Series synopsis
The Simpsons is an American family animation comedy television series that premiered on FOX on December 17, 1989. It was created by Matt Groening. It stars Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright and Yeardley Smith.
Set in Springfield, the average American town, the show focuses on the antics and everyday adventures of the Simpson family; Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, as well as a virtual cast of thousands. Since the beginning, the series has been a pop culture icon, attracting hundreds of celebrities to guest star. The show has also made name for itself in its fearless satirical take on politics, media and American life in general.
Premise
Set in Springfield, the average American town, the show focuses on the antics and everyday adventures of the Simpson family; Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, as well as a virtual cast of thousands. Since the beginning, the series has been a pop culture icon, attracting hundreds of celebrities to guest star. The show has also made name for itself in its fearless satirical take on politics, media and American life in general.
Premise: Just a product of society that's lost its good manners.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Dan Castellaneta as Homer Simpson / Abe Simpson / Barney Gumble / Krusty (voice)
- Julie Kavner as Marge Simpson / Patty Bouvier / Selma Bouvier (voice)
- Nancy Cartwright as Bart Simpson / Nelson Muntz / Ralph Wiggum (voice)
- Yeardley Smith as Lisa Simpson (voice)
- Hank Azaria as Moe Szyslak / Chief Wiggum / Apu / Comic Book Guy / Carl (voice)
- Harry Shearer as Ned Flanders / Mr. Burns / Smithers / Skinner / Lenny (voice)
Guest cast
- Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully (voice)
- Johnny Cash as Space Coyote (voice)
- Ed Asner as Editor (voice)
- Betty White as Betty White (voice)
- Alex Rocco as Roger Meyers Jr. (voice)
- Christina Ricci as Erin (voice)
- Bret Hart as Bret 'The Hitman' Hart (voice)
- Joe Frazier as Joe Frazier (voice)
- Ed Begley Jr. as Ed Begley Jr. (voice)
- Helen Hunt as Renee (voice)
- Bob Denver as Bob Denver (voice)
- Buzz Aldrin as Buzz Aldrin (voice)
Episodes
This series spans 20 seasons with 504 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 84 | April 15, 1987 | August 26, 2026 |
| Season 1 | 13 | December 17, 1989 | May 13, 1990 |
| Season 2 | 22 | October 11, 1990 | July 11, 1991 |
| Season 3 | 24 | September 18, 1991 | August 27, 1992 |
| Season 4 | 22 | September 23, 1992 | May 13, 1993 |
| Season 5 | 22 | September 30, 1993 | May 19, 1994 |
| Season 6 | 25 | September 4, 1994 | May 21, 1995 |
| Season 7 | 25 | September 17, 1995 | May 19, 1996 |
| Season 8 | 25 | October 27, 1996 | May 18, 1997 |
| Season 9 | 25 | September 21, 1997 | May 17, 1998 |
| Season 10 | 23 | August 23, 1998 | May 16, 1999 |
| Season 11 | 22 | September 26, 1999 | May 21, 2000 |
| Season 12 | 21 | November 1, 2000 | May 20, 2001 |
| Season 13 | 22 | November 6, 2001 | May 22, 2002 |
| Season 14 | 22 | November 3, 2002 | May 18, 2003 |
| Season 15 | 22 | November 2, 2003 | May 23, 2004 |
| Season 16 | 21 | November 7, 2004 | May 15, 2005 |
| Season 17 | 22 | September 11, 2005 | May 21, 2006 |
| Season 18 | 22 | September 10, 2006 | May 20, 2007 |
| Season 19 | 20 | September 23, 2007 | May 18, 2008 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Good Night Good Night was the first ever Simpsons short to air on The Tracey Ullman Show. The five main family members - Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie - were first introduced in this short. Homer and Marge attempt to calm their children to sleep, with the opposite results. Maggie can be heard saying "good night". She rarely talks throughout the run of the series. |
April 19, 1987 |
| 2 |
Watching TV Bart and Lisa quarrel during commercial breaks over what channel they'll watch. Repeatedly Maggie comes up to the television and changes the channel. Later Homer is saying some speech about family matters then stops when the show comes back on. A piece of music from the Tracey Ullman show plays at one part or another during the short. |
May 3, 1987 |
| 3 |
Jumping Bart Homer makes several attempts to have Bart jump into his arms. Each time Bart jumps Homer is distracted and fails to catch him. Towards the end of the episode boxing gloves are delivered, presumably the ones used in the episode Punching Bag. |
May 10, 1987 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire Homer's Christmas bonus is canceled and the rainy-day funds are needed to pay for Bart's tattoo removal. |
December 17, 1989 |
| 2 |
Bart the Genius Bart's labeled a genius and sent to a school for the gifted. |
January 14, 1990 |
| 3 |
Homer's Odyssey After being fired from the nuclear power plant for negligence, Homer becomes a safety activist. |
January 21, 1990 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Bart Gets an 'F' Bart fails four consecutive history exams and the school psychiatrist recommends that Bart repeat the fourth grade. |
October 11, 1990 |
| 2 |
Simpson and Delilah Homer uses his medical insurance to buy Dimoxinil, a miracle hair-growth formula. After growing luxurious locks, he's given a promotion which allows him to hire a secretary named Karl and makes grand promises to his family at home. |
October 18, 1990 |
| 3 |
Treehouse of Horror The Simpson kids hide in the family treehouse and tell each other spooky stories. The first regards haunted houses, the second introduces Kang and Kodos for the first time in an alien abduction, and the third is a Simpson-adapted retelling of The Raven. |
October 25, 1990 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Stark Raving Dad A deviation from his norm lands Homer in a mental institution, where he shares a room with a man who thinks he's Michael Jackson. |
September 19, 1991 |
| 2 |
Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington Lisa's essay wins the Simpsons a trip to Washington, D.C., where her faith in democracy is shaken by her unethical Congressman. |
September 26, 1991 |
| 3 |
When Flanders Failed Flanders suffers a failure after Homer wishes him ill. |
October 3, 1991 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Kamp Krusty Bart leads an uprising at Krusty's summer camp after he and Lisa are subjected to a Dickensian sweatshop. |
September 24, 1992 |
| 2 |
A Streetcar Named Marge Marge is cast in a version of "A Streetcar Named Desire," playing Blanche to Ned Flanders' Stanley. |
October 1, 1992 |
| 3 |
Homer the Heretic After skipping church one Sunday morning, Homer decides to quit church altogether and spend Sundays worshiping in his own way -- with cigars and beer. |
October 8, 1992 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Homer's Barbershop Quartet Homer recalls when he, Apu, Barney and Principal Skinner became recording icons. |
September 30, 1993 |
| 2 |
Cape Feare The Simpsons go incognito to avoid the newly paroled Sideshow Bob, who's out to get Bart. |
October 7, 1993 |
| 3 |
Homer Goes to College Homer takes Nuclear Physics 101 at the local college, where he gets a trio of nerdy tutors expelled for extracurricular activities. |
October 14, 1993 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Bart of Darkness Stuck in his room with a broken leg, Bart hears a high-pitched scream. When he looks through his telescope, he sees a guilty Ned Flanders burying the evidence. |
September 4, 1994 |
| 2 |
Lisa's Rival Lisa feels threatened when a new girl moves to Springfield: Allison is smart, pretty, a great saxophone player and a crack diorama builder. Lisa tries to befriend her new rival, but she's consumed with envy and competitiveness. |
September 11, 1994 |
| 3 |
Another Simpsons Clip Show After reading the weepy best-seller The Bridges of Madison County, Marge sits down with the family and recalls romantic moments, along with temptations from her bowling instructor Jacques and Homer's coworker Mindy. |
September 25, 1994 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Who Shot Mr. Burns? (2) With Mr. Burns shot, Chief Wiggum investigates the crime, and nearly everyone in town has a motive. At the end, it all comes down to the Simpson DNA. |
September 17, 1995 |
| 2 |
Radioactive Man Bart auditions for the part of Fallout Boy in the movie "Radioactive Man," being filmed in Springfield. |
September 24, 1995 |
| 3 |
Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily When Homer and Marge are found to be unfit parents, the kids are placed with the Flanders family. Reluctant participants in the Flanderses' wholesome family activities, Bart and Lisa become the targets of an emergency baptism. |
October 1, 1995 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Treehouse of Horror VII A Halloween trilogy. This time, Bart meets his "pure evil" Siamese twin; Lisa's science project attacks Bart; aliens Kang and Kodos invade as Clinton and Dole's replicas just before the 1996 Presidential election. |
October 27, 1996 |
| 2 |
You Only Move Twice In an idyllic planned community, Homer works for a new boss who has trouble with the government. Meanwhile, the rest of the family has difficulty dealing with the bucolic burg. |
November 3, 1996 |
| 3 |
The Homer They Fall When Moe sees that Homer can absorb massive blows to the head, he turns him into a prizefighter and sets up a match with heavyweight champion Drederick Tatum. |
November 10, 1996 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson Designated driver Barney absconds to Manhattan in Homer's car and leaves it there. But when the family journeys to the Big Apple to retrieve their property, Homer discovers his car has been booted. |
September 21, 1997 |
| 2 |
The Principal and the Pauper Unmasked as an impostor, Principal Skinner flees to Capital City to reclaim his former life as a shiftless good-for-nothing. The people of Springfield gain a newfound appreciation for him and form a plan to bring him back. |
September 28, 1997 |
| 3 |
Lisa's Sax After Lisa’s saxophone is destroyed, the Simpsons reminisce about how she originally got the instrument. On the hottest day of the year, Homer must decide whether to buy an air conditioner or replace Lisa’s sax. |
October 19, 1997 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Lard of the Dance Homer and Bart try to make money by selling used grease. Meanwhile, Lisa organizes a school dance but feels alienated when a new classmate and her friends try to act like adults. |
August 23, 1998 |
| 2 |
The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace A midlife crisis prompts Homer to quit his job and become an inventor. |
September 20, 1998 |
| 3 |
Bart the Mother Under Nelson's bad influence, Bart shoots a bird with a BB gun. Stricken with remorse, he tries to nurture the eggs from the bird's nest, which hatch into a species of lizard outlawed in Springfield. |
September 27, 1998 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Beyond Blunderdome Homer befriends Mel Gibson just as Mel is completing a remake of Mr. Smith Goes To Washington. Homer convinces Mel to make the film more violent, with disastrous results. |
September 26, 1999 |
| 2 |
Brother's Little Helper When Bart commits an extremely destructive prank, he is given Focusyn, a pill to help him concentrate in school. At first the results are impressive, and then Bart starts believing in a conspiracy involving spy satellites and major league baseball. |
October 3, 1999 |
| 3 |
Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner? With Lisa's help, Homer uses his vast knowledge of food to become the town's leading restaurant critic. But when he gets petty and vindictive in his criticisms, all the other chefs in town try to kill him. |
October 24, 1999 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Treehouse of Horror XI This year's Halloween story sees The Simpsons as "The Munsters" (with everyone except Lisa getting killed), Homer as a wandering spirit on the hunt for a good deed in "G-G-Ghost D-D-Dad," Bart and Lisa as peasants in a fairy tale forest in "Scary Tales Can Come True," and Lisa inadvertently dooming mankind by rescuing a dolphin in "Night of the Dolphin." |
November 1, 2000 |
| 2 |
A Tale of Two Springfields While calling Animal Control over a badger taking residence in Santa's Little Helper's doghouse, Homer discovers that Springfield has two different area codes–and ends up leading a revolt that splits the town in two. |
November 5, 2000 |
| 3 |
Insane Clown Poppy Krusty takes parenting lessons from Homer when, during an outdoor book fair, a girl tells Krusty that she is his long-lost daughter from a one-night stand with a female soldier who fought during the first Gulf War. |
November 12, 2000 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Treehouse of Horror XII In the twelfth Treehouse of Horror episode: Hex and the City – While on a day trip through Ethnictown, Homer's bumbling catches the ire of a gypsy, who curses Homer's family and friends into receiving nothing but bad luck. House of Whacks – in this mixed parody of Demon Seed and 2001: A Space Odyssey, Marge buys an automated house and customizes it with the Pierce Brosnan personality, who falls for Marge and attempts to murder Homer. Wiz Kids – In this Harry Potter parody, Bart and Lisa go to a school for wizards, and Lord Montemort (Mr. Burns) uses Bart to capture Lisa's magic. Guest star: Pierce Brosnan and Matthew Perry.[20] |
November 6, 2001 |
| 2 |
The Parent Rap Bart gets in trouble for joyriding in a police car, but feels confident he will be let off by Judge Snyder. However, Snyder goes on vacation before ruling his verdict and is replaced with a coldhearted judge named Constance Harm. She accuses Homer of being a negligent father and sentences him to be tethered to Bart. The two are against it at first but later start to bond. Marge however is unable to take anymore of it and slices the tether off of them both. Homer and Marge then go after Judge Harm only to end up sinking her houseboat. Eventually Bart decides to take punishment and is about to be sentenced to 5 year in juvenile hall, only though Judge Snyder returns and dismisses Harm. |
November 11, 2001 |
| 3 |
Homer the Moe Moe becomes depressed and decides to return to bartending school so he can re-evaluate himself. He meets an old teacher, who suggests that Moe try improving his bar, which might make him happier. Moe takes the advice, and turns his bar into a trendy nightclub, which does not sit well with his regular customers Homer, Lenny, Carl, and Barney. |
November 18, 2001 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Treehouse of Horror XIII The 13th Treehouse of Horror episode, consisting of three self-contained segments. Send in the Clones – Homer buys a hammock that can produce clones of himself. He creates numerous clones to help him around the house, but they soon overrun Springfield. The Fright to Creep and Scare Harms – Lisa petitions the town to get rid of their firearms after discovering the gravestone of a young man named William Bonney who died from gun violence. However, Lisa soon discovers that William Bonney is the real name of Western outlaw Billy the Kid, whose ghost, along with the ghosts of other infamous criminals, takes over the defenseless town. The Island of Dr. Hibbert – Dr. Hibbert invites the citizens of Springfield to his island resort, where he turns them into animals. |
November 3, 2002 |
| 2 |
How I Spent My Strummer Vacation A drunken Homer appears on the show Taxicab Conversations and rants about how awful his life as a husband and father is. Although his family is at first outraged, they realise that they do somewhat burden him and decide to make up for it by sending him to a Rock 'n Roll Fantasy Camp where he mingles with rock stars, including Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. The rock stars ask Homer to help out at a concert and, expecting that he will be allowed to perform, he accepts. Actually, they want him to test the microphones; however, a humiliated Homer grabs a guitar and starts playing. |
November 10, 2002 |
| 3 |
Bart vs. Lisa vs. the Third Grade The Simpsons buy a satellite television, which Bart spends so much time watching that he does not study for an important achievement test. He scores so low that Principal Skinner demotes him to third grade, while Lisa does so well that she is moved up to third grade. The two are placed in the same class and become rivals. During a trip to Capital City, they get separated from their class and are forced to help each other in order to find their classmates. |
November 17, 2002 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Treehouse of Horror XIV "Reaper Madness" - Death becomes Homer and our hero must learn to reap what he sows (and pull a fast one on the almighty). "Frinkenstein" - Soon to be Nobel-prize winning Professor Frink reanimates his father for some gruesome body parts-swapping. "Stop the World, I Want to Goof Off" - A parody of Clockstoppers, starring Bart and Milhouse. |
November 2, 2003 |
| 2 |
My Mother the Carjacker Homer's mother returns, and after being cleared of all charges, is re-imprisoned on a technicality. |
November 9, 2003 |
| 3 |
The President Wore Pearls In this loose parody of the musical/movie Evita, Lisa is elected Student Body president, but is unaware that the school staff is using her for their own devices and as a scapegoat if something goes wrong. |
November 16, 2003 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Treehouse of Horror XV Ned Flanders' head injury gives him the power to predict others' deaths, Bart and Lisa play detective when a string of Victorian-era prostitutes are murdered by Jack the Ripper, and the Simpsons go on a fantastic voyage inside Mr. Burns' body to save Maggie. |
November 7, 2004 |
| 2 |
All's Fair in Oven War Marge gets her kitchen remodeled and the dishes she makes inside it get rave reviews. The suggestion of Ned Flanders leads her to enter a cooking contest. However, Marge realizes the competition is harder than it seems. Meanwhile, Bart finds Homer's vintage Playdude magazines and decides to adopt the lifestyle he sees within the articles. |
November 14, 2004 |
| 3 |
Sleeping with the Enemy Marge finds Nelson and acts as a mother figure towards him due to her children's loss of interest in her. Meanwhile, Lisa gets teased about her big butt, and becomes obsessed with her weight. |
November 21, 2004 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Bonfire of the Manatees After Homer gets into trouble over his football gambling debts, he allows the Springfield Mafia to shoot a "snuggle film" in the house without Marge's permission. When she and the kids return home from a trip to "Santa's Village" and find production still going on, a furious Marge leaves for the beach and encounters a marine biologist named Caleb Thorn who has dedicated his life to saving manatees. |
September 11, 2005 |
| 2 |
The Girl Who Slept Too Little After the family successfully protest against a stamp museum being built next to their house, a cemetery is built near the Simpson house instead, making the normally unflappable Lisa realize that someone as smart as her can be afraid of something. |
September 18, 2005 |
| 3 |
Milhouse of Sand and Fog Never one to miss the opportunity to make a quick buck, Homer cashes in on Maggie's bout of chicken pox. He decides to host a Pox Party and charges parents to infect their children. |
September 25, 2005 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer Lisa's friendship with Fat Tony's son Michael prompts mob boss Tony to invite the Simpsons over for dinner. Michael says he'd rather be a chef than take over the family business, but that's before Tony is shot by a rival mobster. |
September 10, 2006 |
| 2 |
Jazzy and the Pussycats A child psychiatrist suggests drumming to channel Bart's energy, and the boy proves he's got the beat when he shows some talent on the skins. |
September 17, 2006 |
| 3 |
Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em Marge reads Homer's carpentry books and becomes very handy at fixing things. Gender bias keeps the townspeople from accepting a female carpenter, so Marge pretends that Homer does the work. Meanwhile, Bart torments Skinner when he learns the principal has an extreme allergy to peanuts. |
September 24, 2006 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
He Loves to Fly and He D'ohs Homer falls in love with the high life of flying in private planes when he saves Mr. Burns from drowning, and Burns repays him by flying him to Chicago for a night on the town. |
September 23, 2007 |
| 2 |
The Homer of Seville A freak accident gives Homer an operatic singing voice, and he becomes a star at the Springfield Opera. But with fame and fortune comes a price: He's continually bothered by fans, an obsessed woman in particular. |
September 30, 2007 |
| 3 |
Midnight Towboy Homer takes a job as a tow-truck driver, and Marge hires a service that claims to make babies less clingy. Both decisions have unexpected consequences. |
October 7, 2007 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | FOX |
|---|---|
| First aired | December 17, 1989 |
| Last aired | February 15, 2026 |
| Status | Returning Series |
| Schedule | Sunday at 20:00:00 |