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"The Simpsons" Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire (1989)
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Overview
User Rating:
TV Series:
"The Simpsons" (1989)Original Air Date:
17 December 1989 (Season 1, Episode 1)Tagline:
Twas the Week Before Christmas and Fate Played a Joke. No Tree and No Presents, Homer was Broke!Plot:
Christmas seems doomed for the Simpson family when Homer receives no Christmas Bonus. Homer becomes a mall Santa Claus, hoping to make money and bring Marge, Bart, Lisa, and baby Maggie, a happy holiday. full summary | full synopsisAwards:
Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. moreUser Comments:
Not the Simpsons of later years but still enjoyable with an amusing air to it more (14 total)Cast
(Episode Complete credited cast) | Dan Castellaneta | ... | Homer Simpson / Barney Gumble / Elf Moldy / Grampa Simpson (voice) |
 | Julie Kavner | ... | Marge Simpson / Patty Bouvier / Selma Bouvier (voice) |
 | Nancy Cartwright | ... | Bart Simpson / Ralph Wiggum / SNPP employee / Radio singing voice / Boy / Lewis / Cashier / Elf Bubbles (voice) |
 | Yeardley Smith | ... | Lisa Simpson (voice) |
 | Harry Shearer | ... | Principal Seymour Skinner / Mr. Largo / Ned Flanders / Tattoo Guy / Waylon Smithers / Dr. Zitofsky / Loudspeaker voice in shop / Santa Clause Manager / Santa Class Teacher / Announcer / Clerk (voice) |
 | Hank Azaria | ... | Moe Szyslak (voice) |
| Jo Ann Harris | ... | Girl (voice) |
| Pamela Hayden | ... | Santa Clause Girl / Todd Flanders / Santa Clause Woman / Milhouse van Houten / Son (voice) |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parentsRuntime:
30 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
ColorFun Stuff
Trivia:
At the end, the copyright says 1990. moreGoofs:
Continuity: When Marge tells Homer to close his eyes as she takes out the money jar, her necklace is red. When she takes it out of her hair in the next shot, the necklace is white. moreQuotes:
Marge: You will not be getting a tattoo for Christmas.Homer: Yeah, if you want one, you'll have to pay for it our of your own allowance.
Bart: All right!
Marge: Homer!
more
Soundtrack:
Winter Wonderland moreFAQ
How old does Bart Simpson tell the guy at "The Happy Sailor Tattoo Parlor" he is so that he can get a tattoo?What is the Simpson's cat's name and how did the cat die & what is the name of the Simpson's second cat?
What Christmas song do the fourth graders at Springfield Elementary School sing?
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more (14 total)
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When Bart gets a tattoo, Marge is forced to spend the family Christmas money on getting it removed; but at least they'll have Homer's Christmas bonus to cover them. However there is no bonus to be had, but Homer is too proud to admit it and sets out to take up an extra job to somehow try and save Christmas for the Simpsons.
The pilot for one of the most successful shows on television is a remarkably assured affair. Going from the rough shorts on the Tracey Ullman show to this, the jump is impressive and, although it is not as good as it would become a couple of series later, it is still unmistakably The Simpsons. The plot is pretty much the reliable turn to Homer trying to do things right while failing at the same time, it is not as sharp a comedy as later episodes and not as clever but it is still an enjoyable Christmas special with a gentle comedy. The message about the Christmas spirit is nothing that new but it is quite refreshingly free of sentimentality.
The characters are not quite the Simpsons that I have gotten used to but they are still OK. Homer is more a lovable dolt rather than the bitter, angry dolt that I personally prefer; Marge is a simple loving mother while Bart is naughty but still just a boy. Lisa is Lisa from the start and I enjoyed seeing the cast of support characters at their starting points (Barnie, Moe, Grandpa, Marge's sisters etc) but this is not the episode to come to looking for the characters you know from later episodes. Matching the characters, the voice work is not as strong and sharp as it would be later – most noticeably Homer is slower and thicker in his voice than later.
Overall though, this is a surprisingly solid first full showing for The Simpsons. It isn't the programme that it would become in several series time but it is still an enjoyable Christmas special with some good laughs and a general air of humour to it.