The Simpsons season 4

Development

The season was executive produced by Al Jean and Mike Reiss, who had also run the previous season. Several of the show's original writers who had been with the show since the first season left following the completion of the season's production run. "Cape Feare", which was the final episode to be produced by the "original team", aired during season five as a holdover. Jay Kogen, Wallace Wolodarsky and Jeff Martin wrote their final episodes for the season four production run. David M. Stern and Jon Vitti also left but returned to write episodes for later seasons. Reiss and Jean left to produce their own series, The Critic, but later returned to produce several more The Simpsons episodes, and Jean again became the showrunner starting with season thirteen. Rich Moore, one of the show's original directors, also left to work on The Critic, but returned years later to assist with animation on The Simpsons Movie. George Meyer and John Swartzwelder stayed on, while Conan O'Brien, Frank Mula and future show runners Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein received their first writing credits. One-time writers for the season include Adam I. Lapidus and the team of Gary Apple and Michael Carrington, although Carrington later returned to voice characters in "Simpson Tide" and "Million Dollar Abie".

Sam Simon, who had been showrunner for the show's first two seasons, assembled the original writing team, been the series' creative supervisor from its inception, and has been credited as "developing [the show's] sensibility", departed at the end of season four. Simon was involved in a series of creative disputes with the show's creator Matt Groening, producer James L. Brooks and production company Gracie Films. Before leaving, he negotiated a deal that saw him receive a share of the show's profits every year and an executive producer credit despite not having worked on the show since then until his death.

This season's production run (9F) was the first to be animated by Film Roman, after Gracie Films opted to switch domestic production of the series from Klasky Csupo. Sharon Bernstein of the Los Angeles Times wrote that "Gracie executives had been unhappy with the producer Csupo had assigned to The Simpsons and said the company also hoped to obtain better wages and working conditions for animators at Film Roman." Klasky Csupo co-founder Gábor Csupó had been "asked [by Gracie Films] if they could bring in their own producer [to oversee the animation production]," but declined, stating "they wanted to tell me how to run my business." Simon commented that: "There won't be any change in the quality or look of the show. We're not going to compromise the quality of the show, and key creative personnel will continue on the show."

"A Streetcar Named Marge" and "Kamp Krusty" were holdovers from the previous season and so were the last of the Klasky Csupo produced episodes to air. Brooks suggested that the script for "Kamp Krusty" be expanded and produced as a feature-length theatrically released film. However, the episode ran very short, barely reaching the minimum length allowed, with the episode's musical number having to be lengthened by a number of verses. The episode had also been selected to be the season's premiere. As Jean told Brooks, "First of all, if we make it into the movie then we don't have a premiere, and second if we can't make 18 minutes out of this episode how are we supposed to make 80?"

Voice cast & characters

Main article: List of The Simpsons characters

Main cast

• Dan Castellaneta as Homer Simpson, Grampa Simpson, Krusty the Clown, Mayor Quimby, Groundskeeper Willie, Barney Gumble and various others
• Julie Kavner as Marge Simpson, Patty Bouvier, Selma Bouvier and various others
• Nancy Cartwright as Bart Simpson, Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggum and various others
• Yeardley Smith as Lisa Simpson
• Hank Azaria as Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum, Professor Frink, Carl Carlson, Comic Book Guy, Apu, Bumblebee Man and various others
• Harry Shearer as Mr. Burns, Waylon Smithers, Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner, Dr. Hibbert, Lenny Leonard, Kent Brockman, Reverend Lovejoy, and various others

Recurring

• Pamela Hayden as Milhouse Van Houten, Jimbo Jones
• Maggie Roswell as Maude Flanders, Helen Lovejoy, Luann Van Houten and Miss Hoover
• Russi Taylor as Martin Prince
• Tress MacNeille as Agnes Skinner
• Marcia Wallace as Edna Krabappel

Guest stars

Main article: List of The Simpsons guest stars (seasons 1–20)

• Phil Hartman as Troy McClure, Lionel Hutz, Lyle Lanley and Mr. Muntz (various episodes)
• Jon Lovitz as Llewellyn Sinclair and Ms. Sinclair ("A Streetcar Named Marge")
• Elizabeth Taylor as Maggie Simpson ("Lisa's First Word") and herself ("Krusty Gets Kancelled")
• Barry White as himself ("Whacking Day")
• Bob Hope as himself ("Lisa the Beauty Queen")
• Lona Williams as Amber Dempsey ("Lisa the Beauty Queen")
• Tom Jones as himself ("Marge Gets a Job")
• Sara Gilbert as Laura Powers ("New Kid on the Block")
• Pamela Reed as Ruth Powers ("New Kid on the Block")
• Adam West as himself ("Mr. Plow")
• Linda Ronstadt as herself ("Mr. Plow")
• Leonard Nimoy as himself ("Marge vs. the Monorail")
• Michael Carrington as Sideshow Raheem ("I Love Lisa")
• Kipp Lennon singing "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" ("Duffless")
• Dr. Joyce Brothers as herself ("Last Exit to Springfield")
• Brooke Shields as herself ("The Front")
• David Crosby as himself ("Marge in Chains")
• Johnny Carson as himself ("Krusty Gets Kancelled")
• Hugh Hefner as himself ("Krusty Gets Kancelled")
• Bette Midler as herself ("Krusty Gets Kancelled")
• Luke Perry as himself ("Krusty Gets Kancelled")
• Red Hot Chili Peppers as themselves ("Krusty Gets Kancelled")

Awards

1993 marked the first year that the producers of The Simpsons did not submit episodes for the "Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)". Prior to this season, the series had only been allowed to compete in the animation category, but in early 1993 the rules were changed so that animated television shows would be able to submit nominations in the "Outstanding Comedy Series" category. The producers submitted "A Streetcar Named Marge" and "Mr. Plow" but the Emmy voters were hesitant to pit cartoons against live action programs, and The Simpsons did not receive a nomination. Several critics saw the show's failure to gain a nomination as one of the biggest snubs of that year. Dan Castellaneta was awarded an Emmy for "Outstanding Voice-Over Performance". "Treehouse of Horror III" was nominated for Emmys for "Outstanding Individual Achievement in Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore)" (Alf Clausen) and "Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Comedy Series or a Special".

The series won several other awards this season, including an Annie Award for "Best Animated Television Program", a Genesis Award for "Best Television Prime Time Animated Series" for the episode "Whacking Day" and a Saturn Award for "Best Television Series".

At the 9th annual Television Critics Association Awards, the fourth season of the show was nominated for 'Outstanding Achievement in Comedy' but lost to "Seinfeld." Additionally, it was nominated for 'Program of the Year,' losing to "Barbarians at the Gate."

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has a 100% approval rating based on 11 critical reviews, with an average rating of 10/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "One word: Monorail".

Episodes

Guest star: Jon Lovitz Note: This is the last episode to be animated by Klasky Csupo. Starting with the next episode until the season 28 episode "Havana Wild Weekend", the series was animated by Film Roman. Note: First appearance of God.

• "Clown Without Pity": In Lisa's story, Homer buys Bart a Krusty doll which turns out to be evil and tries to kill Homer.

• "King Homer": In Grampa's story, a King Kong parody, Mr. Burns decides to hire Marge Bouvier to trap an ape who looks like Homer.

• "Dial "Z" for Zombie": In Bart's story, Bart discovers an occult book and tries to use one of the spells to bring back the family cat, but instead, he accidentally summons a horde of zombies. Note: First appearance of Bumblebee Man. Guest star: Sara Gilbert Note: First appearances of The Sea Captain and Ruth Powers. Guest stars: Adam West and Linda Ronstadt Guest star: Leonard Nimoy Guest star: Dr. Joyce Brothers Guest star: Barry White Note: First appearance of Superintendent Chalmers. Guest Stars: Johnny Carson, Hugh Hefner, Bette Midler, Luke Perry, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Elizabeth Taylor Note: This is the only episode to date that Marge (despite her prominence) does not have any dialogue.

DVD release

The DVD boxset for season four was released by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment in the United States and Canada on June 15, 2004, eleven years after it had completed broadcast on television. As well as every episode from the season, the DVD release features bonus material including deleted scenes, Animatics, and commentaries for every episode. The menus are a different format than the previous seasons.

References

;Bibliography

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