"My chunky brothers, gorge yourselves at the trough of SIMPSONS!"

Rivaled only by "South Park," THE SIMPSONS is the only animated contemporary TV series that consummately entertains throughout the many years it has been on TV. However, THE SIMPSONS have kept the jig up for nearly 15 years and 15 seasons. Over 300 episodes have been produced, a testament to a series that has always employed the most talented comedic brain trust one could ask for of a TV series. Creator Matt Groening, executive producer James L. Brooks, and a plethora of writers, producers & directors have seen the show out from its glory days, and indeed the Simpson family started out in the late 80s on Tracey Ullman's show, which was a great place to begin. So after three DVD boxed sets that captured all of the first three production seasons, the prospects for the fourth season might have seemed uncertain to some in 1992, but after the show has soldiered on, we can look back at the brilliance that kept the show moving on.

Family values, mass culture, media sensations and other objects were satirized in the most hilarious ways, and the comic styles failed to condescend to programmed sitcom laughter, allowing for rich humor to develop out of all the various plots in each episode. Clever and inventive, each episode in THE SIMPSONS: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON are their own quirky entities, the continuing misadventures of the most colorful suburban family in Springfield, Illinois, and their diverse array of equally interesting townsfolk. And Season 4 really shows a confidence that allows a lot of the various characters to have their moments, from incompetent policeman Chief Wiggum and his delirious son Ralph, to snappy Kwik-E-Mart clerk Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, to the snaky Monty Burns and his closeted assistant a Wayland Smithers, to joyless showbiz sensation Krusty the Klown, to Christian neighbor Ned Flanders, and everyone else. Even Jimbo, Dolph, Nelson and Kearney, the four bullies of Springfield Elementary, are at their mischievous best.

And yet "The Simpsons" is a bankable commercial entity, which has not managed to hinder the success of the show in any way. It's also developed of a sense of delicious irony, in that the people of Springfield can be the people of any American town, picking up merchandise that relates to the series as a whole as the Springfield people buy into the mass conglomerate commercialism of Krusty. Season four contains a few great moments of commercial lampoonery, none more excellent than the DVD's opening episode, "Kamp Krusty," where the sleazy kiddie entertainer finally commits the proverbial kick to the groin towards all members of his young audience.

"The Simpsons" develops its sense of being from the fact that the creators use their animated product to channel their inner jokers and commentators, whereas sitcoms are products of committee and therefore not as creatively blessed as could possibly be. We're talking social satire, in-jokes, film/TV references, zingers, and memorable characters up the old wazoo. And if you thought the first three seasons were golden, just see what the fourth season brings, and enjoy this detailed rundown of this four-DVD boxed set's wonderful contents. The first DVD contains four episodes, and the remaining three contains six episodes each, all 22 running in the order they originally aired in. Under each episode is a synopsis, notification of air date, things to look out for, my favorite line from the episode, and a star rating out of four that contains a few small adjectives. However, there was not an episode of the show I found to be worth two stars or below. And since each episode on the DVD comes with a full length audio commentary track from Simpsons alumni, I will tell you who is featured on the track and what you’ll expect to hear, including small highlights.

And don't be surprised if you see some all-time classics in the list:

"Kamp Krusty" (***½, 9/24/92)
SYNOPSIS: Homer (Dan Castellaneta) and Marge (Julie Kavner) allow Bart (Nancy Cartwright) and Lisa (Yeardley Smith) to go to Krusty's summer camp, where they finally have the chance to spend some quality time alone and the kids get to have fun with their idol. Unfortunately, the camp is run by the tyrannical Mr. Black and the counselors are the elementary school bullies Dolph, Jimbo, and Kearney (Pamela Hayden, Tress MacNeille, Cartwright). The kids are put to work making merchandise, living in decrepit cabins, engaged in physically strenuous hikes and water sports, and unable to convince their parents to come save them. So when Krusty (Casellaneta) finally shows up in the form of an impostor, Bart leads the campers on a takeover.
WHAT TO FIND: Bart wondering about an ideal depiction of school letting out, and a joke involving how Kamp Krusty was built on actual Indian ground. There's two hilarious montage moments when the campers are led in a rendition of the witty "Kamp Krusty Song" and also when Lisa writes a desperate letter to her parents about the cruel goings-on at camp. References to "Ben-Hur," "Lord of the Flies," and the 1991 demolishing of the Lenin monument abound. And I mentioned the hilarious digs at Krusty's line of licensed merchandise, and thus an excellent satire lies underneath it. I only dock half-a-star because the Krusty at Wimbledon bit was a flop.
FAVE QUOTE: As the cabin roof flies off due to a ferocious windstorm and Bart's holding on to his bed for dear life, Bart says "Lisa, I've been thinking it over. Next summer, I'm getting a job."
COMMENTARY: Creator/executive producer Matt Groening, executive producer Al Jean, producer/main title designer David Silverman, and episode director Mark Kirkland. They talk about the laborious animating process, the evolution of the characters, James L. Brooks' initial decision to use this episode's premise as a plot for a Simpsons movie, and Kirkland pointing out colleagues who worked on this episode and later went on to be TV directors in their own right.

"A Streetcar Named Marge" (****, 10/1/92)
SYNOPSIS: Hotshot stage director Llewellyn Sinclair (Jon Lovitz), a veteran of three stage shows and three heart attacks, comes to Springfield to direct a musical production of "A Streetcar Named Desire," but hasn't found the right Blanche DuBois yet, until he sees Marge Simpson's inner intensity thanks to Homer's insensitive and incessantly nagging demands. She even proves to be too much for the surprisingly beefy Ned Flanders (Harry Shearer), whose cast as Stanley Kowalski. Sinclair advises Marge send baby Maggie to the Ayn Rand School For Tots, where the headmistress (Lovitz) advises to a strict anti-pacifier form of child care. Maggie desperately attempts to retrieve it on a "Great Escape"-referencing mission.
WHAT TO FIND: Jon Lovitz having a field day as the impudent director, a subplot that nearly eclipses the main story, some deft references, and the awesome stage production that includes such catchy musical numbers as "New Orleans" and "Stella!" The main plot feels predictable, but then again, most family life is, and The Simpsons' dysfunctions at least provide a neat bite to the proceedings, paralleling "Streetcar" to their lives. Still, the musical portrayal of "Streetcar," as well as a pricelessly biting use of a Krusty wind-up doll, merits an excellent four-star rating.
FAVE QUOTE: Sinclair: "I am not an easy man to work for. While directing 'Hats off to Chanukah,' I reduced more than one cast member to tears. Did I expect too much from fourth-graders? The review 'Play enjoyed by all' speaks for itself."
COMMENTARY: Groening, Jean, Lovitz, voice actor Hank Azaria (Moe, Apu, Wiggum, Dr. Nick), executive producer Mike Reiss, writer/producer Jeff Martin. Hear this commentary for Lovitz alone, whose presence was sorely missed on "The Critic" DVD set but is cherished on this commentary alone, where he's just full of sly remarks and shameless plugs for the recent remake of "The Stepford Wives." Azaria mentions "Along Came Polly" as well. The highlight of this commentary is a simulated fight between the stars of both bad movies, as well as talk about the controversy over the portrayal of New Orleans in one of the episode's songs. One of the best commentaries on the set, for the information and the humor.

"Homer the Heretic" (***½, 10/8/92)
SYNOPSIS: Homer skips church one frosty Sunday and has the time of his life, whilst his family are both snowed in at the chapel and unable to start their car for the ride home. Homer vows to never go back to church, and, after having a brotherly talk to the five-fingered man upstairs in his dreams, decides he'll praise God his own way, creating his own religion of laziness and blasphemy. However, Homer burns up the house, and a volunteer fireman squad of separate religious faiths, proving maybe Homer needs to get back his own old loyalty to the church.
WHAT TO FIND: An Itchy & Scratchy cartoon that has nothing to do with the story, an extended bit where the Flanders family try to sing Homer to his senses (which takes an interesting little turn), and a couple of funny moments where the headstrong Homer makes fun of both Krusty's Jewish heritage and Apu's Hindu practices. This episode's dual affections at organized religion alone, represented by Homer's skewered philosophical observations, merit a slightly excellent recommendation.
FAVE QUOTE: Marge calls Homer wicked, which prompts Homer to retort: "Kids, let me tell you about another so-called 'wicked' guy. He had long hair and some wild ideas, and he didn't always do what other people thought was right. And that man's name was...I forget. But the point is...I forget that, too. Marge, you know what I'm talking about. He used to drive that blue car?"
COMMENTARY: Groening, Jean, writer George Meyer and director Jim Reardon. There is talk about such things as the "No soap radio" reference, childhood experiences concerning the ennui of church, anecdotes and explanations of certain characters, and how they originally intended the ending as a Fox Networks swipe.

"Lisa the Beauty Queen" (***, 10/15/92)
SYNOPSIS: A caricature artist sketches an outrageously ugly drawing of Lisa, ruining her self-confidence. Homer decides to sign her up for a junior beauty pageant, sponsored by Laramie cigarettes, but when the cost for entry is $250, Homer makes a huge sacrifice by selling his raffle ticket for a ride on the Duff Beer Blimp. Lisa's up against stiff competition in the form of the eyebrow-implanted Amber Dempsey (Lona Williams). She wins second place, and yet a freak accident takes Dempsey out of service, leaving Lisa to finally become "Little Miss Springfield." However, the sponsors want Lisa to market cigarettes to the youth, which leads Lisa to risk losing her newfound glory.
WHAT TO FIND: The opening school carnival celebration includes some inspired bits where Principal Skinner (Shearer) fends off a lawyer citing plagiarism of Disneyland and Bart's three-card Monte, and I also enjoyed the sight of Bart Simpson walking around in high heels and talking about he knows "the ancient art of padding." I wanted to see more of the cigarette-sucking choreographer, because his appearance had the strange feeling of an afterthought, and both a tabla drum rendition of "MacArthur Park," performed by Apu's daughter, and Lisa's "America the Beautiful/Proud Mary" bits felt too short, although I really didn’t want to hear any more of "MacArthur Park" in the first place. Still, any opportunity to make fun of Dr. Ruth, Joe Camel and Vanessa Williams is a good one, the Bob Hope cameo is quite good, and the anti-cigarette message works.
FAVE QUOTE: Bart says to Lisa "Later, I'll teach you the tricks of the trade: Taping your swimsuit to your butt, petroleum jelly on your teeth for that frictionless smile, and the ancient art of padding." He then lets out a purr.
COMMENTARY: Groening, Jean, Reiss, writer Jeff Martin, and director Mark Kirkland. It starts off with an explanation of the premise, and then becomes a discussion of how the Scottish looked up to Groundskeeper Willie, the understated vocal contributions of Yeardley Smith, a few reactions to the quirks of Marge and Homer, and the development of some of the jokes.

"Treehouse of Horror III" (***, 10/29/92)
SYNOPSIS: The Simpson family hold a Halloween party that starts to run dry, so Lisa, Grampa (Castellaneta), and Bart penetrate the ennui with three stories. "Clown Without Pity" concerns Homer buying a late birthday present for Bart, a Krusty the Klown wind up doll he bought at a Chinatown store. However, the doll turns evil and threatens to kill Homer. "King Homer" is the story of Marge being taken on an expedition to a jungle island where she's supposed to be sacrificed by the natives to King Homer, a 50 ft. prehistoric ape who takes a liking to Marge. But Mr. Burns (Shearer) kidnaps Homer and tries to make him a Broadway star, which fails miserably, and Homer goes after Marge. "Dial Z For Zombies" is about Bart discovering a book of black magic, which he uses to help Lisa bring back Snowball the cat. Unfortunately, they invoke the living dead, who start rampaging around Springfield.
WHAT TO FIND: Three scary stories, although the second one is an out-and-out love story and the first one gets its best mileage out of showing a Krusty the Klown doll trying to make a pass at Malibu Stacey. This somewhat diminishes the horror factor, because the second edition, despite a lot of hilarious tweaking, leans all too heavily on the original "King Kong." Meanwhile, "Clown Without Pity" tries to ape the psycho Zuni doll from "Trilogy of Terror" yet never rises much above uninspired references to "Cape Fear," "Gremliins" and "Stephen King's It." The third episode picks up steam, with some cartoonish but effective violence, the requisite swipes at "Night of the Living Dead" & "Return of the Living Dead," and the uses of some rather gut-busting "incantations." All in all, it's one of the least satisfying Halloween specials, but at least it hooks you in at the start, with an Alfred Hitchcock-parodying introduction that makes fun of self-righteous censorship instigators. And who can resist little Bart dressed up like Alex from "A Clockwork Orange"?
FAVE QUOTE: Lisa notices the dead coming alive and shouts out to Bart "You cast the wrong spell - ZOMBIES!" He replies, "Please Lis, they preferred to be called the 'Living Impaired.'" Either that, or Homer's timeless response to when he blows the head off a zombie Ned Flanders.
COMMENTARY: Groening and four of the episode's six writers: Al Jean, Wally Wolodarsky, Jon Vitti, and Jay Kogen. This episode is chock full of references from the old Fox sitcom "Drexell's Class" to "Pet Sematary," and Kogen admits to his livelong love for "King Kong," which is laughed away by those around him. Lively and informative, but mostly nostalgic.

"Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie" (****, 11/3/92)
SYNOPSIS: A parent-teacher conference exposes Bart's unruly behavior and a potential lack of discipline. Bart smashes Grampa's dentures, and Bart is grounded from having supper, but Homer sneaks some pizza to the boy at the moment Bart decides he might become a better kid. Bart is trusted to look after Maggie, but she scampers off and takes Homer’s car for a drive, crashing into the wall of a penitentiary. Homer really decides to punish the boy by barring Bart from seeing the new movie based on Itchy & Scratchy. All eight months Bart is unable to see the movie, which sets Bart on the path to becoming Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. 40 years after the movie’s initial run ends, it is revived for a limited engagement, and Bart finally gets to see the movie.
WHAT TO FIND: A wildly funny "Steamboat Willie" parody, where Itchy looks alarmingly like the early Mickey Mouse, an alternate universe where Bart becomes a male stripper, and an in-joke about cameo appearances that references Sam Medak and John Jay Smith from past Simpsons episode. That's right, you figure it out. The "Itchy & Scratchy Movie" was admittedly funny, but the whole father/son conflict was what really got me interested in this episode. Still, this episode's "Star Trek" parody is the best of its kind, and there’s one particularly odd joke involving a boy who had been violated by one of Bart's firecrackers.
FAVE QUOTE: A proud Homer tells Lisa's teacher "I've always been a firm believer in the three R's. Reading TV Guide, um...Writing to TV Guide, um...and Renewing TV Guide."
COMMENTARY: Groening, Jean, Reiss, and director Rich Moore, who talks about his direction techniques coming from Film Roman. There's also talk about a supposed put-down towards Korea, the need to make more violent Itchy & Scratchy 'toons, the story behind Bumblebee Man, and Jean recalls the airing of this episode around the time of the election results. Also, Jean & Reiss remember how they went to see movies together with the others in the crew, and there's also the editing requirements for syndicated reruns.

"Marge Gets a Job" (****, 11/5/92)
SYNOPSIS: The Simpsons' house is sinking on one side, and repairs will cost $8500. When Marge and Homer go the reluctant retirement party for one Jack Marley, Marge learns of an open position in sector 7-G of the Springfield Power Plant, and she manages to get the position despite being only a professional housewife. Mr. Burns notices Marge and decides to make her fall in love with him despite she’s already married. With a raise and Smithers' (Shearer) position to her advantage, Marge is softened up for the kill. However, despite having kidnapped Tom Jones to woo her, Burns learns of her marriage and fires her on the spot, prompting legal action. Meanwhile, Bart's endless fake bouts of sickness in order to avoid a test culminate in a literal "Boy Who Cried Wolf" undoing.
WHAT TO FIND: Groundskeeper Willie (Castellaneta) shares some whiskey with a timberwolf, Mr. Burns sexually harassing Marge, Tom Jones getting shackled on stage for a romantic evening, Wayland Smithers having a fantasy about Mr. Burns, Bart getting an oral thermometer reading from Grampa, and others are merely just icing on the cake of this laugh-out-loud episode. I'm reluctant to remove half-a-star because of the rather abrupt ending which makes Burns seem more gentlemanly than ever, but I found it so subversive and giddy that I refuse to change my mind.
FAVE QUOTE: Marge, in an uproar over having been fired for being married, threatens to sue Burns' pants off. Burns strikes back: "You don't have to sue me to get my pants off." Although I also prefer Phil Hartman as Troy McClure, "star of such films as 'P is for Psycho' and 'The President's Neck is Missing.'"
COMMENTARY: Groening, Jean, writers Bill Oakley & Josh Weinstein, supervising director Jim Reardon, and director Jeff Lynch. Groening states why he refuses to take credit for the Simpsons being yellow, the "1053rd 'Citizen Kane' reference" is revealed, the alternate subplot that came before the Bart one is discussed, and Al Jean shares the reasons why he thought Tom Jones was his favorite cameo.

"New Kid on the Block" (***½., 11/12/92)
SYNOPSIS: Homer Simpson has finally found love at an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet when he visit's the Frying Dutchman restaurant. However, when they kick him out for closing time, he takes owner Captain McAlister (Azaria) to court for not getting all he could eat. Meanwhile, the Watkins family move out of the Simpsons' neighborhood, and in their place is 15-year-old Laura (guest Sara Gilbert) and her divorcee mom (Pamela Reed).Bart immediately falls for Laura, who knows all the schoolyard pranks and also teaches Bart how to slow dance. But when she breaks the news that she's found a boyfriend in Jimbo, one of Bart's bullies, the red-dressed beauty breaks his little heart, and Bart decides to play a practical joke on Jimbo to win her over.
WHAT TO FIND: It isn't an all-time classic, but it's close. One reason why I liked this episode in particular is because Conan O'Brien, the same man who accompanies Jay Leno on the NBC late night talk show circuit, is actually a very keen comedy writer who infuses this episode with a lot of nifty character quirks and even a couple of Bart's prank calls. The bond between Bart and Laura also feels believably established, the subplot involving the lawsuit is ridiculous and riotous, and Homer's explanation of women to his son proves a real side-splitting moment. It's not as excellent to me as "Marge Vs. The Monorail," another Conan composition, but it comes close.
FAVE QUOTE: Bart's infatuation with Laura prompts him to take a bath: "Hey, sometimes a guy just likes his skin to look its yellowest."
COMMENTARY: Groening, Jean, Reiss, Silverman and the man himself, Conan O'Brien, one of several new hired writers after many of the previous scribes had resigned. O'Brien dominates this commentary with impressions, anecdotes, original script cuts and his writing techniques that are as lively as possible. There's a really intriguing story told about a subplot that was aimed towards having Don Rickles quest that went very awry, and misunderstandings caused it to be forgotten. The group also pokes fun at the fact that people approach the writers as having specific characters that they write for, as well as the fact that it's been a long way from Conan's past with "The Simpsons."

"Mr. Plow" (****, 11/19/92)
SYNOPSIS: Driving home from Moe's Tavern on a snowy night, Homer can't see himself drive his car and has a serious accident. On the search for a new car, he decides to invest in a snow plough truck and wins it. He then goes about promoting his latest get-rich quick scheme in "Mr. Plow," his own professional snow plow service, and eventually wins the key to the city from Mayor Quimby (Castellaneta).But his best friend Barney Gumble (Castellaneta), jealous of Homer's sudden success, starts the competitive "Plow King" service, which ends up cutting into Homer's work thanks to TV commercials starring Linda Ronstadt and Barney's own drunken animosity. Homer gets fed up with Barney and has him head to Widow's Peak, where a loud burp causes an avalanche to fall in Barney's path. Homer, admitting his error, must go and save his best friend.
WHAT TO FIND: The incredible story of two drunkards who became rival snowplow impresarios in their hometown, both of whom vied for the attention of Batman and only one of them ended up working with Linda Ronstadt. The sight gags, the references, the character development, the plots, the guest stars, and the basic overall vibe from this episode all are excellent.
FAVE QUOTE: When Barney Gumble in his Plow King truck waves goodbye to Adam West: "So long Superman! Your secret identity is safe with me!"
COMMENTARY: Groening, Jean, director Jim Reardon, and writer Jon Vitti. Vitti explains why he wanted to make a specific snowbound episode, seeing as how most shows and movies think snow equates only with holidays. The group also talk about George C. Bush's comments about "The Simpsons," the ecstatic experience of working with Adam West and Linda Ronstadt, the lost possibilities of libel both in the show and in reality, and references to the obscure classic "Wages of Fear" and "Sorcerer." It's a really well-done commentary, another favorite of the batch.

"Lisa's First Word" (***½, 12/3/92)
SYNOPSIS: Like "The Way We Was" from the second season, this episode is mostly related to flashbacks from Marge and Homer's past. In Springfield, 1983, we touch on the moment when Lisa was about to be born, with the wraparound story in the present as we see the family trying to get Maggie to say her first word. Homer remembers when Marge was pregnant with child, and they had to relocate to Evergreen Terrace so they could have the right house to live in. Little Bart Simpson gets envious of Lisa when the family shifts their attention to the newborn daughter, and after several tricks on Lisa send him into the corner, he decides to run away from home...that is until he hears Lisa's first word.
WHAT TO FIND: A very interesting flashback to the seeds of Bart's discontent and troublemaking, our first glimpse of little Lisa, the first time we see the chipper Flanders family as they baby sit Bart, and also a surprise at the end. The flashback episodes are usually good, this one benefiting from the added development of having Bart Simpson traumatized by his clown bed.
FAVE QUOTE: Looking back on his past, Homer admits "It's not easy to juggle a pregnant wife and a troubled child, but somehow I managed to fit in eight hours of TV a day."
COMMENTARY: Groening, Jean, writer Jeff Martin, and director Mark Kirkland. Indulging in retro aspects of 1983, from Pop-Tarts commercials to spandex to Cyndi Lauper and red bandanas, the group talk about the cultural bridges they reached with this episode. They talk about the continuity of hair and spikes on the Simpsons' heads when dealing with younger appearances and Mike Reiss' hatred of clowns from an early age. In the best bit, Jean calls Kirkland for a goof in his description of the McDonald's/Olympic Games controversy of the decade.

"Homer's Triple Bypass" (***½, 12/27/92)
SYNOPSIS: Homer Simpson has spent too much of his time filling his body with cholesterol and rage that it all comes to a head when Mr. Burns announces to Homer that he's been fired. After suffering a massive heart attack that nearly kills him, Homer realizes he needs to undergo a life-threatening heart operation that Dr. Hibbert (Shearer) is charging $40,000 for. Naturally, they are unable to afford it, and Homer looks as if he's doomed. One day, Homer sees an ad for Dr. Nick Riviera, who promises effective medical care for $129. But with every good blessing comes a catch, and Dr. Nick is the kind of med school quack who sends more patients to the into the mausoleum than outside the hospital. Is Homer better off dead?
WHAT TO FIND: All I can say about this episode is best summed up in two words: "Hi-i-i, every-body!" That, and also the "Cops" parody, which is the subject of my...
FAVE QUOTE: Chief Wiggum sends a call to dispatch: "This is Papa Bear. Put out an APB for a male suspect, driving a...car of some sort, heading in the direction of...you know, that place that sells chili. Suspect is hatless. Repeat, hatless."
COMMENTARY: Groening, Jean, Reiss, Silverman, and writer Michael Carrington. This commentary relates to the attempt to find the right balance between humor and compassion required in doing a show about something as dead serious as a heart attack. However, this commentary suffers from some of the most uncomfortable gaps of silence and also the most blatant observations and quips at what's on the screen. They do some reliable comments on Hank Azaria's Dr. Nick voice and the shadow animation, but there's really much excessive laughing on this track, which makes the track more jovial and celebratory than many others.

"Marge Vs. The Monorail" (****, 1/14/93)
SYNOPSIS: The EPA catch Mr. Burns and Mr. Smithers discarding barrels of nuclear waste at the park, and the senile old fool is charged $3 million, which he's able to pay on the spot in cash and also afford buying that statue of Justice that lies next to the judge. At a town meeting to decide how to spend the money, a stranger named Lyle Lanley arrives pitching the idea for a new monorail mass transit system. The town eats it up, and even Homer is chosen as the conductor by Lanley, who's interested solely in exploiting Springfield's wealth like he has done to previous cities who invested in the monorail. His monorail is also shoddily constructed, and once the hose breaks, there’s seems to be no stopping the out-of-control, 180 mph monorail.
WHAT TO FIND: One of my five favorite episodes ever, and episode writer Conan O'Brien proves that his abilities as a comic know no bounds. From the opening "Flinstones" homage to the moment Lyle Lanley, voiced by the late, great Phil Hartman like the announcer from "The Price Is Right," arrives to the moment Leonard Nimoy arrives to the contradictory, hysterical final narration by Marge, every little thing about this episode bowled me over and made me more high than Homer after 24 cans of Duff. The musical number is supremely dandy, a riff on one of the moments in "The Music Man." And the disaster movie parody in this particular episode ought to have Roland Emmerich eating out of his own a**hole in no time.
FAVE QUOTE: It's all about when the family discover a nest of possums in the monorail; "I call the big one Bitey," says Homer.
COMMENTARY #1: Groening, Jean, Reiss, Moore, Silverman. This is your basic commentary, but they do get away with some interesting facts, such as how this was one of Conan O'Brien's more reluctant story pitches, how George Takei was too enamored with the mass transit systems (he was part of the San Francisco Board of Transportation) to accept the part, and also how O'Brien was chosen as writer when past episode writers like Wally Wolodarski and Jay Kogen went off to pursue some of their own interests.
COMMENTARY #2: The same five men are joined in this particular bonus commentary by Conan O'Brien, once again talking to them via New York, where he claims to be shooting one of his shows with Al Roker. O'Brien provides a lot more insight as to the inspiration for this story, how he pitched it to James L. Brooks, his days goofing off in the Writers' Room and eating rancid meat, the work with Phil Hartman, and his love for disaster movies. "Conie" gives this track a lot of chutzpah, and it trumps the previous one in terms of fun.

"Selma's Choice" (****, 1/21/93)
SYNOPSIS: The day Homer plans to take the kids to Duff Gardens theme park, Marge arrives with the new Great-Aunt Gladys dies, and they have to go to the funeral in Littleneck Falls. In a video will, Gladys advises her daughters Patty & Selma (Kavner) to get married and have kids before it's too late, and the news is taken to heart by Selma, who immediately starts going for all of Springfield's most eligible bachelors and also decides to take Bart & Lisa to Duff Gardens, where she is unable to control either of them as she makes Lisa drink from one of the park's attractions and causes her to freak out and loses Bart, who sneaks onto a roller coaster he's too short to ride on and nearly dies from.
WHAT TO FIND: "I am the lizard queen!" says Lisa, who drunk the water from one of the Duff Gardens boat rides and suffered an outrageous acid trip. The title of Duff Gardens, as well as the appearance of a teen-pop Christian group who sings a G-rated version of Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side," provide some of the great in-jokes, although there are an abundance of film references as well. We also get to enjoy Homer’s incessant dopiness and stupidity, as he lashes out against Marge's dead relative for ruining his plans ("I'm not pouting, I'm mourning. Stupid dead woman") and his pursuit of eating a 10-ft. hoagie that has considerably spoiled in the week after he took it home. The animation is well-done, the jokes are always funny, the script is tight, the characters (even Hans Moleman) are interesting, and the situations all work together as a whole in a nifty way.
FAVE QUOTE: The sweet sounds of Phil Hartman: "Hi, I'm Lionel Hutz, executor of Gladys Bouvier's estate. She left a video will, so I earn my fee simply by pressing this 'Play' button. Pretty sweet, eh?"
COMMENTARY: Groening, Jean, Reiss, Reardon, and writer David M. Stern. The greatest moments on this commentary: Jean sticks up for the vocal difference Julie Kavner developed for Patty & Selma, Reiss shares his two cents and experience getting involved with a dating service (where he met his wife), and Jean also telling a purportedly true story of how current writer Kevin Curran drunk the water on the "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride at Disneyland and went delirious for 3 days.

"Brother From the Same Planet" (***½, 2/4/93)
SYNOPSIS: Bart Simpson is stuck in a blisteringly cold rainstorm because his idiot father Homer neglected to pick him up after soccer practice and take him home. Fed up with his dad's negligence, Bart sees an ad for "Bigger Brothers" foster father agency, and decides to have a surrogate dad named Tom be his new role model. But Homer, despite being a moron, is no fool, and once he catches on to Bart, Homer decides to strike back by taking in a new son named Pepe in his life, and when Homer takes Pepi to an aquarium, he runs into Tom, and a showdown is on. Meanwhile, Lisa becomes addicted to a 1-900 number called "The Corey Hotline," where her studly teen idol leaves bland messages to fans. Marge advises Lisa go cold turkey from noon until midnight in order to save herself.
WHAT TO FIND: A continuity error for the ages, when Homer leaps out of the bathtub nekkid and drives to pick up Bart fully clothed. He didn't even take any clean clothes with him! Other than that, this is a surprisingly cute episode that relates to father/son relationships estranged and reunited, and the story provides an opportunity for some laughs to go along with the sentiment. And it's admirable lines like the one I'm about to mention that keep the syrup out of this episode.
FAVE QUOTE: Tom: "Bart, I could kiss you. If the 'Bigger Brothers' didn't make me sign a form promising I wouldn't."
COMMENTARY: Groening, Jean, Reiss, Vitti, Lynch. The episode didn’t get a positive reaction from the cast, but ended up as a favorite amongst the creators once they saw it on TV. Another weird quirk is how the episode was originally written for Tom Cruise, which Reiss insists was such a sweet and non-offensive role that no one could say no to, but remains frustrated and bitter over the fact that he did refuse it. Groening remembers a real life Corey hotline with secret messages that supposedly alienated their fans, and the group also talk about the SNL and Ren & Stimpy allusions. Another favorite banter track.

"I Love Lisa" (****, 2/11/93)
SYNOPSIS: It's Valentine's Day, and love is in the air for everyone, except for poor Ralph Wiggum, the brain-dead little tyke who eats crayons and can't be trusted with scissors. Lisa feels pity for him and sends him a "I Choo-Choo-Choose You" card, which Ralph takes as a serious sign of love. He buys her gifts and invites her to Krusty the Klown's 29th Anniversary episode taping. But when Ralph tells the world that she loves Lisa and wants to marry her, she snaps and gives Ralph a cruel kiss off on-the-air. This enrages his father, Chief Wiggum, who gets back at Homer for Lisa's actions. However, Lisa decides to apologize and lets Ralph down easier after they play George & Martha Washington in a President's Day school pageant.
WHAT TO FIND: The character of Ralph really holds his own in this episode, as not only do we learn he’s the son of Chief Wiggum, but also the most talented dramatic actor in Springfield Elementary. He even makes Patty & Selma cry. It's also a very cute episode, like "Brother," that could've been too sentimental, but instead proves to be just another surprisingly character-based piece, and those who cite Ralph as their favorite character just have to adore this episode the most. My true inspiration as to why I give this four stars is Homer's advice to Lisa about dissuading potential suitors, as well as the fact that the whole third act made me laugh and nearly tear up in a way that previous Simpson episodes failed to do.
FAVE QUOTE: "...And my doctor said I wouldn't have so many nose-bleeds if I kept my finger out of there," Ralph tells Lisa.
COMMENTARY: Groening, Jean, Silverman, writer Frank Mula, and director Wes Archer. Jean's real life Valentine's Day story gave headway to this episode, and both Archer and Mula, who've supposedly got not too much to say about the show, are grilled for comments. This is mostly a sign to tell you that this commentary will be relatively worthless, and this commentary is definitely in that realm. Overall, the banter is mostly related to observational stuff, like how the Roy character sounds like Baby Stewie from "Family Guy."

"Duffless" (***½, 2/18/93)
SYNOPSIS: Homer sneaks out of work to go with Barney to a Duff Brewery tour, but when Barney’s too ripped to drive, Homer takes the wheel. The police stop him, but Barney suggests they give him the breathalyzer when Homer passes his "A, B, C" test. Homer loses his license and must attend two months of Alc-Anon meetings as well as traffic school. But Homer's dependency on beer remains until he makes a promise to Marge that he’ll stop drinking for a month. Meanwhile, after Bart senselessly demolishes one of Lisa's science fair projects, she gets even by subjecting the unwitting Bart to a lab experiment to see if he's dumber than a hamster. But once he finds out the truth, he decides to make Lisa pay.
WHAT TO FIND: The best alcohol advertisement parodies I have seen so far in any TV show, from the protesting females who get soaked with beer to the billboards that feature warnings against drinking & driving and Duff Beer ads; references to the obscure Fox show "Herman's Head," which starred Yeardley "Lisa's voice" Smith, and another "Clockwork Orange" homage in Bart's reaction to cupcakes; a B-plot that seems all too redundant and ends on a rather hasty note, keeping the episode from a solid recommendation.
FAVE QUOTE: Homer doing a Frank Sinatra goof: "When I was 17, I drank some very good beer/I drank some very good beer I purchased with a fake ID/My name was Brian McGee/I stayed up listening to Queen/When I was 17."
COMMENTARY: Groening, Jean, Reiss, Stern, Reardon. The highlights of this somewhat dry but still insightful commentary are witty digs at celebrity-endorsed cigarettes that claim to be healthy, the talk about the Nixon/Kennedy debate that inspired a moment in the tour of the Duff Brewery, the animation designs, negative criticisms of Homer despite the intention that he's dumb, and more.

"Last Exit to Springfield" (**½, 3/11/93)
SYNOPSIS: Mr. Burns decides to relish in his evil leadership abilities and get back at the unions by striking dental plans from his employees' benefits. This comes at the wrong time, when Homer learns that Lisa needs braces and cannot pay for them. In response, he gets the workers to form a strike and manages to become the union leader, a position he later questions. Lisa must cope with her atrocious new braces, and becomes a protest singer for the workers' strike. Burns tries all that he can to crush the spirits of Homer and the protestors, but to no avail.
WHAT TO FIND: This is considered by many as the greatest episode of all time, but I cannot agree. Aside from some humorous bits, including Homer's trip around the forbidden sections of Burns Manor and references to "Batman," "Yellow Submarine" & "Star Trek II," the first act is lethargic and eventless. I did appreciate this episode's faithful ties to "Last Exit to Brooklyn," references to adventures past, and also Mr. Burns' iniquitous personality (which works in a hilarious montage), but this is perhaps my least favorite episode due to the fact there is a daunting lack of consistency.
FAVE QUOTE: Mr. Burns becomes the Grinch who stole benefits: "Look at them all, through the darkness I'm bringing/They're not sad at all, they're actually singing!/They sing without juicers/They sing without blenders/They sing without flunjers, capdabblers and smendlers!"
COMMENTARY: Groening, Jean, Kogen, Wolodarsky, Kirkland. The group share previous dental experiences, failed cameos for the man playing Dr. Wolfe (Clint Eastwood turned it down, and Anthony Perkins said yes but died before he could do anything), the recurring "Godfather Part 2" parodies, the subtle differences in the "Yellow Submarine" spoof, and other little tidbits.

"So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show" (****, 4/1/93)
SYNOPSIS: Homer goes crazy on April Fools Day and habitually tricks Bart, so he decides to play the ultimate joke by shaking up a can of beer to the point where the moment Homer pops the top, the beer can explodes, filling the house with brew and severely injuring Homer. At the hospital, he goes after a candy machine for food, but the machine falls on him, putting Homer in a coma. All the while during his hospital confinement, episodes from past "Simpsons" shows occur.
WHAT TO FIND: The wraparound story develops some great laughs, including a reference to "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" with Barney playing the Chief, but it's the most fun to watch these old clips, which include Homer falling down a cliff repeatedly ("Bart the Daredevil"), the Simpson family undergoing shock therapy ("There's No Disgrace Like Home"), and Homer teaching his son how to shave ("One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blowfish"). It's like a really comprehensive CD hits collection.
FAVE QUOTE: Grampa Simpson talks about the nirvana of comas: "You relive long lost summers, kiss girls from high school. It's like one of those TV shows where the show a bunch of clips from old episodes."
COMMENTARY: In what is cited as a first, Groening, Jean, Reiss, writer/producer Jon Vitti, and director Jeff Lynch do a commentary on a DVD about a clip show. There are discussions throughout about where the clips came from, censorship concerns about beer being able to cause rectal cancer, obligations that came concerning the number of clip shows, and also this episode’s airing slot on April Fool's Day.

"The Front" (****, 4/15/93)
SYNOPSIS: When the quality of the "Itchy & Scratchy Show" runs considerably dry, Bart & Lisa decide to write their own cartoon and send it to Roger Meyers, chairman at I&S International, who rejects their script on the fly. Feared they aren't taken seriously because they're kids (they would be true), they talk Grampa, aka Abraham Simpson, into allowing his name be used as the author of their scripts. But when one of their episodes is nominated for an award, and he sees the cartoons he's supposedly been writing, he's appalled. Meanwhile, when Homer is exposed as a fraud at his high school reunion, because he flunked Remedial Science 1A and never got his diploma, Homer takes it up to him to go back to school and get back his "Most Improved Odor" award.
WHAT TO FIND: A series of clever in-jokes run through this entire episode. The writers of the series, from Al Jean to Mike Reiss to Sam Simon and John Shwartzwelder among others, are drawn into the episode. And also, they used two small scrolls worth of actual "Simpsons" credits during the end titles of the "Itchy & Scratchy Show: Little Barbershop of Horrors" episode (I noticed Kent Holaday, the lip sync worker, in there). Said end credits also include a surprising homage to Stephen J. Cannell's typewriter logo sequence, Cannell being the producer behind the shows "The A-Team" and "Renegade." The overall episode gets by on its quirks as well as some funny I&S shorts (including the grisliest and most hilarious episode, "Screams From a Mall") and an interesting B-story that shows Homer going back to school, which makes you wish they had Rodney Dangerfield guest on this episode.
FAVE QUOTE: Time to give Krusty the Klown his due. In response to the awful "Dazed & Contused" I&S short, he wisecracks, "Eh, I could pull a better cartoon out of my a...heheheh-hey! Whoa! Wasn't that great, kids?"
COMMENTARY: Groening, Jean, Reiss, Moore, and writer Adam I. Lapidus. Lapidus recalls watching a "20/20" story that spawned the premise for this episode, the fact that John Swartzwelder is a real person and not an alias, the fact that they used an Elvis likeness despite not being able to use Elvis' real likeness, and also Adam I. Lapidus' desire to finally get to meet a girl who went to his high school, Brooke Shields, and how star-struck he was when it happened on this episode.

"Whacking Day" (***, 4/29/93)
SYNOPSIS: When Superintendent Chalmers comes to evaluate Springfield, Skinner locks Bart Simpson, Nelson Muntz (Cartwright), and all the other troublemakers in the utility closet. That doesn't work, as Bart escapes, finds Groundskeeper Willie's shiny tractor, and drives the wily machine right into the superintendent's butt. Bart gets expelled, and after every other school rejects him, he has to be home schooled. The town of Springfield gears up for the ancient holiday known as Whacking Day, when all the snakes in Springfield are clubbed to death. Lisa and Bart decide to save the snakes with the help of guest star Barry White.
WHAT TO FIND: Barry White, the late crooner doing a live take of "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe," a passed-out Barney playing the governor at Olde Springfield Towne, the school shenanigans, and a very funny ending. There's not that many memorable lines and situations though aside from what's in the Whacking Day story, and the episode has the slight come-and-go stigma to it, but I still liked it enough to give it three stars.
FAVE QUOTE: Miss Springfield gets the crowd worked up with four simple words: "Gentlemen, start your whacking!"
COMMENTARY: Groening, Jean, Reiss, Silverman, Lynch. They point out a lot of people complained about the appearance of cartoon snakes being abused, which means they never understood the concept of animation and also forgot the moral of this particular episode. Other topics include the various adlibbing, act developments, the JFK parody, how George Meyer got his idea from a real Texas town practice, a current "Simpsons" writer who had a grandmother who sang for Hitler, and also how Mike Reiss' mother being horrified by this episode.

"Marge in Chains" (***½, 5/6/93)
SYNOPSIS: The Osaka Flu hits Springfield all the way from Japan, when a factory worker sneezes on all of Dr. Nick's Juice Loosener products. Soon, the disease hits all of Springfield, including some of the Simpson family, and Marge ends up caring for all her family. When she forgets to pay for a bottle of bourbon that Grampa wanted at the Kwik-E-Mart, Apu gets the police to arrest her for shoplifting and, despite the legal efforts of her lawyer, Lionel Hutz, throw her in the pen. When the family can't successfully fend for themselves, and the town's economy decreases due to Marge's marshmallow squares not being in the bake sales, Marge Simpson is welcomed as a hero when she finally gets out.
WHAT TO FIND: Lionel Hutz's unorthodox courtroom practices are worth a laugh or five (with a David Crosby cameo), a plot that kicks off like a bizarre B-movie parody that shows flu germs creeping on unsuspecting victims ala "Q: The Winged Serpent," and one of the most interesting tattoos I have ever seen on anybody’s backside. Also, Bart's mention of "Flinstones chewable morphine" and the hilarious use of an alligator in the episode works well.
FAVE QUOTE: Ned Flanders ties the Osaka Flu to his laughing at an episode of "Married...With Children," and cries to his wife Maude "Oh, the network slogan is true! Watch FOX and be damned for all eternity!"
COMMENTARY: Groening, Jean, Oakley, Weinstein, Reardon, Lynch. A lot is talked about the original script draft and the research done for the prison subplot, and there's also a story about voice actor Julie Kavner, who was aggravated by one bit of dialogue she was fed that she cursed loudly on one take. The inspiration for Lionel Hutz, the Jimmy Carter attack, and also a few cut jokes, including Homer accidentally eating a cake that had a file in it.

"Krusty Gets Kancelled" (****, 5/13/93)
SYNOPSIS: The season finale. When an irresistible ventriloquist's dummy named Gabbo steals Springfield's attention and also Krusty the Klown's ratings, the chain-smoking kids show host finds himself without a job and embarrassed to the world when Gabbo pulls a crank call on Krusty. Unable to make any money and burnt out beyond redemption, Bart & Lisa plan a comeback special with all of Krusty's celebrity friends. But when Krusty drinks too many of those diet milkshakes and ends up fatter than Homer, Bart & Lisa must prepare Krusty for the TV event of his career.
WHAT TO FIND: The first great all-star celebrity group in a Simpsons episode, with Elizabeth Taylor, Bette Midler, Johnny Carson, Hugh Hefner, and all four members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers (with guitarist Arik Marshall) just a few of the featured performers who relish their bit parts with delight. Also, Krusty's many humiliations at the hands of Gabbo are uncontrollably entertaining, and, despite the fact that the plot is a bit dry, at least the episode follows one particular story, and the result is one of the show’s best season closers.
FAVE QUOTE: Bart complains Gabbo stole Krusty’s crank call act, and Lisa mentions Krusty stole it from Steve Allen. Senile ole Grampa tells the kids the hard truth: "Oh, everything's stolen nowadays. Why, the fax machine is nothing but a waffle iron with a phone attached."
COMMENTARY: Groening, Jean, Reiss, Silverman. If you ever thought for a second that a show like "The Simpsons" could get any celebrity they wanted on the show, this is one of the commentaries for you. In the early days, a lot of famous people would do the show, but the profiles would increase with the passing years. Heck, even Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wouldn't appear in the show until the new millennium. This episode is memorable because they tried to get an ex-president to appear on this show, and Ronald Reagan (R.I.P.) was one of them, and he declined by actually writing a "thanks, but no thanks" letter. Other topics such as the Gabbo character, the corny animation for the "Worker & Parasite" sketch, and some of the references that made it and didn't are there.

Picture quality on this season improves upon past editions. Like most hand-animated shows on DVD, the animated quality all depends on how the drawings were detailed. Colors have been saturated to the intentions of how they were originally drawn, restoration be damned, with all the Simpsons family members having the most rich color hues, but the overall picture quality is superb, with never any bleeding or noise. The blackness levels, the yellow skin, the shadow detail, and the set designs all benefit deeply from how they look, and print defects are all refreshingly absent. Edge enhancement, specks and compression artifacts are all rare to be seen.

The Dolby Digital 5.1 mixes open up the soundscape a bit more than past DVD packages, although this mix still stays primarily true to the episodes’ original 2.0 roots. The mix offers great stereo channel separation in the front speakers, with effects and music sounding really great all throughout. Each moment the theme song comes on, it sounds absolutely glorious. Rear channels do the typical act of reinforcement well, in terms of music and ambience, and most directional effects are properly mixed to maximum spectral effect. As I said, the music, which includes excellent symphonic work by Alf Clausen, plays really well on this DVD, and the dialogue sounds mostly crisp and understandable, only occasionally hard to understand when character speech overlaps. All episodes contain optional DD 2.0 mixes in English and French, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.

The DVD menus are somewhat problematic. The biggest concern is the use of menu designs that play brief snippets of animation each time you press a button to get to anywhere. A lot of them, whilst cute, are repetitive and distracting to the point where you just wish your DVD player would skip and keep them from playing at all. The Season 3 DVD was less boastful and got you to the submenus rather quickly, with only the main menu presenting any interactive animated clips. The only other thing I can think of is that the DVD menus no longer clue you in as to who’s on each particular commentary track, and the list of participants is only featured in the small, episode-outlining booklet.

Other than that, just note that each "extras" section by the episode title will take you to the chapter selection menu, language selection menu, and commentary activation for each one. They also include a "play episode" option, but you can also do that by pressing enter when you highlight the episode title. And each main menu also includes play all options that allow you to view all four or six episodes on each disc in continuation with or without audio commentary.

Since I already talked enough about the audio commentary tracks, I leave with some brief general comments. Unlike "The Complete Third Season" set, the four principal voice actors are nowhere to be found. That's sad, because I thought Nancy Cartwright was hilarious in the few commentaries on the last set and I enjoyed her appearance on them. However, I noticed that despite Matt Groening appeared on all episodes, Al Jean dominated most of the tracks, and he was quite informative and witty (I loved an Encyclopedia Brown joke). The overall mood of the tracks are based on fond remembrance, recollections of the perks and chores of the job, and also occasionally real-life anecdotes that developed prime plot points. Fans will definitely want to hear these tracks.

Each DVD comes with additional bonuses, under the "More Extras" banner in the main menu. All four DVDs contain "Art and Animation" menus, with animation showcases, interactive menus that contain picture-in-picture comparisons of the storyboard drawings, animatics, and the complete final episode. You can watch one of the three in full frame format, and the remaining two will be presented in little boxes at the bottom left and right of the screen. The storyboard option is available in full frame without the two boxes. You can conveniently switch between all four options by use of the angle button on your DVD controller, if provided. Other than that, it's manual selection all the way. This option is available for the episodes "A Streetcar Named Marge" (disc one), "Homer's Triple Bypass" (disc three) and "So It's Come to This..." (disc four). The episode "Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie" (disc two) contains a similar animated showcase, only the options change. There's no animatic for this episode, leaving you to choose picture-in-picture comparisons of the storyboard and completed episode, or full frame lone versions of either format.

Animatics are available for separate viewing from those same three episodes I mentioned in the beginning of the last paragraph. With the "Streetcar" segment about 17 minutes in length and the others below ten minutes, these show rough early black-and-white animation for the episodes, which can also include cut dialogue and alternate material. "Streetcar" and "Bypass" contain optional commentary by animators/directors Rich Moore and David Silverman, who have a telestrator on hand in order to point out certain parts with circles and arrows. The commentary mostly relates to the importance of animatics in the creation of the show, and the methods used in making animatics.

Both "Bypass" and "The Front," an episode on disc four, contain deleted scenes. "Bypass" contains four of them, which are mostly just small additions of dialogue and an alternate ending. "Front" contains six in all, including an alternate take on Homer’s self-rallying speech, a scene where Roger Meyers fires Grampa Simpson, and also a censored bit where scientists at the I&S building's laboratory test the effects of real dynamite on a real cat. You can see these separate, or you can see them in a branching fashion in an option that includes the audio commentary-led version of the final episode.

Disc one opens with a nearly two-minute introduction by the shows creator, A Word from Matt Groening, where he fills you in on what episodes you'll see (clips included) as well as what to expect in terms of bonus features. The most interesting feature is a 5-minute illustration of the back-and-forth battle of Bush vs. Simpson, narrated by show executive producer James L. Brooks. In a People Magazine interview in 1990, Barbara Bush admitted she liked "America's Funniest Home Videos" and yet thought "The Simpsons" was the dumbest thing she’d ever seen. Ouch! Marge Simpson herself sent a letter, acknowledging the fact that she tries to teach her own kids tolerance even as the First Lady insults them across the U.S. Soon after Mrs. Bush sent a response of her own back to Marge, we then see footage of George C. telling a crowd of religious broadcasters "American families need to be more like the Waltons, and less like the Simpsons." Brooks even recalls himself meeting the two in the flesh at a dinner. The feud did end up becoming the basis for one particularly memorable episode of the series: "Two Bad Neighbours" from Season 7 in 1996, which has been chastised by many for its unflattering mockery of the former president. Looking at this bonus feature, you might have a new opinion on it.

Another small feature, The Cajun Controversy, is about two minutes long and recycles the same information you heard in the commentary on "Streetcar Named Marge" about the controversial lyrics in the song "New Orleans." It's too short and quite vapid enough to skip over. The remaining bonus features on the first disc are a Special Language Feature on "Kamp Krusty" that allows you watch the episode in four foreign languages, Japanese, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, or Castilian Spanish (you can also access them through the audio option on your DVD controllers when you watch the episode clean), and a 14-minute featurette under the heading Promotional Stuff, which is simply a generic overview of the series that includes loads of clips, basic comments about the main characters, and some fleeting looks at the table readings and voice recording sessions.

Rounding out the compilation, disc two contains a quartet of Simpsons-related commercials. Both "Compulsion" and "Unforgettable Classics" are cheeky pop culture parodies of beauty product commercials and classic film clips used to advertise the show on TV. You also get the requisite Butterfinger candy bar ad, as well as Homer Simpson plugging Kentucky Fried Chicken in an ad straight from Canada. The set comes packaged in a similar design to the previous sets, with a cardboard slipcase housing a front design with a TV frame that allows you to view a nice picture of the Simpsons posing on their couch, only this time they're joined by Ralph Wiggum and Barney Gumble. Pulling out the interior of the slipcase, you get a fold-apart spindle-housing item that contains all four discs, additional animation, a written introduction by Matt Groening, and the 10-page booklet with information on all episodes and Groening's colorful stills. The first season box came in a silver color design scheme, the second in teal/green, the third in purple, and now this one in dark blue.

Who knows what the inevitable season five boxed set will be like? Orange? Red? Lilac? Whilst that remains to be seen, let me fill you in exactly what to anticipate in the future: "Homer's Barbershop Quartet," about the B-Sharps, the singers behind the classic hit "Baby on Board"; "Cape Feare," where Sideshow Bob stalks the Simpsons to the point where they become the Thompsons, and also delivers a heartfelt rendition of the entire "H.M.S. Pinafore" score; "Rosebud," the Orson Welles homage starring The Ramones ("Have the Rolling Stones killed!"); "$pringfield (or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)"; "Homer and Apu," with James Woods manning the Kwik-E-Mart; "The Boy Who Knew Too Much," where Bart skips school and becomes a witness to a waiter's brutal beating; "Deep Space Homer," where the Springfield Power Plant's biggest numbskull gets sent on a rocket launch; and "Bart Gets Famous" with the saying "I didn't do it."

Until then, Season 4 shows itself to be the most consistent episode of "The Simpsons" to date. In the words of Krusty the Klown, I heartily endorse this event or product.