The Simpsons They consolidated as a pillar in animation and One of the most emblematic productions of popular culture. The seriescreated by Matt Groening and that it is transmitted uninterrupted since 1989, has been acclaimed by its sharp social criticism, its irreverent humor and its endearing characters. However, his longevity also brought with him ups and downs.
While in your first seasons The Simpsons They were the referent of the animated comedy, coming to position themselves as one of the most viewed and laureate series of all time, the passing of the years brought with it changes in the tone and approach of the series, generating divisions between fans.
Changes in the format of The series They were inevitable over time, but One of the episodes that caused the most was the The director and the beggarthe second episode of the ninth season. A chapter that, to today, Groening hates having done.
The director and the beggar It was issued on September 28, 1997, He is remembered for an unexpected turn that marked a break in the conception of Seymour Skinner’s character, The director of the Springfield Elementary School And one of the pillars of the cast of The Simpsons.
The chapter became a controversial milestone due to the decision to reveal that Skinner It was not the one who thought, but was, in reality, an imposter called Armin Tamzarian. In the Spanish -speaking version, which we all know, they changed it to Armando Barreda.
This episode was one of the most controversial in the history of the seriesnot only for its content, but also because of the reaction that aroused both among fans and within the series creative team. At a time when The Simpsons They were already established as a reference on television, the plot of the chapter was seen as an error by many.
The first to express his disdain for the chapter was nothing less than Groeningto the point that, after its broadcast, he asked that his name be withdrawn from the credits. This episode became the only one that the creator of the yellow family hated and from which he completely distanced himself.
In the comments of the Episode DVD, The scriptwritersespecially Ken KeelerThey defended the decision as a creative option that wanted to take the series to new horizons. He even explained that his intention was “Cause the greatest possible damage” before leaving the screenwriter teamsince he intended to move to Futurama At the end of that season.
However, Groening never agreed with this decision, and his rejection of the episode is resounding. In several interviews, including one with Rolling StoneHe said that, after the end of the episode, the team realized that he had made a serious mistake and that, as a consequence, they agreed not to talk about the chapter again. Given this, he asked to be excluded from DVD comments, which further underlines his rejection of him.
Fans were noticed in the Interne forumst, particularly in No Homersan online discussion site where fans shared their impressions about each episode. In these forums, the controversy He unleashed quickly, With many followers expressing their discontent and their perception that the Simpsons had crossed a dangerous line As for coherence and respect for their own characters.
However, fans did not forgive what they considered a fundamental alteration of Skinner’s identity. The question that many were asked was: “Why do this if the series already had a solid base and an established structure?” To the point that, today, This episode remains one of the most debated in the universe of the series.
Despite the controversy and rejection that generated The director and the beggarthe series did not overlook this episode in the future. “They included several references to the episode, but in a sarcastic way, as if it were a kind of ‘internal censorship’” “.
The first significant mention occurs in Behind the laughterthe end of season 11, in which the series parodies its own legacy and the past creative decisions. In this chapter, a clip of The director and the beggar To illustrate a criticism of how episodes began to focus on insubstantial and absurd arguments, a clear mockery of the episode and the reaction it caused at the time.
Later, in season 15, in the episode I, Jo-Bota reference is also made when Lisa calls Skinner “Director Tamzarian”as a kind of ironic reminder of the plot that marked the controversy. These examples do nothing but underline how controversial the episode was at the time and how, despite the passage of time, The Simpsons They never stopped referring to that episode in a scathing way.
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