A SIMPSON SENSIBILITY By NEIL KAPIT
A secret that's not so secret in my life is that the vast majority of my
sense of humor, when I choose to reveal it, is taken from the Simpsons. I
have found that just by quoting the venerable animated series, I can draw a
laugh in most scenarios. Obviously there are some situations where the
wisdom of Homer ( the nuclear technician, not the Greek poet ) don't apply,
but I'm hard pressed to think of them.
In fact, I'd not only say that the Simpsons is one of ( if not the )
funniest things to grace television ever, I'd say it's a major cultural
touchstone that should be required viewing for everyone. The appeal is
nigh-universal, and the breadth of topics the show covers is infinite. I've
seen just about every episode of the show, and they've covered everything
from politics to religion, from children to the elderly, from obscure
literature to pop culture, from alcoholism to zoos. There truly is something
for everyone.
But it's not just that the show addresses so many different topics, it's how
they do it, with endless wit and panache. They rarely just state the obvious
with an issue, they deal with it from multiple sides and show the many
different facets of the topic du jour. If an episode features an issue,
they'll address it from all angles. It's not like the other really popular
adult cartoon, South Park, where there's a heavy-handed ( usually right-wing
) moral, the Simpsons paints a more sophisticated picture of the world.
Then there's the little things. Each episode is chock full of all sorts of
little references and blurbs. It's not enough to have a main plot for each
show, the writers pack them with various little in-jokes and references to
pop culture, history, even previous episodes. The shows feel very heavy in
terms of content, like they're packed with information, rather than fluff
meant for mindless entertainment. ( I can't tell you how much trivia about
life and the world I've learned from following the show all these years ).
And finally, there's the cast. There is no show with as many memorable
characters. Obviously everyone knows the main family and some of the
recurring second-stringers, but the characters number in the hundreds, and
even one-note jokes make repeat performances. Who would have known that the
crusty old Sea Captain would become one of pop culture's most memorable
faces? Or that the Comic Book Guy would go on to single-handedly define an
entire subculture of fans? Well, if you watched the show, you probably would
have known by the quality of the episodes, but still.
So you mix topical relevance with intelligent writing with a great cast, and
you have a blueprint for what scripted TV should be ( and usually isn't ).
If you aren't watching the show regularly, you should be. It's your civic
duty.