Season 23 Information Thread

[6F01]

In the upcoming season, America's favorite family continues to entertain us with their wild and outlandish adventures as Marge becomes a popular food blogger, Homer and Bart write a fantasy novel in the hopes of capitalizing on Tween culture and Krusty gets his own show on a premium cable channel.

Guest stars paying Springfield a visit this season include Michelin-starred celebrity chef and MASTERCHEF judge Gordon Ramsay, legendary comic and talk show host Joan Rivers and Academy Award nominee Andy Garcia.

The "food blogger" plot, we already know is "The Food Wife". The other two are news to me (perhaps Krusty's show will rival Homer's in "Politically Inept..."????? ***speculation***).

And Gordon Ramsay is the only new guest star in this press release. He was rumored to do a voice a couple of seasons ago, but apparently he is confirmed for a future episode now.

Also, it mentions that the 500th episode will be in February.

Here's the link to the full page (though I posted any new information):
http://www.fox.com/programming/shows/?sh=the-simpsons

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

Not gonna lie, if true, the Homer and Bart plot sounds like it could be awesome if executed properly. The others are kinda interesting too...

[Jesse Pinkman]

i know they've been called 'america's favorite family' for like ever now, but... i don't think that's true anymore. might be, but i don't think so.

also, looking forward to the bart/homer novel one. and the 500th episode, even though we know nothing about it, i hope is good. i haven't liked many of their milestone episodes; maybe i will this one

[biffwestwood]

I'll bet Gordon Ramsay will guest star in "The Food Wife"

Bart and Homer writing a fantasy novel will probably be "The Book Job"

One thing I'll say about the "500th episode" (which I'm guessing will air on February 19th) is that I will be most curious about is how it gets its massive promotion regardless of what the quality is of the final product.

[The Governor]

Oh my god, am I encouraging them to go for more milestones.

To quote Lenny: "Shuuuuuuut uuuuuuup!"

One thing I'll say about the "500th episode" (which I'm guessing will air on February 19th) is that I will be most curious about is how it gets its massive promotion regardless of what the quality is of the final product.

The 500th episode could be Homer with his thumb up his ass and Fox would promote it as a "testament" to how the Simpsons just keeps getting better and better.

Not gonna lie, if true, the Homer and Bart plot sounds like it could be awesome if executed properly.

I pick lethal injection.

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

^ I can't tell if you're joke is about dieing rather than watching a new episode or if I used the word execute improperly and look stupid...

[Agent Polar]

Anything can be good when executed properly.

But I'm pretty sure Jake's thing was just a joke.

[Simpsons Forever!]

Karl Pilkington is looking forward to an upcoming appearance on The Simpsons, according to Ricky Gervais:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13468366

[biffwestwood]

In episode 9 of season 4 of Hell's Kitchen, Gordon Ramsay says to Matt Sigel, "Take the Bandana off. It's not The Simpsons, Homer". When I heard that, I figured Gordon Ramsay will some day be guest starring in an episode of The Simpsons.

[The Governor]

In episode 9 of season 4 of Hell's Kitchen, Gordon Ramsay says to Matt Sigel, "Take the Bandana off. It's not The Simpsons, Homer". When I heard that, I figured Gordon Ramsay will some day be guest starring in an episode of The Simpsons.

If somone's on any show that's hot 'now' chances are they'll be on the Simpsons in a year, or so.

[D'ohmer]

In episode 9 of season 4 of Hell's Kitchen, Gordon Ramsay says to Matt Sigel, "Take the Bandana off. It's not The Simpsons, Homer". When I heard that, I figured Gordon Ramsay will some day be guest starring in an episode of The Simpsons.

I remember watching that and thinking it was funny, lol

Is he really going to be in an episode?

[Agent Polar]

Go back a few posts, yo.

[dave9199]

I think I have a new way for The Simpsons to exist into infinity. Move The Simpsons characters to other shows. For example, take the characters out of any animated show and put in The Simpsons and continue the old show's storylines. Now it can exist after Al Jean dies.

[noaizuma]

Im not entirly sure that Al IS alive. I think at this point he may be a construct. Like Mr House from Fallout New Vegas

[The Governor]

Im not entirly sure that Al IS alive. I think at this point he may be a construct. Like Mr House from Fallout New Vegas

He's been replaced by the "AL 3000."

The AL 3000, it writes Puns automatically, it has three distinct varieties of inane chatter, and was aboard a Space Station in 2001.

[Jesse Pinkman]

so, if 'nedna' does the opposite of what jean and everyone else on the show thinks (they have to be leaning towards pro or anti more so than the other), how is it going to work? are they writing/animating like usual, regardless of 'anti nedna' or 'pro nedna'?

I'm going to guess they have both choices animated like the fake endings in "Who Shot Mr. Burns" and if "Nedna" (why does it feel like these two were chosen for a couple because of that pun?) are not the focal point of an upcoming episode besides the result episode, they'll be reclimated to a few lines, or just a few background nods.

[The Governor]

I"m sure the 'result' episode has both outcomes animated. After the premier, they'll have a few lines/scenes that could be edited to make them appear together/separated until the next P-Code starts.

[Jesse Pinkman]

thanks, i've been wondering that ever since this fan iniative was announced

[The Wiggs]

I wonder if they'll actually respect the fans' choice or if they'll just go with whatever they feel's best. I could easily see them doing that.

[Jesse Pinkman]

that would be a really jerk move on their part and i hope they don't do that. i'd be pissed and i'm sure others would

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

No, they'll go with the fans, there's no reason to do this otherwise plus I just don't think the writers are like that.

[The Wiggs]

Well I'm excited for the season premierre. Hopefully Ned and Edna get married sometime soon if not in the season premierre itself.

[Zombies Rise from the Sea]

No, they'll go with the fans, there's no reason to do this otherwise plus I just don't think the writers are like that.

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

That was a terrible idea given by one fan which deserved to be destroyed, this is something all the fans will decide on and involves already existing characters.

[The Wiggs]

That really was a terrible idea when you think about it...

[noaizuma]

Back when they did the who shot mr burns eps; the entire production process was still analog (aka everything was still paper and cels) requiring massive amounts of time for a turn around (hell just the shipping must have been 3 - 4 weeks back and forth). So it not only made sense why they had to animate both endings, but it was probably a necessity.

Today however with the digital pipline, they could easily animate the roughly 2 - 5 minutes of the episode that would need to be specific for vote, in a matter of a week or so. Bam, done, complete in the can with a day or two for post to slip it in and another week or so for it to be reviewed/processed by the various foreign outlets that show it.

Now if it was me as the show-runner, I'd have both versions done in layout, VO and BG/prop. So that the only major step left would be the costly tweening. Even though it's done over-seas for roughly $15 a day doing roughly 1800 drawings for 1 minute of animation isnt cheep...hmm thats about 50 tweener's to do 1 minute/day which is roughly $1000 per day...and thats all being VERY conservative. Rough Draft studios is a premium shop so I'd guess it's closer to $1700)

wow I got kinda rambley there huh

[Jesse Pinkman]

i don't get why people keep bringing up that character. the only similarities between that and 'nedna' are that fans get to vote on it. it's not like they're going to kill of ned or edna, depending on if 'anti' or 'pro' wins

[noaizuma]

I think people keep mentioning it cause it was billed as a contest to make a simpsons character NOT a background character that would simply die within their appearance never to be seen again. This rubbed alot of people the wrong way as the joke could be viewed as a big FU to the fans.
Im not that sensitive but could see why people would be cheesed off by that.

[Dark Homer]

those people should have their simpsons-watching privileges revoked

[Tomacco]

Can't believe episode 500 is already on the horizon. #400 and the movie still feel so recent to me... jesus, that was four years ago already.