The Simpsons - Too Hot For TV

Too hot for TV huh? Well nobody told Channel Ten, for these particular episodes – supposedly a tad naughtier than usual - have all been happily aired approximately 50 quintabillion times. Still, any episode of The Simpsons on DVD is pretty much a good thing, especially as these come from later in the show’s run, seasons which at the current rate will never make it to our quite cherished little round and shiny format.

So what exactly is in store naughty bits-wise? Well…

Treehouse of Horror IX (season 10):

Ow, that's gotta hoit!

Snake’s death in Hell Toupee means a hair transplant for Homer. He may look youthful and hunky, however his new follicles have a mind of their own… The Terror of Tiny Toon sees a plutonium-driven remote suck Bart and Lisa into Itchy and Scratchy’s world, while Starship Poopers sees Maggie lose her baby legs – and a certain interstellar indiscretion of Marge’s come to light.

"Holy flurking schnit!" – Kang

The Cartridge Family (season 9):

See you in hell, dinner plate!

After a soccer riot sees a citywide orgy of destruction in Springfield and Mayor Quimby declares mob rule, The Simpsons fear for their security. Before you can say “D’oh!�, Homie’s got a gun, but Marge is less than impressed. When Homer’s usual boobitude threatens the family members’ lives, Marge packs up the kids and moves into a motel – could this be the end for Marge and Homer?

"I don’t have to be careful, I got a gun!" – Homer Simpson

Natural Born Kissers (season 9):

A roll in the hay...

A less than romantic anniversary followed by snuggling which hardly rocks the Casbah leaves Homer and Marge wondering if they’ve lost their sparkle. A routine trip to purchase a new fridge motor and a stuck-in-the-mud-so-need-to-take-cover-in-a-barn experience later, however, sees a fear of being caught in the act rekindle that spark…

"When you think about it, mud is nothin’ but wet dirt." – Homer Simpson

Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy (season 6):

Rex Harrison and Paul Anka rolled into one...

Suspecting things are a bit nonexistent in the boudoir department for Homer and Marge, Grampa concocts a love potion to help Cupid do his stuff. It’s so successful that Marge suggests her beau and father-in-law go into business. Travelling from town to town, the two come across their old home and old wounds are opened. Homer decides to become a better father, much to his kids’ discomfort…

"I got a home remedy that’ll put the zowsers back in your trousers!" – Grampa Simpson

With all these episodes coming later (ish) in The Simpsons run, video quality is pretty good. It’s still full frame (well duh!), but the colour is all well rendered, there’s little in the way of animation guk hanging around and all is decently detailed without lurching into aliasing territory.

As with other kompilations of episodes of The Simpsons all we get is surround enkrusted Dolby Digital 2.0, but then those 5.1 mixes are a tad overrated anyway. There’s little more to say really, all the dialogue is krystal klear and as well-balanced as always with the myriad musikal kues interspersed throughout.

Yipes, we whined about previous discs like this having but short character-based clip compiles, this disc doesn’t even manage to be that generous. All that is hiding away behind the dreadfully dull main menu is a series of trailers, for the first two seasons on DVD plus the previous four compilation releases. Boring!

Oh, a special “Ahoy-hoy!� to the dolt who spelled Grampa’s name “Grandpa� on the main menu, too…

Those with a taste for the slightly more risque will no doubt dig on this compilation; with hopes they remember it’s only a cartoon. Now that we’ve alienated the “Marge is hot� brigade, it may be an idea to get out quick – the vision looks as good as it most likely could, audio’s fine, the “extras� suck and… bye!