Thirty-five years ago, The Simpsons released their first full-length episode and a Christmas one at that. Titled "The Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire," it chronicled the grievances and joys of the holidays in the 1980s but with an edge. Homer doesn't receive his hard-earned bonus and faces financial duress, emptying his family's hope for a great Christmas. However, all of the plot points in the episode are connected, leading to the miraculous adoption of Santa's Little Helper.
Before we discuss why "The Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire" is a TV classic that will live on indefinitely, we'll take a look at some brief Simpsons history to see how it all began.
The Simpsons got their start on The Tracey Ullman Show in 1987
The funny family that encountered several antics, d'ohs, and woo-hoos in their lives got its humble start on The Tracey Ullman in 1987 as a series of shorts. The shorts became so popular that they spun off into a series. Little did anyone know then that The Simpsons would be on the air for over thirty years and counting. It doesn't take a "Bart Simpson" to figure out that the show will amass millions of fans around the globe and permanently adhere to pop culture.
It's Christmas time, and the Simpsons dropped plenty of memorable ones over the years. You'll be surprised to find out that while "The Simpsons Roasting On A Open Fire" was the first Christmas episode and kicked off The Simpsons' first season, it wasn't the first Christmas-themed adventure starring the family.
In 1988, Bart rehashed Clement Clarke Moore's 1823 poem, "Twas the Night Before Christmas," into his own version of that of a ten-year-old. The clip was featured on The Tracey Ullman Show, and illustrated a family Christmas in the eighties.
You can watch it below!
"The Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire" will continue to be legendary
"The Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire" premiered on the Fox Network on December 17th, 1989. In the episode, the kids are getting ready for Christmas and planning out their lists for Santa. Marge has saved up the gift cash to provide some happiness to the kids, and Homer thinks that he's been saved, as Mr. Burns "Scrooged" his employers by not giving them a bonus.
However, the plans and Homer's own relief are dashed when Bart gets a tattoo and it takes all of the savings for its removal. Not wanting to let his family down during the holidays, he gets a job as a mall Santa and his son ousts him.
The mall paycheck was deducted to a lower two-digit number, allowing Homer and Bart to take a gamble at the dog tracks. Let it be known that I thoroughly and passionately loathe any animal sports, but there's a miracle in this example. When the dog, Santa's Little Helper, Homer bets on loses, the greyhound is abandoned by his owner and, on Christmas Eve, finds his forever home with the Simpson family.
Santa's Little Helper was meant to be with the Simpsons, as he only extended the family's love and brought them joy. His arrival, though, additionally addressed a rising issue in America then: pets needing adoption as the shelters were becoming overcrowded.
"The Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire" sweetly brought light into the shelter dilemma and taught people the importance of animal welfare and commitment. It takes a a person with a deep love and understanding of animals to connect the thematics and the circumstance that led Homer and Bart to the climax.
Whether your reasoning of why "The Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire" is legendary, other than the fact it launched the careers of many and is TV's longest-running primetime show, the animal welfare aspect is mine.
"Ho, ho, d'oh!" everyone!