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BOX SETS

These are box sets, featuring entire seasons, that have been released with Region 1 ( North America ), Region 2 ( Europe ) and Region 4 ( Australia ) encoding. The first five box sets all have their packaging based around a memorable Couch Gag from the show.


The Complete First Season

This is the first Simpsons box set, released on September 25 , 2001 (R1). It contains all thirteen episodes from the first season, remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1. Although the video quality is generally of a high standard, it is from a broadcast tape and not an original film print, as the show was edited on video. The outer packaging is of the family sitting on the couch with no gag (used a couple of times in Season 1), whereas the inner packaging and the discs feature the family spinning in a vortex.


Episodes

Every episode contains an additional Commentary Audio Track with Matt Groening and usually one or two writers and director of the episode. Season one is on three discs:


=Disc 1



=Disc 2



=Disc 3




Bonus features


:" Bart The General "
:" Moaning Lisa "
:" Some Enchanted Evening "


Easter eggs


These can be played by finding " Easter Eggs ", or hidden menu options in the DVD
  • Bart T-shirt controversy clip from ABC News (accessed by highlighting Bart's T-shirt in the "Extra Features" menu)

  • Still gallery of magazine covers printed during the 1989-1990 season (accessed by highlighting the comic book Bart is holding in the "Art of ''The Simpsons''" menu)



Regional differences

  • In the Region 2 and Region 4 releases, the episode "Moaning Lisa" is on Disc 2 and the episodes "The Crepes of Wrath" and "Krusty Gets Busted" are on Disc 3. There is also no commentary on the "Some Enchanted Evening" deleted scenes.


  • Packaging - The Region 2 version has The Simpsons' logo written in yellow rather than the red of Region 1. The spine also features the whole bodies of Bart and Lisa rather than just their heads.



The Complete Second Season

This box set was released on August 6 , 2002 (R1). It was the second box set to be released, coming about a year after the First Season . The packaging is based on the couch gag where the family come in with their heads on the wrong bodies. Each disc's picture features a Simpson's body with only the head cut out of it, due to the disc losing space for it (on purpose). The picture behind each disc, when you take the disc off of its centered holder in the package, shows the Simpson sitting at a table with three other Springfield residents. Before each disc loads to its main menu, it shows the four Springfield residents from the disc's picture behind it (in the package), and their heads are not on the right bodies. You have to click on the hand in the center three times before the heads are on the right bodies, and the main menu will also appear at that time. The main menu for each disc has each preceding episode below each other.


Episodes

All episodes contain commentaries with Matt Groening , writers Al Jean and Mike Reiss , and various directors. Season two is on four discs:


=Disc 1



=Disc 2



=Disc 3



=Disc 4



Bonus features


:" Deep, Deep Trouble "

:" Bart Vs. Thanksgiving "
  • Numerous drawings and sketches



Easter eggs


  • Thank you message to David Silverman for providing early sketches and drawings (accessed by highlighting Blinky in the "Language Selection" menu of "Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish")

  • Four bizarre drawings of Bart's head (accessed by highlighting the torn quilt that Santa's Little Helper is chewing on in the "Language Selection" menu of "Bart's Dog Gets an F")

  • Gag drawing of Grampa (accessed by highlighting Grampa's Fez in the root menu of "Old Money")

  • Model design sheet for Mr. Burns (accessed by highlighting the picture frame in the "Language Selection" menu of "Brush with Greatness")

  • Odd drawing of Bart, Milhouse and Martin (accessed by highlighting the Baseball Card Comic Book Guy is holding in the "Language Selection" menu of "Three Men and a Comic Book")

  • Acting poses of Homer for the "Living in a World of Make Believe" sequence (accessed by highlighting the statue's eyes in the "Language Selection" menu of "Blood Feud")



The Complete Third Season

This box set was released on August 26 , 2003 (R1). It contains all 24 episodes from season three plus additional bonus material. The packaging theme is based on the couch gag where the couch tips back and the family fall through the back wall. This was the first box set to have a "Play All" feature, which enabled the viewer to watch all episodes on one disc sequentially, without having to browse through menus. The main menu features the Simpsons sitting on their couch, but every other menu has all yellow letters/characters with a completely black background. Each preceding selection for each of those menus are below each other, save for the general selections ("back to main menu", "back to episode menu", "resume episode", etc.), which are in a horizontal line formation at the bottom of each menu.


Episodes

Season three is on four discs:


=Disc 1



=Disc 2



=Disc 3



=Disc 4



Bonus features



Easter Eggs


The following episodes contain a fifth audio track with an alternate single person commentary. It can be accessed by either entering "10" on the remote on the "Special Features" menu of each episode or by switching to audio track five with the DVD player's remote while playing the episode:
  • "Stark Raving Dad" with Mike Reiss

  • "Lisa's Pony" with Mike Reiss

  • "Bart the Lover" with Al Jean

  • "Separate Vocations" with Al Jean


Audio outtakes that can be accessed from the main menu of disc three by entering "84763" (the price that appears on the cash register during the opening sequence of ''The Simpsons'') and waiting for the menu to reload after each number.

Thirteen random drawings by the animators can be seen by entering 7, 4, 2 and pressing enter after each number on the remote in the "Special Features" menu of disc four.


The Complete Fourth Season

This box set was released on June 15 , 2004 in North America. It contains all 22 episodes from season four in addition to numerous bonus features. The packaging theme this time is of all the citizens of Springfield invading the couch gag (and the rest of the box). This set is noted to have an improved menu system over Seasons 1-3. All menus have a random animation that will play when a menu option is selected, but this animation can now be skipped by pressing the "next chapter" button on the DVD player's remote.


Episodes


Season four is on four discs:


=Disc 1



=Disc 2



=Disc 3



=Disc 4



Bonus features



Easter eggs


  • A bonus audio commentary with Conan O'Brien on " Marge Vs. The Monorail " can be accessed by either entering "150" on the remote in the episode's "Extras" menu and clicking on the microphone or by switching to the fifth audio track while playing the episode.

  • Hidden sketches of Homer can be accessed by entering "240" on the remote in the "Extras" menu of " Homer's Triple Bypass " and clicking on the pencil that appears.

  • Hidden sketches of Krusty can be accessed by entering "35" on the remote in the "Extras" menu of " Krusty Gets Kancelled " and clicking on the pencil that appears.



The Complete Fifth Season

This box set was released on December 21 , 2004 in North America, only six months after Season 4. It was released in the UK and Ireland on March 21 , 2005 and March 23 , 2005 in Australia . It contains all 22 episodes from season five, and has the memorable extra-long circus couch gag as its main packaging theme. It's main menu format features a picture at the top half of the page based on an episode it contains, with various things happening in it. The bottom half of the page contains each episode with a "play" button next to it, and a "plus" button that goes to the episode's menu. Each episode's menu is exactly the same way.


Episodes


Season Five is on four discs:


=Disc 1



=Disc 2



=Disc 3



=Disc 4



Bonus Features

  • Commercials

  • Animation Showcases

  • Special Langauge Feture

  • A Look Back with James L. Brooks

  • Deleted Scenes

  • Commentary on all Episodes



Easter Eggs

  • You can highlight certain objects on each of the main menus to see some extra animation.

  • The menu for "Deep Space Homer" contains a hidden outtake of James Taylor recording the version of "Fire and Rain" that appears in the episode.

  • On Disc 4, on the "Art and Animations" menu, you can higlight the 100 episode banner to hear a secret commentary on the animatic. (Can also be acssesed by using the 'Audio' button on the animatic.)

  • On every disc, except Disc 1, if you go to an episode with no deleted scenes and press the "Subtitle" button, you will find hidden subtitles that will apear on all the episodes on that disc.



The Complete Sixth Season

This box set was released on August 16 , 2005 in North America and October 17 2005 in the UK and Ireland. It contains all 25 episodes from season six. The couch gag packaging was discontinued as of this season, instead having separate themes for each box set. The Sixth Season's overall theme is " Who Shot Mr. Burns? ", the only ever Simpsons Cliffhanger . The menus continue the format from The Complete Fifth Season.


Episodes



=Disc 1



=Disc 2



=Disc 3



=Disc 4



Bonus features

  • Commentary on all episodes

  • Deleted scenes

  • Springfield's Most Wanted TV special

  • Commercials

  • The Simpsons Promotional Plane footage

  • Animation Showcases

  • Special Language Featurette



Easter eggs

  • On all episode menus, you can highlight the episode number after you watched at least one second of the episode. Usually it will just continue, but on "Treehouse of Horror V," you will see an eye peek through the logo that says "Season Six Disc One." Also, on "Who Shot Mr. Burns (part one)" some gun shots will appear through the menu.

  • A drawing of the Simpsons' house made out of squirrels (a cut scene from "Treehouse of Horror V") can be accessed by highlighting the 'Play All Deleted Scenes With Commentary' option from the Extras menu of Disc 4, pressing Right, and selecting the pencil icon.

  • On Discs 2 and 4, if you go to an episode with no deleted scenes, and press the "Subtitle" button, you can get hidden subtitles that show up on all the episodes on that disc.



Box controversy


The new design model for Season 6 has created controversy among ''Simpsons'' DVD collectors. Most do not have a problem with the box itself, the problem stems from the fact that a sense of uniformity in the DVD collection is now lost.

A flyer included in the set directs purchasers to a website which allows those disaffected with the "Homer's Head" design to receive (for $2.95 US or $4.95 CA shipping) a box for the season which will be uniform. The website (and flyer inside the DVD set) is vaguely and humorously insulting to consumers who are "afraid of change" and are "anal retentive who want their DVD boxes to line up on the shelf."

It was announced on August 25 2005 that the UK release on October 17 2005 would have two covers - the Homer head would be limited edition and only 50,000 would be released. The alternate cover art was speculated to also be the USA alternative cover art. Copies of the alternative box began arriving to the USA in late September 2005 , and it was indeed the black 'Homer magnifying glass' box. However, there have still been complaints - the fact that it doesn't have a Couch Gag , that the 'Homer head' innards must be placed inside, thus it is different from past sets, the fact that the box falls apart easily and that, overall, it is not an "old-style just-like-before box" as the flyer quoted.


The Complete Seventh Season

The Complete Seventh Season was released on December 13 , 2005 in North America and January 27 , 2006 in Ireland on January 30 , 2006 in the UK and in Australia on March 29 , 2006 . The set was released in two different covers: a Marge head to match the Homer head of Season 6, and also a regular-shaped box. The menus continue the same format from the Complete Fifth and Sixth Seasons, and the overall theme (menus, packaging etc.) is that of a movie premiere, but unlike season 6, you cannot get both of the box designs unless you buy one of each at full price. The episodes on the DVD set are:


Episodes



=Disc 1




=Disc 2



=Disc 3



=Disc 4



Bonus features

  • Introduction by Matt Groening

  • Commentaries on all episodes

  • Deleted Scenes for 15 of the episodes

  • Featurette - "Homer in the 3rd Dimension"

  • Featurette - "Paul and Linda's Lentil Soup"

  • Illustrated commentaries

  • Art and animation features


Audio outtakes by Kelsey Grammer were also mentioned in the official press release, however these are not featured on the set.


The Complete Eighth Season

The Complete Eighth Season is expected to be released in the U.S. in mid-2006. The set will be released in two different forms: a Lisa -shaped head to match the Homer and Marge shaped heads of the previous two sets and also a standard rectangular shaped box. Like ''The Complete Seventh Season'', both box set versions will be available for sale separately. The episodes on the DVD set are:


Episodes



Bonus features

  • Commentary On All Episodes



Future Complete Seasons


Fox Home Entertainment has stated that seasons 6-10 will use the new 'Simpsons heads' theme. In July 2005, a photo of the next four season sets appeared on the Internet . According to this, Season 8 will feature the head of Lisa; Season 9, Maggie; and Season 10, Bart. However, these are only preliminary designs and are not final (compare the Homer above with the official Season 6 box, and the fact that the Marge head above is on a yellow box, whereas the official Season 7 box is blue).


INDIVIDUAL


Region 1

These DVDs all have Dolby Digital 2.0 audio and are available with English, Spanish and French audio tracks.

The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror


This DVD was released on September 2 , 2003 and contains four Halloween episodes.
This features the episodes.


Christmas with the Simpsons


This DVD was released on October 14 , 2003 . It contains five Christmas or winter themed episodes from various seasons.


The Simpsons Gone Wild


This DVD was released on September 14 , 2004 . It contains four party themed episodes from different seasons.


The Simpsons Christmas 2


This DVD was released on November 2 , 2004 and contains four Christmas themed episodes.


Bart Wars


This DVD was released on ''. Its four episodes are preceded by a featurette on references to ''Star Wars'' in ''The Simpsons''.


The Simpsons Kiss and Tell: The Story of Their Love


This DVD was released on February 7 , 2006 , a week before Valentine's Day . It contains four episodes related to Homer and Marge's relationship.


Region 2/4


The Simpsons Film Festival


This DVD was released on April 1 , 2002 and contains movie themed episodes.


The Simpsons Backstage Pass


This DVD was released on May 20 , 2002 and contains four musically themed episodes.

However, the VHS release did not contain the episode Homer's Barbershop Quartet , but was replaced with the more recent episode New Kids On The Bleech .


The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror


This DVD was released on October 28 , 2002 and contains four Halloween episodes.


The Simpsons Risky Business


This DVD was released on April 7 , 2003 and contains four work themed episodes.


The Simpsons Gone Wild


This DVD was released on May 20 , 2003 and contains four party themed episodes.


Christmas With The Simpsons


This DVD was released on November 3 , 2003 and contains five Christmas episodes.


The Simpsons Christmas 2


This DVD was released on October 25 , 2004 and contains yet another four Christmas episodes.


The Simpsons: Around The World In 80 D'OHS


This DVD was released on July 6 , 2005 and contains four 'travel' themed episodes.


The Simpsons Christmas Collection

This DVD is a combination of Christmas With The Simpsons and Christmas 2. It was released on November 23 , 2005 and contains nine Christmas themed episodes over two discs.


The Simpsons Kiss and Tell: The Story of Their Love


This DVD was released on February 6 , 2006 , unusually one day before the Region 1 release. It contains four episodes related to Homer and Marge's relationship.


The Simpsons Classics: Series One

On September 8 , 2003 , five Simpsons DVDs were released, each having been released years back on VHS format.


=Bart Wars - The Simpsons Strike Back




=The Dark Secrets of the Simpsons



=The Simpsons: Greatest Hits



=The Simpsons Go To Hollywood



=The Simpsons: Too Hot For TV



The Simpsons Classics: Series Two

On August 16 , 2004 , another five Simpsons DVDs were released, all once being released on VHS format.


=The Simpsons Against The World



=The Simpsons: Heaven and Hell



=The Simpsons: On Your Marks, Get Set, D'oh!



=Sex, Lies and the Simpsons



=The Simpsons.com


The DVD release's order is actually:
Treehouse of Horror X
Homer Goes To College
Das Bus
Itchy & Scratchy Land
(or at least it is in Australia)


The Simpsons Classics: Series Three

On April 18 , 2005 , yet another five Simpsons DVDs were released, each having been released years back on VHS format.


=The Simpsons: Crime and Punishment



=The Simpsons: Springfield Murder Mysteries



=The Simpsons: Raiders Of The Lost Fridge



=Viva Los Simpsons



=The Simpsons: The Last Temptation of Homer


Note that this leaves ''Love, Springfield Style'' as the only Simpsons VHS not to receive the "Classic" treatment as of right now. It was also the last VHS-only release. The VHS was released in the US , Canada , Australia , UK , Japan and China .