Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire: Difference between revisions
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David Silverman directed this episode, although [[Rich Moore]] storyboarded it and designed Flanders. Several of the scenes were laid out by [[Eric Stefani]], brother of [[Gwen Stefani]].<ref name="Silverman">{{cite video | people=Silverman, David|year=2001|title=The Simpsons season 1 DVD commentary for the episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> In this episode, Barney had yellow hair which was the same colour as his skin, but that was later dropped because of the belief that only the Simpson family should have such hair.<ref name="Groening">{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2001|title=The Simpsons season 1 DVD commentary for the episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> |
David Silverman directed this episode, although [[Rich Moore]] storyboarded it and designed Flanders. Several of the scenes were laid out by [[Eric Stefani]], brother of [[Gwen Stefani]].<ref name="Silverman">{{cite video | people=Silverman, David|year=2001|title=The Simpsons season 1 DVD commentary for the episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> In this episode, Barney had yellow hair which was the same colour as his skin, but that was later dropped because of the belief that only the Simpson family should have such hair.<ref name="Groening">{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2001|title=The Simpsons season 1 DVD commentary for the episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> |
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===Voices=== |
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<!--Please don't edit this-Since it's the first simpsons episode ever, there is a point in writing the voices down--> |
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=Dan Castellaneta= |
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===First appearances=== |
===First appearances=== |
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Revision as of 19:01, 23 June 2007
| "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" | |
|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode | |
| File:Simpsons Roasting.png | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 |
| Directed by | David Silverman[1] |
| Written by | Mimi Pond[1] |
| Original air dates | December 17, 1989[2] |
| Episode features | |
| Commentary | Matt Groening James L. Brooks David Silverman |
"Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", also known as "The Simpsons Christmas Special",[1] is the first episode of The Simpsons to air. However, it was the eighth episode produced for season one. It first aired December 17, 1989.[2] It was written by Mimi Pond and directed by David Silverman.[1] The title alludes to "The Christmas Song", also known as "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire".[1]
Plot
Homer, Marge, and Maggie attend Bart and Lisa's Christmas pageant at Springfield Elementary. On the way home, Marge asks the children what they want for Christmas and Bart asks for a tattoo. When Marge, Bart, and Lisa go Christmas shopping the next day, Bart sneaks away and gets a tattoo reading "Mother". After discovering this, Marge immediately takes him to a laser removal clinic and spends the family's Christmas money getting Bart's tattoo removed. Meanwhile, at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, Homer learns that he will not be getting a Christmas bonus.
When Homer returns home and hears about the loss of the Christmas money Bart has caused, he decides not to tell Marge his bad news. Instead, he does the shopping himself, buying cheap presents from a dollar store. At Moe's Tavern, Homer meets Barney dressed in a Santa outfit. On Barney's advice, he secretly takes a job as a mall Santa. His secret is discovered when Bart rips off his fake beard on a dare by his friend Milhouse, but Bart agrees not to tell the rest of the family.
Homer receives his paycheck and is dismayed to see it is only for $13. Barney, who has received a check for the same amount, suggests betting it at the dog track. With encouragement from Bart, Homer decides to gamble his paycheck and takes Bart with him to the dog track. Although Barney has told them to bet on a dog named Whirlwind, Homer decides to bet on a last second entrant named Santa's Little Helper, believing it to be a sign. Santa's Little Helper comes in dead last and his owner abandons him. The dog follows Homer and Bart, who decide to keep him. When they return home, Homer is going to tell his family about his misfortune, but they think he brought the dog as a gift and everyone has a merry Christmas.[2][4][5]
Production
Fox was very nervous about the show because they were unsure that they could sustain the audiences attention for the duration of the episode.[3] They proposed that they should do three 7 minute shorts per episode and four specials until the audience adjusted.[3] In the end, they gambled by asking FOX for 13 full-length episodes.[6] The series was originally planned to premiere in the fall of 1989, but due to major problems with the animation of "Some Enchanted Evening", the series instead began on December 17, 1989 with this episode. "Some Enchanted Evening" instead aired as the season finale.[7]
The episode, being the first to air, lacked the now famous opening sequence which was later added in the second episode when Groening thought of the idea of a longer opening sequence resulting in less animation.[3]
The "santas of many lands" portion of the Christmas pageant is based on Matt Groening's experience in the second grade when he did a report on Christmas in Russia. Groening also used that reference in his strip "Life in Hell" when he spoofed himself as a young man, being told that it is too bad his grandmother is from Russia, because Christmas is against the law there. Also, Matt Groening claims that this episode has been incorrectly credited with creating the "alternate version" of Jingle Bells.[3]
David Silverman directed this episode, although Rich Moore storyboarded it and designed Flanders. Several of the scenes were laid out by Eric Stefani, brother of Gwen Stefani.[8] In this episode, Barney had yellow hair which was the same colour as his skin, but that was later dropped because of the belief that only the Simpson family should have such hair.[3]
Voices
Dan Castellaneta
First appearances
Seymour Skinner, Milhouse, Moe Szyslak, Mr. Burns, Barney Gumble, Patty & Selma, Ned & Todd Flanders, Santa's Little Helper, Snowball II, Dewey Largo and Lewis all make their first appearance in this episode.[1] Snowball I is mentioned for the first time and Smithers can be heard over the speaker at the plant, but he is not seen.[1]
Reception
The episode was nominated for two Emmy Awards in 1990, Outstanding Animated Program and "Outstanding Editing for a Miniseries or Special." Because "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" is considered to be a separate special, The Simpsons was nominated twice in the Animated Program category; the episode would lose to fellow The Simpsons episode "Life on the Fast Lane".[9]
The episode currently holds a score of 8.2/10 at the Internet Movie Database[10] and a score of 8.5/10 at TV.com.[11]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire BBC.co.uk. Retrieved on March 2, 2007
- ^ a b c "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" The Simpsons.com. Retrieved on February 5, 2007
- ^ a b c d e f Groening, Matt (2001). The Simpsons season 1 DVD commentary for the episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
{{cite AV media}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ Richmond, Ray (1997). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to our Favorite Family. Harper Collins Publishers. pp. p. 173. ISBN 0-00063-8898-1.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Martyn, Warren (2000). I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide. Virgin Books. ISBN 0-7535-0495-2.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Brooks, James L. (2001). The Simpsons season 1 DVD commentary for the episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
{{cite AV media}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ Groening, Matt (2001). The Simpsons season 1 DVD commentary for the episode "Some Enchanted Evening" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
{{cite AV media}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ Silverman, David (2001). The Simpsons season 1 DVD commentary for the episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
{{cite AV media}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ Emmy Awards official site emmys.org. Retrieved on March 2, 2007
- ^ Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire IMDB. Retrieved on February 7, 2007
- ^ Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire TV.com. Retrieved on March 2, 2007
External links
