Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: 08/15/2006

"A Simpson on a T-shirt. I never thought I'd see the day." So remarks Marge Simpson in "Dancin' Homer," just one of 22 mostly classic episodes that comprise this series' brilliant second season. The Simpsons by that time was already a pop culture phenomenon, but instead of suffering a sophomore slump, this iconoclastic animated series was just hitting its stride. Series milestones include: first Oscar®-winning guest voice (an unbilled Dustin Hoffman in "Lisa's Substitute"), first Beatle guest voice (Ringo in "Brush with Greatness"), first "Treehouse of Horror" Halloween episode, first flashback episode ("The Way We Was," in which Homer meets Marge), and the first episode to make me cry (Bart's last frolic with obedience school washout Santa's Little Helper in "Bart's Dog Gets an F"). It's in this season the The Simpsons really finds its voice. The writing is sharper, and the upending of sitcom convention more subversive. "Perhaps there is no moral to this story," observes Lisa at the end of "Blood Feud." "Exactly," agrees Homer. "Just a bunch of stuff that happens."

In the first season, Bart was the series' breakout star, but in the second, The Simpsons established itself as a true ensemble series. Each character came into their own with career-best episodes. Marge, the family's long-suffering voice of reason, crusades against cartoon violence in "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge." Lisa, the heart and tortured soul of the series, develops an ill-fated crush on her new teacher in "Lisa's Substitute." Bart desperately tries to raise the money to buy Radioactive Man No. 1 in "Three Men and a Comic Book." Homer's stock rises when he grows hair in "Simpson and Delilah." Joining the Simpsons roster of scene-stealing supporting characters are Dr. Hibbert ("Bart the Daredevil"), shyster lawyer Lionel Hutz (voiced by the late, great Phil Hartman in "Bart Gets Hit by a Car"), the Ahnold-esque action hero McBain ("The Way We Was"), slobbering aliens Kang and Kodos ("Treehouse of Horror"), and "nutty professor" Frink ("Old Money"). This essential, extras-laden DVD set is illustrative of why The Simpsons is, in the parlance of Comic Book Guy, funniest show ever. --Donald Liebenson

The creators of the Simpsons really began to hit their stride with this season. Every episode is a winner, but for me the standouts are "Lisa's Substitute" (Dustin Hoffman's voices a substitute teacher that replaces Homer in Lisa's affections), "Three Men and a Comic Book" (Bart, Millhouse, and Martin buy an issue of Radioactive Man #1, then cannot trust each other alone with it in a hilarious nod to the classic "Treasure of the Sierra Madre"), "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge" (any episode with Itchy & Scratchy is great, but here Marge forces them to become kinder, gentler characters), and "Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish" (Mr. Burns may be the funniest character on the show).

I've heard time and again that season 2 of The Simpsons was where the series really started to show its true potential. And I have to say, I couldn't agree more. True it was still somewhat choppy even here, but the improvement in quality over season 1 is still undeniable. While a blind person like myself can't appreciate the improved quality of the animation, it's cool to hear the difference in some of the character voices from season 1 versus season 2. Homer and Mr. Burns are particularly noticeable in this area as Dan Castellaneta and Harry Shearer became more comfortable with those voices. Even Moe sounds different, although it will be several seasons yet before Chief Wiggum's voice is well-established.
Now let's discuss the episodes. It's been stated again and again, but this is the first season to feature what will become the annual Treehouse of Horror special. This particular one happens to be one of my absolute favorites. The Bad Dreamhouse sketch is probably my favorite, although it would be followed closely by The Raven. Of course Hungry are the Damned is well worth watching also, as it features the alien pair we've come to know and love.
Other notable episodes are Bart gets an F, Bart gets Hit by a Car, which is the first time a Simpson encounters god (though in this instance it's only his voice on a Public Address system on the escalator to Heaven), and Oh Brother, where art thou, in which Homer learns of his half brother Herb. This set also features the video for Deep Deep Trouble, which I remember watching when it aired on Fox the first time.
All in all this is an excellent season. It was the first season I ever saw on DVD, when my sister's now husband loaned it to me to watch when both he and my sister were at work. It provided me hours of nostalgic entertainment on what would otherwise have been long, boring days spent alone in a two-bedroom apartment. The audio commentary is also very interesting, and the fact that the episodes can also be listened to in French is also highly amusing.
One thing I like about this season and about season 1 is that the menus, though not spoken, are simple enough that a totally blind person could, with a little assistance, learn to navigate the important ones fairly easily. And for me, all you'd need to do would be show me how to access the episode selection menu and the languages and commentary and I'd have it made. To cut a long ramble short though, if you're collecting Simpsons DVD's, you'd be doing yourself a disservice by not picking up this one.

Like a lot of longtime fans of The Simpson, i consider season two to be where the show really broke out and started it`s classic era. The main reason why season two is so great is that it showcased more of the other characters beside Bart like Homer(who really came into his own in the season), Marge, Lisa and Mr. Burns. I felt that this greatly helped the growth of the show in terms of creativity and popularity. If Matt Groening had stuck to the formula of season one where most of the episodes are centered around Bart, then i don`t think that The Simpsons would be near as popular and a culture staple as they are today. Favorite episodes: Bart The Daredevil, Itchy & Scratchy & Marge and The Way We Was. If anyone wants to starts their collection of past seasons of The Simpsons, then The Complete Second Season is the perfect set to start.

I absolutely love this season, I bought season 1-4 because in my opinion those are the only ones worth having. It is my belief that after season 5 the series went down.

As for what is now and forever be classic television, the Simpsons are on the top. The first season was a bit choppy and underdeveloped and with this season it is easy to see that things are starting to come together and that the writers and animators are working the bugs out.

The high point of season two, the real reason to make sure that you own it is that this seasons begins the annual tradition that is the "Treehouse of Horror" specials that have always been amazingly done. This particular episode gives us the amazing creation of the Simpsons doing "The Raven" as read by the great James Earl Jones. It is worth the price if just for that.