Tell me about The Simpsons

[RCBH928]

I have a confession and that is I don't think I ever saw a full episode of The Simpsons. As a child I thought this is an audacious(I guess?!) cartoon, the south park of its time if you may, but as I grew into an adult this looks more like a cartoon targeted for the adults which is a bit confusing since the main character seems to be Bart but over time it turned to be Homer. I am lost on this show.

I have no plan to watch 32 seasons and their 695 episodes, but which would season would you say it represents The Simpson in its truest form?

[PretentiousHipster]

I loved The Simpsons as a kid, probably my go-to show. I remember one show being the competition at the time: King of the Hill. My childhood friends and I all called it boring. Seeing it for the first time as an adult made me realize that although The Simpsons is more kid-friendly, Kind of the Hill is vastly superior.

[Ziggy]

Early Simpsons, there is no "main" character. The episodes were very much about the family, sometimes focusing on a particular character. Homer was dumb, but got dumber over the years. Watch the first 7-10 seasons.

[Ack]

Yeah, Bart got a lot of the marketing push early on, but the show was always generally about the family. If you are curious, there are several stopping points you can watch up to in the earlier seasons. The crossover episode with The Critic caused a staff exodus, so that's one you could end with. I also felt the show wasn't as good after the tragic murder of Phil Hartman, so once you reach the episode dedicated to him, I feel you are good to stop.

[Markies]

A good starting point would be Season 3 or 4. Season 1 is very rough and the first two seasons focus heavily on Bart.

There are SEVERAL best of Simpsons episodes lists on the Web and that would be a great place to start if you just want to watch an episode or two.

For example, here is a good one:
https://time.com/5743465/best-simpsons-episodes/

The thing about The Simpsons is that they just have a flood of Characters and you can connect to each one. At certain points in your life, you enjoy different characters. You can start liking Bart and that changes to Homer and then move onto Grandpa.

[Ziggy]

I don't know, I think you really have to start with season 1. The first season kind of annoys me with the rougher animation and Homer's voice, but the first two season have so many classic episodes that just can't be missed. First season is short too, so no real reason to skip it IMO.

[o.pwuaioc]

I think the first two seasons are actually the best of the Simpsons. Homer from s3 and especially s4 onwards is a malicious moron, whereas in s1 and s2 he's a lovable oaf who's just not so bright.

You can find plenty of classic episodes throughout the 90s. Season 9 is a pretty comfortable stopping point, but the quality of episodes tank in 10.

[RCBH928]

But who is this show targeted for? Is it for kids or adults? It looks like its addressing kids with bart and Lisa as main characters and some school life challenges, but the message the episodes carry seem pointed towards adults. Unlike South Park that just "looks" childish but definitely rated 18+.

[Ziggy]

I'm not sure the show ever had a real targeted age group. There might be coming-of-age stories with Bart and Lisa, but then there's plenty of episodes that focus on Homer and Marge. Like the episode in season 1 where Homer gets drunk at a party and has his picture taken while dancing with a stripper. Marge finds the picture and Homer has some explaining to do. That's definitely not an episode targeted at children.

[o.pwuaioc]

Agreed with Ziggy. It's not targeted towards children. It also preceded South Park by a decade (if you count its debut on the Tracey Ullman show), so it's not really fair to compare the two. The first several seasons are essentially family fare but with an edge. Kids can watch it, but they won't get the adult jokes. It's not too raunchy, though, and I think the animation helps mitigate the adult themes. Young kids will love the colors and sounds (d'oh!), older kids will love the sneak peek into adulthood, but I think even adult can love the Bart/Lisa stuff, as the themes are very universal, even if they're applied to kids. The "lessons" for children usually have an additional layer for the children. In Moanin' Lisa, for example, Lisa is assured that she doesn't need to fake a smile to be happy, but it's much more about Marge realizing that she should be there for her daughter regardless of her mood, that she shouldn't repeat the mistakes of her mother in forcing fake feelings. Kids and adults can both relate. Yeah, Bart and Lisa and co. are kids, but the show never treats them childishly.