The Simpsons Creator Tried To Prevent One Of Its Best Episodes From Airing
Though far removed from the heights of its glory years, The Simpsons is still on the air. During the entire run, starting in 1989, series creator Matt Groening has disowned only one episode. Out of over 750 episodes spanning nearly four decades, “A Star Is Burns” remains the only one that Groening has refused to have his name attached to.
Groening felt the episode, which features a cross-over with the Jon Lovitz cartoon The Critic, was nothing more than an advertisement for the new series. In other words, Groening felt, “it stinks.”
The Critic Comes To Springfield
“A Star Is Burns” is Season 6, Episode 18, originally airing in 1995, and it’s widely considered to be one of the greatest episodes of The Simpsons. When Marge suggests at a town meeting that Springfield hosts a film festival, not only does it energize the residents to put together their own short films, but noted critic Jay Sherman (voiced by Lovitz) comes by as the celebrity judge. It’s a simple premise, and despite Groening’s protests, it serves to highlight the eccentric residents of Springfield more than the guest star.
Packed Full Of Iconic Lines
Think of some of the most iconic lines from The Simpsons, and there’s a good chance they come from “A Star Is Burns,” including “Find me his non-Union Mexican equivalent,” “Steven Spielbergo,” “Barney’s movie had heart, but Football In The Groin had a football in the groin,” “Just hook it to my veins!,” and of course, “Are you saying ‘Boo’ or ‘Boo-urns?'”
It’s an episode jam-packed with iconic moments, and most shows would be happy to have just one of Mr. Burns’s lines during a season, never mind the constant quote machine that is “A Star Is Burns.”
The Critic Shares DNA With The Simpsons
Yet despite the success of the episode, Matt Groening’s name is missing from the credits. Before the episode ever aired, he was fighting with Fox to stop it from entering production, despite how two former writers from The Simpsons created The Critic, Al Jean and Mike Reiss. Groening’s complaints that this show was reduced to advertising, which he took public after Fox refused to listen to him, were taken as a shot against his former co-workers against their new show.
Also of note is that Groening didn’t complain when The X-Files crossed over with his show.
One Of The Greatest Episodes In The Series
It’s ironic that Groening thought The Simpsons/The Critic crossover was a bridge too far, given how he approved licensing his creation for every single product you can think of, from toothbrushes to dog beds, beer cozies to video games designed to make kids cry. The fans have also disagreed with Groening, propelling “A Star Is Burns” towards the top of almost every list compiling the series’ best episodes. He’ll let episodes from Season 15 have his name attached, but not one of the greatest 22 minutes in television history.
The Critic Didn’t Last Long
The Critic went on to air for only one season on Fox, airing only half of its episodes before it was canceled. The series has become a cult classic, with the unaired episodes part of the complete series DVD box set.
As time has gone on, a significant number of The Simpsons fans today likely consider Jay Sherman’s appearance in Springfield to be just one of the many thousands of random guest stars that have appeared over the years.
Hook It To My Veins
If you haven’t watched “A Star Is Burns” in a while, head over to Disney+ and stream it today. The Simpsons is a shell of its former self, but for that first decade, nothing can touch its amazing run of success. After all, Bojack Horseman may have heart, but The Simpsons has a football to the groin.
