The Simpsons - Greatest Hits

When it comes to the traditional kind of ‘greatest hits’ compilations, music ones, it’s really a no-brainer. Just chuck on all the hittiest hit singles, press it up, spit it onto the market and watch it sell like nuts. But when it comes to an affair labelled as such that involves a television show – one which has thus far clocked up more episodes in its life than your average drama queen – it becomes a much trickier prospect; after all, everybody has a different selection of favourite episodes. So how do you solve such a conundrum? Easy, pick a few milestone episodes, plop ’em on a disc and… you guessed it… spit it onto the market. Still, at least there's some sign of effort here; brief introductions explaining the importance of the episodes included have been sticky-taped to the start of each show.

So what particular milestones are in store here? Well, we’ll assume nerdier fans of The Simpsons will already know, simply by having peeked at the episode list. While they’re off chortling to themselves, those who have lives may wish to know that we get the first ever episode, the 100th and 200th shows, the highest rating episode to date (in America at least) and finally the one where Magaggie first spoke.

Itching (and scratching) for more details? Well, read on dear peruser, read on!...

Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire (season 1):

Stupid dog!

When Homer leaves the plant at Christmas bonus-free he’s counting on Marge’s saved pressie money. With that having been spent on tattoo removal for Bart, however, Homer desperately seeks extra work – becoming a secret store Santa. Upon receiving next to nothing after taxes and all that other crap that robs us of our earnings, Homer heads to the greyhound track with the only one who knows his secret in tow, Bart. They come home with the best Christmas present imaginable…

"There’s only one fat guy who brings us presents and his name ain't Santa" – Bart Simpson

Sweet Seymour Skinner’s Baadasssss Song (season 5):

It's not what you may think...

Desperate for something to show and tell, Bart drags Santa’s Little Helper along to school. When he escapes into the ventilation system, and plops into Superintendent Chalmer’s lap during an inspection, Principal Skinner gets his marching orders, to be replaced by Neddily Ned Flanders. Seymour then finds help regaining his old job from a most unexpected source…

"There’s nary an animal alive that can outrun a greased Scotsman!" – Willy

Trash of the Titans (season 9):

"In the name of love..."

When Homer alienates the local garbage collectors – on ‘Love Day’ no less – the refuse starts piling up around casa Simpson. Refusing to apologise, Homer opts for fighting City Hall, running for sanitation commissioner and eventually winning on a platform that asks “Can’t somebody else do it?�. His solution to a budgetary crisis, however, has icky consequences…

"I never apologise, Lisa. I’m sorry, but that’s the way I am." – Homer Simpson

Bart Gets an F (season 2):

Hitting the books...

Bart’s flunking history, doing so badly in fact that he’s staring down the barrel of repeating fourth grade – hell, even cheating hasn’t avoided the dreaded ‘F’! After creating a monster out of Martin rather than receiving study help and praying for divine intervention, he eventually knuckles down to study, only to flunk again – that is until Mrs. Krabappel realises he may have learned more than either of them first thought…

"Prayer, the last refuge of the scoundrel." – Lisa Simpson

Lisa’s First Word (season 4):

Bart! Bart! Bart! Bart! Bart!

We flash back to the spring of ’83, when Bart was an only child until… Marge becomes pregnant with Lisa. Marge and Homer search for, and eventually find, a larger home, while Bart enters his terrible twos (back in the days when he actually aged). When Lisa is born Bartholomew is less than enamoured with his new sister, that is until Lisa utters her very first word…

"Wow! A baby AND a free burger – could this be the best day of my life?" – Homer Simpson

Well, by now you shouldn’t require a Frink-sized brain-like thingy to know the deal with this visual thing. Earlier episodes, such as Simpsons Roasting… and Bart Gets an F have their fair share of blah bits – animation glitches, cel glunk, occasional speckles and blobs – but it all lessens in a neat curvy-type thing as the episodes become newer. Hence, Trash of the Titans is by far the spiffiest looking episode here. Now please excuse me, I’m off to follow my true calling, that of rocket scientist…

More episodes = more Dolby Digital stereo with surroundy bits. It’s a simple equation which by now we’re very familiar with – and it all does its job decently enough. After all, this is how the eps were originally aired. Theres’ little else to say without waffling on (MMMmmm… waffling!) – synch follows the standard cartoon rule, music is good and well balanced with the dialogue, blah blah blahblah blahblahblah…

What?! Just cruddy trailers for seasons one and two of The Simpsons on DVD plus four other compilation releases? Oh cruel DVD god (or goddess, natch), why do you forsake us so?!

Yes, we could all form our own ‘greatest hits’ lists in seconds - Lisa’s Substitute, Bart the Murderer, Last Exit to Springfield, Selma’s Choice, Homie the Clown - however Fox have saved their butts from a fan-led revolt by simply plumping for important episodes in the show’s rather illustrious history. Vision varies, however it’s basically as good as it will get, sound’s decent enough and once again the extras blow chunks, not to mention that any fan will have two of the episodes already in complete season box sets (oops, too late, I mentioned it). Still, if it’s a short, sharp shock of classic Simpsons you’re after, this little MMMmmm… shiny platter may very well do the trick.