The Simpsons - The Simpsons and Subliminal Messaging: Yvan eht nioj!

Sugz · 01-07-2004, 10:04 AM

Ok, well not authentic subliminal messaging but I think one of the most interesting points about the Simpsons and what makes it sharp and a bit clever is the different messages and idea the creators and writers slip into the dialogue and stories. All sorts of personal opinion, potshots and messages from anything from political to religious to ethnic to entertainment statements are made on The Simpsons and although it can be frustrating for a common viewer who may not agree with whatever statement is made you have to admit, it's done in a very clever way.

Example...at the end of one particular episode, the very end (and i wish I knew which episode it was...) someone says to Bart, in the context of the episode of course, "You saved the network!". And Bart looks ahead as if he were looking at the audience and says "Wouldn't be the first time!" And we all get the point that The Simpsons as a show saved FOX, as a network, probably more than once.

There was also the episode I watched yesterday where th network executives were bothering Krusty so much with their "notes" and ideas and such that they drove him to retirement. And then at the end of the episode the plastic explosives that were meant to blow up Bart and Krusty from Sideshow Bob end up blowing up the network execs who form into a gelatinous goo and slither back together as if some sort of a mutant. Obviously, someone in the writers room was pissed at the network execs that day.
There have also been many mentions of political figures. Like when Principal Skinner is stealing things from another schools classroom and Lisa questions him and he says "Welcome to Dick Cheney's America".
And when Bart goest to hell and the devil tells him he's not supposed to be there for another few decades or so, the sme amount of time itll take the Yankees to win another pennant (obviously someone in that writers room isnt a yankee fan!)

So have you ever noticed any of these statements? Have any of them ever ticked you off or had you shaking your head in agreement?

[ 01-07-2004: Message edited Sugz ]

Grilka · 01-08-2004, 08:38 PM

In "The Bart of War", after all the fighting in the stadium, they wanted to sing the Star Spangled Banner. But the song reflects war, so they decided to sing O Canada.

When men wanted to dodge the draft, they would run off to Canada.

tvfreak · 01-25-2004, 10:10 AM

Yay for Canadian simpsons references! This is a bit off-topic, but I just wanted to mention it before I mention one of the subliminal messages I noticed. In the episode "Das Bus" with the Model U.N. Club, every student represented a country and Ralph was representing Canada. When the classroom errupted into one big fight, Ralph simply stood up and started singing "O Canada", perhaps a reference to Canada not getting involved in other people's wars when others do? [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] Heh....

And yea, I read this and though it was interesting. During the whol Bush/Gore debacle, there as an episode that had this chalkboard saying: I will not write subliminAL messaGOREs [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img]

[img]smilies/sail_boat.gif[/img] Claire

Eidolon14 · 01-25-2004, 07:48 PM

Ultimately, all shows have subliminal messages, some more than others (see The O.C..) Of course, there's always magazines, radio talk shows, etc. Nothing new.