The Simpsons Finally Make It To DVD

The Simpsons make a triumphant debut onto DVD. Ever since I first read that the complete first season of The Simpsons was going to be released on DVD, I knew I would need to purchase it. I was more than willing to spend the money to replace my worn out and poorly recorded episodes on video tape. I was not disappointed. The complete package of the first season is fabulous and it's money well spent.

The first thing we must look at is the packaging itself. Now, normally this would be an irrelevant point. The television shows are the most important thing, right? Well, they are the key reason for purchasing the collection, but you can't ignore Matt Groening's note to the fan, "Welcome to the first of many deluxe overpriced DVD sets of The Simpsons. With 280-odd shows in the can and no end in sight, you might be able to complete your Simpsons DVD collection just before the next format comes along. Thanks for buying!" So enjoy. We've got more Simpsons episodes to make, then broadcast, then re-run, then chop up for syndication, then sell to you on DVD. But you know something? We wouldn't have it any other way!"

Now, let's move to the episodes themselves. All thirteen episodes from the first season are included---Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire, Bart The Genius, Homer's Odyssey, There's No Disgrace Like Home, Bart The General, Moaning Lisa, Call Of The Simpsons, The Telltale Head, Life On The Fast Lane, Homer's Night Out, The Crepes Of Wrath, Krusty Gets Busted and Some Enchanted Evening.

The first thing you need to remember about these early episodes is that they aren't the funniest in the series. There are no Marge vs. The Monorails or Last Temptation Of Homers in the first season. The writers, director, animators and actors were still just trying to find themselves. There are hints of the brilliance that was soon to follow. However, there is some uneven humor, scribbly animation and random voices that make you realize how much the show has improved.

The actual quality of the the episodes is a remarkable improvement from both the original broadcasts and the video tapes that so many of us are used to. While the animation may be uneven at times, the quality is still first rate. It almost serves as a magnifying glass to point out some of the faults in production. The color is extremely crisp. The sound is also first rate. Once again, the voices are sometimes random, but the quality of the sound is a far cry from scratchy video tapes.

The episodes are entertaining on their own. However, one of the great extras the DVD brings you is the commentary. Matt Groening, along with James Brooks (producer), Al Jean (writer/producer) and others provide their commentary to all thirteen episodes. When watching the episodes, it's almost like being a fly on the wall during the making of the particular show. I'm sure many die hard fans will love the extra trivia nuggets that the commentary gives you to use to amaze your friends.

There are plenty of extras that we have come to love from DVD releases. One of the most interesting things included are the original scripts from some of the episodes. It really shows that every episode is a work in progress. Notes are jotted down and doodles are everywhere.

A short British television special is included. It doesn't really add too much to what we already know about the Simpsons. It is interesting to here Matt Groening's last minute development of our favorite family as a television show.

Feel like hearing Homer shout "D'oh" in French? Well, you can get Homer and the rest of the Simpsons speaking French, as well as Italian, Spanish, Japanese and Portuguese. You can also check out the short, "Good Night Simpsons" that was first shown on the Tracy Ullman Show.

The two most entertaining extra are the outtakes from Life On The Fast Lane with Albert Brooks and the commentary from the original script of Some Enchanted Evening. Albert Brooks adlibs are endless and quite funny. That episode could have been an hour long and full of laughs. On the sad side, listening to the commentary of the original version of Some Enchanted Evening makes you wonder how the television show ever got made. Needless to say, Matt Groening and James Brooks were not happy with the finished product. Just hearing them complain about the initial animation is worth the price.

Overall, I would highly recommend The Simspons: The Complete First Season. If you are a fan, you must own these DVDs. If you are an average fan, you still must own these DVDs. You will not be disappointed.