Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire

Season 1, Episode 1, Aired
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Episode Summary

It is up to Homer to save Christmas, when bonuses are cut at the nuclear power plant and Marge is forced to use the Christmas savings on an emergency.
8.6
out of 10
EPISODE RATING: Great
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Fan Episode Reviews (123)

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  • the beginning of something amazing

    6.5
    "Fair"
    By oceanic6, Dec 10, 2011 Report Abuse
    A show of supreme quality, very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very (apologies, the former review has been moved to a new home, soon you will all be given the key) very very very veryvery very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very enjoyable. A must-see.moreless

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  • I had no idea this was the first episode when i was a kid.

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By NathanRoth, Nov 12, 2011 Report Abuse
    When this episode first aired i was only one years old. This was the episode that started the family comedy of are yellow family from Springfield.My its hard to imagine the changes that were made in animation in the past 22 years this show has been on for.everyone will remember the first time Bart got his incomplete tattoo that said moth instead of mother.or when Homer needed a raise from his job to get presents for the family for Christmas and he got a job as a mall Santa.any ways this was a good episode and i hate all of those Simpson hater today who think after 22 years it should be cancelled.moreless

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    0 0

  • Pilot

    8.5
    "Great"
    By jmbsonic555, Oct 16, 2011 Report Abuse
    It is up to Homer to save Christmas, when bonuses are cut at the nuclear power plant and Marge is forced to use the Christmas savings on an emergency.

    Overall, this was a really great pilot.

    This episode gets an 8.5 out of 10

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    0 0

  • Ho, Ho, D'oh!

    8.0
    "Great"
    By Kang_and_Kodos, Jul 02, 2011 Report Abuse
    This episode holds a special place in my heart, as it is the first full-length Simpsons episode. In the episode, it is Christmas and Bart gets a tattoo. Marge spends all the Christmas money removing it, which is even worse when Homer finds out that workers at the Power Plant will not get Christmas bonuses. Homer decides to work as a department store Santa to get money, but he only gets 13 dollars. Bart and Homer go to the dog track, where they bet on a dog called Santa's Little Helper. The dog loses the race, and is abandoned by his owner, so the Simpsons take him in.

    This was a heartwarming and funny episode which had very good jokes. The funniest parts were the montage of Homer being a department store Santa, the song at the end, and the Christmas assembly at the start.

    It is not the best episode though, as there are some errors in the animation (Barney has yellow hair), Homer hasn't got his voice completely right yet, and it is not as consistently funny as some other episodes. But, errors aside, it is an amazing episode which you must watch.moreless

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  • This episode is about Bart getting a fake tattoo and Marge having to spend all the Christmas money on getting it removed. Then Homer lies to Marge about his Christmas bonus and Christmas is nearly ruined.moreless

    5.6
    "Mediocre"
    By hbkisraw, Jun 10, 2011 Report Abuse
    I still remember the days where the simpsons was a 1 minute segment on the Tracy Ulman Show. I became in love with the family the second I saw them. The stupidness of Home, the cheekyness of Bart and of course the cute little Maggie. I also remember getting together with my friends and watching the first ever half hour episode. We all watched in awe as Homer, Bart and the rest of them punted out jokes every 5 seconds. But now this episode seems like a cheap gimmicky peice of trash.

    But then again, there is a good side to the episode. Barney said one of the most famous qoutes in simpsons history:

    Barney: I got myself a part time job working as a Santa down at the mall.
    Homer: Wow! Can I do that?
    Barney: I dunno they are pretty selective. BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURP

    Now the reason of my cruel review may be because of The Simpsons ruining my dreams as a child of Santa (Bart: There\'s only one fat guy \'round here who delivers presents and his ain\'t Santa), or maybe it\'s because this episode really is a peice of trash. Either way, I wouldn\'t recomend watching this episode or buying it on DVD.
    moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • Other dogs in Santa's Little Helper's race include: Whirlwind, Quadruped, Dog O' War, Fido and Chew My Shoe. Edit
    • Marge parks in section ZZ in the mall parking lot. Edit
    • Lisa requests a pony 6 times on her Christmas list. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • This is the only episode that does not start with any kind of show opening. The title is shown and then the episode begins. Edit
    • This episode was nominated, but did not win a Primetime Emmy Award in the categories of "Outstanding Animated Program (for programming one hour or less)" and "Outstanding Editing for a Miniseries or a Special." Edit
    • DVD commentary revealed that the creators got letters of praise for heightening the awareness of the abandonment of racing dogs even though they didn't know it was a real problem when they created the episode. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Principal Skinner: The fifth grade will now favor us with a scene from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Homer: Oh, how many grades does this school have? Edit
    • Principal Skinner: Ah, the fourth grade will now favor us with a melody...err...medley of holiday flavorites. Edit
    • Homer: Bart, did you hear that? What a name! "Santa's Little Helper." It's a sign. It's an omen. Bart: It's a coincidence, dad. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Man o' War One of the dogs at the racetrack is named Dog o' War. This is a quick reference to the champion thoroughbred race horse, named Man o' War, who dominated many races in the early 20th century. Edit
    • Dr. Seuss Illustrations Homer drives past a Christmas tree lot that features, "X-Mas Trees Slightly Irregular." The trees in this lot are drawn to resemble the trees in the Dr. Seuss children's books. Edit
    • Richard Nixon/Donna Dixon While calling out the reindeer, Homer makes quick and funny references to famous 80's actress Donna Dixon and former U.S. President Richard Nixon. Edit

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