Written by Robert Scucci | Updated
I'm not a religious person, but I consider myself blessed to have grown up in real time The Simpsons was broadcasting its Golden Era. It was that magical time in my life when the show was still on appointment viewing, and Sunday night meant it was time for a new episode. It was my favorite part of the week by a long shot.
My love for The Simpsons translated well into adulthood, where I would get invited to social events and chase away people I'd really like to hang out with by saying things like “Dental program!,” or “Do you say 'Boo' or 'Boo-urns'?” and waiting for the right answer.
It is a direct way to make friends who will be big even the smallest of men.
At that time The Simpsons hit Season 12, there was no more appointment viewing for me, and until Disney + arrived, I was forced to watch the DVDs I had accumulated over the years, all from Season 10 or earlier. Suddenly, I could refresh each episode with the click of a button, and it occurred to me that I could watch some of my favorite episodes with my kids.
Now that my son and daughter are 5 and 7 years old, respectively, I'm glad I can spoil their blank slates with some of my favorite episodes. What I didn't expect was for my daughter to get into the later seasons and actually pick up the certified bangers that are now in my regular rotation, even though I'm still a purist who never gets past Season 10.
The moral of the story? If you grew up during the Golden Era and have children of your own now, The Simpsons night should be mandatory.
It spans generations
As someone who chose to die onThe Simpsons it hasn't been good since the 1990s, one thing I really like about the Golden Era is that it was a really good time. Everything about The Simpsons during that time is so 1990s that you can't ignore it. I'm sure my kids learned what a pay phone was by watching it. The Simpsons with me.
But it's not just about teaching your kids what an animated sitcom looks like. Episodes like Season 7's “Summer of 4 Ft. 2.” get along really well with my daughter, who is about Lisa's age and is navigating some of her first friendships at school. My son, who loves dinosaurs so much that he has Jurassic Park-themed bedroom, like “Treehouse of Horror XXIX” with a third episode, “Geriatric Park,” revolving around Grandpa Simpson turning into a Grampasaurus.
Ironically, it's one of my favorite modern Halloween specials of the entire series, and I have my kids to thank for that.
Now that the kids are older, and actually letting me choose the episodes with more approval, I've been throwing myself into the Golden Age because I want them to grow up to be great people.
Here's how it works for me.
The last time we went to the zoo, my daughter said, “Remember, we're in the Itchy area!” when we parked the car, no one batted an eyelash because even my wife is a free person. The Simpsons super fan, knew it was a reference to “Itchy & Scratchy Land”.
The last time I cooked burgers at home, my son started crying that the Northern Lights were all over my kitchen. He couldn't say “Aurora Borealis,” but credit where it's due.
Those little moments are honestly my favorite part. Part of the fun of introducing my kids to them The Simpsons does not watch episodes. Hearing those jokes come back days or weeks later in completely unrelated situations, knowing they came the same way when I was his age.
Let Them Into Your Level Sometimes, They'll Surprise You
I am guilty of showing my children The Simpsons, South Park, Futuramaagain Rocko's Modern Life. Obviously, I don't show the most risque episodes, and they don't watch them unsupervised, but if you show your kids something adult-friendly while you've just left the house, they're surprisingly receptive to shows that aren't. Bluey or Paw Patrol.
But the real deal begins when I barge into their rooms at midnight on a Friday yelling, “Kids, I don't want to scare you, but there might be a bully in the house!”
I, of course, follow this offensive statement, Jerkass Homer, who says, “I'm kidding, we're watching. The Simpsons,” and we all pick an episode and let it rip on the jukebox we set up in the apartment.
Sidebar: if you want your kids not to watch TV during the day, get a cheap projector, because you can't physically use it when the sun comes out of the room.
We are able to collaborate on one of my favorite shows, but for different reasons. I like extreme sarcasm, while kids really like slapstick comedy. It feels like a full circle because when I was their age, I appreciated the show so much for the exact same reasons they appreciate it today. When a joke flies over their heads, I give them sage advice like, “You'll understand when you're older,” knowing full well that I used to hear the same thing.
One day, they will probably grow to midnight The Simpsons indulgence. They'll have their friends, their hobbies, and eventually they'll think hanging out with dad isn't fun right now. That's part of growing up. But for now, I get to share something that meant the world to me with two little people who are experiencing it for the first time, and that's a great feeling.
in my home, The Simpsons the night has become a priority. It starts with the doors being kicked in at midnight and ends with everyone quoting in real time before I tell them they're going to let me in mom and dad because they have to stay up past their bedtime.
Ninety-nine percent of the time, it doesn't work at all.
