The Simpsons - The Complete Eighth Season

The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season DVD collection is jam-packed, full of hilarious, subversive comedy, and plenty of extras to keep one entertained for weeks.

The episode Hurricane Ned is a great example of why The Simpsons is, and remains, the longest-running animated series on television. Notice how truly cinematic the opening sequence is; the pacing, the camera angles, the animated details of windswept clouds and flying debris. Peppered throughout are the trademark blink-and-you'll-miss-them visual jokes. On the commentary track the writers explain that they wanted to explore "what makes a man tick." After Hurricane Barbara (depicted on the news as an angry housewife in pink hair curlers) destroys the Flanders' home, Ned commits himself to the psych ward. There, we learn of his past as the child of beatniks, his rigid, ultra-conservative mentality a reactionary response to his wild and unstructured upbringing. Ultimately, this episode is about a man questioning his faith, a pretty intense topic for an animated sitcom, but The Simpsons has never shied away for looking deeply at issues, while providing biting satire and more than a few crude laughs.

In The Twisted World of Marge Simspon, the beloved blue haired homemaker opens a "Pretzel Wagon" franchise after a bitter departure from "The Investorettes." Featuring the voice of guest star Jack Lemmon, this installment shows Marge's yearning for a better life (and a little excitement), and as the writers point out, it's one of the few episodes where Homer is genuinely supportive of his wife. True, this means he involves the Mafia in Marge's fledging business, but his buffoonish heart is in the right place.

Homer's Phobia was the first (and happily not the last) Simpsons show to brilliantly deal with gay issues. Featuring the voice of guest star filmmaker John Waters (as "John," the owner of Springfield kitsch shop "Cockamamies"), this outing (pun intended) sublimely jabs fun at homophobia without lapsing into P.C. sermonizing. Concerned that Bart's exposure to John and his campy ways will turn his son gay, Homer stages a series of ludicrous events to assure his son's heterosexuality. One highlight of this episode is the father-and-son trip to the steel mill, a bastion of masculinity that, after closing time, turns into a dance club called "The Anvil" packed with burly, nelly queens. (Waters' favorite line: "The entire steel industry is gay!") By the end of the episode, of course, camp queen John saves the day, Homer becomes tolerant, and all is well in Springfield.

On the commentary track, we learn that the Fox censors had fits over this episode. Rather than the standard two sentences of notes, the writers received two full pages, containing such statements as, "delete or substitute the word 'gay,'" and "the topic and substance of this episode are unacceptable for broadcast." A regime change in the censor's office thankfully rendered these ignorant comments moot. Homer's Phobia aired in February of 1997, just months before Ellen came out, and a full year and a half before Will and Grace premiered, so kudos to the writers for their forward thinking in creating this instant gay classic.

By this point in the show's run, the writers are able to branch out and explore characters outside of the Simpson family. Episodes focus on school teacher Edna Krabapple, wealthy ogre Mr. Burns, and homicidal clown Sideshow Bob. Season Eight's roster of celebrity voiceovers include Rodney Dangerfield, Albert Brooks, and Johnny Cash. Deleted scenes are a bonus feature available for each installment of this amusing, irreverent animated series.

The show writer's commentaries are interesting, but not exactly exciting; play them after you've seen an episode numerous times for some interesting anecdotes and inside jokes. The pop culture references of Season Eight, which aired in the 96-97 season, are often dated (there's an entire episode devoted to The X Files), but the animation and writing is so smart and funny that the shows still stand the test of time, and are quite enjoyable a full decade later.