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How The Simpsons Embraced—And Passionately Skewered—Its Fervent Fan Base

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If there’s an episode that truly embodies the intense, lively, bizarre, and sometimes toxic fanbase of “The Simpsons,” it would be Season 8’s “The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show.” In this highly praised 1997 episode, Krusty the Clown contemplates canceling the overly violent Itchy & Scratchy cartoon from his show due to dwindling ratings. After a mock kids focus group, ruthless producers demand that writers create Poochie, a back-hat-wearing, rap-loving “dog with attitude,” to revitalize the violent and stereotypical parody of Herman and Katnip.

Homer tries out for the role of an annoying dog character and gets chosen. However, Lisa expresses doubt. “Introducing a new character can be a desperate move to increase low viewership,” she remarks. Right on cue, a trendy relative named Roy suddenly shows up at the dinner table: “What’s up, everyone?” This episode is one of the most meta episodes of The Simpsons, culminating in viewers protesting against the character Poochie, who was eventually written off the show in an abrupt manner.

As a long-time contributor to The Simpsons, I can vividly recall that Poochie was problematic due to the network’s request for us to introduce a fresh character at a specific point in time. Unlike previous instances where we’ve integrated characters, I’ve always been wary of creating a character in a generic manner, akin to how a typical sitcom operates. The idea was to have an actor perform in six out of 13 episodes, which didn’t align with our unique approach for The Simpsons.

Initially, it was intended as a subtle jab at interfering Fox executives, but it evolved into a comprehensive critique on fandom culture. For quite some time now, there’s been talk among dedicated fans who feel that The Simpsons has lost its touch. This criticism was famously addressed by the show’s writers in an iconic conversation between Bart and the beloved Comic Book Guy, voiced by Hank Azaria.

When the condescending proprietor of Springfield’s The Android’s Dungeon & Baseball Card Shop expresses his disdainful scorn towards the redesigned Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show, television’s most legendary ten-year-old character (with sincere respect to Eric Cartman) retaliates.

That was the worst episode… EVER.

Jean clarified that the famous Comic Book Guy catchphrase originated from an online source. After watching the 1992 episode “Itchy and Scratchy: The Movie,” a fan on alt.tv.simpsons, an old online Usernet newsgroup for dedicated followers, posted a brief review calling it the “worst episode ever.” This sarcastic comment eventually became one of the show’s most commonly used phrases. As Jean added, writer David Cohen incorporated this line into the series, and it struck a chord with viewers because it reflected the audience’s sentiment.

In conversation with the fandom

For many years, the writers of The Simpsons have catered to the dedicated fanbase of the show. Even before the internet fully realized its potential as a global network and prior to the emergence of social media, die-hard fans would pause their VCRs to find hidden jokes in the background scenes by freeze-framing them.

In the past, there was a friendly, almost naive camaraderie between dedicated viewers and the creative team behind their beloved series. An article from 2013 on Slate called “Best Message Board Ever” captured this early internet fandom surrounding The Simpsons. Enthusiasts who shared similar interests would regularly visit these exclusive online hangouts, engaging in discussions about plotlines, Easter eggs, and ranking their favorite characters, as well as the chalkboard and couch gags.

Besides hanging out on alt.tv.simpsons forum, Bill Oakley, a former Simpsons producer, even went as far as to post a sneak peek of Season 5 on July 25, 1993. Such a daring act, which today’s impersonal streaming industry might cause showrunners to break into cold sweats.

According to Alan Siegel from Slate, the part of the post that hasn’t been written yet discussed potential titles for upcoming classics, such as “Lisa’s Hockey Team,” a summer swimming pool/Rear Window parody, and “Bart Gets a Girlfriend.

The creators of The Simpsons occasionally acknowledge their dedicated fanbase with in-jokes on air. For instance, in the 2002 episode “The Frying Game,” Homer, upon finding an elderly woman murdered with a pair of scissors, utters a “SNUH cascade.” This is a nod to viewers who transformed a Season 2 Marge protest sign gag, “Springfieldians for Nonviolence, Understanding, and Helping” (SNUH), into one of the earliest internet memes.

I’m one of those passionate fans who deeply felt the loss when the beloved background character, Larry the Barfly, was announced to meet his end on The Simpsons. For 35 years, Larry, a consistent, tipsy patron at Moe’s Tavern, had been a quiet but significant part of our viewing experience. A heartfelt online post from a fellow viewer truly captured the collective shock: “I just found out they’re taking Larry off The Simpsons tomorrow. I need a moment to process.

In that very year, a stir occurred among fans when there was mention that the popular show, “The Simpsons,” might discontinue an ongoing joke involving Homer choking Bart. This was suggested in the Season 35 episode “McMansion & Wife.” During the episode, Homer says, “See, Marge, strangling the boy paid off.” But he quickly adds, “Just kidding, I don’t do that anymore. Times have evolved.

As a devoted movie enthusiast, I can confidently say that the idea of making any changes is out of the question, according to longtime executive producer and series co-creator James L. Brooks. “Rest assured, nothing’s changing,” he shared with People. “There’s no taming involved. Nothing, nothing, nothing… He’ll still be subjected to the same struggles—if I may use a harsh term for it. He’ll continue to be cherished in a unique way by his father.

Affectionately lampooning fan culture

Without a doubt, outside of the world of The Simpsons, it’s tough to come across a more dedicated fan base. It was during a trip to Orlando, Florida, early in the show’s broadcast, that Jean first experienced this phenomenon. “I can still remember wearing a Simpsons-themed jacket at Disney World shortly after the first episode aired,” he recalls. “People would approach me and ask, ‘Can I buy that?’ That had never happened to me before. It was quite astonishing!

Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, found the initial charm in the eccentric yet loving family lay in Generation X’s eagerness to depart from traditional family sitcom norms. As he put it during a 2000 interview with Newsweek, “Typically, family entertainment was created to avoid offending anyone.” Instead, they aimed for a show filled with witty jokes, intelligent references, and the humorous visual gags that animation excels at. To their surprise, they managed to achieve this balance. Not everyone needs to get every joke.

To truly appreciate the fandom of “The Simpsons,” it’s essential to delve into the roots of geek culture, which gained prominence during the 1970s and 1980s. At these times, participating in Star Trek, Doctor Who, or Star Wars gatherings was often viewed as childish or a refuge for social misfits by the general public; at worst, they were seen as hangouts for nerds and outcasts.

Groening, who was raised on a diet of MAD magazine and vintage EC comic books, along with the similarly enthusiastic team behind The Simpsons, comprising individuals such as Jean, Cohen, Oakley, Mimi Pond, John Swartzwelder, Mike Reiss, Jeff Martin, Conan O’Brien, David X. Cohen, Christine Nangle, and current showrunner Matt Selman, all belong to the same passionate community of enthusiasts.

Prior to its trendiness, The Simpsons showcased and affectionately poked fun at fandom culture – encompassing Dungeons & Dragons, sci-fi, prestige and lesser-known television, classic films, horror movies, Harry Potter books, rock legends, intellectual literature, anime, and Lego toys. In the years preceding its mass popularity in the 2000s, being a Simpsons enthusiast was a symbol of pride for those considered the “weird” kids who frequented Comic-Con events.

From being an exaggerated caricature of a diehard hater in The Simpsons, Comic Book Guy has transformed into a cherished symbol for comic book enthusiasts. In fact, the writers even penned a touching backstory for him.

In the highly praised Season 32 episode titled “The Dad-Feelings Limited,” we see him pondering the idea of having kids with his wife Kumiko (voice by Jenny Yokobori) and dealing with his strained relationship with his emotionally detached father, Postage Stamp Fellow (portrayed by Dan Aykroyd). This time, however, he shows signs of deep emotion as he sheds tears. It’s quite a shift from the character fans have come to know, who was once characterized as stubbornly disagreeable and one-dimensional, based on the Comic Book Guy they grew up mimicking.

A Simpsons renaissance

Currently, the enthusiasm for “The Simpsons” has been overshadowed by its more boisterous, trendy, and decidedly profane contemporaries such as “Family Guy,” “South Park,” and “Rick and Morty.” It’s akin to describing Michael Jordan’s fervor to an ardent fan of LeBron James.

At the height of its cultural influence in the early ’90s, with a staggering 33.6 million viewers tuning in to watch the episode “Bart Gets an F,” The Simpsons generated billions through merchandise sales. Its allure extended far beyond television screens. A 1990 article from The Washington Post documented the surge of unauthorized Black Bart Simpson T-shirts: “Young people, particularly those of color, have embraced the smart-mouthed character from The Simpsons, a widely acclaimed cartoon depiction of white middle-class family life, as one of their own…

Enthusiasts of The Simpsons cartoon series eagerly bought a variety of items: dolls, action figures, board games, music CDs, and even rolling paper. The album titled “The Simpsons Sing the Blues” sold over 2 million copies in the U.S., generating the radio hit “Do the Bartman.” However, this iconic, record-breaking show that’s been on for a long time has faced some criticism as its ratings have dropped like other traditional television shows due to the rise of streaming platforms.

One common complaint among purists is that The Simpsons hasn’t been as good since its 1996-97 season. Some fans have even gone so far as to make extreme threats, such as Mike Scully receiving death threats on a fan site during his tenure as showrunner from 1997 to 2001, with some fans wishing him harm like “may you die in a car crash.

A quick internet search reveals a variety of articles, social media discussions, and YouTube videos from the past decade predicting the end of the show, with titles such as “The Simpsons Has Passed Its Creative Peak by 20 Years,” “What Destroyed The Simpsons?,” “The Simpsons Is Crying Out for an End,” and “How the Internet Has Done In The Simpsons.

I would encourage those who grew up with ‘The Simpsons’ and think it may not be for them anymore to give it another look. The satire and animation quality are still outstanding.” He also expressed pride in the team’s work.

Fuck you.” She added that such comments are offensive to her because they imply a lack of effort from the incredibly hardworking writers, animators, and actors at The Simpsons.

Jean offers a philosophical perspective on the ongoing discussions among dedicated fans who feel that “The Simpsons” is not as great as it once was. He shares his personal insights from being a fan of Star Wars and Marvel, stating, “It’s natural to develop a sense of protectiveness towards something you care about deeply. You may find yourself thinking, ‘They shouldn’t change this character in that way…it should be different.’ Every fervent fan of popular genres tends to behave this way.

It’s fascinating to acknowledge that “The Simpsons” finds itself in unexplored waters. Lately, the series has experienced a revival. As Jesse David Fox pointed out in a glowing 2023 Vulture article, even the skeptics from the No Homers Club fan community, known for criticizing the show’s decline, now admit that “The Simpsons,” in 2023, is experiencing a renaissance.

The latest “Treehouse of Horror” episode, which includes a hilarious spoof of Edgar Allan Poe’s tale “The Fall of the House of Usher,” has even the grumpiest “Simpsons” enthusiast’s heart swell with joy. And after over three decades, Jean remains eager as ever when discussing upcoming episodes. “I penned one that’s about Bart’s first prank and delves into the roots of his mischief,” he shares in a voice reminiscent of a 12-year-old kid bursting with excitement about his new comic book. “So yes, we are constantly seeking fresh ideas to further develop these cherished characters.

The following account comes directly from the latest version of “Time: The Simpsons,” now accessible in both physical stores and online platforms.

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2025-07-24 21:07

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