The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom that takes place in the fictional town of Springfield and focuses on the Simpsons family, Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie. The show originated as a series of shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show in 1987 and later became its own series and premiered on December 17, 1989.
The show continues today with over 500 episodes, a movie and various other products.
References to Back to the Future[]
The time machine and "Flux capacitor" drawing.
When You Dish Upon a Star[]
After befriending actors Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger, Homer shows them a script for a movie he wrote called The Terminizor: An Erotic Thriller. The film as he describes it is about "a killer robot driving instructor who travels back in time for some reason. This robot, he's got a heartbreaking decision to make about whether his best friend lives ... or dies. His best friend's a talking pie!" In his script is a drawing of a time machine, along with a component similar to the Flux capacitor.
E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt)[]
- Homer is worrying about a duel the next morning whilst looking at a tombstone with his own name on it.
That 90's Show[]
Marvin informing Kurt of that new sound he's "been looking for".
- The scene, where "Marvin Cobain" calls his cousin Kurt to tell him about the new sound he's "been looking for", is a parody of the scene where "Marvin Berry" makes a similar call to his cousin Chuck.
Bart to the Future[]
- The title of the episode is a reference to Back to the Future.
Treehouse of Horror XXIII[]
- In the 3rd segment "Bart & Homer's Excellent Adventure", Bart used Professor Frink's time machine car (Similar to the DeLorean time machine) to go back into time to get a low priced comic book in 1974. While in the past, he prevented his parents from meeting and checks out his picture. The picture seems to disappear, suggesting that he prevented his existence. Instead, a new picture showed up, revealing him to still be born despite him mom marrying someone else.
Simpsons Comics #36[]
- In the story "The Geek Shall Inherit the Earth", one of the main characters (a geek named Gary) meets actor Troy McClure and telling him that he's familiar with his filmography such as Back to the Sequel (a reference to Back to the Future).
Simpsons Comics #169[]
- In the story, "Bart Like Me", Bart is in pursuit of his rival Brad (a.k.a. Larry Baxter). To keep up with Larry, Bart holds onto the car of the former, while riding his skateboard in a similar fashion to Marty doing so with trucks. The story is interrupted by Professor Frink who explains that Bart was able to pull the stunt through centripetal and gravitational force, and advises the readers not to do so unless they want to "End up as a McFly" on some's windshield".
The Simpsons/Futurama Infinitely Secret Crossover Crisis[]
- In #2, Fry and Bart are skateboarding in mid-air due to chewing on anti-gravity gum. Fry sees what he believes to be his friend Bender, only to realize it's cardboard cutout in a comic store. The owner, Comic Book Guy responds "Oh big talk from someone ripping off Michael J. Fox's flying skateboard scene from Back to the Future II!".
Simpsons Road Rage[]
- Professor Frink can be heard to exclaim "I broke my flux capacitor!".
The Simpsons Ride[]
A brief video queue of The Ride reveals that Doc (voiced by Christopher Lloyd) had to sell The Institute of Future Technology to Krusty the Clown after Professor Frink arrived in a DeLorean time machine, and ran over banker Mr. Friedman. In the end, Doc was given the job of handing out tickets at Krustyland.
Prior to taking off to go back in time, Frink stated that he needs to go back to the future, but then corrects himself and said that he needs to go back to the past.
LEGO Dimensions[]
Worlds from both The Simpsons and Back to the Future are incorporated in the video game LEGO Dimensions. Though the franchises appear in separate segments, the Kwik-E-Mart, along with other buildings and objects appear briefly in 1885 Hill Valley.
BTTF references to The Simpsons[]
- "Retired": While in the Cro-Magnon period, Doc at one point says "D'oh," Homer Simpson's catchphrase. Dan Castellaneta voiced both Homer and the animated version of Doc.
- "A Verne by Any Other Name": Wanting writer Jules Verne to change his name in order to change his own name, Verne Brown suggested several names including Bart Simpson.
BTTF cast and crew members involved with The Simpsons[]
Actors[]
- Dan Castellaneta provides the voice of Homer Simpson (which he briefly played on the Family Guy episode "Ratings Guy"), but has also voiced many Simpsons characters including:
- Abe Simpson
- Krusty the Clown
- Barney Gumble
- Joe Quimby
- Groundskeeper Willie
- Himself
- Frank Welker: Santa's Little Helper and Snowball II
- Flea: Himself in "Krusty Gets Kancelled"
- Christopher Lloyd: Dr. Emmett Brown in The Simpsons Ride and Jim Ignatowski in "My Fare Lady"[1]
Comic book crew[]
- Erik Burnham - Simpsons Comics #177 (Story artist)
- Derek Fridolfs - The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror (Story inker for "Springfieldopolis")
Guest stars[]
- Michael Jackson (as John Jay Smith) - Leon Kompowsky in "Stark Raving Dad" (1991)
- Neil Patrick Harris - Himself portraying Bart Simpson in "Bart the Murderer" (1991)
- Bette Midler - Herself in "Krusty Gets Kancelled" (1993)
- Mickey Rooney - Himself in "Radioactive Man" (1995)
- Jerry Lewis - Jonathan Frink Sr. in "Treehouse of Horror XIV" (2003)
Gallery[]
Connection[]
- Back to the Future: The Ride has been replaced by The Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios Theme Parks in 2008; while The Simpsons TV series starred Dan Castellaneta, who voiced Doc Brown in Back to the Future: The Animated Series.
Behind the scenes[]
- When the screening rights to The Tracey Ullman Show were bought by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in England, the Simpsons shorts was always edited out as the BBC didn't consider them very funny.
