The Simpsons
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The Simpsons was a television programme.
At his flat, Martin and Trix MacMillan drank tea from Simpsons mugs. (PROSE: The Tomorrow Windows)
Several specimens of the construct known as Cuddlesomes could be heard to use catchphrases like "Ay Caramba!" and "Eat my shorts". (AUDIO: Cuddlesome)
Whilst outside the Railway Station giving away tickets for the museum, Odd Bob received an insult from one kid saying "Take a hike, Krusty!" (TV: The Day of the Clown)
Two Martian colonies established in the 23rd century, perhaps by coincidence, were named Springfield and neighboured Shelbyville. (PROSE: GodEngine)
At Ood Operations in 4126, there were various settings for the way Ood could speak, including "D'oh!" (TV: Planet of the Ood)
Sam Jones said "D'oh!" as well, in her case when confronted by a vampire. (PROSE: Vampire Science)
Someone resembling Bart Simpson attended Bonjaxx's birthday party on Maruthea. (COMIC: Party Animals)
Another Bart Simpson look-alike was eaten by the Rigellan Hyper-Kraken on Enormous Storage Co.. (COMIC: Space Invaders!)
When asked by her teacher, Mr Selby, who her role model was, Sam Jones replied, "Lisa Simpson". (PROSE: Vampire Science)
Behind the scenes
The series was created by Matt Groening, who also created Futurama.
The show's first ever full episode, Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire, premiered in the United States on 17 December 1989, just over a week after the "classic" run of Doctor Who concluded with the third part of Survival.
For one week in 1996, Doctor Who and The Simpsons shared the same network of origin in the United States, when the co-produced TV movie aired.
In the United Kingdom, the BBC held the terrestrial broadcast rights to The Simpsons from 1996 to 2004, where it aired on BBC One and, primarily, on BBC Two. The rights transferred to Channel 4 from 2004 onward.
Titan Publishing Group is currently the UK publisher of Simpsons Comics.
Over the show's long run, The Simpsons has made several references to Doctor Who and its related universe, and as such is one of the few American-produced series to include such references. Doctor Who has often been mentioned by the Comic Book Guy.
There have been several explicit references to Doctor Who within episodes of The Simpsons in the episodes;
- In 1995's Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming, a caricature of the Fourth Doctor appears as a representative of television.
- In 1998's Mayored to the Mob, Tom Baker, who is in costume as the Fourth Doctor, gives his autograph to the children in Bi-Mon-Sci-Fi-Con science-fiction convention.
- Bart the Fink, where Comic Book Guy unambiguously refers to a "Doctor Who (episode watching) marathon".
- In Springfield Up, Homer refers to a character voiced by Eric Idle as "Doctor Who".
- In Treehouse of Horror X, Comic Book Guy has the Fourth Doctor concealed in a plastic bag, along with many other characters. He introduces the Doctor as "Doctor Who".
- In Holidays of Future Passed, London is patrolled by bobby-wearing Daleks.
- In the season 24 episode Love is a Many Splintered Thing, Alfred Hitchcock pilots the TARDIS in a British movie the kicked out men were watching.
- In The Day the Earth Stood Cool, an outline of a Dalek can be seen in the bottom of T-Rex's drawer.
In 1996, writers Gary Russell & Gareth Roberts wrote together the book I Can't Believe It's an Unofficial Simpsons Guide.[1]
The Simpsons, along with Doctor Who and various other franchises, appear together in the 2015 video game LEGO Dimensions.
Cast connections
The show's voice cast consists of six main actors who appear across almost every episode, typically voicing multiple characters each. Among this voice cast is Dan Castellaneta, who primarily voices the titular family's patriarch, Homer Simpson, as well as multiple of other reoccurring and side characters. Archival recordings of Castellaneta's various performances are used within the video game LEGO Dimensions. Indeed, one of Homer's voice clips ("Who are you?") can only be triggered when he is paired with the Doctor during gameplay.
The show is also known for its long list of guest stars.
- Ian McKellen played himself in the Season 15 episode "The Regina Monologues".
- Ricky Gervais played a character modelled on himself, Charles Heathbar, in the Season 17 episode "Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife" (which he also wrote), and himself in the Season 22 episode "Angry Dad: The Movie".
- The latter episode also featured Russell Brand as himself.
- Neil Gaiman played himself in the Season 23 episode "The Book Job", and as the Simpson family cat, Snowball II, in Season 29's "Treehouse of Horror XXVIII" (in the "Coralisa" segment).
- Richard Dawkins played a parodical version of himself in the Season 24 episode "Black Eyed, Please".
- Michael Sheen played the character William Masters in the Season 28 episode "Kamp Krustier".
- Peter Serafinowicz played the Google-Disney CEO in the Season 30 episode "Krusty the Clown".
- Jennifer Saunders played the character Phoebe Pratt in the Season 28 episode "Looking for Mr. Goodbart".
