The Simpsons (season 17)

The seventeenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons began airing on Sunday, September 11, 2005, and finished airing on Sunday, May 21, 2006. It broke Fox's tradition of pushing its shows' season premieres back to November to accommodate the Major League Baseball games airing on the network during September and October of each year.[1] Season 17 was released on DVD and Blu-ray in Region 1 on December 2, 2014, Region 2 on December 1, 2014, and Region 4 on December 3, 2014.

The Simpsons
Season 17
DVD cover featuring Sideshow Bob
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes22
Release
Original networkFox
Original releaseSeptember 11, 2005 (2005-09-11) –
May 21, 2006 (2006-05-21)
Season chronology

Production

Al Jean remained show runner, with this being his fifth year in the position since he started it in season 13, while the season was produced by Gracie Films and 20th Century Fox Television. David Silverman was the supervising director of animation. New writers included Patric Verrone (previously a writer for The Critic, Futurama, and current president of the Writers Guild of America, Western Division), Daniel Chun, and Stephane Gillis. During this season, there were no episodes that aired during the month of October.

Seven hold-over episodes from the season 16 (GABF) production line aired as part of this season. One of these episodes, "The Girl Who Slept Too Little", was intended to air as the season 16 finale on May 15, 2005, but after "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Guest Star", an episode satirizing the Catholic Church, was postponed due to Pope John Paul II's death, it was moved into this season.[2]

Reception

Reviews

The season was met with mixed-to-positive reviews. Jeffry Kauffman of Blu-ray.com gave the season 4/5. He said the season was "arguably an incremental step downward" but he still thought "There are still delights galore to be sampled throughout the season,"[3] Shadowlocked gave the season 4/5 stars. Luke Connolly said that the season did a great job at tying things together and praised "Girls Just Want to have Sums" and "We're on the Road to D'ohwhere" as highlights. He concluded by saying "While season 17 shows its age in certain places, its continual pursuit of originality and familiar comedy more than makes up for this, and one cannot help but be impressed."[4] Fanboy Nation's Sean Mukvihill was positive on the season saying "Even though it isn't as a great as it once was, the show still boast some very clever writing and the best voice cast of any animated program in history."[5] Capsule Computers was more critical of the season giving the season 5.5/10 and commented "As a long time fan of the early Simpsons that involved great episodes with hilarious, tightly developed plots, it is hard to stomach what the show has become."[6] Spotlight Report gave the season 3.0/5 criticizing that it wasn't as funny as previous seasons.[7]

Awards

"The Seemingly Neverending Story" won an Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program, the first Simpsons episode to win since season 14's "Three Gays of the Condo" and the ninth time in the history of the show.[8] Kelsey Grammer received the Emmy for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance for "The Italian Bob".[9]

Nielsen ratings

The show ranked 56th in the seasonal ratings tied with Invasion, America's Funniest Home Videos, and The Amazing Race with a viewership 9.2 million viewers and an 18–49 Nielsen Rating of 4.4/11.[10]

Episodes
See also: List of The Simpsons episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code		U.S. viewers
(millions)
3571"The Bonfire of the Manatees"Mark KirklandDan GreaneySeptember 11, 2005 (2005-09-11)GABF1811.10[11]
When Homer allows Fat Tony to shoot an explicit movie in the Simpson home, angry Marge leaves and meets Caleb Thorn, an attractive marine biologist.[12]
Guest star: Alec Baldwin as Caleb Thorn
3582"The Girl Who Slept Too Little"Raymond S. PersiJohn FrinkSeptember 18, 2005 (2005-09-18)GABF1610.00[13]
When a graveyard is relocated to the lot next to the Simpsons, Lisa has nightmares that prevent her from sleeping.[14]
3593"Milhouse of Sand and Fog"Steven Dean MoorePatric VerroneSeptember 25, 2005 (2005-09-25)GABF1910.46[15]
When Maggie gets chicken pox, Homer tries to capitalize on it by throwing a pox party and inviting parents to infect their children. At the party, Milhouse's parents get back together, but Milhouse feels neglected and Bart helps break them up again.[16]
3604"Treehouse of Horror XVI"David SilvermanMarc WilmoreNovember 6, 2005 (2005-11-06)GABF1711.66[17]
B.I. Bartificial Intelligence – Bart falls into a coma after trying to jump into the swimming pool at Patty and Selma's apartment complex. With Bart incapacitated, the Simpsons buy a robot son, who proves to be a better son than Bart ever was, leaving the real Bart to befriend a group of traveling robots.
Survival of the Fattest – Mr. Burns hunts down Homer and a small collection of male ancillary characters as part of a new reality show called "The World Series of Manslaughter."
I've Grown a Costume on Your Face – After she loses a Halloween costume contest, a witch turns the townspeople into their Halloween costumes, and Lisa (who is now Albert Einstein) finds out that Maggie (who is dressed as a witch) is the key to revert the spell.[18]
Guest stars: Terry Bradshaw and Dennis Rodman
3615"Marge's Son Poisoning"Mike B. AndersonDaniel ChunNovember 13, 2005 (2005-11-13)GABF2011.41[19]
Realizing that Marge is lonely, Bart decides to spend extra time with her, causing his classmates to call him a mama's boy. Meanwhile, Homer begins exercising and becomes an arm wrestler, with Moe as his coach.[20]
3626"See Homer Run"Nancy KruseStephanie GillisNovember 20, 2005 (2005-11-20)GABF2110.31[21]
Homer's reaction to Lisa's Father's Day book causes her to develop a disappointment disorder. To get her respect back, Homer dresses up as a mascot known as the Safety Salamander.[22]
3637"The Last of the Red Hat Mamas"Matthew NastukJoel H. CohenNovember 27, 2005 (2005-11-27)GABF2211.46[23]
Looking for new friends, Marge joins a group of women, whom she gets along with. However, she is conflicted when they plan a heist on Mr. Burns's mansion.[24]
Guest Star: Lily Tomlin
3648"The Italian Bob"Mark KirklandJohn FrinkDecember 11, 2005 (2005-12-11)HABF0210.30[25]
Homer brings the whole family along when he is sent to Italy to pick up a new sports car for Mr. Burns. There, he runs into Sideshow Bob and his family.[26]
Guest Stars: Maria Grazia Cucinotta and Kelsey Grammer
3659"Simpsons Christmas Stories"Steven Dean MooreDon PayneDecember 18, 2005 (2005-12-18)HABF019.93[27]
The Simpsons re-enact the Nativity; a World War II tale stars Grampa, Mr. Burns, and Santa; a musical features "The Nutcracker Suite."[28]
36610"Homer's Paternity Coot"Mike B. AndersonJoel H. CohenJanuary 8, 2006 (2006-01-08)HABF0310.11[29]
Marge's rage against the new toll road system leads to the discovery of a frozen mailman and his 40-year-old mail. A letter addressed to Abe Simpson shows that Homer is not his son, and Homer sets out to find his real father.[30]
Guest Stars: Michael York, William H. Macy and Joe Frazier
36711"We're on the Road to D'ohwhere"Nancy KruseKevin CurranJanuary 29, 2006 (2006-01-29)HABF048.97[31]
After Bart steals a key from Principal Skinner's office and gets himself into hot water, Marge and Homer send him to a behavior modification camp. Meanwhile, Lisa and Marge have a yard sale.[32]
36812"My Fair Laddy"Bob AndersonMichael PriceFebruary 26, 2006 (2006-02-26)HABF059.51[33]
When Bart accidentally destroys Willie's shack with a game of solid-ice dodgeball, Marge takes in the homeless janitor in a parody of My Fair Lady.[34]
36913"The Seemingly Never-Ending Story"Raymond S. PersiIan Maxtone-GrahamMarch 12, 2006 (2006-03-12)HABF069.71[35]

While exploring with his family, Homer causes a cave to crumble and finds himself stuck upside-down on the ceiling. To pass the time, Lisa tells him a story, with many layers of nested storytelling involved.[36]

Emmy Award winning episode.
37014"Bart Has Two Mommies"Michael MarcantelDana GouldMarch 19, 2006 (2006-03-19)HABF078.67[37]
A monkey holds Bart hostage while under Homer's care, leaving Marge to figure out how to get her son back. Meanwhile, Marge babysits for Rod and Todd Flanders, conflicting with Ned's overly-safe lifestyle.[38]
Guest Stars: Susan Sarandon, Antonio Fargas, Dave Thomas and Randy Johnson
37115"Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife"Matthew NastukRicky GervaisMarch 26, 2006 (2006-03-26)HABF0810.09[39]
Homer's obsession with Lenny's new plasma TV prompts Marge to enter the family in a sweepstakes, and they win a trip to the Fox Studio Lot. Against Marge's wishes, Homer signs them up for a Trading Spouses/Wife Swap-style reality show and is forced to take in a controlling wife, while Marge moves in with a beaten-down husband, Charlie, and his perfect son.[40]
Guest Star: Ricky Gervais
37216"Million Dollar Abie"Steven Dean MooreTim LongApril 2, 2006 (2006-04-02)HABF097.84[41]
Grampa is shunned by the town and nearly commits suicide after foiling Homer's plans to make Springfield home to a professional football franchise. However, he gains a new purpose in life as a matador, while Lisa protests him harming animals.[42]
Guest stars: Rob Reiner and Michael Carrington
37317"Kiss Kiss, Bang Bangalore"Mark KirklandDeb Lacusta & Dan CastellanetaApril 9, 2006 (2006-04-09)HABF108.27[43]
Homer learns the nuclear power plant is being shut down and outsourced to India, where the new workers worship him as a god. Meanwhile, Patty and Selma kidnap MacGyver, but soon grow annoyed by his antics.[44]
Guest Star: Richard Dean Anderson
37418"The Wettest Stories Ever Told"Mike B. AndersonJeff WestbrookApril 23, 2006 (2006-04-23)HABF117.10[45]
When the Simpsons' plans for a nice family outing at the Frying Dutchman turn into a dining disaster, the family (and show writers) try to salvage the night by telling three tales of disasters at sea: in "Mayflower Madman," Pilgrims Moe and Homer fight for the hand of Goody Marge while sailing to Plymouth Rock; in "The Whine-Bar Sea," Bart leads a mutiny against Captain Principal Skinner; and in "Watership D'ohn," The Simpsons (and a collection of ancillary characters) re-enact The Poseidon Adventure.[46]
37519"Girls Just Want to Have Sums"Nancy KruseMatt SelmanApril 30, 2006 (2006-04-30)HABF128.74[47]
Principal Skinner is replaced by a women's education expert after making a sexist statement about women's math skills during a musical (which was written by a former female Springfield Elementary school student who was a math whiz), who segregates the school by gender. At first, Lisa loves the arrangement, but when she discovers that the girls' classes are more about self-esteem boosting than actual learning, Lisa disguises herself as a boy and attends the boys' classes.[48]
Guest Star: Frances McDormand as Melanie Upfoot
37620"Regarding Margie"Mike Frank PolcinoMarc WilmoreMay 7, 2006 (2006-05-07)HABF138.47[49]
Marge goes nuts trying to clean the kitchen in time for a best house contest, but when she inhales the fumes of one too many cleaning solvents, she passes out and bangs her head on a stool. When Marge comes to at the hospital, she is stricken with amnesia, which does not last when she immediately remembers everyone in the family through their quirks—except for Homer. With Marge's memory of Homer erased, Patty and Selma help their sister find a new man.[50]
Guest Stars: Sal Bando and Gene Tenace
37721"The Monkey Suit"Raymond S. PersiJ. Stewart BurnsMay 14, 2006 (2006-05-14)HABF148.41[51]
Reverend Lovejoy is appointed to spread the word of creationism in Springfield after Flanders complains about a new museum display about evolution, leading creationism to be taught in schools—and Lisa to fight back with secret classes about Charles Darwin and his theories of evolution. However, she is quickly arrested and a trial against her is initiated.[52]
Guest Stars: Melanie Griffith and Larry Hagman
37822"Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play"Bob AndersonJoel H. CohenMay 21, 2006 (2006-05-21)HABF168.22[53]
A first baseman for the Springfield Isotopes calls upon Homer and Marge to help him with his marriage to a stripper/pop singer named Tabitha Vixx, who upstages him with a racy musical number during one of his games.[54]
Guest Stars: Mandy Moore and Stacy Keach

Blu-ray and DVD release

The DVD and Blu-ray box set for season seventeen was released by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment in the United States and Canada on Tuesday, December 2, 2014, eight years after it had completed broadcast on television. As well as every episode from the season, the Blu-ray and DVD releases feature bonus material including deleted scenes, animatics, and commentaries for every episode. The box art features Sideshow Bob, and a special limited-edition "embossed head case" package was also released.

This is the only season of The Simpsons to receive a 15 rating in the UK, but this is due to the additional material (the episodes are only a 12 rating).

The Complete Seventeenth Season
Set Details Special Features
  • 22 episodes
  • 3-disc set (Blu-ray)
  • 4-disc set (DVD)
  • 1.33:1 aspect ratio
  • AUDIO (DVD)
    • English 5.1 Dolby Digital
    • Spanish 2.0 Dolby Surround
    • French 2.0 Dolby Surround
  • AUDIO (Blu-ray)
    • English 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio
    • Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
    • French 5.1 Dolby Digital
  • SUBTITLES
    • English SDH
    • Spanish
  • Optional commentaries for all 22 episodes
  • Buogiorno, Simpsons Lovers
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Special Language Feature
    • Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife
      • Hungarian 2.0
      • Ukrainian 2.0
      • German 2.0
      • Italian 2.0
  • The Great ones
  • Live! It's The Simpsons
  • Sketch Gallery 1 & 2
  • Easter Egg
  • Let there be Music!
  • Animation Showcase
  • Bonus Episodes:
Release Dates
Region 1 Region 2 Region 4
Tuesday, December 2, 2014 Monday, December 1, 2014 Wednesday, December 3, 2014

References
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  2. Pierce, Scott (May 14, 2005). "Saturday and Sunday on TV". Deseret News (Salt Lake City), at Findarticles.com. Retrieved February 12, 2007.
  3. "The Simpsons: The Seventeenth Season Blu-ray". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  4. Connolly, Luke. "Review: The Simpsons Season 17 - | movies, TV, videogames, crowd-funding - Shadowlocked: find the future!". www.shadowlocked.com. Archived from the original on April 6, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  5. "Blu-Ray Review: The Simpsons Season 17". fanboynation.com. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  6. "The Simpsons Season 17 Review | Capsule Computers - Gaming & Entertainment News, Reviews, Interviews & Competitions". www.capsulecomputers.com.au. December 2, 2014. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  7. "The Simpsons Season 17 – DVD Review". Spotlight Report "The Best Entertainment Website in Oz". Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  8. "Simpsons wins ninth cartoon Emmy". BBC News. August 20, 2006. Retrieved February 9, 2007.
  9. Todd Leopold (August 24, 2006). "Welcome to the Emmy 'mess'". CNN. Retrieved February 12, 2007.
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Bibliography
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