Ford Motor Company

have been disappointing. Overseas animation studios involved:. Increasingly, Ford Motor Company has looked to Ford of Europe for its "world cars," such as the Mondeo, Focus, and Fiesta, although sales of European-sourced Fords in the U.S. In 2005 English comedian Ricky Gervais was asked to write an episode, which should be airing in 2006. The Ford Sierra replaced the Taunus and Cortina in 1982, drawing criticism for its radical aerodynamic styling, which was soon given nicknames such as "Jellymould" and "The Salesman's Spaceship". The character Professor John Frink was named for a friend of Al Jean's, John Frink, who later became a writer/producer of the show. Rationalisation of model ranges meant that production of many models in the UK switched to elsewhere in Europe, including Belgium and Spain as well as Germany. Ian was the basis for the Very Tall Man character in the Season 7 episode 22 Short Films About Springfield.

Later on, the Ford Taunus and Ford Cortina became identical, produced in left hand drive and right hand drive respectively. Ian Maxtone-Graham has been a prominent writer for The Simpsons since the eighth season. At first, Ford in Germany and the United Kingdom built different models from one another until the late 1960s, with the Ford Escort and then the Ford Capri being common to both companies. the Monorail" (9F10), "Homer Goes to College" (1F02) and part of "Treehouse of Horror IV" (1F04). One recent exception is the Focus — The European model has sold strongly on both sides of the Atlantic. He wrote "New Kid on the Block" (9F06), "Marge vs. The Mondeo was dropped by Ford Australia, because the segment of the market in which it competes had been in steady decline, with buyers preferring the larger local model, the Falcon. Current late-night talk show host Conan O'Brien was a writer during the fourth and fifth season.

The small European model Ka, a hit in its home market, did not catch on in Japan, as it was not available as an automatic. George Meyer became a writer for the show in 1989, and in 2000 was called the "the funniest man behind the funniest show on TV" by The New Yorker.[3]. models such as the Ford Taurus have fared poorly in Japan and Australia, even when produced in right hand drive. When the state of California passed an anti-smoking law, Swartzwelder bought a diner booth and installed it in his house, allowing him to smoke and write in peace. Attempts to globalize the model line have often failed, with Europe's Ford Mondeo selling poorly in the United States, while U.S. According to the DVD commentaries, he used to write episodes while sitting at a booth in his favorite restaurant "drinking copious amounts of coffee and smoking endless cigarettes" (Matt Groening). were essentially versions of those sold on the home market, but later on, models specific to Europe were developed and sold. John Swartzwelder is the most prolific writer on the Simpsons' staff, personally writing over 50 episodes (more than any other Simpsons writer).

Initially, Ford models sold outside the U.S. Guest stars had performed as well. Ford's non-manufacturing operations include organizations such as automotive finance operation Ford Motor Credit Company. Julius Hibbert, and many more. Its prestige brands, with the exception of Lincoln, are managed through its Premier Automotive Group. Burns, Smithers, Principal Seymour Skinner, Otto, Ned Flanders, Kent Brockman, Reverend Lovejoy, Dr. It has spun off its parts division under the name Visteon. Harry Shearer performs perhaps the largest array of characters, including Mr.

of Jaguar), and Land Rover, and Volvo Cars from Sweden, as well as a controlling share (33.4%) of Mazda of Japan, with which it operates an American joint venture plant in Flat Rock, Michigan called Auto Alliance. Hank Azaria voices Moe, Chief Wiggum, and Apu, as well as other miscellaneous characters. Since 1989, Ford has acquired British nameplates Aston Martin, Jaguar, Daimler (div. Nancy Cartwright, anomalously, performs the voice of Bart Simpson and other children from the school that he attends. Ford also has a cooperative agreement with Russian automaker GAZ. Dan Castellaneta performs the voices of Homer Simpson, his dad, Abraham Simpson, and Krusty the Klown, among others, while Julie Kavner performs the voices of Marge Simpson and her sisters, mother, and (in one episode) her aunt. Ford has major manufacturing operations in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, China, and several other countries, including South Africa where, following divestment during apartheid, it once again has a wholly-owned subsidiary. Yeardley Smith, voice actress of Lisa Simpson, and Marcia Wallace, voice actress of Edna Krabappel, are the only cast members who only do one voice, though both have on occasion voiced one-shot characters.

Later, in 1985, the Merkur brand was introduced; it met a similar fate in 1989. All episodes (with the exception of one) list only the voice actors (not the characters they voice) in keeping with the mystique of having the audience not associate any one character with an actor — this is to discourage the audience from easily identifying exactly which voice actor did what. In 1958, Ford introduced a new marque, the Edsel, but poor sales led to its discontinuation in 1960. Some consider its parody of the prequel Star Wars trilogy in the episode Co-Dependent's Day being very harsh considering the show's own "downfall." These attacks have been countered by other fans stating that the show was always more or less mainstream, and nonsensical personality changes and the structural changes were done in a spirit of creative experimentation, and has not damaged the show. Today, Ford Motor Company manufactures automobiles under the Lincoln and Mercury brand names. Since as early as Season 4, the show has drawn criticism from some fans for straying too far from its comedic structure, for becoming too "mainstream," and changing character personalities without explanation. A joint venture with Mahindra and Mahindra Limited of India ended with the sale of Ford's 15 percent stake in 2005. [2].

The sale was completed on December 22, 2005. The universally reported claim that this dispute was in fact a full-blown strike is denied by Harry Shearer. Ford's realignment also included the sale of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Hertz Rent-a-Car to a private equity group for $15 billion in cash and debt acquisition. On May 2, 2004, the actors resolved their dispute with Fox after having their demands met. automotive market share since the mid-late 1990s. They asked for $360,000 per episode, or $8 million for a 22-episode season. These cutbacks are consistent with Ford's roughly 25% decline in U.S. [1] As the revenue generated by the show continued to increase through syndication and DVD sales, six actors (playing over 50 characters) — Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, and Harry Shearer — stopped showing up for script readings in April 2004 after weeks of unsuccessful negotiations with Fox.

Up to 30,000 hourly and salaried jobs (28% of the total workforce) in North America over the next six years are expected to be eliminated ^[4], which is comparable to similar cutbacks previously announced at General Motors. The actors were supported in their action by series creator Matt Groening. Louis), Atlanta Assembly (near Atlanta), Batavia Transmission (Batavia, Ohio), Windsor Casting (Windsor, Ontario, Canada), and Wixom Assembly (Wixom, Michigan). In 1998, the voice actors stopped working, forcing 20th Century Fox TV to increase their salary from $30,000 per episode to $125,000. Louis Assembly (near St. The voice actors have been involved in much-publicized pay disputes with Fox on more than one occasion. Among these are plants in St. On January 14, 2000 the Simpsons were awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

"The Way Forward" includes resizing the company to match current market realities, dropping some unprofitable and inefficient models, consolidating production lines, and shutting down seven vehicle assembly plants and seven parts factories. The Simpsons has won dozens of awards since it debuted as a series, including 21 Emmy Awards, 22 Annie Awards, a Peabody and numerous others (see the list of awards won by The Simpsons for more details). Fields previewed the Plan, dubbed "The Way Forward", at the December 7, 2005 board meeting of the company; and it was unveiled to the public on January 23, 2006. Over the years, virtually every Simpsons character has appeared on a magazine cover, ranging from TIME to Christianity Today and even Airliners. In the latter half of 2005, Chairman Bill Ford asked newly-appointed Ford Americas Division President Mark Fields to develop a plan to return the company to profitability. Since the series originated as part of The Tracey Ullman Show, it is also considered the longest running and most successful spinoff of all time. Making good profits across the product line requires that the company reduce the costs of development and production, while introducing new products that connect with consumers. He was the only fictional character on the list.

Over time, it hopes to make more of its product line profitable instead of relying on a limited portion of the products for profit. In that same issue, Bart Simpson was named to the Time 100, the publication's list of the century's 100 most influential people. Ford responded to the circumstances that lead to the bond downgrade by creating a plan to reduce the company's fixed capital costs while maintaining a special focus on cars and car-based crossover vehicles. In its 1998 issue celebrating the greatest achievements in arts and entertainment of the 20th Century, TIME magazine named The Simpsons the century's best television series. However, Ford hopes to reverse this trend, with the introduction of the new 2006 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln Zephyr midsize cars, which are expected to compete well in this segment. Some take the view that The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet should continue to be counted as the longest-running sitcom as The Simpsons is animated, not live-action, although this view is declining as more authorities unambiguously credit The Simpsons as television's longest-running sitcom. For owners who frequently trade in and for those who lease their vehicles, the resale values are reflected in substantial cost differences with domestic vehicles costing more in overall costs. In 2004, the series was renewed through its 19th season.

These perceptions are reflected in the used car market by higher values for these foreign models. In January 2003, it was announced that the show had been renewed by Fox through 2005 — meaning it has replaced The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952 to 1966) as longest-running sitcom (animated or live action) ever in the United States. As far as the other non-truck models, many (with the notable exception of the 2005 Mustang) have been disadvantaged in the marketplace owing to a perception by buyers that foreign manufactures (especially Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai) deliver better value in terms of fuel economy, reliability, and build quality. In 2004 it surpassed Scooby Doo in number of episodes. These vehicles were revealed at the 2006 North American International Auto Show and other car shows. On February 9, 1997 The Simpsons surpassed The Flintstones as the longest-running prime time animated series in America, however it has not yet beaten several Japanese anime series such as Sazae-san (which has been running since 1969) and Doraemon (running since 1979). In the fall of 2006, Ford is scheduled to introduce the 2007 Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX, and Mazda CX-7. The creator Matt Groening and some of writers didn't go for the plane's first trip as they feared it would crash, and they would die with the plane.

These vehicles have proven to be very popular in the market, and Ford has introduced such vehicles as the Escape (including a Hybrid-Electric version), along with the similar Mercury Mariner and Mazda Tribute, and the Freestyle and Volvo XC70 and Volvo XC90 crossover SUVs. In 1995, Western Pacific Airlines repainted a Boeing 737 jet with Simpsons characters to promote the series. Foreign manufacturers, not having the truck manufacturing capabilities to form a platform base for similar vehicles, have instead introduced so called "crossover" SUV's — vehicles built on an automobile or minivan platform rather than a truck chassis. The writers have shown a love for cameo appearances by celebrities and extended pastiches of contemporary and classic movies, as well as subtle visual jokes. Due to higher fuel prices, there has been a decrease in the profits on these vehicles owing to "incentives" (in the form of rebates or low interest financing), which were needed due to declining sales. Bush said that America needed to be closer to The Waltons than to The Simpsons, causing Bart to say they were a lot like the Waltons, since they were both praying for an end to the Depression. These downgrades were a recognition of high health care costs for an aging workforce and of the dependence of the company on profits from the sales of sport utility vehicles. In another address, Mr.

In May 2005, several bond rating agencies downgraded the bonds of Ford Motor Company to below investment grade (so called "junk bonds"). The Simpsons Complete Fourth Season DVD set includes a special feature that presents an exchange of letters between the First Lady and show staff. Ford also continues to study Fuel Cell-powered electric powertrains, and is currently demonstrating hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine technologies, as well as developing the next-generation hybrid-electric systems. Bush were both portrayed by voice actors. The similar Mazda Tribute will also receive a hybrid-electric powertrain option, along with many other vehicles in the Ford vehicle line. and Mrs. The Escape's platform mate Mercury Mariner is also available with the hybrid-electric system in the 2006 model year—a full year ahead of schedule—due to high demand. Mr.

Ford did achieve significant progress toward improving fuel efficiency during 2005, with the successful introduction of the Hybrid-Electric Escape. Wilson). However in 2003, Ford announced that competitive market conditions, and technological and cost challenges, would prevent the company from achieving this goal. Six years later, an episode had George and Barbara Bush move to Springfield and leave after George gets involved in a feud with the Simpson family (in a style reminiscent of Dennis the Menace and Mr. In 2000, under the leadership of the current Ford chairman, William Clay (Bill) Ford, the Company stunned the industry (and pleased environmentalists) with an announcement of a planned 25 percent improvement in the average mileage of its light truck fleet — including its popular SUVs — to be completed by the 2005 calendar year. In September 1990, Barbara Bush said in an interview for People magazine that The Simpsons was the dumbest thing she had ever seen. Henry Ford's great-grandson, William Clay Ford Jr., is the company's current Chairman of the Board and CEO. How old is this thing?".

Alex Trotman was Chairman and CEO from 1993-1998, and Jacques Nasser served at the helm from 1999-2001. Bart reads his, quoting "Underachiever and proud of it.. Harold Poling served as Chairman and CEO from 1990-1993. and proud of it." The T-shirt is also quoted in the later episode Skinner's Sense of Snow in a student riot, where children find their permanent record books. By 1967, Ford had expanded into Europe. In this episode, the school counselor quotes the controversial T-shirt by stating, "He is an underachiever.. In the 1950s, Ford introduced the Thunderbird. The outcry against Bart was reflected in the second season opener, featuring an episode called Bart Gets an F where Bart's school wants to make him repeat the fourth grade.

"Hank the Deuce" led Ford to became a publicly traded corporation in 1956; however, the Ford family maintained controlling interests in the company through a series of preferred stocks. When a Simpsons T-shirt was marketed featuring Bart and the logo "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')", Simpsons T-shirts and other merchandise were banned from public schools in several areas of the United States. Henry Ford II, grandson of Henry Ford, served as President from 1945-1960, and as Chairman and CEO from 1960-1980. Parents' groups and conservative spokespersons felt that a cartoon character like Bart Simpson provided a poor role model for children. ^[3]. It also sparked controversy, as Bart Simpson was portrayed as a rebellious troublemaker who caused trouble and got away with it. In 1925, Ford expanded its reach into the luxury auto market through its acquisition of the Lincoln Motor Company, and the Mercury division was established in the 1930s to serve the mid-price auto market. The Simpsons was the first true TV series hit for the FOX Network; it was the first Fox show to appear in the top twenty highest-rated shows of the time.

Due to market constraints, however, the company finally gave in and followed its competitors' lead when on December 2, 1927, Ford unveiled the redesigned Ford Model A and retired the Model T. The first full length episode shown was "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", however the intended first episode was "Some Enchanted Evening", but when "Some Enchanted Evening" was completed it was rejected due to poor animation, so Fox aired "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" first. Ford resisted following suit, insisting that such credit would hurt the consumer and the economy. The Simpsons was converted, by a team of production companies that included what is now the Klasky Csupo animation house, into a series for the FOX Network in 1989 and has run as a weekly show on that network ever since. They also extended credit so consumers could buy these more expensive automobiles. The shorts were aired by the BBC in the UK the first time the shows were broadcast, but not subsequently, though some of them, including "Good Night", were included in a Simpsons anniversary episode. General Motors and other competitors began offering automobiles in more colors, and with more features and luxuries. Matt Groening admits the reason that they were so crudely drawn in the beginning was because he could not draw well and the animators did nothing more than just trace over his drawings.

To keep prices low, Ford (at the behest of its owner, Henry Ford) offered few features. The Simpson family first appeared in animated form as shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show, with the first short "Good Night" airing on April 19, 1987. The company's goal was to produce an inexpensive automobile that any worker could afford. In fact, the highest rated episode featuring celebrity guest voices was New Kids on the Blecch, shown during the 12th season, in which pop stars N*Sync supplied their voices to give helpful advice and dance moves to Bart's boy band "The Party Posse". The Ford company lost market share during the 1920s due to the rise of consumer credit. seasons 7 to 13) or as fictional characters (mainly during the early and later seasons). On January 1, 1919, Edsel Ford succeeded his father as president of the company, although Henry Ford still kept a hand in management. Many episodes feature celebrity guests contributing their voices to the show, as either themselves (especially during the middle of the Simpsons' years, i.e.

Referring to the Model T, Henry Ford is reported to have said that "any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black." This was because black paint was quickest to dry; earlier models had been available in a variety of colors. Other Treehouse segment name parodies include "Citizen Kang", "The Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace", "The Thing and I", "House of Whacks", and "Reaper Madness". By the end of 1913, Ford was producing 50% of all cars in the United States, and by 1918 half of all cars in the country were Model T's. Another recent episode featured a CGI trailer for a comedy about humanoid playing cards. However these innovations were not popular, and in order to stop the staff deserting the monotonous jobs, on January 5, 1914, Ford took the radical step of doubling pay to $5 a day, and cut shifts from nine hours to an eight hour day — moves that were not popular with rival companies, although seeing the increase in Ford's productivity, most soon followed suit. This was one of the few times The Simpsons have strayed from their traditional 2D animation, along with a live action cameo by Regis and Kathie Lee in "Treehouse of Horror IX", a couple of claymation scenes in "'Tis The Fifteenth Season" featuring The California Prunes and Jimmy Stewart, and a live action couch gag consisting of a sketchbook being flipped by a hand to make the characters run towards the couch and sit down. Ford introduced the world's first moving assembly line on December 1 that year, which reduced chassis assembly time from 12½ hours in October to 2 hours, 40 minutes. This segment from the Halloween episode was also used as a segment of a film shown in the IMAX 3D film Cyberworld.

The company was forced to move production to the much larger Highland Park Plant to keep up with the demand for the Model T, and by 1913 had developed all of the basic techniques of the assembly line and mass production. In a section of "Treehouse of Horror VI" called "Homer³", Homer and Bart go into a three-dimensional world, which Homer likens to Tron, created by Pacific Data Images, a computer animation company. The first Model Ts were built at the Piquette Manufacturing Plant. Another mainstay of the Halloween shows is the appearance of the two space aliens Kang and Kodos, introduced in the second segment of the first "Treehouse of Horror". In 1908, the Ford company released the Ford Model T. The names have changed in subsequent seasons. Groups of two or three men worked on each car from components made to order by other companies. This also became a tradition, and has been done in every Halloween episode except I, XII, and XIII.

During its early years, the company produced just a few cars a day at the Ford factory on Mack Avenue in Detroit. In "Treehouse of Horror II" the writers decided to give the cast and crew of the show scary names in the opening and closing credits (like "Mad Matt Groening" and "James Hell Brooks"). Ford was launched from a converted wagon factory, with $28,000 cash from twelve investors. For several years the characters broke the fourth wall and introduced their pieces directly to the audience. . In later years the series dropped the framing device of characters telling stories, but kept the Treehouse title. As the individual work tasks became simple and repetitive this allowed the use of unskilled laborers who could be quickly trained for a single task (though it also removed most of the satisfaction that a worker performing multiple tasks may enjoy). The yearly Halloween special was named "Treehouse of Horror" because the original special depicted the Simpson children in their treehouse telling scary stories to one another.

The use of a chain-driven track to move the vehicles to the workers was unique in the industry and quickly became the preferred method for volume production. In addition to parodying many classic horror and science fiction films such as The Shining, these Halloween segments frequently spoof episodes of The Twilight Zone such as "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet", "To Serve Man", "Living Doll", "It's a Good Life" and "Little Girl Lost". Ford implemented the ideas of Eli Whitney, who developed one of the first assembly lines using interchangeable parts, which made it possible to put the cars together at a much lower cost and with greater reliability and repeatability. Regular Simpsons characters play humorous special roles, occasionally being killed in gruesome ways by zombies, monsters, or even each other. Ford introduced methods for large-scale manufacturing of cars, and large-scale management of an industrial workforce. These pieces usually involve the family in some horror, science fiction, or supernatural setting; they always take place outside the normal continuity of the show (and are therefore considered to be non-canon), and completely abandon any pretence of being realistic. Ford remains one of the world's ten largest corporations by revenue. An annual tradition is a special Halloween episode consisting of three separate, self-contained pieces.

Toyota surpassed Ford in revenue starting in 2004. Marge Simpson finds the theme tune annoying (Episode 1F11 - "Bart gets famous".). In its 20th century heyday, Ford, along with General Motors and Chrysler, were known as Detroit's "Big Three" automakers, companies that dominated the American auto market. The current arrangement, which dates back to the third season, is orchestrated by Alf Clausen. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan, United States (where the company is currently headquartered), and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The series' distinctive theme tune was composed by musician Danny Elfman. The Ford Motor Company (often referred to as Ford; sometimes nicknamed FoMoCo), NYSE: F is a multinational corporation that manufactures automobiles. The first season opening sequence featured a number of differences from the later seasons, including a scene in which Bart snatched a bus stop sign, forcing several dazed Springfieldians to chase the bus (replaced from the second season by a sequence showing Bart weaving his skateboard between a group of characters), and a shot of Lisa riding her bike on the way home (changed to a camera whip pan across a crowd of characters towards the Simpsons' house).

January 23, 2006. The chalkboard gag lasted several seasons before it was cut to save time; however, it was reintroduced for the premier episode of the 17th season with a self- and education-jeering "Does any kid still do this anymore?". Washington Post. Most couch gags last only about five seconds, but the longest one on record lasted 46 seconds. ^  Ford to Cut Thousands of Jobs and Close 14 Factories. The "couch gag" sequence is frequently used to help show staff make the show longer or shorter, depending on the length of the episode itself. ^  Ford Motor Company - History. During three episodes, the opening sequence were parodied; once as "The Thompsons" where the Simpsons enter a witness protection program, once with an overweight Bart, where he cracks the pavement as he leaves the school, runs over pedestrians on the sidewalk, gets hit by Marge's car and crushes the roof of Homer's car, and once as "The Hurricane".

[11]. In the syndicated version, part or all of the opening sequence is usually cut in order to include more commercials in the show's allotted timeslot. Rochester, New York:St Ives Inc Case-Hoyt. For each episode, the sequence includes a number of variations:. 2003 Annual Report. Upon entering, they all speed towards the family room couch where, in comedic parallel with the audience, they settle to watch their "must-see" TV show. Ford Motor Company. The members of the family weave dangerously through traffic and in between fellow (and, from the second season onward, familiar) Springfield denizens, all miraculously reaching home at the exact same time.

2009– Ford Edge/Lincoln MKX. Burns (seen putting his watch to his ear, then shaking it to get it to work) and Smithers in the background (second season onwards); Marge and Maggie are shown checking out at the supermarket with Maggie traveling across the scanner, ringing up at $847.63, the then-monthly cost of raising a baby (although a 'trivia question' shown as a wraparound for commercials during the episode "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular" claims that the register says "NRA4EVER" ("National Rifle Association Forever"), ironically and comedically portraying the non-aligned writers of the show as gun-crazed right-wingers); the sequence then introduces Lisa (who leaves a band rehearsal, usually playing a different saxophone solo); the family is then shown on their way to their house at 742 Evergreen Terrace (the address varied in the beginning, but the writers now use 742 Evergreen Terrace exclusively). 2009– Ford Five Hundred/Mercury Montego. Almost every episode opens with a title shot coming through the cumulus clouds and into the school where Bart is writing lines on the class chalkboard, presumably set as a punishment by one of his teachers for some mischievous deed or wayward comment; Homer is shown leaving the power plant, with Mr. 2008– Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan. The Simpsons opening sequence is one of the show's most memorable hallmarks. 2006– Mercury Mariner. Examples of these stock scenes include:.

2004– Ford Escape. There are several types of scenes that recur often and have become conventions of the show's storytelling style. Recurring themes in episodes include:. However the plots have never been particularly predictable or constant and tend to be very character-driven. The plots of many episodes focus on the adventures of one particular family member, frequently Homer.

However, this has nothing to do with the rest of the episode other than serving as a location from which the family drives before reaching the building site. In the first few scenes, Homer believes he has won a motor boat in a competition, but when he attempts to claim the prize, it emerges he is a victim of a police plot to catch criminals - in Homer's case, for 235 unpaid parking tickets. One example of this is the episode "Lisa the Skeptic" in which Lisa discovers a fake 'angel' fossil later revealed to be a tool for advertising the opening of a new mall. It can be said that the first few minutes of most Simpsons episodes have little to do with the rest of the plot.

For example, the description of the 2003 episode "Dude, Where's My Ranch?" offered to Shaw Cable subscribers reads: "After David Byrne turns Homer's anti-(Ned) Flanders song into a monster hit, the family vacations at a dude ranch, where Lisa falls in love.". Episode plots rarely follow any sort of linear course, often taking several digressions to move story lines in unexpected directions, often termed plot drift. Each episode presents some sort of change in that situation, its consequences, and almost always how things get back to normal. A standard "template" Springfield situation, in terms of characters and events, has emerged over the years.

Fox News has been portrayed as extremely biased towards conservatives. In fact, ridiculing Fox has become a running joke, of sorts. Even Rupert Murdoch—whose corporate empire includes The Simpsons' broadcast network, Fox—has been gently spoofed in a couple of episodes. Many wealthy characters are members of the Republican Party, which meets in a dark castle.

Kent Brockman is a self-important, spoiled TV news anchorman with little regard for journalistic ethics. He will endorse any product for a price. Krusty the Klown has an enthusiastic following among Springfield's kids, but offstage he is a jaded, cynical hack, in poor health from a long history of overindulgence, gambling and substance abuse. The show also routinely mocks and satirizes show business conventions and personalities.

Furthermore, Police Sergeant Lou is constantly lecturing Chief Wiggum on his inept law enforcement practices, and even Homer's co-worker Carl, in addition to possessing a Master's degree in Nuclear Engineering, occasionally lambastes Homer's stupidity. Nick Riviera. Hibbert, despite a tendency to laugh at the most inappropriate times, is arguably among the least dysfunctional characters in the series, and is certainly more professionally qualified for medical practice than Dr. For instance, Dr.

Some people interpret this as a satire of Hollywood and TV's portrayal of exaggerated 'reverse stereotypes' in which the computer genius is always a black actor. Race relations are also the subject of satire in the show, as the handful of African American characters are almost always portrayed as being more intelligent and rational than their "Yellow" counterparts. As compared with the Simpsons family, the Flanders family is relatively well-off and less dysfunctional, reflecting certain theories expressed by sociologist Max Weber in his seminal work, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. In several episodes, God actually intervenes to protect the Flanders family, invoking such Protestant concepts as Predestination.

Social conservatives and some evangelical Christians have also pointed to the positive role model of devout Christian Ned Flanders, whose fretfulness is occasionally ridiculed but whose decency never wavers despite constant provocation from Homer (except that time that he had extra-marital sex, or married a cocktail waitress in Las Vegas). Nevertheless, these affairs never occur, and by the end of every episode, Homer and Marge's marriage is strongly affirmed. The show has toyed with the possibility of extramarital affairs, such as when Homer falls for a female nuclear technician who shares his love of donuts, or when Marge's ex-boyfriend Artie Ziff tries to rekindle their old romance. One of the main explanations of this shift is that the Simpsons portrays a traditional nuclear family among a lineup of television sitcoms that now portray less traditional families.

During the more recent years of Simpsons production, some social conservatives have come to embrace the show. Nearly every authority figure in the show is portrayed unflatteringly:. This negative reaction was most pronounced during the early seasons of the show. This probably explains the often strong negative reaction to the show from social conservatives.

Authority, especially in undeserving hands, is a constant target of the show's often sharp satire. This allows for far more flexibility in plot development than in a typical live-action sitcom constrained by physical limitations and logistics. The cost of having an episode of The Simpsons take place in the mountains, Europe, the city park, or a cruise ship on the ocean (all of which simply use drawn and painted backgrounds) is hardly more than placing the family in the more conventional sitcom settings of a living room, a kitchen, and perhaps one or two related settings. Animation scholars and fans have noted that the series uses the medium of animation to its advantage, allowing the show to take place in many settings and feature a far greater cast of characters than a live-action sitcom.

This has not been confirmed officially. According to David Silverman, writer for the series, Springfield is in North Tacoma. Many monuments can be seen all at once, including the Gateway Arch in Missouri and the Needle in Washington. When she climbs up, there is a large panoramic view of what is supposedly Springfield.

To do so, she climbs up to prevent the team from cutting it down. In one episode, Lisa is trying to protect the oldest tree in Springfield. Creator Matt Groening has stated that Springfield has much in common with Portland, Oregon, the city he grew up in (see Matt Groening's Portland), and the name "Springfield" was chosen because virtually every state has a town or city with that name. One of the couch gags zoomed out and showed the Simpson's house in Springfield, Illinois.

As the camera pans away from earth, the concentric radio signals are shown to be emanating from Louisiana. When Kang initiates telepathic contact with Maggie, baby Maggie responds by transmitting a signal with her pacifier. During one of the Halloween specials, it is proposed that Kang, a space alien, is the real father of Maggie. There is also evidence that the Simpsons live in Louisiana.

The star is placed geographically in Kentucky. Also, in the episode, Brake My Wife, Please, when Homer breaks out in a singing routine, we can see a star on the map on which Homer walks from to California. Also, in the behind-the-scenes episode "Behind the Laughter", the narrator says "...but that wasn't the end for this Northern Kentucky family." Looking closely at a map of Kentucky in the northern part of the state, the towns of Simpsonville and its neighbor city Shelbyville can be clearly seen. In an earlier episode it was also implied that the family came from Kentucky.

Burns states they will smuggle sugar in from south of the border to which Homer replies, "Oh, you mean Tennessee?", implying they live in Kentucky. In an episode during season 13, Mr. This Confederate symbol is an outrage, particularly because we are a northern state", meaning that the state could not be part of the old Confederacy. The Third Grade", the Capitol City Goofball mascot and delegate says "It is time to address our state's flag.

Lisa vs. Also, in the episode "Bart vs. Another factor to consider is the weather, as a town in Florida would not have the large amounts of snow we see in the show during the Christmas episodes. There is also evidence to disprove this point in the episode "Kill the Alligator and Run", in which the family vacations to Florida (which Homer refers to as "USA's wang") and is prohibited from returning.

636 is in Missouri (See Where Is The Simpsons' Springfield? for more information on this issue.) According to the video game The Simpsons Hit & Run, the town of Springfield is in Florida, but this could be ruled out in the episode "Special Edna", in which a sign in Springfield shows the distance to Orlando too far for Springfield to be in the same state. Simpson's area code changes from 636 to 939. It seems it is kept indeterminate on purpose so that the location can suit any plot, as Springfield and its surrounding areas have been shown to contain coastlines, deserts, vast farmland, and tall mountains, or whatever the story requires. has been both suggested and ruled out by conflicting "evidence" of a location for Springfield, so that the town could not really be anywhere.

Both the town itself and its location are fictional; nearly every state and region in the U.S. Throughout the show's history fans have tried to determine where Springfield is by taking the town's characteristics, surrounding geography and nearby landmarks as clues (as Lisa once said of the state, "It's a bit of a mystery, yes, but if you look at the clues, you'll figure it out"). The Simpsons is set in the fictional United States town of Springfield. Some of these, like Itchy and Scratchy, ultraviolent versions of Tom and Jerry, are fictional even within the Simpsons universe.

For a comprehensive list, see characters from The Simpsons. Many of these characters have developed a vast cult following of their own, and many of them each serve to represent facets of the USA society that the show scathingly critiques. The show also has a vast array of quirky supporting characters, including co-workers, teachers, family friends, extended relatives, and local celebrities. There are other clues as well, such as the avocado-green kitchen equipment (this color was popular in the 1960s and '70s) and the family's two cars, both of which appear to have been manufactured in the early 1980s (Homer's being made from "recycled Soviet tanks").

The Simpsons go several years into the internet age before acquiring a computer, reflecting the fact that the Simpson family is perpetually several years out of date. The Simpson lifestyle yo-yos depending on whether or not Homer is employed at the time; Marge is largely a stay-at-home mom. The Simpson family (which sometimes includes Homer's father, Abraham "Abe" Simpson) lives in a relatively large four-bedroom house bordering a friendly neighbor on one side, Ned Flanders, and many varying things, including a cemetery, on the other. Homer describes his family as "upper lower middle class", and this appears to be about right.

Some characters' ages have fluctuated throughout the years; this is most likely due to simple oversight on the part of the writers. Maggie is an eternal baby, and despite the fact that numerous years (and birthdays) clearly pass (for example, many Christmas episodes), the Simpsons do not appear to age. Lisa, the 8 year old once portrayed having a genius intellect (with adult mannerisms, perception and extraordinary articulation), has leveled into a more average girl yet brainy student, who also happens to be a vegetarian, Buddhist and jazz music fan who dreams of a better future (she is referred to as "the future of the family"). Bart, the oldest sibling at the age of 10, is a troublemaker and classroom terror ("the devil's cabana boy", as Lisa once described him) who thinks of himself as a rebel.

Marge (of French origin) was once intelligent and sophisticated, but has come to conform with the stereotype of housewife/mother. Homer, a safety inspector at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, is a generally well-meaning buffoon whose short attention span often draws him into outrageous schemes and adventures. Bart, however, is an anagram for brat, with Groening having stated that he thought naming the boy "Matt" would be too obvious. The main characters were originally created by Matt Groening as part of a series of original animated segments for The Tracey Ullman Show. Over the course of the series Groening has used many of the themes present in his long-running comic strip series, Life in Hell. (For instance, the idea of creative school children constantly being persecuted and suppressed by totalitarian grown-ups stems from the strip.) Many of the characters in The Simpsons take their names from important people and places in Groening's life — for example Lisa, Maggie, Marge and Homer share names with Groening's sisters, mother and father respectively.

. It is considered a sign of definite status as a celebrity or other important figure to be featured or asked to parody oneself in an episode of the show; this has become a phenomenon with many A-list celebrities willing to participate in even the most minute cameo appearance. The Simpsons was also one of the pioneering shows that changed the view of cartoons to a more adult standard. It has had a huge influence on post–Cold War popular culture.

Highly satirical, the show lampoons many aspects of the human condition, but primarily parodies the "Middle American" lifestyle epitomized by its titular family, as well as American culture, society, and even television itself. The Simpsons has been seen by many critics as one of the finest television shows ever; it was named the best television series of the 20th century by TIME magazine in 1998, and it made the top 10 on TV Guide's list of the greatest shows of all time in 2002. It is produced by Gracie Films for 20th Century Fox. The TV series, created by Matt Groening, is a spinoff of a series of animated shorts originally aired on The Tracey Ullman Show.

The Simpsons is the longest-running USA animated television series and overall sitcom, with 17 seasons and 367 episodes since it debuted on December 17, 1989 on FOX. Often, when a person escapes or just leaves a room, the sound of a pulling out car will be audible immediately, no matter how long the realistic way from the door/exit to the car would be. Maggie never speaks. Burns, which leads to the occasional awkward situation.

Burns's assistant, is secretly in love with Mr. Smithers, Mr. Homer, when frustrated or making a obvious blunder, shouts out the famous catch phrase 'D'OH!'. Maggie Simpson falls when she tries to walk and is constantly sucking on a pacifier.

When Marge doesn't approve of something she'll make a throaty humming noise similar to hmmmm. Homer always choking Bart. Nelson Muntz appears from time to time to mock a funny situation with his own 'HA-ha!'. The famous 'Aye carumba!', 'Don't have a cow, man!', and 'Eat my shorts!' lines were used extensively by Bart in the earlier seasons.

This gag seems to have been retired. One example would be the Missing Baby Hotline playing "Baby come back" by Player. The "Stay-On-the-Line and Cry" routine (more prevalent in earlier seasons of the show), a running gag in which one of the members of the Simpson family - usually Homer and Marge - would wait on the phone, but then break down and cry when a popular song pertaining to the situation would be played as Soft/Easy Listening Music. Krusty the Clown never remembers Bart despite the numerous times Bart helped him out of jams.

The "Family Guy" gag, a recent gag in which the creators of the Simpsons will poke fun at Family Guy from time to time. Barney Gumbel's trademark belch (this was first introduced in Season 1, but then modified for all subsequent seasons). (unintelligible)". blaargh..

(tasty thing).. Homer encounters something tasty, like a donut, and utters in a long drawn-out tone: "Mmmm.. Smithers has to remind him.). Burns unable to remember Homer Simpsons' name, despite the countless times the two have worked together (and every time Mr.

Mr. This is usually followed by Moe shouting threats back at Bart through the phone. Bart's Prank Call, a recurring gag in which Bart Simpson would make a call to the oblivious Moe of Moe's Tavern and would get him to fall for the trap every time. How to draw the Simpsons by Matt Groening *Miniclip.com.

Keller. The Gospel According to Bart: Examining the Religious Elements of The Simpsons by Beth L. Conard (Editor), Aeon Skoble (Editor) ISBN 0812694333. The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer by William Irwin (Editor), Mark T.

Parvin ISBN 066422590X. Pinsky, Samuel F. The Gospel According to the Simpsons: Leaders Guide for Group Study by Mark I. Pinsky ISBN 0664224199.

The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family by Mark I. The Simpsons And Society: An Analysis Of Our Favorite Family And Its Influence In Contemporary Society by Steven Keslowitz ISBN 1587362538. Leaving Springfield: The Simpsons and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture (Contemporary Film and Television Series) by John Alberti ISBN 0814328490. Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation by Chris Turner ISBN 0679313184.

Produced "The Fat and the Furriest" and "She Used to Be My Girl". Produced "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular". Jointly produced "Radioactive Man" with Anivision. Produced animation for episodes from season four onwards.

Produced animation for episodes from seasons 3–10. Produced various episodes throughout the run of the series. Exclusively produced the first two seasons of the series. The family attempts to sit on the couch as something goes awry in an often surreal manner.

Homer screams in a different way (only done in the first couple of seasons);. Bart weaves between pedestrians but in the first season, he is seen passing a queue of people waiting for a bus;. Lisa may play a different solo on her baritone saxophone;. Bart writes something different on the chalkboard;.

A fantasy in which one of the Simpsons imagines how something might turn out. Burns, is doing at the time. Scenes that cut from the main action to show what a secondary character, like Krusty or Mr. TV anchorman Kent Brockman reporting on the events of the plot.

Many recurring minor characters appear and speak. A crowd scene, in which the entire town of Springfield convenes to witness some notable event, protest something, attend a civic meeting, or even start a riot. A scene in which one or more Simpsons are watching a TV program, which the viewer watches along with them, or watches them watch it, often to be interrupted. A scene in which Homer is at Moe's Tavern escaping the hassles of work and family to be with his friends.

This is often near the start of the episode. A scene in the morning in which Marge is preparing breakfast, and the kids and Homer are eating before going to work or school as they talk about what they are going to do. Conceptually this is very similar to the "Homer and Marge in bed" scenes, but including the children. A scene in which the family is eating dinner together and talking about the events of the plot.

A scene, often near the middle of the show, in which Homer and Marge are in bed together discussing the events of the story so far. A scene in which Bart prank calls Moe. After a few minutes there, the main plot begins. A scene at the very beginning of the show in which the family goes somewhere together, like a cartoon festival or a cider mill.

The episode is a clip show. Sideshow Bob attempts to kill Bart. Grampa Simpson needs help sorting out issues from his past and calls upon the main Simpsons family. (Because of these vacations the entire family has been to every continent on Earth with the exception of Antarctica.).

The entire family goes on vacation. Lisa embraces or advocates the merits of a particular political cause or group. Bart causes a large problem and attempts to fix it. Homer and Marge break up, then get back together.

Marge attempts to escape the monotony of keeping house by finding employment or taking up a hobby. Homer gets a new job (Simpson writers had Homer count 30 of them in a recent episode but the actual list is far longer) or attempts to make money in a get-rich-quick scheme. Evil and cruel, Burns is aided in his campaign of terror against the residents of Springfield by his trusted assistant Waylon Smithers, who secretly harbors an unrequited love for Burns. Montgomery Burns, owner of the Springfield Nuclear Plant and Homer Simpson's boss.

While most of these characters are more incompetent than truly evil there is one true sadist: C. Reverend Timothy Lovejoy, the pastor of the local church, is judgmental and moralistic (but only regarding other people), with a monotone voice that always puts Homer to sleep during Sunday sermons. Based on comedian Rich Hall. Moe Szyslak, the owner of Moe's Tavern (where Homer spends most of his free time), is a borderline sociopath who threatens people with his loaded shotgun, and attempts suicide every Christmas.

Her name is an allusion to the word Crabapple, as if to suggest the USA idiom. Edna Krabappel is Bart's depressed, sexually-promiscuous, chain-smoking elementary school teacher who is impatient and ignorant of her class, and demands darkness and silence when she is hung over. Ms. He has frequent flashbacks to his capture and imprisonment by the Viet Cong, and in early seasons, Skinner was repeatedly likened to Norman Bates in Psycho though this ultimately was dropped later on in the series.

Seymour Skinner - who sounds like Charles Kuralt - the principal of Springfield Elementary School, is an uptight, humorless bachelor who lives with his domineering mother. Kennedy — is a corrupt, spendthrift womanizer. Mayor Quimby — who sounds like John F. Robinson-influenced tone) is very obese, stupid, lazy, corrupt and not overly concerned with constitutional rights (not to mention that he somewhat resembles a pig).

Springfield police chief Clancy Wiggum (voiced by Hank Azaria in an Edward G. Marge Simpson is also of the 1950s stereotype category, and attempts to exercise control to compensate for her husband's failings. Homer is thoughtless and irresponsible, the antithesis of the ideal 1950s TV father, though he always comes through for his family in the end.