The Simpsons (TV Series) Simpsons Bible Stories (1999) User Reviews

Another Trilogy Episode, but at least it's a good one.

[zacpetch · 8/10 · 17 December 2014]

This was the second non-Halloween trilogy episode of The Simpsons, the first being the Spin-Off Showcase. This is still a good episode, unlike many future trilogy episodes. The creative title tells you the plot will look at stories from The Bible focusing on 'Adam & Eve', 'Moses & Pharaoh' and 'David & Goliath'. There are actually two more since we also see 'King Solomon' and then end with 'Revelation' from the New Testament.

The stories are told through dreams. Marge sees herself as Eve with Homer as Adam and Ned Flanders (who else?) as God. It's probably the best of the segments of the episode and the twist on the story is that Adam ate the fruit first but only Eve got caught. A feminist take on the story then. Highlights include Gary The Unicorn and seeing 'People Magazine' with only Adam and Eve on the cover.

Next is Lisa's dream about the Exodus story. The Egyptians are portrayed by the school staff with the pupils as the Israelites. Moses is played by Milhouse Van Houten and Pharaoh by Seymour Skinner. It takes a different look at the story as well going for the secular approach as the plagues are actually faked by Lisa' unnamed character and Moses. The parting of the Red Sea is done by having loads of toilets flush at the same time. This is the weakest part of the episode and there are no particular highlights to mention.

Before Bart's dream we see Homer's where he is King Solomon. The famous incident about the argument over two women and a baby is retold here with Lenny and Carl and their pie. "The pie shall be cut in two and each man shall receive death. I'll eat the pie." This is followed by a court case between Jesus Christ and a chariot that apparently hit him. Very very funny section. Shame it's not longer, but I don't think there's all that much more material for the writers to use here for a full segment.

Bart's dream is a bit rubbish really. King David is his character and Goliath II (Nelson Muntz) is out for revenge. It doesn't seen to know what to do with itself here, shown by leaving The Bible entirely and just coming up with a new story instead. Ralph saves this section from being too pathetic though and makes it still watchable. The best bits of this one are the extended references to other Biblical figures. Jezebel, Jonah, Methuselah and The Tower Of Babel all get a look in.

To end we see the family all wake up to see they've slept through church and now the world is ending. Lisa is stopped from ascending to heaven with the Flanderses and then a portal to hell opens in front of them as the four horsemen go by overhead. It's a nice way to end the Biblical episode with these references to the final book of the 66 and seeing that the worst part of hell for Homer is that there's no Hotdogs left on the BBQ is quite funny.

And who better to play us out than ACDC with 'Highway To Hell'? Overall not the best episode, but still pretty good. 8/10

Arguably a misstep, but not too bad

[gizmomogwai · 7/10 · 13 January 2009]

The Simpsons Bible Stories is one of the first episodes outside the Halloween specials to use the Simpsons characters to retell legendary stories; in this case, stories from the Old Testament. In a way it was a misstep for the series, which after all is supposed to cover the real-life struggles of an ordinary, modern middle class family. But it's the tenth season, so the makers of the show were already running out of good ideas (and, amazingly, they're still going ten years later!). They probably thought, even if they couldn't do a more relevant episode, they could at least be entertaining. And indeed, Simpsons Bible Stories isn't bad.

First, Marge dreams about her and Homer being Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. What does this segment have to offer besides an excuse to get Marge and Homer naked? (Matt Groening identifies this as a highlight of the season in the DVD introduction, but note we don't see much- the season 9 episode Natural Born Kissers was more revealing.) Well, the dead unicorn was funny. Moreover, it was an interesting take on the legend to have Homer eat the forbidden fruit first, with only Marge caught when she reluctantly has a little. Kind of like a feminist take on the story, where the woman is the more sensible one.

Next, Lisa dreams she's a slave in Egypt, along with all the children, with Milhouse as Moses and the adults as the Egyptians. This kids vs. adults theme was already done earlier in the season in one of my least favourite episodes, Wild Barts Can't Be Broken, which I think takes away from The Simpsons as an adult cartoon. The spin on the Moses story is that there are no miracles; the children themselves simulate the plague. Kind of like a secular version of the story. Homer's dream is brief and funny. Then we have Bart's dream that he's David and Nelson is Goliath. Ralph's funny as usual, but I think Marge and Homer's dreams were better.

Simpsons Bible Stories is a typical season 10 episode, a step down from the earlier, classic first nine seasons, but not too bad, mostly better than later Simpsons episodes.

Simpsons Bible Stories

[MrFilmAndTelevisionShow · 9/10 · 31 January 2022]

I really liked this episode. Each of the stories were entertaining and the episode itself, especially the David and Goliath bits were very memorable. I do think this current season is the greatest of all time but it's not bad, the episodes are still enjoyable just not up to the usual standard of the Simpsons.