"The Simpsons" goes HD, updates title sequence

http://www.tvweek.com/news/2009/02/sundays_simpsons_goes_hd_updat.php

Sunday's 'Simpsons' Goes HD, Updates Title Sequence By Josef Adalian

"The Simpsons" is finally going HD�and, in what some fans might consider an even bigger development, getting a new opening title sequence as well.

Both events will take place Sunday, Fox said during a promo for "The Simpsons" that aired as part of Wednesday night's "American Idol." The network actually made a low-key announcement of the news late last month, casually mentioning the developments as part of its episodic listings of various shows.

According to Fox, Sunday's "Simpsons"�entitled "Take My Life, Please"�will include the first full, permanent revamp of the show's opening titles since its premiere in 1989. The last few seconds of the title sequence have long featured a different weekly "couch gag." Fox also airs both a full-length and an abbreviated version of the credits.

While "The Simpsons" has never aired in high-def, Sunday's episode won't be the first time fans of the show have been able to see Homer and Co. in their full digital splendor on television. HBO aired "The Simpsons Movie" in HD last year.

While most live-action scripted network shows now air in HD, animation hasn't been as quick to make the leap, although that's starting to change. The producers of "South Park" recently announced their Comedy Central series would go HD starting with its 13th season, which bows March 11.

In article , David wrote:

Not always different, there are a few that I've seen repeated several times, like Homer evolving from the primordial soup. Also, most title sequences also feature a different chalkboard sequence at the beginning, although it's usually omitted from the abbreviated versions.

There was an episode this winter where they added snow to the opening sequence, wasn't there? And I think Bart was sailing through town on a snowboard instead of his usual skateboard.

That's funny, considering the simplistic style of the animation on that show. How much difference could HD make?

On Thu, 12 Feb 2009 15:31:51 -0500, Barry Margolin wrote:

The first new episode after the movie came out had a vastly different opening showing the town wrecked after the movie's events.

On Feb 12, 3:31 pm, Barry Margolin wrote:

The rendering of curves will be less pixelated.

In article , Remysun wrote:

Good point. Their heads will be even more perfect circles.

Some preview pictures of the new opening: http://www.tvweek.com/news/2009/02/sundays_simpsons_goes_hd_updat.php

If you want to select "Tell me more", go here: http://www.snpp.com/guides/sololist.html

Jouni

HDTV, BFDTV, who cares.

How about some decent stories this season. Personally, The Simpsons should have been cancelled a long time ago.

Barry Margolin wrote:

And Lisa always plays a different tune as she leaves the music room.

In article , Mark Nobles wrote:

I've often wondered about that. Sometimes they sound a little different, but the difference seems to be very subtle.

In article , Barry Margolin wrote:

Yeah, same here.

They fixed a mistake that's always bothered me (although I haven't watched the show in years so I don't know if this is the first time they addressed it) where Bart skateboards over the curb and doesn't take a bump at all.

But then, 5 minutes into the show, there was Al Gore, complaining about having an election stolen from him. I guess they, like Al, figure if you repeat a lie enough times, enough stupid people will believe it, and it won't matter that it's not true.

I cancelled the recording and future recordings on the spot.

You sure taught them a lesson for that bit of insolence.

dripdripdrip would somebody turn off that faucet!?!

Anim8rFSK wrote:

I thought I was the only one. Actually, there were two leftist cheap shots. First was the LIE about AGore, the second was that crap about "executions vary by state and race".

It's becoming clearer to me why the Feds are making sure that everyone can still get TV after the conversion to digital. How else will they keep the ignorant unwashed masses "on message"?

On Tue, 17 Feb 2009 10:30:48 -0700, Anim8rFSK wrote:

<snip>

Please think of the children!

On Thu, 12 Feb 2009 11:59:16 -0500, David wrote:

consider

HD for the Simpsons? I'd say... "who cares, it's a cartoon".

Only last week I was wondering how long they could resist screwing around with the opening titles... there seems to be a lot of new blood behind the Simpsons that simply do not understand nor respect what made the show great. Changing the opening titles = BIG MISTAKE. Has there been any good news or developments regarding the show lately?

On Fri, 13 Feb 2009 07:07:24 +0000, Jeßus wrote:

Actually it's not as bad as I thought - it's still /basically/ the same, more or less.

They are going to introduce a little green man that only Homer can see and hear.

Has anyone done frame captures to find out if they've finally removed deceased characters (Dr. Marvin Monroe, "Bleeding Gums" Murphy) from the montage?

On Sun, 15 Feb 2009 at 11:57:02, Richard Schultz wrote in alt.tv.simpsons :

I thought Dr Marvin Monroe reappeared a few seasons back?

It was fun getting a new opening sequence, and the obvious benefit to fans is in the extra layers of detailed in-jokes on a 16:9 widescreen. As Bart wrote on the board: HDTV IS WORTH EVERY CENT.

Hard core fans will have fun watching the show frame by frame at the same pace it takes to actually produce the episode. I could almost read the entire wall of fame. The credits no longer looked blurry, but I was also surprised at the amount of artifacts in the image-- herringbones and slight ghosting?

I disagree with Jebus. Since they couldn't redo the opening for HD, the new version was great solution that they should have initiated several seasons back to ensure enough HD episodes for upgrading its syndication to HD.