Alt.tv.simpsons

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alt.tv.simpsons
The Simpsons Archive (website screenshot).jpg
The fruit of the discussion on alt.tv.simpsons is compiled and submitted to The Simpsons Archive.
Type of site
 Television
URL simpsonsarchive.com
LaunchedMarch 1990
Current statusClosed

alt.tv.simpsons (called "a.t.s." by regular readers) is a usenet newsgroup dedicated to discussing the American television program The Simpsons . Created in 1990, the newsgroup became a popular community in the early 1990s. It still exists today, even when Google Groups shut down the Usenet service in 2024. It can be accessed on various news servers with a news reader and web archives like Novabbs [1] . It is known for reviewing episodes and nitpicking minor details on the show.

Contents

The writers of The Simpsons knew about the forum and have on several occasions read the comments made on it. The character Comic Book Guy is often used in the show to lampoon and respond to the newsgroup's fans. In interviews some writers have admitted that they do not like being scrutinized, but other writers participated in the discussions on the forum. Independent commentators called the forum an example of an "active audience" and have claimed The Simpsons is tailor-made for such a forum.

History

The newsgroup was created by Gary D. Duzan during the third week of March 1990, four months after the first airing of a regular episode of the program, which was the episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" – a Christmas special that aired on December 17, 1989. [2] At the time Duzan was in his third year, studying computer science, at the University of Delaware. [3]

The newsgroup was created before there was a World Wide Web, which emerged in 1993, so those earliest discussions were held on text-only platforms. [4] According to Chris Turner, a Canadian journalist and writer of the book Planet Simpson , the newsgroup was among the most trafficked newsgroups of the early 1990s. In that period it became a popular community on the Internet. [5] According to Brian Reid, a computer scientist who has been tracking newsgroup traffic since 1985, alt.tv.simpsons was the most popular television newsgroup in May 1994, ahead of a discussion newsgroups about general television newsgroup (rec.arts.tv), Monty Python (alt.fan.monty-python), the Late Show with David Letterman (alt.fan.letterman) and soap operas (rec.arts.tv.soaps). Since there is no official method for measuring newsgroup traffic, the list is considered unofficial. [6]

Discussions

From its inception, users used the newsgroup to discuss the quality of the episode, as well as to talk about continuity errors and trivia. [4] They also discussed cultural references, usually related to pop culture. Another common topic was freeze frame gags, which are jokes that can only be seen when the viewer tapes the episode and freezes the image. [7] All of these many discussions were compiled and submitted to The Simpsons Archive, which contains at least 330 episode guides as well as other guides. [4] The newsgroup also provided The Simpsons Archive with information on the characters and the setting, as well as a compilation of articles about the show and interview with its cast and crew. [8]

Among the most frequent topics of discussion were the real-life location of Springfield, the sexuality of Waylon Smithers, [9] and "Who Shot Mr. Burns?", a two-episode publicity stunt in which Mr. Burns was shot by an unknown character. [10] The writers inserted many secret clues into the episode and implemented a contest in which whoever first discovered the shooter would be animated on an episode of the show. [11] Although the alt.tv.simpsons community debated this mystery to an extreme degree, [12] no one officially guessed the right answer, and therefore no one was ever animated on the show. Due to contest regulations, a winner had to be selected out of a random sample of entries. The sample did not contain any correct answers, so the winner who was chosen did not have the right answer and was paid a cash prize in lieu of being animated. [11]

Relationship with the writers

The writers often use the character Comic Book Guy to satirize and respond to the alt.tv.simpsons community. In this scene he is logging on to alt.nerd.obsessive, a parody of alt.tv.simpsons. Alt.nerd.obsessive.png
The writers often use the character Comic Book Guy to satirize and respond to the alt.tv.simpsons community. In this scene he is logging on to alt.nerd.obsessive, a parody of alt.tv.simpsons.

The writers of the show were aware of the newsgroup and sometimes make jokes at its expense. Within the series, the character Comic Book Guy is often used to represent a stereotypical inhabitant of alt.tv.simpsons. [4] The first such instance occurred in the seventh-season episode "Radioactive Man," in which Comic Book Guy is logging on to his favorite newsgroup alt.nerd.obsessive. [13] Comic Book Guy's oft-repeated catchphrase, "Worst episode ever," first appeared on alt.tv.simpsons in an episode review [14] and David S. Cohen decided to use this fan response to lampoon the passion and the fickleness of the fans. [15]

The eighth season episode "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show" is largely seen as a satire of the "hardcore fans" that make up the newsgroup, as well as a response to the viewer backlash and obsession with internal consistency those fans commonly expressed. [14] When Comic Book Guy sees the Poochie episode, he immediately goes on the Internet and writes, “Worst episode ever” on a message board; a commentary on how the active audience nitpicks the episode. The writers respond by using the voice of Bart Simpson: [16]

Comic Book Guy: Last night's Itchy & Scratchy was, without a doubt, the worst episode ever. Rest assured I was on the Internet within minutes registering my disgust throughout the world.
Bart: Hey, I know it wasn’t great, but what right do you have to complain?
Comic Book Guy: As a loyal viewer, I feel they owe me.
Bart: What? They’re giving you thousands of hours of entertainment for free. What could they possibly owe you? If anything, you owe them.
Comic Book Guy: [pause] Worst..episode..ever.

— David S. Cohen, "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show", The Simpsons

The catchphrase further appears in the eleventh season episode "Saddlesore Galactica," [17] and as the title of the twelfth season episode "Worst Episode Ever." [18] The catchphrase can also be used for describing other things by saying, "Worst. (Noun). Ever." [4]

The writers also used the newsgroup to test how observant the fans are. In the seventh-season episode "Treehouse of Horror VI", the writer of segment Homer3, David S. Cohen, deliberately inserted a false equation into the background of one scene. [15] The equation that appears is 178212 + 184112 = 192212. Although a false statement, it appears to be true when evaluated on a typical calculator with 10 digits of precision. If it were true, it would disprove Fermat's Last Theorem, which had just been proven when this episode first aired. Cohen generated this "Fermat near-miss" with a computer program. [19] After the episode aired, Cohen lurked on the newsgroup to see the response; at first there was astonishment when users tested it, but later there was despair when they found out it was only accurate to eight decimal places when expressed in scientific notation. [15]

Reception

The comments of alt.tv.simpsons have been quoted or cited in the writings of mass media commentators. This has led to situations in which relations between writers and viewers have become strained. In 1994, Simpsons creator Matt Groening acknowledged he and the other show runners have been reading the newsgroup and in frustration said, "Sometimes I feel like knocking their electronic noggins together". [20] In another case, writer Ian Maxtone-Graham made comments about the fans on the Internet in an interview with The Independent , calling them "beetle-browed" and saying, "That's why they're on the Internet and we're writing the show." [21] Writer Bill Oakley used to respond to select Simpsons fans through e-mail in a friendly manner, [22] but by 1996 claimed "[t]here are people who take it seriously to the point of absurdity". [23] In a 1994 Life in Hell cartoon, Matt Groening implied that he read the newsgroup. [24]

In the chapter "Who Wants Candy" in the 2004 book Leaving Springfield , Robert Sloane finds alt.tv.simpsons an example of an "active audience ... who struggle to make their own meaning out of the show". He mentions that in this context, the fans nitpick the show to an extreme and allow no room for error, where the writers believe that nitpicking leads to an under appreciation of the show's qualities. [16] Chris Turner writes in the 2004 book Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation that The Simpsons appeared tailor-made for a newsgroup in the early 1990s because it includes minor details that reward attentive viewing and can be easily scrutinized. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comic Book Guy</span> Fictional character from The Simpsons franchise

Jeff Albertson, commonly known as the Comic Book Guy (CBG), is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and Eisner-nominated spin-off comic book series Comic Book Guy. He is voiced by Hank Azaria and first appeared in the second-season episode "Three Men and a Comic Book", which originally aired on May 9, 1991. Comic Book Guy is the proprietor of a comic book store, The Android's Dungeon & Baseball Card Shop. He is based on "every comic book store guy in America" and represents a stereotypical middle-aged comic-book collector with a supercilious attitude and obsessive knowledge of pop culture minutia. He is known for his distinctive accent, disagreeable personality, and his catchphrase, "Worst [thing] ever!"

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Weinstein</span> American television writer and producer

Josh Weinstein is an American television writer and producer, known for his work on the animated comedy series The Simpsons. Weinstein and Bill Oakley became best friends and writing partners at St. Albans School; Weinstein then attended Stanford University and was editor-in-chief of the Stanford Chaparral. He worked on several short-term media projects, including writing for the variety show Sunday Best, but was then unemployed for a long period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David X. Cohen</span> American television writer (born 1966)

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<i>The Itchy & Scratchy Show</i> Fictional animated series on The Simpsons

The Itchy & Scratchy Show is a fictional animated series featured on The Simpsons. The cartoon depicts a sadistic mouse named Itchy who repeatedly maims or murders a black cat named Scratchy. It is typically presented as 15- to 60-second sketches that are a part of The Krusty the Clown Show. Itchy & Scratchy is filled with graphic violence, unsuitable for children, that almost invariably prompts laughter from The Simpsons characters, especially Bart and Lisa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Simpsons Archive</span> The Simpsons fan website

The Simpsons Archive, also known by its previous domain name snpp.com or simply SNPP, is a Simpsons fan site that has been online since 1994. Maintained by dozens of volunteers from—amongst other places—the newsgroup alt.tv.simpsons and Simpsons-related forums, the site features information on every aspect of the show, from detailed guides to upcoming episodes and merchandise, to the episode capsules, for which the site is well known. In a bid to steer clear of Fox's legal department after a conflict in 1996, the site contains no multimedia or interactive features, preferring to focus on documenting the show through textual material. As of October, 2005, the site receives roughly 1.2 million hits per month. In December, 2013, it was moved to simpsonsarchive.com, with the original snpp.com domain returned to the owner that had provided it to the project at no cost since 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bongo Comics</span> Defunct American comic book publisher

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Oakley</span> American television writer and producer (born 1966)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Treehouse of Horror IX</span> 4th episode of the 10th season of The Simpsons

"Treehouse of Horror IX" is the fourth episode of the tenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on Fox in the United States on October 25, 1998. This is the ninth Treehouse of Horror episode, and, like the other "Treehouse of Horror" episodes, contains three self-contained segments: In "Hell Toupée", Homer gets a hair transplant and is possessed by the spirit of an executed criminal; in "Terror of Tiny Toon", Bart and Lisa are trapped in a special, extremely violent episode of The Itchy & Scratchy Show; and in "Starship Poopers", Marge reveals that Maggie is the product of a one-night stand with the alien Kang.

"Itchy & Scratchy & Marge" is the ninth episode of the second season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on Fox in the United States on December 20, 1990. In the episode, which is a satire of censorship issues, Maggie bullies Homer by attacking him with a mallet and Marge blames The Itchy & Scratchy Show for Maggie's actions. It was written by John Swartzwelder and was the first episode to be directed by Jim Reardon. Alex Rocco makes his first of three guest appearances as Roger Meyers Jr.

"Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie" is the sixth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on November 3, 1992. The plot follows Bart continually getting in trouble, and how Homer is unable to give him any suitable punishment. Marge gets Homer to agree to make a punishment stick, and he forbids Bart to see the new Itchy & Scratchy movie for not watching Maggie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saddlesore Galactica</span> 13th episode of the 11th season of The Simpsons

"Saddlesore Galactica" is the thirteenth episode of the eleventh season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 6, 2000. In the episode, the Simpson family rescues a diving horse named Duncan from an abusive owner and keeps him as a pet. When the cost of keeping Duncan rises, Homer and Bart train him to be a racehorse. Duncan wins several races and, as a result, Homer is threatened with death by a group of jockeys. Meanwhile, Lisa is upset over her school unfairly losing the musical band competition at a state fair and writes a letter to U.S. President Bill Clinton in protest.

"Radioactive Man" is the second episode of the seventh season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on September 24, 1995. In the episode, the film version of the comic book series Radioactive Man is shot in Springfield. Much to Bart's disappointment, the part of the hero's sidekick, Fallout Boy, goes to Milhouse. When he tires of the long hours required to shoot the film, Milhouse quits the role, forcing the filmmakers to cease production and return to Hollywood.

"The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show" is the fourteenth episode of the eighth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 9, 1997. In the episode, The Itchy & Scratchy Show attempts to regain lost viewers by introducing a new character named Poochie, voiced by Homer. The episode is largely self-referential and satirizes the world of television production, fans of The Simpsons, and the series itself. It was written by David X. Cohen and directed by Steven Dean Moore. Alex Rocco is a credited guest voice as Roger Meyers Jr. for the third and final time ; Phil Hartman also guest stars as Troy McClure. Poochie became a minor recurring character and Comic Book Guy's catchphrase, "Worst episode ever", is introduced in this episode.

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"The Front" is the nineteenth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired in the United States on Fox on April 15, 1993. In the episode, Bart and Lisa decide to write an episode of The Itchy & Scratchy Show; after their script is rejected, they resubmit it under the name of their grandfather Abraham Simpson, resulting in Grampa being hired as a staff writer. Meanwhile, Homer returns to high school to retake a failed science course.

"Another Simpsons Clip Show" is the third episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on September 25, 1994. In the episode, Marge reads a romance novel in bed, and it prompts her to have a family meeting, where the Simpson family recall their past loves in form of clips from previous episodes.

"Itchy & Scratchy Land" is the fourth episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on Fox in the United States on October 2, 1994. Wanting a perfect family vacation, the Simpson family visits Itchy & Scratchy Land.

Media is a recurring theme of satire on The Simpsons. The show is known for its satire of American popular culture and especially television culture, but has since its inception covered all types of media such as animation, journalism, commercials, comic books, movies, internet, and music. The series centers on a family and their life in a typical American town but the town of Springfield acts as a complete universe. The town features a vast array of media channels—from kids' television programming to local news, which enables the producers to make jokes about themselves and the entertainment industry.

The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom which premiered on Fox on December 17, 1989. Having finished its 35th and 36th season in 2024, critical commentary on the show has changed significantly over its run. The Simpsons' golden era is widely considered to be among the most influential media ever produced. Discussion of the show following the supposed "end of the golden era" has been related to the decline in quality, the causes of that change, and possible solutions.

References

  1. ↑ "Rocksolid Light - alt.tv.simpsons". news.novabbs.org. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
  2. ↑ Hocking, Tammy; Matt Rose (2004-03-17). "alt.tv.simpsons Basic History". The Simpsons Archive. Archived from the original on 14 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-26.
  3. ↑ Siegel, Alan (2013-09-26). "Best Message Board Ever". Slate . Retrieved 2018-09-05.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Tossell, Ivor (2007-08-02). "Worst. Column. Ever". The Globe and Mail . Archived from the original on 16 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-26.
  5. ↑ Turner 2004, p. 39.
  6. ↑ Owen, Rob (1994-07-02). "Researcher compiles net newsgroup ratings". Richmond Times-Dispatch. p. F-4.
  7. 1 2 Turner 2004, p. 285.
  8. ↑ Turner 2004, p. 287.
  9. ↑ Turner 2004, p. 289.
  10. ↑ Oakley, Bill (2005). Commentary for the episode "Who Shot Mr. Burns (Part One)". The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  11. 1 2 Mirkin, David (2005). Commentary for the episode "Who Shot Mr. Burns (Part One)". The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  12. ↑ Walk, Gary Eng; Jason Kaufman (1995-09-15). "A BURNS-ING QUESTION". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved 2009-02-26.
  13. ↑ Turner 2004, p. 282.
  14. 1 2 Donald, John R. (1992-11-04). "I&STM". alt.tv.simpsons. Google Groups. Retrieved 2009-02-21.
  15. 1 2 3 Baker, Chris (2007-11-27). "Futurama Is Back! Grab a Can of Slurm and Settle In". WIRED . Archived from the original on 27 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-22.
  16. 1 2 Alberti, pp. 147-148
  17. ↑ Long, Tim; Kramer, Lance (February 6, 2000). "Saddlesore Galactica". The Simpsons. Season 11. Episode 13. Fox.
  18. ↑ Doyle, Larry; Nastuk, Matthew (4 February 2001). "Worst Episode Ever". The Simpsons. Season 12. Episode 11. Fox.
  19. ↑ Greenwald, Sarah (2005-04-06). "A Futurama Math Conversation with David X. Cohen". Appalachian State University. Archived from the original on 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2009-02-26.
  20. ↑ Turner 2004, p. 290.
  21. ↑ O'Sullivan, Charlotte (1998-06-22). "Behind Every Homer Is a Very Tall Man". The Independent .
  22. ↑ Weinman, Jaime J. (2000-01-24). "Worst episode ever". Salon . Archived from the original on 26 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-02-26.
  23. ↑ Davies, Laura Lee (1996-09-25). "Family Fortunes". Time Out .
  24. ↑ Groening, Matt ( w ,  a ). Life in Hell .1994-10-28,Acme Features Syndicate.
Bibliography
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