SIMPSONS, THE: BEHIND THE LAUGHTER {ELEVENTH SEASON FINALE} (TV)
Summary
The eleventh season finale in this animated comedy series about the Simpsons—Homer and Marge and their children, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. This episode is a parody of the behind-the-scenes exposé show “Behind the Music,” and tells the dramatic story of the Simpsons family, who rose to fame with their eponymous sitcom and then crashed and burned under the pressures of fame. The program begins with the Simpsons’ humble beginnings in Springfield, raising their three children and spending most of their time in front of the television. Homer observed that there was no one “like them” on TV, and shot a five-minute short film, “My Funny Family,” with himself in the lead role. Several prominent networks passed on the show, but Fox picked it up and the family soon shot to fame because of their “everyman” quality and comedic child abuse. They soon became wealthy and bought a new house, eventually cutting a few Grammy-winning records, much to the bitterness of failed clown Krusty. They enjoyed overseas fame and seemed to “have it all,” but as bartender Moe points out, they were reckless with spending and soon began to self-destruct. After being gravely injured in a stunt gone wrong, Homer developed an addiction to painkillers, and Marge’s line of trademarked birth control failed. An anonymous convenience store-owning tipster revealed that the family was not paying their income taxes, and the IRS soon took everything.
The show soon went downhill, despite the rash of guest stars, and Bart ended up in rehab. The family attempted to revive their fame with a live appearance at a state fair, but they soon descended into argument and went their separate ways, causing the show to go on hiatus. Homer attempted a stage career, while Bart tried another TV show and Marge a lounge act, and Lisa wrote a blistering tell-all book. Grandpa Simpson comments that the family could not even share a meal without legal representation present. Finally, Willie Nelson intervened, tricking them all into presenting together at his New Awareness Awards, which he then admitted was an “elaborate sham” to get them back together. The plan worked, however, and the family is now back together, planning to continue the show and working on a new comic strip. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: Fox
- DATE: May 21, 2000 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:22:30
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:74791
- GENRE: Animation
- SUBJECT HEADING: Animation; Comedy
- SERIES RUN: Fox - TV series, 1989-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Al Jean … Executive Producer
- Matt Groening … Executive Producer, Created by, Developed by
- James L. Brooks … Executive Producer, Developed by
- Sam Simon … Executive Producer, Developed by
- Mike Scully … Executive Producer, Writer
- George Meyer … Executive Producer, Writer
- Ian Maxtone-Graham … Co-Executive Producer
- Ron Hauge … Co-Executive Producer
- Dan Greaney … Co-Executive Producer
- Frank Mula … Co-Executive Producer
- Rob Lazebnik … Co-Executive Producer
- Julie Thacker … Supervising Producer
- Larina Jean Adamson … Supervising Producer
- Larry Doyle … Producer
- Tom Martin … Producer
- Carolyn Omine … Producer
- John Frink … Producer
- Don Payne … Producer
- Matt Selman … Producer
- Richard Raynis … Producer
- Bonita Pietila … Producer
- Denise Sirkot … Producer
- Richard Sakai … Producer
- Tim Long … Co-Producer, Writer
- Lolee Aries … Animation Executive Producer
- David Pritchard … Animation Executive Producer
- Mike Wolf … Animation Producer
- Dominique Braud … Associate Producer
- David Mirkin … Consulting Producer
- Tom Gammill … Consulting Producer
- Max Pross … Consulting Producer
- Laurie Biernacki … Line Producer
- Matt Selman … Writer
- Mark Kirkland … Director
- Alf Clausen … Music by
- Danny Elfman … Theme Music by
- Dan Castellaneta … Cast, Voice, Homer Simpson / Grampa / Krusty / Ozzy Osbourne / Kodos / Woody Allen
- Julie Kavner … Cast, Voice, Marge Simpson
- Nancy Cartwright … Cast, Voice, Bart Simpson
- Yeardley Smith … Cast, Voice, Lisa Simpson
- Hank Azaria … Cast, Voice, Moe Szyslak / Director / Carl / Comic Book Guy / Chief Wiggum / Apu / Bobby / Lawyer
- Harry Shearer … Cast, Voice, Lenny / Principal Skinner / Second Director / Kang / Dr. Hibbert
- Marcia Wallace … Cast, Voice, Edna Krabappel
- Tress MacNeille … Cast, Voice, Queen Elizabeth II / Richie Rich / Actress / Woman Partner / Gloria Allred
- Karl Wiedergott … Cast, Voice, Jimmy Carter / Huckleberry Hound
- Stephen Hawking … Cast, Voice, Himself
- Willie Nelson … Cast, Voice, Himself
- Buzz Aldrin … Cast, Himself
- Gary Coleman … Cast, Himself
- Jim Forbes … Cast, Himself
- Tom Kite … Cast, Himself
- Butch Patrick … Cast, Himself