The Simpsons -- "Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife" -- 03/26/06
03-26-06, 05:27 AM
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The Simpsons -- "Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife" -- 03/26/06
"Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife"
Cast: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Pamela Hayden, Ricky Gervais.
Producer(s): James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, Al Jean.
Original Airdate: March 26, 2006.
Spoiler:
Cast: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Pamela Hayden, Ricky Gervais.
Producer(s): James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, Al Jean.
Original Airdate: March 26, 2006.
03-26-06, 12:37 PM
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It's also the episode where they have a live action intro. That should be interesting.
http://tv.yahoo.com/news/eo/20060324/114323400000.html
"The Simpsons" in the Flesh
Friday March 24 1:00 PM ET
By Natalie Finn
Get ready for The Simpsons in living color. Literally.
Viewers will get a glimpse of Springfield's finest in the flesh Sunday when a live title sequence mirroring every frame of the show's classic opening--from Bart's chalkboard musings to Homer's frantic dash through the garage--launches this week's new episode.
U.K. network Sky One produced the bit with British actors taking on the role of the 'toon family. The team has copied the opening down to the last detail, according to Fox spokeswoman Jill Hudson, and "it really is every aspect," she said. (Um, does that include four fingers on each hand?)
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"I'm just amazed there are people who want to be known for looking like the Simpsons," executive producer Al Jean said in a statement.
We just can't wait to see what happens when they get to the couch.
The sequence has already aired in the U.K. as the centerpiece of Sky One's new Simpsons publicity campaign. England has long been a loyal friend of the family--some of the original animated Simpsons shorts Matt Groening created for The Tracey Ullman Show first aired on the BBC in 1987. The Simpsons has been nominated for a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award and it won Best International Comedy at the British Comedy Awards in 2004.
Once the animation kicks in, Sunday's episode, titled "Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife," will be yet another worldly affair for the well traveled clan as Golden Globe winner Ricky Gervais, the incomparably pompous boss on the British version of The Office, guest stars. Marge and Homer end up living with new mates after Homer signs them up for a Trading Spouses-style reality show. The woeful Charlie (Gervais), whose controlling wife gets to bully Homer for a week, ends up crushing on sweet-tempered Marge.
Gervais also wrote the episode's script.
"I've got the rough idea but this is the most intimidating project of my career," Gervais told the BBC after Groening extended him the invitation in 2004 to pen an episode. "The Simpsons is the greatest show of all time."
Fox signed up Monday for another two seasons of the 21-time Emmy winner, which Time magazine named the best television series of the 20th century. The contract extension ensures the show will be around for a 19th season in 2007-'08, meaning that The Simpsons has taken its twentysomething viewers from grade school to grad school. The longest running and most lauded cartoon in TV history will celebrate its 400th episode in May 2007.
But rather than worry about the tug of time after learning how long The Simpsons and, therefore, you have been around, be comforted by this:
Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie haven't aged a day.
http://tv.yahoo.com/news/eo/20060324/114323400000.html
"The Simpsons" in the Flesh
Friday March 24 1:00 PM ET
By Natalie Finn
Get ready for The Simpsons in living color. Literally.
Viewers will get a glimpse of Springfield's finest in the flesh Sunday when a live title sequence mirroring every frame of the show's classic opening--from Bart's chalkboard musings to Homer's frantic dash through the garage--launches this week's new episode.
U.K. network Sky One produced the bit with British actors taking on the role of the 'toon family. The team has copied the opening down to the last detail, according to Fox spokeswoman Jill Hudson, and "it really is every aspect," she said. (Um, does that include four fingers on each hand?)
ADVERTISEMENT
"I'm just amazed there are people who want to be known for looking like the Simpsons," executive producer Al Jean said in a statement.
We just can't wait to see what happens when they get to the couch.
The sequence has already aired in the U.K. as the centerpiece of Sky One's new Simpsons publicity campaign. England has long been a loyal friend of the family--some of the original animated Simpsons shorts Matt Groening created for The Tracey Ullman Show first aired on the BBC in 1987. The Simpsons has been nominated for a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award and it won Best International Comedy at the British Comedy Awards in 2004.
Once the animation kicks in, Sunday's episode, titled "Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife," will be yet another worldly affair for the well traveled clan as Golden Globe winner Ricky Gervais, the incomparably pompous boss on the British version of The Office, guest stars. Marge and Homer end up living with new mates after Homer signs them up for a Trading Spouses-style reality show. The woeful Charlie (Gervais), whose controlling wife gets to bully Homer for a week, ends up crushing on sweet-tempered Marge.
Gervais also wrote the episode's script.
"I've got the rough idea but this is the most intimidating project of my career," Gervais told the BBC after Groening extended him the invitation in 2004 to pen an episode. "The Simpsons is the greatest show of all time."
Fox signed up Monday for another two seasons of the 21-time Emmy winner, which Time magazine named the best television series of the 20th century. The contract extension ensures the show will be around for a 19th season in 2007-'08, meaning that The Simpsons has taken its twentysomething viewers from grade school to grad school. The longest running and most lauded cartoon in TV history will celebrate its 400th episode in May 2007.
But rather than worry about the tug of time after learning how long The Simpsons and, therefore, you have been around, be comforted by this:
Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie haven't aged a day.
03-26-06, 06:04 PM
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Dying to see this, Ricky Gervais is awesome...and the live action opening is brilliant...watched it a few weeks back on the net and was seriously impressed.
MATT
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03-26-06, 07:06 PM
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Breakout!
03-26-06, 08:45 PM
#10
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I thought I would tune in to see the live action intro and to give this show another chance since it hasn't been funny in a long while. Well they certainly haven't improved any. One of the dullest half hours of animation I've ever sat through.
03-26-06, 09:26 PM
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In the opening, I thought it was funny how they reversed the shot of "Marge" & "Maggie" in the car, since it was done it the UK with the steering wheel on the opposite side.
I don't know who Ricky Gervais is, but I thought the episode was funny enough.
I don't know who Ricky Gervais is, but I thought the episode was funny enough.
03-26-06, 10:17 PM
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I've rarely seen such detailed character animation as they gave to Gervais' character. He had an amazing amount of physical gestures and facial expressions considering it was a bit character. I thought the episode was passable, but Gervais was funny. I also liked the "Don't Waste Signs" sign.
03-26-06, 10:20 PM
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Thought the Simpson's have definatly lost their edge. Maybe because I'm watching to much South Park and Family Guy....but I don't get anything out of it anymore. 
03-26-06, 10:35 PM
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Originally Posted by Charlie Goose
In the opening, I thought it was funny how they reversed the shot of "Marge" & "Maggie" in the car, since it was done it the UK with the steering wheel on the opposite side.
03-27-06, 09:04 AM
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Wasn't too impressed with the Gervais script...it had a few really funny moments, but overall was pretty standard. Ricky's character was basically David Brent Jr. and not only had character traits almost IDENTICAL, but he had some lines of dialogue that could have been RIPPED from the office... Kind of disappointed he decided to go this route, makes him look like a one trick pony.
MATT
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03-27-06, 03:11 PM
#23
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Originally Posted by mdc3000
Wasn't too impressed with the Gervais script...it had a few really funny moments, but overall was pretty standard. Ricky's character was basically David Brent Jr. and not only had character traits almost IDENTICAL, but he had some lines of dialogue that could have been RIPPED from the office... Kind of disappointed he decided to go this route, makes him look like a one trick pony.
MATT
MATT
03-27-06, 03:54 PM
#24
DVD Talk Special Edition
Originally Posted by Rockmjd23
"When I woke up, Letterman was talking to Alias." 
But Homer's CSI Miami report was LOL funny! Touring the FOX lot and that grand Mischa Barton statue was nifty.
Last edited by skatefan20; 03-27-06 at 03:57 PM.
03-27-06, 04:17 PM
#25
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Lots of interesting elements and funny ideas, but as a whole it felt like less than the sum of its parts. It was a fresh idea to play off the wife-swapping shows, and it was interesting to see Gervais play a variation of Brent, but the combination just didn't work as well as it should've. If he's going to play a Brent-like character I'd just as soon have them go all out with it and do an Office parody/homage episode where Homer or Marge get a job at some place where Gervais is the boss. If you're going to be self-derivative you might as well make the most of it. Plus I felt the wife-swap show angle could've been played out better with a different family.