Woo hoo! The sixth season of still popular and still Emmy Award-winning primetime cartoon "The Simpsons" is out on DVD, and it's full of classic episodes and extras.
In the show's long life, "The Simpsons" has molded the sense of humor of the many who grew up watching it. Its jokes are constantly repeated by fans and copied by other television shows. Meanwhile, several of its characters' catchphrases seem to have worked their way into everyday English.
The latest set of "Simpsons" episodes includes memorable moments such as when Bart spots a comet, the family trip to Itchy & Scratchy Land, Homer's adventure as a member of a secret society known as the Stonecutters and Mr. Burns' attempts to turn Santa's Little Helper's two dozen and one puppies into a greyhound fur tuxedo. The finale is part one of the "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" mystery that Americans agonized over back in the summer of 1995.
There are also a bunch of classic lines (like when Ralph Wiggum points out that his "cat's breath smells like cat food") and equally unforgettable songs (Mr. Burns' "See My Vest" and the Stonecutters' "We Do" anthem).
The episode selection alone makes the set worth it, but there are a few other reasons to pick it up as well. Every show features a full commentary track featuring creator Matt Groening and several of the other guys who bring "The Simpsons" to life every Sunday. Also included is the John Walsh hosted "Springfield's Most Wanted," a featurette on the "Simpsons" airplane (yes, there was a "Simpsons" airplane), deleted scenes and a couple animation showcases.
The four-disc DVD set includes 25 shows in total and comes packaged in yellow plastic shaped like Homer Simpson's head. This package design has a strange way of coming across as both awesome and cheap at the same time. It looks really cool inside and out, but it feels a bit flimsy; it's difficult to keep all the cardboard and plastic within in place, and the design may not fit very well into a DVD library. Luckily it's what's on the discs that count.
The video transfer of the episodes is about as good as one could expect. These shows were made in the days before the show went digital, so they're not without their flaws, but it's nothing to complain about. The sound is likewise solid.
A common argument against picking up "The Simpsons" DVD sets is that the show is on television multiple times just about every day of the week. It's interesting to note, however, that these reruns were edited for time so Fox can pack more commercials into "The Simpsons" 30-minute slot. The DVD sets include these shows in full, so they're a must-see for diehard fans of the series.
"The Simpsons" first aired in 1989. It begins its seventeenth season on September 11. The show's contract with Fox dictates that it will be on at least another two seasons after that. There is also a movie in the works, though no release date has been announced.
"The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season" is packed with some of the show's best episodes and can currently be picked up at several stores for the extremely reasonable price of $29.99. It is highly recommended to anyone who's ever sinisterly reflected "Excellent," exclaimed "Aye Carumba!" or angrily shouted "D'oh"
