the Daredevil episode 7F06 followed by Do the Bartman video 7F75

p58 MG's The Big Book of Hell listed in Books section.

Dec 7 1990 Issue #43

p52 The Ratings lists Simpsons at #9 with 25.9 million viewers for repeat episode 7F07 after previous week rating of #14.

Dec 14 1990 Issue #44

p57 Recommends Itchy and Scratchy and Marge episode 7F09.

p68 The Simpsons Sing the Blues (music review by Ken Tucker) Mixed review.

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

Dec 21 1990 Issue #45 The TV Season's Ups and The Season's Downs (Mark Harris) and Power Shift for 'The Simpsons'? (Ken Tucker)

p30-31 Lists The Simpsons as one of eight winners. Mentions that Simpsons has raided Cosby's audience

p54 'Power Shift..' Concern about Simpsons caving in to nuclear power industry complaints

p58 Recommends repeat of first Hallowe'en episode 7F04.

p58 The Ratings lists Simpsons at #8 with 25.9 million viewers

Dec 28 1990 Issue #46/47 Best of 1990

Bart Simpson in square on cover as Entertainer of the Year

p20-21 "1990 Entertainers" (Mark Harris) lists Bart Simpson as Entertainment Weekly 1990 Entertainer of the Year. Lead paragraph: "Okay, so he's not what you'd call conventionally handsome. He's missing two fingers (I prefer to think we have two extra-Ed.) his eyes are bulgier that Rodney Dangerfield's (All the better to see you with-Ed.), he has a potbelly (like father, like son-Ed.) and a mustardly complexion (haven't I already interrupted this quote three times too many?), and his hairline...well, he has no hairline. Just hair points. Not that appearances matter. In 1990, fame had a name, and it was Bartholomew J. Simpson."

p44 has a collage that includes Bart Simpson

p69-70 "The Year That Was: The Way They Wore" (no author) Twenty million authorized Simpsons shirts were sold, and millions more in unauthorized shirts.

p72 "The Year That Was: Marge to Barbara: Eat My Shorts" (no author) After Barbara Bush insulted The Simpsons on Oct 1 Marge (James L. Brooks) wrote a letter in protest, and received a response! Has picture of Marge and recites actual letters between Marge and Barbara Bush

p76-77 "The Year That Wasn't: So That Explains It!" (Mark Harris) Made up letters and documents on various celebrities; includes five pages of drawings from a notepad labeled "From the Desk of Matt Groening" with MG attempting to design Bart Simpsons hair/head.

p94-97 "Best & Worst: Television" (Ken Tucker) Lists The Simpsons as the fifth best 1990 TV Program of the Year "The Fox network made its reputation by putting on shows that were crasser than the three other networks; this, its most popular series, assumes a level of sophistication that is unheard of at 8 P.M. There's a message in there somewhere..."

There sure is!

p99 "Best & Worst: Most Underrated Actors" only lists four actors, and two of them are Homer Simpson and Lisa Simpson. Bravo, Entertainment Weekly, for seeing beyond the Bart hype!

Jan 25 1991 Issue #50

p46 Simpsons recommended viewing for Jan 31 - Flashback on how Homer won Marge's hand in marriage in episode 7F12.

p60 Music Pop Albums chart lists Simpsons Sing the Blues as #3, six weeks on chart, rated #4 previous week

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

Feb 8 1991 Issue #52 News & Notes: Two-Faced Bart (Mark Harris)

p8 Box on the conversion of Bart Simpson's looks as he moved from Tracey Ullman to The Simpsons.

Hey, it took them this long to notice!!!

p22 "Rock Lives" (Jim Farber) Article on Rocky and Bullwinkle, instead of calling The Simpsons the Rocky and Bullwinkle of the '90s, refers to Rocky and Bullwinkle as The Simpsons of the '60s.

p60 Music Pop Albums chart lists Simpsons Sing the Blues as #4, eight weeks on chart, rated #4 previous week

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

Feb 15 1991 Issue #53

p55 Recommends episode 7F16 wherein Homer discovers his long-lost brother Herb Powell.

p58 The Ratings lists Simpsons at #9 with 26.8 million viewers

p70 Music Pop Albums chart lists Simpsons Sing the Blues as #4, nine weeks on chart, rated #4 previous week

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

Mar 8 1991 Issue #56 News & Notes: Parallel Lives (George Blooston)

p9 Refers to Homer and Marge in the Class of '74 ("Marge Bouvier") drawing parallels with The Wonder Years.

Mar 29 1991 Issue #59 News & Notes: The Groening of America (Kate Meyers)

p11 Announcing Simpsons Illustrated with photo of Issue #1.

Apr 5 1991 Issue #60

p8 "Hot Sheet", refers to Simpsons Illustrated as being hot.

Apr 12 1991 Issue #61

p70 Under Video Games, Nintendo game "The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants" from Acclaim receives a favorable review.

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

Apr 19 1991 Issue #62

p44 Recommends Lisa's Substitute episode 7F19 with Dustin Hoffman as Mr. Bergstrom.

p69 "Don't Miss" under Video Games recommends the Acclaim Entertainment game "The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants"

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

Apr 26 1991 Issue #63

p49 Simpsons recommended viewing for May 2 - Homer and Marge go to mountain marital retreat in episode 7F20.

p49 The Ratings for the 1990-91 TV season ending April 14 lists Simpsons at #20 with 22.9 million viewers

May 10 1991 Issue #65 News & Notes: It's a Cash Cow, Man (Mark Harris, with Anne Thompson)

p9 Discusses Simpsons coming to the movies (which will take place someday, but still hasn't). Tracey Ullman quoted as saying "I breast-fed those little bastards" at last year's Emmy awards telecast, and Fox reportedly earning $50 million on Simpsons merchandise in 1990.

p54 Recommendation for repeat of Homer eats Sushi episode 7F11 - where Homer thinks he's going to die.

May 31 1991 Issue #68

p49 Simpsons recommended viewing for June 6 - repeat of 1990 episode 7F02 - where Homer regrows his hair

Jun 7 1991 Issue #69 1991 Poll Issue

p16 favorite TV Comedy Series The Simpsons place third behind Cosby & Cheers

p22 coolest television kid Bart places first, picture of Bart on page

p31 Would you let your daughter go out with Bart? - 83% No, 9% Yes, another picture of Bart

p51 recommends The Simpsons on Thursday

Jun 28 1991/Jul 5 1991 Issue #72/73 How I'll Spend my Summer Vacation What the entertainers plan to read, see and hear this season (no author) and Fun Among the Reruns (no author)

Cover! Bart and Lisa on cover planting flags on US map.

p7-8, 10, 12 Third person listed; Bart Simpson. Quote: "Anything my parents don't want me so see"

p100-102, 104 Recommends Simpsons during the summer. "If you've spent the last few months watching Cosby or boycotting The Simpsons because of the media hype, give the cartoon's summer reruns a chance - while you weren't looking, this turned into the best-written sitcom of the year. The episode in which Lisa became intellectually and emotionally enthralled by her substitute teacher was, I swear, the most moving half hour of television I've seen in ages." I could have written that - but I would have said the best-written sitcom of the millennium.

p102 Box within this page, "Quotables" supplies the following;

Bart Simpson: I'm through with working; working is for chumps.

Homer Simpson: Son, I'm proud of you. I was twice your age before I figured that out.

Jul 12 1991 Issue #74 Voices in the Dark (Kate Meyers)

p9 Yeardley Smith (Lisa Simpson) appears in movie City Slickers (Smith is the "...sweet-faced cashier who crashes the birthday party festivities, announcing that a pregnancy test from aisle 11 has produced some alarming news."

Jul 26 1991 Issue #76 Opening Draw (Steven Rea) and Sax and the Single Simpson (Joe Rhodes)

p9 Discussion on the growth of animation on recent movies, including the use of animated credits in many movies. Not much on The Simpsons, except to say "The proliferation of cartoon titles is probably the result of animation's resurgence in general, as Hollywood studios have reestablished their cartoon shops and the influence of TV's Simpsons stretches far and wide.

p45 Article about Terry Harrington, who has played Lisa's Sax on most occasions. "When Matt Groening was mapping out the character traits of The Simpsons a few years ago, he decided that Lisa would be the sensitive one in the family, an angst-ridden second-grader who wants nothing more than peace on earth, good will toward men, and well, okay, maybe a pony." "There have been a number of glitches. Groening says that in the main title drawings of the first few shows, Lisa, for some unexplained reason, was carrying a banjo case. And for a while, animators were drawing a tenor sax for Lisa, even through the real-life musicians were playing baritones."

Aug 9 1991 Issue #78 Close Up: Julie Warner (Melina Gerosa)

p14 Just a mention that Julie Warner "...lives in L.A. with boyfriend Hank Azaria (a regular on The Simpsons)...".

Sep 6 1991 Issue #82 Mouth Watch

p12 Bart appears on TV about article discussing TV for dental patients so they can watch their "...favorite TV show...".

Sep 13 1991 Issue #83 1991 Fall TV Preview (Ken Tucker)

p38 Side article on Harry Shearer (by Alan Carter). Quote: "When the comic writer and actor needs inspirations for one of his myriad Simpsons characters, 'I tend to get them from people who have ticked me off in some way.' There must be a lot of jerks out there, because Shearer, 47, has more voices than the Mormon Tabernacle choir."

p40 reveals that Michael Jackson, Sting and Joe Mantegna will appear as guest voices

Sep 20 1991 Issue #84 Look Who's Talking Some new celebrity voices will carry on for The Simpsons this season

p47 Discussing famous voices from the past season and from the coming season, including Michael Jackson, Ringo Starr, Dan DeVito, Tracey Ullman, Dustin Hoffman, Aerosmith, Jackie Mason, baseball major leagers and Sting. Quote: "...doing a voice on The Simpsons is a hotter Hollywood status symbol than courtside seats at a Lakers game." (A Lakers game?)

Oct 4 1991 Issue #86 Pinball Wizardry (Harold Goldberg)

p18 Review of The Simpsons pinball game indicating it was bad (and we can testify that indeed it was - although two subsequent arcade video games were much better). Interestingly enough, it won some industry award based on expectations, not reality...

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

Oct 11 1991 Issue #87 TV Sitcoms Take a Rear View (Kate Meyers)

p56 Has odd section on Butt jokes, starting with Dan Akroid on SNL and including Homer Simpson on Sept. 26, 1991 Simpsons (episode 8F01)

p57 recommends episode 8F04 - Homer saves SNPP on October 17, 1991

Oct 18 1991 Issue #88 Flashes

p14 discusses book Outfoxed, a history of the Fox network, now available in paperback with a new chapter on The Simpsons. Matt Groening had apparently agreed to meet with James Brooks when he discovered Fox would own whatever was broadcast, so instead of going with the Life in Hell series he invented The Simpsons on the fly in ten minutes.

p57 recommends episode 8F05 - History of Krusty the Clown with Jackie Mason, on October 24, 1991

Oct 25 1991 Issue #89

p13 Discusses how Simpsons Sing the Blues went double platinum and the next album is due out for Summer of 1992 (it didn't happen)

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

p67 recommends episode 8F02 - Hallowe'en II on October 31, 1991

p85-86 recommends 7G08 - The Simpsons Christmas Special on videotape, includes scene from the show

Nov 8 1991 Issue #91 Domed Existence

p10 Asking what they would bring for entertainment into the Biosphere 2, Bart Simpson says "To show my love for Mother Earth, I'd bring aerosol cans, Styrofoam cups and a big box of cigars."

p61 recommends episode 8F07 - Bart Soapbox Race

p82 Top Tapes lists "The Simpsons Christmas Special" as #3.

Nov 29 1991 Issue #94 Michael Jackson's black or white blues (David Browne)

Michael Jackson's 'Black or White' cover story

p40 mentions fact that premier airing followed The Simpsons and had a cameo with Bart and Homer - see picture p44 Of course, all the Simpson fans taping both recorded the original broadcast on tape, with the uncut version of the Jackson video.

p103 Top Tapes lists "The Simpsons Christmas Special" as #3, an as #4 for the prior week

Dec 13 1991

p76 recommends original Christmas episode 7G08

Dec 27 1991 Issue #98/99 (Double Issue) Best of 1991 Issue

p117 Lists The Simpsons as the 9th best show of 1991, "Despite a drop-off in the quality of this season's writing..", attributed to Homer being TOO stupid. Hey, they still came out as #9, so we'll take it with some qualifications...

Jan 10 1992 Issue #100

Issues # 100 of Entertainment Weekly, has on p2-3 every cover in miniature; including May 18, 1990, Aug 31, 1990, Dec. 28, 1990 and July 5, 1991 which all had Simpsons on the cover!

Jan 31 1992 Issue #103 Midwinter Night's Dreams (Bob Strauss)

p66 Favourable review of "The Simpsons: Bart vs. the World", new Nintendo NES game

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

Feb 14 1992 Issue #105 Love is on the Air Let us call them sweethearts

p23 Article on couples lists Homer & Marge Simpson under inspirational couples. Quote: "Proving that a flabby buffoon can find comfort in the love of a good woman armed only with a helmet of hair". (Are they forgetting that she makes a mean pork chop?)

Feb 21 1992 Issue #106 Where Art Bart?

p9 Article discussing how the original Matt Groening drawing of Bart has disappeared. We could provide more detail, but you can read it right on the archive here!

Apr 17 1992 Issue #114

p49 recommends episode 8F21 - Otto's Driver License

Aug 28 1992 Issue #133 Global Borefare (Mark Harris)

p48 Article on how the Emmy's can be improved mentions that "...The Simpsons should be eligible for a comedy-writing Emmy, because, after all, it's a comedy!"

Oct 9 1992 Issue #139 Big Fun on Campus

p31 under "The Art of the Poster: Wall Power: lists Simpsons under "What's Out". Guess the Entertainment Weekly honeymoon is over.

Oct 23 1992 Issue #141 News & Notes - Ullman to Fox: Eat My Shorts! (Frank Spotnitz)

p8 Picture of Bart from Tracey Ullman. Tracey Ullman is suing Fox to obtain some of the profits from The Simpsons. We could provide more detail, but you can read it right on the archive here!

Nov 13 1992

p37, from article "A Day in The Life of Hollywood", has Mark Kirkland and David Silverman working on Homer Simpson as King Kong Episode

p70 listed Simpsons #9 for the past week, for episode 9F04 - Hallowe'en III!

Nov 27 1992

p68 recommends episode 9F08 - Maggie Talks with voice of Elizabeth Taylor

Dec 4 1992

p31 "Holiday Guide to the Best in Video Games" lists "The Simpsons: Bart's Nightmare" first! (for Super NES), includes picture from game

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

p55 Lists Simpsons in Top Ten, tied for tenth place for repeat of episode 8F11!

Dec 11 1992

p8 Jim Mullen's Hot Sheet mentions Maggie speaks with voice of Elizabeth Taylor

Dec 18 1992

p51 listed Simpsons #8 for the past week, for episode 9F08 - Maggie speaks! Rates 28.6, (28.6 million viewers) "..best rating in two years", credited to one word by Maggie, i.e., Elizabeth Taylor

Dec 25 1992 / Jan 7 1993

p85 article on bald tops doesn't fail to mention Homer Simpson

p110 lists The Simpsons as the #4 television show of 1992. Refers to behind the scenes Matt Groening did for PBS "Behind the Scenes".

Mar 12 1993 #161 The Simpsons Put Other Comedies to Shame

p48-50 "'Toon Terrific", laudatory article on The Simpsons, including picture of Lisa and Ralph. We could provide more detail, but you can read it right on the archive here!

Mar 19 1993

p53 lists Simpsons at #9 for episode 9F07 - repeat (Mr. Plow) with rating of 23.6 (23.6 million viewers)

Mar 26 1993

p86 mentions that new Disney cartoon Trail Mix-Up is more like Itchy & Scratchy than like traditional Disney fare

Apr 2 1993

p4 letter to editor complimenting Mar 12 1993 Simpsons article.

Apr 16 1993

p45 lists Simpsons at #9 with rating of 25.5 (Apr. 1 1993) (25.5 million viewers)

May 7 1993

p24-29, "Homer on the Range", "A room-by-room tour chez Simpson".

May 14 1993

p46 Simpsons season finale recommended.

p46 lists Simpsons at #10 for episode 9F18 - Whacking day with rating of 19.9 (Apr. 29 1993)

(19.9 million viewers)

May 21 1993

p48 has picture from Michael Jackson episode 7F24, used as illustration for article on late / delayed albums, including the Simpsons "Yellow Album".

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

May 28 1993

p73 has box on what Matt Groening likes to watch on tape

Aug 13 1993

p58, noting Jurassic Bart T-Shirt, with silhouette of Bart's head on dinosaur

Aug 20 1993

p71 noting Itchy & Scratchy

p75 noting The Simpson's: Bart's Nightmare Super NES games from Acclaim

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

Apr 29 1994 Issue #nnn Name That Toon A cavalcade of celebs have given voice to the wacky world of The Simpsons. Can you place the faces?

p48-51 A page and a half containing characters of forty-two stars that have appeared on The Simpsons invites readers to name the stars. What really makes this article wonderful is the next step they took; they interviewed a dozen stars about there experience appearing on The Simpsons. The entire text of the article appears on the Entertainment Weekly web site right here!

Dec 20 1994/Jan 6 1995 Issue #255/256 The Best & Worst of 1994: Television (Ken Tucker)

p111 Not number one this time around but still number two, Ken Tucker writes this review;

2. The Simpsons (Fox) This show has gone through a slew of writers over the years, yet The Simpsons has remained remarkably faithful to the sensibility of creator Matt Groening: It is deeply skeptical about the possibility of a healthy, loving family unit, but never willing to give up on the idea. In recent seasons, the plots often revolved around doofus-dad Homer; this season, the focus has returned to Bart - his mischievousness, his low self-esteem, his gift for verbal abuse (playing cowboys and Indians with Lisa, he dubbed her "She Who Thinks Too Much"). The episode in which Bart endured his first major crush - on a pretty, wicked little girl whose voice was supplied by Meryl Streep - was a brief masterpiece of unrequited love. There - and I didn't have to remind you that this is a cartoon.

p130 Five Best Web Sites lists the Internet Movie Database, the Ultimate Band List, American Memory (from the Library of Congress), a Frank Sinatra web page and The Simpsons Archive!

Apr 28 1995 Little Woman Who Runs With the Wolves (Kate Meyers)

Article on the (unfortunately short lived) advent of Lisa Comics. The press release: "a sotry in the tradition of Nancy Drew, Little Lulu, and Hillary Clinton!". "This is a very daring experiment," says Matt Groening. Daring, but alas, unsucessful.

May 12 1995 Issue #274 Tying The Knots and Twisting The Plots (Dan Snierson and Bret Watson, with additional reporting by Jessica Shaw)

Bart Simpson appears as one of six people along the top edge of the cover.

p19 "Fox's New Clothes" under News & Notes discusses Fox's attempt to "classier vehicles"; it says "This journey onto the high road is apparently being led by the new president of Fox's entertainment group, John Matoian... the exec...has always stressed quality and praised such shows as The Simpsons and The X-Files for their 'singular vision'."

p26-28 Article on season finale's includes the following; "A Season Finale offers many a character a chance to settle old scores - or rack up new ones. Nearly every citizen of Springfield, having long suffered at the hands of the sinister nuclear-power plant owner, becomes a suspect when The Simpsons (Fox, May 21, 8-8:30 p.m.) poses the question "Who Show Mr. Burns?" [2F16] 'We advise you to tape it and go through it frame by frame, not unlike the Zapruder film,' says executive producer David Mirkin, 'and see if you can come up with a theory of who shot Mr. Burns and why.' The answer won't be revealed until the September season premiere, and elaborate precautions have been taken to guard the secret. Simpsons creator Matt Groening says, 'We planted some misleads along the animation assembly line, so that even if someone sneaks a peak, they're in a for a rude surprise.' Mr. Burns does survive. 'Fortunately, he hasn't learned anything from the experience of being near death, which I do admire,' says Harry Shearer, Burns' voice. 'It accords with my sense of how people are. You can shoot them and they don't even learn.'"

Sep 8 1995 Issue #291

Cover collage with 25 celebrities to illustrate this Gay '90's special report includes our favourite sycophant, Waylon Smithers.

Magazine with special article on "Gay 90's" on pages 20-31 (Special Report: The Gay 90'S America Sees Shades of Gay A Once-Invisible Group Finds the Spotlight) with Waylon Smithers as one of the 26 boxes containing people on the cover. No mention within article of Smithers or The Simpsons.

Sep 15 1995 Issue #292 Fall TV Preview and A Burns-ing Question Unraveling the Simpsons Cliff-hanger (Gary Eng Walk, Jason Kaufman)

Fall TV Preview issues has six stars across the top with Montgomery Burns in the top right corner in connection with the conclusion of the "Who Killed Mr. Burns" question.

p38 Fall TV preview section for Sunday's returning shows has this to say about The Simpsons; "The Who-Shot-Mr.-Bruns mystery concludes in the first episode (see sotry page 93) after Lisa helps expose the would-be-assassin. Suspense continues in the Halloween show, when a black hold sucks Homer from the second dimension into the third, with computer animation transforming the Simpsons "in a way you've never seen them before," promises creator Matt Groening. Later Kelsey Grammer's Sideshow Bob breaks out of prison and threatens to blow up Springfield if TV isn't eliminated. Linda and Paul McCartney also guest-voice, offering veggie advice to Lisa. As Homer says, "Rock stars - is there anything they don't know?"

p93 Article on the upcoming concluding episode.

Simpsons Sleuths take heart. On Sept. 17, there will be a satisfying conclusion to the "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" mystery. Or so says Simpsons creator Matt Groening: "It's not going to be a big disappointment, like 'Who Killed Laura Palmer?" Fans have been on the case all summer long, sifting through endless speculation on an Internet newsgroup (alt.tv.simpsons) and a Who Shot Mr. Burns? World Wide Web site (http://main.springfield.com) (Ed. - it no longer exists) amid �ay, carumba! red herrings galore." Not even mambo king Tito Puente, a season-finale guest star, has escaped suspicion. Some hotly debated cliff-hanger clues:

1. A wounded Mr. Burns falls over the Town Hall sundial with this arms pointing toward S and W (or M), but many characters share these initials (Waylon Smithers, W. Seymour Skinner, Maggie Simpson, and Sideshow Mel, to name a few). As Smithers says, "The town's sundial will be useless."

2. Several clocks in the episode read 3 o'clock. Executive producer David Mirkin confirms that "time plays a part." That may clear Smithers, who claims he never misses Pardon My Zinger, which airs at that time.

3. After Grandpa Simpson whips out a loaded Smith & Wesson and hands it to Bart, Marge buries it in a cigar box - which later turns up empty. That would implicate Marge but seems too obvious to be a legitimate clue.

4. Standing before a sign painted on the pavement, Homer blocks all the letters but the N and O and an arrow pointing at him. Even so, "Homer becomes a big suspect," says Mirkin. "That's a big piece of information."

5. Burns' holster is empty as he collapses onto the sundial. Net-heads think his missing gun will play an indirect role in the solution.

6. When Burns strikes oil, he raises his arms in a triumphant Y gesture, which combines with the E and S of the Moe's tavern sign in the background - suggesting that Burns is the culprit, accidentally shooting himself. But, Mirkin warns, "people have seen things that weren't put there intentionally."

All well and good, But what about...Tito Puente? Mirkin hesitates. "It wouldn't be out of the realm of mystery writing to have a guest that wound up being...ummmm...I won't make a judgement call on that, one way or another." Tito, call your lawyer.

Nov 10 1995 Issue #300

p57 The Ratings lists Simpsons as tied for #11 with 22.9 million viewers for a repeat episode that followed a new episode that came in #20 with 19.7 viewers!

Dec 15 1995 Issue #305 TV Winners and Losers

Several articles written under TV Winners and Losers section as follows:

p33 After the Fall: What the networks (should) have learned so far (Dan Snierson, with additional reporting by Kristen Baldwin)

Under "Fox needs to find its funny bone" notes "Fox's lack of recent sitcom successes." "...considering that 1987's Married... With Children and 1989's The Simpsons are still Fox's top-rated comedies."

p36-37 Awards to the Wise (Bruce Fretts and the TV staff)

Lists various Best and Worst categories including "Best Halloween Episode: The Simpsons. Homer explored the brave new world of computer-generated animation weeks before Toy Story came out." and "Best Beatles-Related Guest Shot: Paul and Linda McCartney on The Simpsons. Cheeky, fun , and five and a half hours shorter than The Beatles Anthology.

p57 Going Back in Time (Kristen Baldwin and A. J. Jacobs)

Lists actors who play roles of people much younger than themselves, and includes:

"Character: Bart Simpson, The Simpsons,10

"Actor: Nancy Cartwright, 34

p89 Advertisement for EW's Studio Store mail-order store includes Simpsons Satin Boxers - Bart Simpson in Santa hat with "HO HO MAN"

Feb 23 1996 / Mar 1 1996

p4-5, poster for The Simpsons Spring Guide to Pop-Culture Overload

May 10 1996 Issue #326 Parting Shots It's May in TV Land, and everyone knows what that means: The Miss Universe Pagent on CBS! Well, that, yes. But also, there are the much anticipated Seaason Finales, those sweeps-hungry orgies of murder, marriages, and mayhem! A guide for you:" (A. J. Jacobs)

Cover has pictures of five stars across the top including Bart Simpson with heading "30 Big Endings".

p4-5, poster for Homerpalooza

p37 Has sidebar article "Homeric Verse" (Dan Snierson) as follows;

The award for 1996's Coolest Music Fest goes to...The Simpsons. Fox's craftiest comedy closes out its seventh season on May 19 in a blaze of twentysomething glory, featuring animated appearances by the Smashing Pumpkins, Cypress Hill, Sonic Youth, and yes, Peter Frampton.

Although cameos by music acts are nothing new - Aerosmith, the Ramones, and Tom Jones have all visited Springfield - "we'd never done a show about rock and roll," says executive producer Josh Weinstein, who promises an episode that "socks it to Generation X" with a Lolita-like concert starring Homer as an accidental alterna-tour sideshow freak.

Finding bands to play along, however, proved only slightly less circus-like. Offering a $1,000-a-day salary, the Simpsons approached Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Pearl Jam, all of who respectfully declined. And though Sonic Youth agreed, they balked after learning that Courtney Love's Hole might participate (Youth and Love locked horns at 1995's Lollapalooza). "If she was going to be involved, we weren't," notes Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo. Weinstein wound up dropping Hole from consideration, since the band was having trouble committing to the project.

Things improved in the studio, "As a nerdy white guy," notes Weinstein, "I was intimidated by Cypress Hill's music, but they were really nice." And the Pumpkins proved to be "huge Simpson nerds. [Lead singer] Billy Corgan did a fantastic Homer and Marge will be provided by Billy." In the end, though, it was Sonic Youth who got the plum part. Gushes Ranaldo, "The fact that we got to play the theme song - that was really cool."

Sep 13 1996 Issue #344 Fall TV Preview (Various authors)

p41, In its entirety: "Crossover alert: David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson lend their monotones to an upcoming X-Files parody, which will feature Leonard Nimoy. Also joining the roster of guest voices: Jack Lemmon, Johnny Cash, John Waters, and Rodney Dangerfield (as the bastard son of Mr. Burns). In other plotlines, neighbor Ned Flanders suffers a nervous breakdown, Lisa has her first romance, and Bart gets a job - working in a strip joint. And in the annual Hallowe'en episode, aliens Kang and Kodos kidnap Clinton, Dole, and Homer in a misguided quest to take over the U.S. presidency. Doing such a timely story line (it's set to air about a week before the election) makes executive producer Bill Oakley a little nervous: 'If Perot becomes a serious candidate, then we'll have to redo it.'". (Oct 27)

Nov 8 1996 Issue #352

p57 "Winner of the Week: Fox. Thanks to the World Series, Millennium, The X-Files, and The Simpsons, the Fourth Network won the week for the first time ever."

p57 The Ratings lists Simpsons at #16 with 18.3 million viewers. That's behind five World Series games and The X-Files, but it's AHEAD of the much heralded show Millennium. Notice though that EW listed the shows above in "what's hot" order, not in ratings order, so Simpsons were listed last

Jan 10 1997 Issue #361

p49 The Ratings lists Simpsons at tied for #15 with 14.4 million viewers for the week of Dec. 23-29. Fox's only show above that is The X-Files at #12.

Apr 10 1998 Issue #426 Mad Money (Joe Flint)

Top of the cover quote "TV: Are They Worth It?" next to pictures of four stars including Bart Simpson.

p34-37 Article includes discussion of the contracts with the voices behind our favorite family. (After a discussion in favor of higher salaries for two actors): "Can the same be said of the actors behind The Simpsons? The recent, highly public negotiations its studio, Twentieth Century Fox, conducted with the show's voices struck many as the best example of a world gone mad. Up until now, Nancy Cartwright (Bart). Dan Castellaneta (Homer), Yeardley Smith (Lisa). Hank Azaria (Moe, Apu, Chief Wiggum), and Harry Shearer (Burns, Smithers, Principal Skinner, Flanders) each made between $15,000 and $25,000 per episode. A little more than a month ago, the cast demanded $150,000. (Julie Kavner, voice of Marge, has a separate deal and didn't participate). Industry insiders couldn't decide which was more ludicrous; the six-figure salary for a two-day-a-week job or a memo in which Bart and Co. compared themselves to the cast of Seinfeld.

Okay, it's true, equal amounts of preparation do not go into the motivation of Moe the Bartender and Cosmo Kramer. But The Simpsons is enormously successful worldwide; in eight years, it has earned News Corp. (which owns both the studio and the net) $500 million plus in profits. Some sort of appreciation seemed justified. As of last week, the holdouts agreed to $50,000 per episode, with some rerun money from the second cycle of Simpsons repeats. Although Fox had threatened to audition new voices right up until the cast settled, the studio came to realize the value of the originals. 'This has been odd,' says a News Corp. exec of the negotiations. 'We're talking about people you don't see on a daily basis, and you assume that makes them more replaceable. You then discover they have a very unique skill and are not easy to replace.'

p53 The Ratings lists Simpsons at tied for #20 with 14.8 million viewers for the week of Mar 23-29 1998. Fox's only show above that is The X-Files at #19.

p58 recommends watching the rerun of episode 3G02 "Lisa's Sax".

Mar 29 1999 Issue #478 Space Case He's the, um, brains behind Homer Simpson - but can Matt Groening transport his twisted genius into a sci-fi sitcom populated with acerbic aliens and delinquent robots? Only the Futurama will tell (Dan Snierson, photograph by F. Scott Schafer)

Cover says "Sexy Cyclops Celeb Heads Robots With Attitide! It's Matt Groening's Futurama! and has miniature picture of Bender, Fry and Leela

p46-47, 50, 53 Nice Futurama article, to be transcribed.

Apr 12 1999 Groening Aboard

Interview of John DiMaggio, voice of Bender on Futurama, referred to as Futurama's Bart Simpson. Entire article online, right here!

Jul 9 1999 Issue #493

p61 "What to Watch" section recommends episode AABF12 - Make Room for Lisa.

Nov 5 1999 100 Greatest Entertainers

Our favorite family ranks 10th on the list of the 100 Greatest Entertainers of all time. Entire article online, right here!

Jan 14 2000 Issue #521 Springfield of Dreams Simpsons creator Matt Groening celebrates the show's landmark anniversary by whitting down 240 sidesplitting, pop-culture-skewing episodes into a definitive best-of list (Dan Snierson)

Cover quote "Matt Groening's Top 10 Simpsons Episodes".

We've missed many a good Entertainment Weekly article, but the bibliography wouldn't be complete without Matt Groening's personal top ten favorite episodes. The article has been transcribed onto the archive right here!

Feb 18 2000 Issue #526 Middle Big Man (A. J. Jacobs, Lynette Rice)

p10 Passing reference to The Simpsons in the article about how Malcolm in the Middle was a lifesaver for Fox after all the other new Fox Fall shows bombed out. Illustrated with picture of Bart Simpson.

p76 "What to Watch" section recommends BABF11 "Missionary: Impossible". "What's the worse that could come of failing to honor a $10,000 PBS pledge - some mild-mannered harassment from Charlie Rose? In any event, Homer isn't waiting around to find out."

p95 "What to Surf" section comments on the The Simpsons, the official Fox site. Given the negative review you would think they'd have commented on us instead. It goes as follows; "The Simpsons" has garnered a lot of attention lately: Time deemed it the best TV show of the century, Hollywood gave it a star on the Walk of Fame and now Fox has completely revamped the show's official site. But while there's free e-mail and flashy design, the content is sadly flimsy. You'll find character bios, short episode synopses, and online polls galore, but where are the audio and video accompaniments? Not surprisingly, the online store is well-stocked, featuring products for the Homer ("Get Duffed!" T-shirt, $15.95) as well as the Mr. Burns (hand-painted, limited edition lithograhph signed by Matt Groening, $2,500) in all of us."

Mar 3 2000 Issue #528

p57 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 Season-To-Date, and we find The Simpsons at number 22, averaging 14.4 million viewers, representing Fox's #2 two show behind Malcolm in the Middle tied for the ninth spot.

p76 "What to Watch" section recommends the repeat episode of BABF02 "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder". "When Homer bowls a perfect game, he gets to hang out with big-shot movie director Ron Howard. Of course he also has to hang out with Penn and Teller, but you win some, you lose some."

Mar 2000 Issue #529 No special reference.

The "Oscar" special issue dated March 2000.

Mar 10 2000 Issue #530

p63 "What to Watch" section recommends the repeat episode of AABF23 "Beyond Blunderdome". "Homer tells Mel Gibson his new movie sucks - and Mel loves it! The result: a collaborative effort producing a new kick-ass version of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

Mar 17 2000 Issue #531

p61 "What to Watch" section recommends episode BABF13 "Bart to the Future". "Bart sees the future, and it includes Lisa in the White House. In other words, move over Billy Carter and Roger Clinton - you're about to have company."

Mar 24 2000 Issue #532

p85 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 25 for March 6-12, and we find The Simpsons at number 19, with 13.8 million viewers, representing Fox's #2 two show behind Malcolm in the Middle in position 18.

p91 "What to Watch" section recommends the repeat episode of AABF19 "E-I-E-I-D'oh". "Farmer Homer gets the tobacco industry fuming when his back-to-the-land retreat results in the invention of an addictive new hybrid called Tomacco."

p107 "Cybertalk" quotes E! Online; "'I won't stop terrorizing Springfield until I turn 11, which apparently will never happen.' - The Simpsons' Bart Simpson"

Mar 31 2000 Issue #533

p55 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for March 13-19, and we find The Simpsons at number 18, with 14.7 million viewers, representing Fox's #2 two show behind Malcolm in the Middle in position 10.

p59 "What to Watch" section recommends the repeat episode of BABF06 "Faith Off". "Miracle worker Brother Faith (Don Cheadle) comes to town, and finds himself a young apprentice in Bart."

Apr 7 2000 Issue #534

p92 "What to Watch" section recommends episode BABF14 "Days of Wine and D'oh'ses". "Homer mourns the loss of his partner in stupidity when Barney quits boozing."

p111 "What to Surf" recommends The Danny Elfman Shrine, but the link provided no longer works (it use to) and it appears to have disappeared. They should choose the web sites they recommend more carefully. Like choosing us.

Apr 14 2000 Issue #535

p51 Article titled "Mat Groaning", an article about the movie Ready to Rumble, a comedy about pro wrestling.

p65 "What to Watch" section recommends the repeat episode of BABF06 "Faith Off". "Miracle worker Brother Faith (Don Cheadle) comes to town, and finds himself a young apprentice in Bart."

Apr 21 2000 Issue #536

p65 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for April 3-9, and we find The Simpsons at number 15, with 15.2 million viewers, tied with Malcolm in the Middle for Fox's number one show.

p69 "What to Watch" section recommends the repeat episode of AABF21 "Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner". "Watching Homer seamlessly work Ned Flanders into one of his reviews is just one of the treats to be found in tonight's food critic classic."

Apr 28 / May 5 2000 Issue #537/538

p89 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 25 for April 10-16, and we find The Simpsons at number 23, with 11.7 million viewers, representing Fox's #2 two show behind Malcolm in the Middle in position 17.

p94 "What to Watch" section recommends episode BABF16 "Kill the Alligator and Run". "When the family heads to Florida for vacation, Homer ends up infected with spring break fever! Also gettin' jiggy in the Sunshine State: notorious party animals Kid Rock, Joe C., and...Charle Rose?"

May 12 2000 Issue #539

p14 "Flashes" section asked celebrities to name their all-time favorite TV-mom in honor of Mother's Day, and Carson Daly replied: "Marge Simpson. Her hair. Her voice. She's hot."

p67 "What to Watch" section recommends episode BABF18 "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Marge". "Marge is in danger of being out-mothered in her very own home, and by a Parker Posey-voiced freeloader to boot."

Spring 2000 Issue #540 Critical Mass: Television (Ken Tucker)

Pop Quiz, Hot Shots (no author)

Cover of this special 10th Anniversary Issue features a dozen celebrity boxes including Bart Simpson

p7 Has six quiz boxes with drawn celebrities; Question 4: Which animated character drew the most coverage? A) Buzz Lightyear B) Snoopy C) Bart Simpson (Answer: Bart, of course)

p20 Jim Mullen's Hot Sheet: 15) The X-Files: The truth is out there. But it's usually on The Simpsons.

p120 Running along the bottom pages of this issue is an entertainment event timeline - unfortunately, The Simpsons premier predates Entertainment Weekly itself. So, they have the following entry: (1997) Feb 9: The Simpsons overtakes The Flintstones as TV's longest running animated prime-time series. Bam Bam tells tabs, "I'll kick Bart's ass!"

p136 The entire issue is divided into ten (rather unusual) themes; We find this under the Youth theme:

Bart Simpson, 1990

Why The Earth Shook Animation's first prime-time star of the decade (yes, the show debuted in 1989, but Bart so '90s). His unapologetic rebellion prompts many parents, fearing a slingshot rennaisance (and worse), to protest until they start registering the smart social satire behind all the "Eat my shorts!" rants - and join in the fun.

Richter Scale 8.0

Aftershocks Kids of cartoon parents suffer the most. Bart's bratty, snarky tone influences the behavior of Beavis, Butt-head, and the residents of South Park.

Other Tremors King of the Hill, Futurama, Space Ghost, Conan O'Brien, ubiquitous use of Homer's "D'oh!"

p163 Last major section is titled "Critical Mass" and it's here that we find what we're looking for. Ken Tucker opines on '90s television:

Here's how I'd break down the cream of the decade, in order of pleasure: The Simpsons, Late Night/Late Show with David Letterman, The X-Files, The Larry Sanders Show, Buffer the Vampire Slayer, Seinfeld, Law & Order, The Sopranos, Roseanne, and the Ken Burns documentary The Civil War.

Interestingly (Or damningly) enough, my decade topper, The Simpsons, was never a No. 1 in any given year in EW. On the one hand, this means I underestimated its quality. On the other hand, it's the only show that appears in nine out of 10 years' lists (only '95 lacked it). The series accumulates hilarity, wisdom (Homer, in a '93 episode, pounding on a TV set while yelling "Be funnier!"), and an unequaled ability to sustain repeated viewings in syndication. All of the other TV shows on my list - save for Burns' reinvention of the TV documentary, share The Simpsons' - and the '90s' - core sensibility: They are steeped in media savvy that allows them to transcend their genres and influences (talk show, sci-fi, The Godfather, etc.) while ultimately rejecting irony to mine deeper emotions.

The article ends, after reviewing bad shows: "To paraphrase Mr. Simpson, we should all keep banging on our TV sets and screaming "Make it better!"

p172 Cover index shows that Bart Simpson has appeared on a cover seven times, through issues 537/8, so this issue makes eight appearances. Lisa Simpson also appeared once with Bart.

May 26 2000 Issue #542

p23 Section title "The Final Answer" gives the final Nielsen numbers for the 1999-2000 season. The Simpsons ended at number 24, averaging 13.9 million viewers up from number 25 last year with 3% additional viewers. The finished as Fox's #2 two show behind Malcolm in the Middle in position 19 averaging 15.3 million viewers. Wait till next year.

p59 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for May 8-14, and we find The Simpsons at number 30, with 12.2 million viewers, representing Fox's #3 show behind Malcolm in the Middle in position 28 and The X-Files in position 27.

p63 "What to Watch" section recommends episode BABF16 "Kill the Alligator and Run". "When the family heads to Florida for vacation, Homer ends up infected with spring break fever! Also gettin' jiggy in the Sunshine State: notorious party animals Kid Rock, Joe C., and...Charle Rose?"

Jun 2 2000 Issue #543

p59 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for May 15-21, and we find The Simpsons at number 26, with 13.8 million viewers, representing Fox's #3 show behind Malcolm in the Middle in position 21 and The X-Files in position 18.

Jun 9 2000 Issue #544

p66 "What to Watch" section recommends episode BABF02 "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder". "While Homer's off bowling a perfect game, Marge and the kids are at home worried sick about poor, poor Lenny.

Jun 16 2000 Issue #545 No special reference.

Jun 23 2000 Issue #546

p12 "Hot Sheet" section tongue-in-cheek comments "Los Alamos - Nuclear secrets are missing from a vault. That settles it. They should've never hired Homer Simpson."

Jun 30 / Jul 7 2000 Issue #547/548 Special Summer Double Issue

p123 "What to Watch" section recommends episode BABF01 "Treehouse of Horror X". "The series 10th 'Treehouse of Horror' trilogy takes on Y2K hysteria when Homer forgets to reset the plant's computers for the new millennium."

Jul 14 2000 Issue #549

p69 "What to Watch" section recommends episode BABF14 "Days of Wine and D'oh'ses". "Barney's newfound sobriety helps him save Bart's and Lisa's lives, but Moe's not about to give up on his best customer so easily."

Jul 21 2000 Issue #550

p8 "Letters" section has the following email from Russ Lindway of Seven Hills, Ohio; "Thanks for your dissertation on the latest, most egregious wave of moron TV ("Keepin' It Real") to keep slack-jawed troglodytes mesmerized and paralyzed. It re-reinforces the inevitability that once The Simpsons ends its run, I won't need my television set except as a monitor for watching DVDs." We agree with the sentiments, but we refuse to face reality that The Simpsons could ever "..end its run..".

Jul 28 2000 Issue #551/552 Special 10th Anniversary Double Issue

p167 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for July 10-16, and we find The Simpsons at number 30, with 8.9 million viewers, representing Fox's #1 show.

p172 "What to Watch" section recommends episode BABF18 "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Marge". "Bart takes in a house guest (Parker Posey) who ingratiates herself with Homer and the kids but drives Marge mad."

Aug 4 2000 Issue #553

p24 In the comic page "How to Phit in at a Phish Show" the last panel says "Phinally, whenever you hear Trey play a little of the 'Simpsons' theme yell out in your best Homer voice...D'oh!"

p77 "What to Watch" section recommends episode BABF09 "Saddlesore Galactica". "Bart and Homer get into the extreme horse racing business, and incur the wrath of an army of little people."

Aug 18/25 2000 Issue #555/556

p113 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for July 31 - Aug 6, and we find The Simpsons at number 17, with 9.6 million viewers, representing Fox's #1 show.

p117 "What to Watch" section recommends repeat episode BABF08 "The Mansion Family". "Homer goes partying in international waters."

Sep 1 2000 Issue #557 Fall Movie Preview

p16 "Hot Sheet" section tongue-in-cheek comments "The Simpsons - A movie of the popular TV show is being planned. It would have happened sooner but Bart has script approval."

p63 In the Video section they recommend " The Simpsons Trick or Treehouse (Fox, unrated) Six classics, including spoofs of The Shining and Cape Fear, with Sideshow Bob stepping in for Robert De Niro."

For more details on this video set and a complete lists of all The Simpsons Audio and Video releases, see our list on the archive right here!

p71 "What to Watch" section recommends episode BABF06 "Faith Off". "Maybe Bart's not going to hell after all, as the little scamp sets up shop as a faith healer."

Sep 8 2000 Issue #558 Animation - The Simpsons: Trick or Treehouse Voices by Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta (2000, Fox, 135 mins., unrated, 3 volumes) (Daniel Fierman) (video review)

Positive review, as follows: "Given that The Simpsons is now considered - by the majority of the non-televisually impaired - pretty much the greatest TV show ever, the bar for this assemblage is remarkably high. But culled from seasons 3, 4, and 5, Treehouse is a humdinger, featuring (along with "Lisa the Skeptic" and "Bart Sells His Soul") a pair of Halloween classics and rich Sideshow Bob entries. Really, "The Shining" and "Cape Feare" in one box? Mmmmmm...Simpsons." (Received an "A" rating)

For more details on this video set and a complete lists of all The Simpsons Audio and Video releases, see our list on the archive right here!

p71 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for Aug 21-27, and we find The Simpsons at number 19, with 10.0 million viewers, representing Fox's #2 show behind Malcolm in the middle at 17. The previous week The Simpsons were at number 17.

Sep 15 2000 Issue #559 EW Recommends

p57 An 'A' (the highest) recommendation for the new set of Simpson videos; " The Simpsons: Trick or Treehouse - This collection features six classic episodes from seasons 3, 4 and 5 of the greatest TV show." There were grumblings from people when this came out because people had hoped it would have six THOH episodes. For more details on this video set and a complete lists of all The Simpsons Audio and Video releases, see our list on the archive right here!

Sep 22 2000 Issue #560 No special reference.

Sep 29 2000 Issue #561 Fall TV Preview

p36 Photo of the family from Malcolm in the Middle reveals a Simpsons' calendar hanging in the rear. Purely accidentally, we're like so sure.

p41 Preview of the coming season; "The cartoon enters it's 12 season, and thankfully, Homer's got plenty of high jinks left in him. He gets his thumb chopped off by Marge, starts a civil war when Springfield is split into two area codes, grows thinner after going on a hunger strike, and gets smarter after a crayon that's been lodged in his brain since childhood is removed. Listen for Who, Drew Barrymore, Edward Norton, Michael Keaton, and authors Stephen King, Amy Tan, and John Updike. 'What other cartoon has that?' boasts creator Matt Groening of this literary coup. "Perhaps Scooby-Doo."

p115 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for Sep 11-17, and we find The Simpsons at number 19, with 10.5 million viewers, representing Fox's #1 show.

p121 "What to Watch" section recommends episode BABF12 "Pygmoelian". "Moe's mug gets a long-overdue overhaul, and lands the barkeep a role on Springfield's hottest soap opera."

Oct 6 2000 Issue #562 The Shaw Report (Jessica Shaw)

p38 Listing what's "In", "Five Minutes Ago" and "Out" we see The Simpsons Clue board game listed as "In"!

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

p69 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for Sep 18-24, and we find The Simpsons at number 18, with 9.4 million viewers, representing Fox's #2 show behind the movie The Nutty Professor. That's a pretty amazing number when you consider that the top seven slots were occupied by the Summer Olympics and Monday Night Football and Who Wants to be a Millionaire the next four. The previous week The Simpsons were at number 19.

Oct 13 2000 Issue #563

p69 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for Sep 25-Oct 1, and we find The Simpsons at number 17, with 10.4 million viewers, representing Fox's #1 show of the week. That's a pretty amazing number when you consider that the top nine slots were occupied by the Summer Olympics and Who Wants to be a Millionaire. The previous week The Simpsons were at number 18.

Oct 20 2000 Issue #564 CyberDigest (not supplied)

p82 We quote; "The Simpsons, Eh? D'oh! What a Coincidence Department: Half of the executive producers and plenty of other creative contributors who've worked on the Emmy-winning Fox animated show have deals with Icebox.com, an original-content website. Mmmmm... new economy..

Oct 27 2000 (Fall 2000) Issue #565 (not supplied)

p134 When asked "What's the best career advice you ever got?" Conan O'Brien responds "It's from George Meyer, a 'Simpsons' writer. He said. 'In this business you can make a ton of money doing work that you hate and go home full of self-loathing. Or you can make two-thirds that doing something that you love. And two thirds is still a lot more than you ever thought you'd make.' I've never worked in anything I felt was a waste of time. Am I on the 'Forbes' list of richest entertainers? No, but I have plenty of momey, like my life, and tend not to hang my head when people ask me what I do for a living."

Nov 3 2000 Issue #567

p68 "What to Watch" section recommends episode BABF21 "Treehouse of Horror XI". "In this new Treehouse of Horror ep, Homer is kicked out of heaven until he can perform just one good deed, and harassing Flanders doesn't count."

p72 "What to Watch" section also recommends season premiere episode BABF20 "Tale of Two Springfields". "A new area code has Homer up in arms, which works out just fine since he can then use 'em to cheer guest stars The Who.

Nov 10 2000 Issue #568 Match Game (Ethan Alter)

p9 Match Game quiz asks readers to match the presidential candidate with his favorite recent movie, book, musician, actor and recent TV show. Under the latter we see candidate Al Gore choosing Futurama as his favorite recent TV show. Not to difficult a choice, given his daughter writes for the show...

p74 "What to Watch" section recommends episode BABF17 "Insane Clown Poppy". "The clowning around is pretty much over when Krusty realizes he's a papa."

Nov 17 2000 Issue #569 D'oh! Nuts Los Angeles hosts a weekend of Simpsons mania. (Mike Flaherty)

Article on the Global Fanfest celebration: Two thousand Simpsons fans from 16 nations were happier than Homer in a half-price chocolate store as they ate real-life Krusty Burgers and downed ice-cold Duff beer at the Simpsons Global Fanfest, Fox's three-day tribute to the 10-year-old animated sitcom. "A lot of people are screaming foreign gibberish at me," quipped Simpsons creator Matt Groening, "[but] it turns out they're American fans who are just overly excited." And with good reason. The guests - mostly winners of a Simpsons-based trivia contest - got to browse through Krusty's Museum of Stuff (which featured oddball items like a German-made Bart "nachlight"), hop on rides like Kang & Kodos' Hurl-A-Tron, and visit men's rooms adorned with a image of Homer musing "Mmmm..urinal fresh." Here's a look-see at the rest of the blowout.

p107 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for Oct 30-Nov 5, and we find The Simpsons at number 17, with 16.2 million viewers, representing Fox's #1 show of the week. The previous week The Simpsons were at number 46.

p112 "What to Watch" section recommends episode CABF01 "Lisa the Tree Hugger". "Lisa actually finds a cause she has not yet championed when she learns of plans to cut down Springfield's oldest Redwood tree.

Nov 24 2000 Issue #570

p54 Video section recommends "Olive the Other Reindeer".

p61 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for Nov 6-12, and we find The Simpsons at number 16, with 16.4 million viewers, representing Fox's #1 show of the week. The previous week The Simpsons were at number 17.

p66 "What to Watch" section recommends episode CABF04 "Homer vs. Dignity". "Homer gets his dream job when Mr. Burns pays him to humiliate others. Yo, Flanders, watch your back."

Dec 1 2000 Issue #571

p79 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for Nov 13-19, and we find The Simpsons at number 25, with 14.9 million viewers, representing Fox's #1 show of the week. The previous week The Simpsons were at number 16.

p86 "What to Watch" section recommends episode CABF02 "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes". "Homer (a.k.a. Mr.X) creates a muckraking web page through which he airs Springfield's dirty laundry and snags a Pultizer Prize."

Dec 8 2000 Issue #572

p75 "Sound Bites" quotes from The Simpsons (finally!); "You know how it is with cops. I'll get shot three days before retirement. In the business, we'll call it retirony." Chief Wiggum on The Simpsons.

p86 "What to Watch" section recommends episode CABF02 "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes". "Homer (a.k.a. Mr.X) creates a muckraking web page through which he airs Springfield's dirty laundry and snags a Pultizer Prize."

Dec 15 2000 Issue #573 2000 TV Winners + Losers

p36 The Simpsons rolls over the competition again; "Would CBS Trash turn into NBC's treasure? That was the hope behind Ed, the David Letterman-produced dramedy that CBS rejected before Dave's ex-employer claimed it. The Peacock wisely debuted the series before Fox launched its perennially powerful Sunday slate. And while Ed made an early name for himself, he slipped to No. 42 after running into Homer and Malcolm (No. 20 The Simpsons and No. 25 Malcolm in the Middle)."

p61 The Guest List advises that Nancy Cartwright appears on Conan O'Brien on Wednesday, December 13th.

p66 "What to Watch" section recommends episode CABF06 "Skinner's Sense of Snow". "Oh, the weather outside is frightful, and being stuck at school is not delightful, and since they've got no place to go, Bart will run the show, run the show, run the show."

Dec 22/29 2000 Issue #574/575

p59 In the article "Dr. No-no" wherein "..after insulting the gay community, Dr. Laura becomes a punchline" they reference a Simpsons episode; "October 29: On a Simpsons rerun, Bart and Homer realize they're plummeting to their death when their rocket ship contains Tom Arnold, Pauly Shore, and Dr. Laura." This was, of course, from BABF01 "Treehouse of Horror X", which was originally broadcast on Oct 31, 1999, placing the episode before the controversy started. As usual, The Simpsons are ahead of the curve.

Jan 5 2001 Issue #576

p59 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 15 for Dec 4-10, and we find The Simpsons at number 11, with 16.8 million viewers, representing Fox's #2 show of the week, behind Malcolm in the Middle, at number 10 with 16.9 million viewers. The previous week The Simpsons were at number 17.

Jan 12 2001 Issue #577 No special reference.

Jan 19 2001 Issue #578

p73 "Sound Bites" has the following;

"I'm a Spalding Gray in a Rick Dees world." Homer, after his IQ was increased by 50 points, on The Simpsons.

p73 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 15 for Jan 1-7, and we find The Simpsons at number 10, with 18.5 million viewers, representing Fox's #1 show of the week. The previous week The Simpsons were at number 27.

p76 "What to Watch" section recommends repeat episode BABF17 "Insane Clown Poppy". "Krusty the Clown enters the three-ring circus of parenthood."

Jan 26 2001/Feb 2 2001 Issue #579/580 Guide to 2001

p91 "What to Watch" section recommends repeat episode CABF01 "Lisa the Tree Hugger". "Lisa goes beyond tree hugging when she decides to live (and die?) in a redwood."

Feb 16 2001 Issue #582

p83 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for Jan 29 - Feb 4, and we find The Simpsons at number 12, with 18.5 million viewers, representing Fox's #2 show of the week, behind Malcolm in the Middle, at number 11 with 18.6 million viewers. The previous week The Simpsons were at number 79...(Malcolm at 67, X-Files at 73)

p88 "What to Watch" section recommends episode CABF10 "Day of the Jackanapes". "Bart is getting sleeeeeeepy when he finds himself hypnotized by everybody's favorite sidekick convict."

Feb 23 2001 Issue #583/584

p153 "What to Watch" section recommends A Futurama episode 3ACV08 "That's Lobstertainment!" guest starring a Simpson voice actor; "Dr. Zoidberg makes a movie starring his silent hologram uncle, voice by Hank Azaria. (Not for nothing, but being silent sounds like a pretty easy guest vocal gig to us.)"

p153 "What to Watch" section recommends repeat episode CABF12 "New Kids on the Blecch". "Guest stars 'N Sync meet their latest competition - boy-band members Bart, Milhouse, Ralph, and Nelson."

Mar 2 2001 Issue #585

p153 "What to Watch" section recommends episode CABF09 "Hungry Hungry Homer". "Homer makes the ultimate sacrifice, abstaining from food to protest the Isotopes' possible move to Albuquerque."

Mar 9 2001 Issue #586

p67 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for Mar 20 - Apr 1, and we find The Simpsons at number 27, with 13.3 million viewers, representing Fox's #3 show of the week, behind Malcolm in the Middle tied for #24 and the reality show Boot Camp tied for #12. representing Fox's #1 show of the week. The previous week The Simpsons were at number 21.

Mar 16 2001 Issue #587

p55 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for Feb 26 - Mar 4, and we find The Simpsons at number 9, with 17.6 million viewers, representing Fox's #1 show of the week. The previous week The Simpsons were at number 10.

p59 "What to Watch" section recommends repeat episode BABF20 "A Tale of Two Springfields". "Homer won't get fooled again into accepting an inferior area code, even if it means hijacking a Who concert."

Mar 30 2001 Issue #589

p57 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for Mar 12 - Mar 18, and we find The Simpsons at number 16, with 14.3 million viewers, representing Fox's #1 show of the week. The previous week The Simpsons were at number 10.

p61 "What to Watch" section recommends episode CABF13 "Simpson Safari". "The Simpsons do Africa, and that can't be a good thing."

Boy, they called that accurately.

Apr 13 2001 Issue #591

p67 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for Mar 20 - Apr 1, and we find The Simpsons at number 27, with 13.3 million viewers, representing Fox's #3 show of the week, behind Malcolm in the Middle tied for #24 and the reality show Boot Camp tied for #12.

p64 "What to Watch" section recommends repeat episode BABF22 "HOMR" (with a backwards "R"). "It's true - crayons make you dumber."

Apr 27 2001 Issue #593

p103 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for Apr 9 - Apr 15, and we find The Simpsons at number 25, with 11.9 million viewers, representing Fox's #1 show of the week. The previous week The Simpsons were at numebr 21.

p107 "What to Watch" section recommends episode CABF14 "Trilogy of Error". "Vlad the impaler it ain't when Lisa builds a robot with the sole function of correcting grammar."

May 4 2001 Issue #594

p55 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for Apr 16 - Apr 22, and we find The Simpsons at number 18, with 14.1 million viewers, representing Fox's #2 show of the week behind Malcolm in the Middle at number 15 with 14.5 million viewers. The previous week The Simpsons were at number 25.

p59 "What to Watch" section recommends episode CABF15 "I'm Goin' to Praiseland". "Nothing spells religion quite like upside-down roller coasters and overpriced cotton candy, as Ned and Homer open the pearly gates to Praiseland."

May 11 2001 Issue #595

p55 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for Apr 23 - Apr 29, and we find The Simpsons at number 15, with 14.4 million viewers, representing Fox's #2 show of the week behind Malcolm in the Middle at number 14 with 14.6 million viewers. The previous week The Simpsons were at number 18.

p59 "What to Watch" section recommends episode CABF16 "The Kids Stay in the Picture". (Note: The title of this episode appears to have been changed to "Children of a Lesser Clod.") "Air Homer (mad hops and all) is grounded when he blows out his knee in a basketball game."

May 18 2001 Issue #596

p67 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for Apr 30 - May 6, and we find The Simpsons at number 21, with 13.1 million viewers, representing Fox's #2 show of the week behind Malcolm in the Middle at number 18 with 13.6 million viewers. The previous week The Simpsons were at number 15.

p71 "What to Watch" section recommends the season finale episode CABF17 "Simpsons Tall Tales". "En route to Delaware - let's hear it for the Small Wonder! - the Simpsons encounter a hobo who just won't shut up."

May 25 2001 Issue #597

p65 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for May 7 - May 13, and we find The Simpsons at number 21, with 13.8 million viewers, representing Fox's #2 show of the week behind Malcolm in the Middle at number 19 with 14.0 million viewers. The previous week The Simpsons were at number 21.

Jun 1 2001 Issue #598 the bitter end A ratings rundown from Survivor to this year's weakest link - XFL

p52 The Ratings for the year 2001-2001 finds The Simpsons at number 21, with 14.7 million viewers, representing Fox's #2 show of the year, second only to Temptation Island at number 15 with 16.6 million viewers. This represents at 6% increase in viewers over the prior season when The Simpsons were at number 24.

p73 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for May 14 - May 20, and we find The Simpsons tied for number 19, with 13.4 million viewers, representing Fox's #3 show of the week behind Malcolm in the Middle at number 17 with 13.8 million viewers and The X-Files at number 14 with 14.0 million viewers. The previous week The Simpsons were at number 21.

Jun 15 2001 Issue #600

p16 Under "Flashes" EW asks celebrities "With Father's Day around the corner, we popped this question: Who's your favorite TV Dad?" to which we find this reply amongst the answers:

Rosario Dawson (Sidewalks of New York) "Homer Simpson, because he stuffs crayons up his nose. He has those endearing moments where you see how much he loves his kids and wife, but he's such an idiot."

p71 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for May 28 - June 5, and we find The Simpsons at number 20, with 9.6 million viewers, representing Fox's #1 show of the week. The previous week The Simpsons were not in the top 30.

Jun 22 2001 Issue #601

p77 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 30 for June 04 - June 10, and we find The Simpsons at number 28, with 9.2 million viewers, representing Fox's #1 show of the week. The previous week The Simpsons were at number 20.

p81 "What to Watch" section recommends repeat episode CABF13 "Simpson Safari". "In what could've made a nice Shaft crossover, the Simpsons take on criminals in Africa."

Jun 29 / Jul 6 2001 Issue #602 / 603 Special Summer Double Issue

p14 "HOTSheet" has the following entry under #2;

"Doh" Homer Simpson's epithet made the Oxford English Dictionary. Definition:? It's what you say if you mispell it.

p41 Online Poll of readers to determine "Who's got it" has the category "IT TV Mother & Daughter". The standings were as follows;

33.2% Marge and Lisa Simpson, The Simpsons

30.6% Lorelai and Rory, Gilmore Girls

16.5% Carmela and Rory, The Sopranos

10.3% Lily and Grace, Once and Again

09.3% Maxine and Amy, Judging Amy

Jul 20 2001 Issue #605 On the Air: Casting Call (Dan Snierson)

p54 Short article profiling guest stars for the 13th season of The Simpsons, as follows;

"Coming off its highest-rated season since 1997-98, The Simpsons is already reeling in the requisite big-name guest stars for its 13th year: Richard Gere and Pierce Brosnan will appear as themselves, Ben Stiller plays acerbic sugar-company CEO Garth Motherloving, and Reese Witherspoon voices Rainier Wolfcastle's daughter, who develops a crush on Bart. Meanwhile, Sigourney Weaver lends her pipes to another Fox animated series, Futurama."

Illustrated with a photo of Reese Witherspoon, currently making waves playing the lead role in Legally Blonde.

p55 "The Ratings" supplies the Top 15 for July 2 - July 8, and we find a repeat episode of The Simpsons at number 12, with 9.7 million viewers, representing Fox's #1 show of the week. The previous week The Simpsons were down at number 41.

p59 "What to Watch" section recommends repeat episode CABF15 "I'm Goin' to Praiseland". "Springfield's finest see their own personal vision of heaven. Ours include Old Milwaukee beermaids and a James Spader film festival."

Jul 27 2001 Issue #606

p63 "What to Watch" section then recommends repeat episode CABF16 "Children of a Lesser Clod". "Homer did such a great job raising Bart and Lisa that he decides to spread the love and open a day care center."

Aug 3 2001 Issue #607

p57 "What to Watch" section recommends this Wednesday broadcast of repeat episode CABF06 "Skinner's Sense of Snow". "Massive snowfall on a school day rules - unless it means you end up snowed in at your particular learning institution."

p59 "What to Watch" section then recommends Sunday's repeat episode BABF20 "A Tale of Two Springfields". "The Who's on first when the British rockers appear at a Springfield concert on last season's premiere episode."

Aug 10 2001 Issue #608

p6 Advertisement for www.ew.com indicates that we'll find "What rebel comic book is like The Simpsons?" After searching for half an hour, I found this article online - under "How The Simpsons came from rebel art; Without R. Crumb, there'd be no Ghost World, either, says Ty Burr (Book Hot Topic, 8/1/2001)". It attempts to show the tie-in between The Simpsons and R. Crumb. It includes the following; "When the show (The Simpsons) debuted, it was widely scorned by the media as a cynical kiddie show, The Flintstones for pre-literate mulletheads. It didn't take long, though, before The Simpsons began to be appreciated as an acid, encyclopedic, deeply subversive take on modern pop culture. All of its attributes are present in more than embryonic form in Life in Hell, creator Matt Groening's alternative newspaper strip of the 1980s. The line of influence is clear: Without Robert Crumb, there'd be no Simpsons."

p64 "What to Watch" section then recommends repeat episode CABF03 "The Great Money Caper". "Once again finding themselves in dire financial straits, Homer and Bart make a go at grifting - that is, until an FBI agent (voiced by Edward Norton) gets wise to them."

Sep 13 2002 Issue #671/672 Fall TV Preview (Various authors)

p38 The Simpsons The guest-star-apalooza begins in the 14th-season premiere, when Homer goes to rock & roll fantasy camp and jams with Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Elvis Costello, Tom Petty, Brian Setzer, and Lenny Kravitz. Kelsey Grammer returns as sideshow Bob, while Adam West and Burt Ward recreate their roles as Batman and Robin (Bart and Milhouse get in trouble for emulating an old episode). Also 'tooning up will be Little Richard (who presides over the engagement of Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel), blink-182 (in the show's 300th episode, slated for February sweeps), and...Laverne & Shirley's David L. Lander? Exec producer Al Jean elaborates: "The Simpsons go on a reality show where they have to live in a house with the rules of 1895.... The ratings start to slip, so then they throw Squiggy into the house." Maybe UPN's reality failure Under One Roof should've tried that. (Nov. 10)

Feb 7 2003 Issue #694 The Simpsons: The 25 Best Episodes Ever!

Cover has top right triangle picturing Homer Simpson with caption "The Simpsons: The 25 Best Episodes Ever!"

Aug 7 2003 Issue #721 One Week in Hollywood: Crafting the Perfect "D'oh!"

Cover on bottom left has "Behind The Scenes With: The Simpsons" (and seven other titles/names)

p38 article Crafting the Perfect "D'oh!" continues to be available online here! thanks to the wise people at EW.

Apr 9 2004 Issue #759

Full cover features Bart Simpson holding up an "A+" for "The Great American Pop Culture Quiz" with all the answers written on his arms, hands and legs. Cover caption reads "100 Questions (Can You Outsmart Bart?) All About The '90s".

p25 has the four images of Homer Simpson as the multiple choice answers for the first question "What guise did Homer "man of a thousand faces: Simpsons never embody in the 1990s?". The four images are A) Homer in a George Jetson haircut and shirt from The Jetsons (the answer!), B) Homer apparently naked holding a violet

Jul 27 2007 Issue #945 Homer's Odyssey Yes, after 18 years, theaters will finally echo with the sweet sounds of d'oh! EW's exclusive behind-the-scenes report of what better be the Best. Movie. Ever. (Dan Snierson)

Four full covers, featuring Homer, Marge and Maggie, Bart and Lisa with caption "The Simpsons Movie" across top and "Exclusive: How Springfield's First Family Finally Made It to the Multiplex"

Cover story can be found on the Entertainment Weekly web site right Here!

Dec 28 2007-Jan 4 2008 Issue #971/972

"Best & Worst 2007" cover story is illustrated with crowd of fifty celebrities including Homer Simpson.

Jun 27 2008-Jul 4 2008 Issue #999/1000

Special issue: "The New Classics" lists "The 1000 Best Movies, TV Shows, Albums, Books & More of the Last 25 Years", as described on the cover, which pictures eight celebrities including... Maggie Simpson.

p46-47 Special double page tribute to The Simpsons, the number 1 television show of the last 25 years. And we couldn't agree more. The entry is as follows;

#1, The Simpsons, Fox, 1989 - present

It will go down as the most revered, beloved comedy in TV history. For 19 seasons, this exquisitely crafted gag machine has been rat-a-tatting out penetrating deconstructions and celebrations of the dysfunctional American clan. Name another show that has created as rich and dense a universe as Springfield: Those hundreds of little yellow characters feel real (even "I love to get blotto" Otto), and we all hail Simpson patriarch Homer because his joy is as palpable as his stupidity is stunning. Bottom line: We d'oh!n't know what anyone would do without The Simpsons.

p54 List of "Five Fave Holiday Episodes" includes The Simpsons "I Love Lisa" (1993) [9F13] saying "We choo-choo-choose Ralph Wiggum's Valetine's Day heartbreak."

p56 Selections for "The Perfect Tv Family" lists eight persons including "Grandpa Abe Simpson, The Simpsons".

Dec 11 2009 Issue #1079 Best of the Decade: Soundbites EW salutes great quotes that popped out of pop culture in the last 10 years

p94 Homer Simpson makes the grade with the following:

"Spider-Pig, Spider-Pig, does whatever a Spider-Pig does.

Can he swing from a web? No, he can't, he's a pig.

Look out! He is the Spider-Pig!"

 -- Homer Simpson in The Simpsons Movie, 2007

June 4/11 2010 Issue #1105/1106 The 100 Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years  (multiple)

Homer Simpson #1 The Ultimate D'oh Boy  (Dan Snierson)

Cover story has Homer Simpson as the greatest character of the last twenty years. You can find the list here!

Dan Snierson's take on "The Ultimate D'oh Boy";

He rages against inanimate objects. He gets into arguments with his own brain. He has forgotten the names of family members. ("There's five of us: Marge, Bart, girl Bart, the one who doesn't talk, and the fat guy. How I loathe him.") He's eaten everything from a hot dog at the bottom of a kiddie pool to a jar of petroleum jelly. He's lazy, rash, and incompetent, not to mention a tragic speller (I am so smart! S-M-R-T!")

These are not good qualities in a mate, friend, co-worker, or dad. They can, however, make for great comedy. For that reason - and hundreds more - EW is naming Homer Simpson the No. 1 character in pop culture over the last 20 years. Did the expression "Woo-hoo!" just jump to mind? And if we had snubbed him, you might've thought "D'oh!," right? Two more reasons.

Of course, a truly transcendent character is more than a mash-up of catchphrases. The paterfamilias of The Simpsons oozes humanity. He lets his heart hang out like his gut, whether he's processing bliss ("Mmmm.. 64 slices of American cheese") or anger ("Why, you little...!"), often within seconds of each other. "There's an emotional obstacle course he's running in a single sentence," says series creator Matt Groening. "People can relate to Homer because we're all secretly propelled by desires we can't admit to. Homer is launching himself headfirst into every single impulsive thought that occurs to him. His love of whatever has caught his eye is a joy to witness." As Dan Castellaneta, who has voiced him for 21 seasons, notes: "One of the show's writers, John Swartzwelder, said, 'Homer's a dog trapped inside a man's body.' He's loyal, he's lovable, but he's got bad grooming habits and loves to wolf down whatever is in front of him."

While Homer's innate inanity remains a thing of wonder, it's usually laced with hope. "There's an optimism about Homer that despite his stupidity, he's forgivable," says Groening. "For Homer, it's an ongoing series of missteps and redemptions. It's one 'D'oh!' at a time." We've enjoyed so many of them, we had no choice but to anoint him as our No. 1. Castellaneta concludes: "As Homer might say, 'I'm honored, confused, and hungry.'"

A Q & A With Homer

EW: What is your favorite character in pop culture?

Homer: Mr. Peanut from the Planters can. And my dream in life is to someday meet him, shell him, and eat him.

EW: You've worked at a nulcear power plant for years. Can you explain nuclear fusion?

Homer: Two hydrogen nuclei react, releasing radiation, according to Einstein's equation of mass-energy equivalence. Some or all of this answer may have been written by my daughter Lisa.

EW: It's always funny when you say "Woo-hoo!" "D'oh!" and "Mmmm...," but don't you think it's time your tried something new?

Homer: Think of something new?! Why, you little...! [Attempts to strangle interviewer] Sorry, I didn't mean to go all Russell Crowe on you.

EW: Tell us one thing about yourself you've never told anybody.

Homer: I play chess online with the Family Guy.

(Homer's answers by Simpsons exec producer Al Jean)