I only started watching The Simpsons about nine years ago. I didn't get the station when it first started to air and once I did get FOX, it still took me a few more years to start watching for some reason. Since then, I have been watching each new season while also watching many of the older episodes that are in syndication. I also started picking up the DVD sets. I just finished watching The Simpsons - Season 7.
The main Simpsons characters first appeared in short segments that were shown during The Tracy Ullman Show between sketches. The animation was very crude, but the characters still became popular enough to get their own show. The first season began airing in 1989 and new episodes continue to air today. The 400th episode of the series aired in May of 2007 and a full length feature movie, The Simpsons Movie, was released on July 27, 2007. DVD sets for each season of the show continue to be released as well. Groening also created another animated show, Futurama, that began airing in 1999.
The episodes of the show tend to focus in on the members of the Simpsons family, with Homer and Bart receiving more attention than the others. Homer’s father, Grandpa Simpson, and Marge’s sisters Patty and Selma turn up frequently and they have been the main focus of a few episodes every so often. In the episode A Fish Called Selma, she ended up married to the actor Troy McClure. Grandpa played a major part in Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in “The Curse of the Flying Hellfish”. Mother Simpson also shared a bit more information about some things connected to Grandpa’s past. Marge and Lisa also played larger parts in a few of the episodes. Some of the other supporting characters, like Apu, Milhouse, and Krusty, also received more attention in certain episodes. I usually enjoy it when some of the supporting characters get a chance to have a slightly bigger part.
The Simpson family isn’t typical and they ended up in some strange or unique situations in different episodes. Many of those situations did add humor. Every episode made me laugh, with some of them being more funny than others in my opinion. Certain things that were done for humor, usually by Bart or Homer, were rather silly or even stupid. I felt that fit for the characters but it could bother some viewers if they don’t like that type of humor. There were a few things said or done during the season that were more adult in nature without being too graphic. Parents might want to watch the episodes before letting their children see them.
Most of the episodes in the seventh season, as well as the series in general, have had plots that were self contained and didn’t carry into other episodes. Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part Two) provided the conclusion to the first two part episode. The first part of the episode served as a cliffhanger for the sixth season and the two episodes were very connected. I thought the episodes were very entertaining and really liked the way it was set up so that basically every character was a suspect. Lisa made a decision that would be brought up again in many of the future episodes in Lisa the Vegetarian. Selma’s marriage to Troy would also be mentioned in future episodes.
Sideshow Bob is a character who has returned an episode every few seasons. When he turns up in an episode, things that he did previously were brought up. It would also be mentioned how Bart and Lisa managed to stop whatever plan Sideshow Bob had thought up. There is just something about Sideshow Bob that I like even though he’s always plotting something and trying to do away with Bart. I always like when he turns up since I tend to find his episodes very entertaining. He came up with a new plan, that also targeted Krusty the clown, in Sideshow Bob’s Last Gleaming.
Another special Halloween episode, Treehouse of Horror VI, was also part of the season. I really enjoy these episodes. Once again the episode featured three spooky stories that were very entertaining. One of them, featuring Groundskeeper Willie, seemed to be a take on the Nightmare on Elm Street movies. For some reason, it was decided to do something special for the 138th episode. The character of Troy McClure hosted what was basically a clip show that included some outtakes. Some viewer mail was answered and alternate endings to Who Shot Mr. Burns? were also shared.
All of the main characters as well as several of the smaller, supporting characters continued to be voiced by the same people. Yeardly Smith only did the voice for Lisa. Marcia Wallace usually only did the voice for Edna Krabappel, Bart’s teacher. Even though that character turns up at least briefly very often, Wallace is listed as a guest star. The rest of the regular cast provided voices for multiple characters. Julie Kavner did the voices for Patty and Selma in addition to Marge. She would also voice the sisters’ mother the few times she turned up. Patty and Selma sound very similar, which is probably one of the reasons I have trouble remembering which one is which at times.
The characters of Troy McClure and Lionel Hutz were voiced by Phil Hartman again. Both of those characters have been turning up fairly regularly throughout the series up to season seven. They, especially Troy, were almost like regular characters with how often they turned up. Kelsey Grammer returned to provide the voice for Sideshow Bob. I think that Grammer’s voice fits the character perfectly. There were several other guest stars for this season including Tito Puente, Mickey Rooney, Linda McCartney, Paul McCartney, Paul Anka, Glenn Close, Harry Morgan, R. Lee Ermey, Buzz Aldrin, Bob Newhart, Donald Sutherland, Kirk Douglas, Alex Rocco, Suzanne Somers, Jeff Goldblum, Joe Mantegna, the members of Cypress Hill, the members of The Smashing Pumpkins, the members of Sonic Youth, Peter Frampton, and Christina Ricci. Some of the guest stars voiced new characters while others were appearing as themselves.
The animation had the same look that was done during several of the previous seasons. It was really just the first two seasons that had a different, somewhat cruder look for the animation. Bright, vibrant colors were used, helping to give the show its unique look. The animation had a crisp, clean look and is well done even though it isn’t as good as what is done in the newer movies.
DVD Information
The Simpsons - Season 7 was the second season to offer two different case options for the set. One of them is the normal case, which is the one I have. The other case is shaped like Marge’s head. I have the special version shaped like Homer’s head for the sixth season set and I found it a little awkward to get to the discs inside. The case I have unfolds and makes it very easy to get to the discs. Each disc is on a separate plastic holder that flips over like a page. For the first five sets, a message from show creator Matt Groening was included on one of the panels. Starting with the sixth season, that message is in the booklet instead. I believe that is because there just anywhere in the special cases shaped like character heads for the message.
The booklet was made to look like a newspaper called the Daily Vanity. Groening’s message was the first thing in the booklet. The third page had a list of the episodes and which disc they were on. There was also a list of the principal cast and it was said which years the episodes originally aired. The fourth page listed out what extras were included on each disc. The bottom half of that page has an icon key that would be used on the pages for each episode to show what extras were connected to each episode. The rest of the booklet shared short plot summaries, the original air dates, the guest actors, the chapter breaks, and the extras for each episode, with one page being devoted to each episode. There were pictures pulled from the episodes on each page as well.
The menus for each disc featured different animations. A group of characters that were involved in the episodes for each disc were shown standing in a line with some of them moving around a bit. If an option wasn’t picked fast enough, the characters did different things that were sort of amusing. There was the option to play all the episodes at once or to pick each title individually to play the episodes one at a time. Every episode had a commentary and many of them also had deleted scenes. There were a few short featurettes, animations showcases, original sketches and things from the animators connected to some of the episodes.
Episode List
Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part Two) Radioactive Man Home Sweet Home-Diddly-Dum-Doodily Bart Sells His Soul Lisa the Vegetarian Treehouse of Horror VI King-Size Homer Mother Simpson Sideshow Bob’s Last Gleaming The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular Marge Be Not Proud Team Homer Two Bad Neighbors Scenes From the Class Struggle in Springfield Bart the Fink Lisa the Iconoclast Homer the Smithers The Day the Violence Died A Fish Called Selma Bart on the Road 22 Short Films About Springfield Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in “The Curse of the Flying Hellfish” Much Apu About Nothing Homerpalooza Summer of 4 Ft. 2
The Simpsons - Season 7 was another entertaining DVD set that fans of the series will probably enjoy.
Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season includes 25 episodes from Season 7 plus episode commentaries, deleted scenes, featurrettes and more on 4 discs.More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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