Review of Simpsons, The: Against The World

Introduction

This is a themed collection of four episodes of The Simpsons. I wish there was more to recommend this release, as the series is one of the most ground-breaking and genuinely entertaining ever to grace the small screen. Unfortunately, this disc is an enormous disappointment. The contents are listed above, so I`ll not waste space by repeating them.

The episodes on this disc are among the classics of the series. Face it, The Simpsons have more classic episodes than most shows have ordinary episodes. The show is in its sixteenth season. Not bad for something that started as a filler in The Tracey Ullman Show (which was edited out of UK transmissions of that show). The Simpsons number to date 342 episodes. That`s going to be a lot of discs.

The problem with this disc is that all you`re getting are four episodes and two trailers. The Season box sets are much better value, although you may be waiting some time for some of the episodes on this disc to turn up in season packs. Season Four has been the most recent release.

Homer Vs Lisa and the 8th Commandment - This was episode 13 of season 2. This is the free cable tv episode, where Lisa faces a crisis of conscience over Homer`s getting cable tv hooked up for free.

Marge Vs The Monorail - Episode 12 of Season 4. This is a real classic with the late Phil Hartman providing the voice of huckster Lyle Lanley. Standout moments are the riff on the Flintstones theme at the start with Homer singing "Simpson, Homer Simpson. He`s the greatest guy in history. From the town of Springfield, he`s about to hit a chestnut tree. Eeek!"; Homer getting a job as a monorail driver.

Bart Vs Australia - Episode 16 of Season 6. Another classic. Chockablock with fine insults to our antipodean cousins, Crocodile Dundee jokes and Homer being a total goof.

Homer Vs Patty and Selma - Episode 17 of Season 6. Not so much of a classic. Patty and Selma (Marge`s elder sisters) hold a debt over Homer`s head after he loses everything on Pumpkin futures (he reckons the market will peak in January).

Video

The episodes are presented in their original 4:3. Picture quality is slightly soft in comparison with Sky transmissions.

Audio

The episodes come with Dolby 2.0 Surround sound.

Features

Two trailers - The Simpsons Generic Trailer and the Simpsons Season Three trailer. Both trailers are accessible from the main episode menu via a "trailer" tab on each episode.

Annoyingly, when you put the disc in, you get four copyright notices before the Fox logo comes up. The English copyright notice runs before each episode, and you get nine copyright messages after each episode. We get the message, okay??

Conclusion

The Simpsons is a classic tv show, and the episodes on this disc are classics in themselves, but are four twenty-minute cartoons on a single disc worth the money? I have my doubts. As a taster to the series, or if you`re after the specific episodes on the disc, then you can`t complain but compared with the season box sets they`re a trifle overpriced.