Animation on Blu-ray

I love The Simpsons. Lets get that out of the way. I was about 16 years old when the first season was released on DVD, and I tried to keep up with the releases until I entered college and couldn’t afford to buy them anymore. For some reason the thought never occurred to me to catch up and buy the rest of the seasons now that I can afford it. Until now, that is.

Watching The Simpsons Season 20 Blu-ray has made me as obsessed with the show as I was a decade or so ago. Unfortunately, this season set feels a little rushed, and isn’t anywhere near the previous seasons when it comes to bonus features and presentation.

The Episodes

I probably hadn’t seen a new episode of The Simpsons in 7 years or so, but I was surprised. I was laughing out loud constantly. The humor has changed slightly through the years, but the series still has the heart that always made it great. The Simpsons family is definitely one of the most interesting American sitcom families that has ever been created.

Here is a rundown of the episodes included on this set.

Disc One

• Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes
• Lost Verizon
• Double, Double, Boy in Trouble
• Treehouse of Horror XIX
• Dangerous Curves
• Homer and Lisa Exchange Cross Words
• Mypods and Boomsticks
• The Burns and the Bees
• Lisa the Drama Queen

Disc Two

• Take My Life, Please
• How The Test Was Won
• No Loan Again, Naturally
• Gone Maggie Gone
• In The Name of the Grandfather
• Wedding for Disaster
• Eeny Teeny Maya Moe
• The Good, The Sad and The Drugly
• Father Knows Worst
• Waverly Hills
• Four Great Women and a Manicure
• Coming to Homerica

The Video

The first nine episodes are in standard definition, but they still look great on the disc. The second disc, however, is where the set really shines. The last twelve episodes are in full HD widescreen, and other than The Simpsons Movie, this is the best the show has ever looked on home video.

Special Features

This is where diehard Simpsons fans will be the most disappointed. Anyone who owns any of the standard-definition DVD sets from seasons 1-12 knows that they come overflowing with bonus features. Commentaries, storyboards, featurettes, and videos featuring the cast have come to be expected on Simpsons season sets.

This set, however, has no bonus features whatsoever besides a sneak peak at a Simpsons 20th Anniversary television special. This is likely because Fox wanted to get their new HD episodes out on Blu-ray as quickly as possible to coincide with the show’s anniversary. That’s understandable from a business perspective, but disappointing nonetheless.

The Verdict

You probably know if you want to buy this Blu-ray or not already, but I’d say if you are a fan of the show and of animation on Blu-ray, it’s definitely worth the purchase.

Disclaimer: This review was based on a free review copy. Read my blog disclosure statement for more.