The Simpsons (Fox)

common sense media says

Clever, fast-paced cartoon meant for adults.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that the jokes in this long-running favorite often zip past so quickly that kids won't get the deeper statements that lie therein. Life in Springfield can be chaotic, and Homer could very well be the "do not try this at home" poster boy. Beer is consumed in every episode, bad habits are obliged, and ignorance and mockery are the norm, but somehow, everyone gets along in the end.

Positive messages: Although much of the show's over-the-top humor can be construed as sending messages about irresponsibility, family dysfuction, and more, at their core, the Simpson clan are a loving bunch who are always there for each other when the chips are down.
Positive role models: Really inappropriate role model behavior, but that's the joke. Bart is the poster child for defying authority; Homer finds himself in one ridiculous situation after another. Marge and Lisa are fairly reliable in their do-good natures, but they too have their weaknesses.
Violence: Frequent slapstick and cartoon violence -- car crashes, explosions, practical jokes, bullies beating up weaker kids. Characters are rarely injured -- but on occasion, some do die and/or require treatment.
Sex: Innuendo-based humor is pretty frequent. Both subtle and not-so-subtle sexual references pop up. Women can be dressed like vamps.
Language: Language includes words like "hell," "ass," and "damn." Bart is usually the main offender, though Grandpa Simpson is a dirty dog as well.
Consumerism: Frequent parodies of commercial references.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Homer often drinks beer to excess. Characters are shown getting pass-out drunk. It's often implied that bus driver Otto gets high.

More on The Simpsons

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about how different cartoon life and reality are. Just because a show or movie is animated, does that mean it's OK for kids? Why or why not?

  • What does responsibility mean? Would Homer and Bart get away with their antics in the real world?

  • How are women portrayed?

  • How do the Simpsons show each other their true feelings? When all is said and done, are they a happy family or a contentious one?

What's the story?

What's the story?

Family life for the Simpsons is a chaotic blend of cheeky outbursts and consequent mending, as Homer (voiced by Dan Castellaneta) and Bart (Nancy Cartwright) -- unwittingly or not -- undermine Marge (Julie Kavner) and Lisa's (Yeardley Smith) good intentions. Bart finds joy in being a constant source of trouble. Homer earns his keep by falling asleep at the controls of Springfield's nuclear plant and drinks beer after work with fellow barflies who make the cast of Cheers look tame. But within this dynamic are heartfelt scenes and clever plot lines that make the show the classic it has become.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

THE SIMPSONS isn't meant to be taken seriously; it's a rollicking ride through a fantasy society, and it satirizes very human traits. Audiences will find this to be a treat during troubled times. How else to explain the success of something so inane yet so undeniably witty?

Ultimately, The Simpsons' scripts are terribly clever, and the cast portrays the characters with a sense of wit and care that has catapulted the series into TV legend. Just keep in mind that the show isn't for the easily offended.

TV themes & details

TV Details
TV Rating: TV-14
Network: Fox
Cast: Dan Castellaneta, Hank Azaria, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright
Genre: Comedy
Where to watch: Fox

This review was written by Joly Herman
 
 

Review It

 

Review The Simpsons





Hang on! You need to be a member to post your review.
A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines.
 

What parents & educators say

10

Most useful reviews by all members

willweber
parent of 10 and 14 year old
 
Not as bad as Family Guy
Most episodes of this show are O.K. for kids to watch, unless you worry about Homer's frequent alcohol consumption. Some episodes have mildy sexual content, so watch out. About the bad language, however, from what I can tell, my 12 year old son hears worse in middle school than this show ever utters. One last note; although Bart can be a bad role model, most of his stunts would be impossible for your child to repeat, so I wouldn't worry too much.

kev1n00
teen, 15 years old
 
Perfect for kids 9 and up
its a good cartoon for 9 years and up some charactars are ok role models the language isnt too bad

cashformoney5
kid, 11 years old
 
Awesome show!!
Great show, nothing worse than d--n or a-s. Iffy 10+, on 12+. Common Sense has it wrong, as this is NOT aimed at adults, as it is partly a older family show.

CharlieMan
kid, 12 years old
 
Good show, but iffy for less-mature kids.(especially boys, who might use some lewd refrences at school.)
I'm pretty mature (I'v seen Animal House, and own the M-rated video games Call of Duty4, Halo3, and Assassin's Creed)The simpsons is iffy, without a doubt. But, for a boy/girl who understands sex and violence and drugs it can be funny, and even have a positive message (sometimes), likein the episode where they portray anti-homosexuals as idiots.(Homer thinks Bart is gay, and he freaks when he finds out, and the iron smiths, and the buff gym members are gay, and it turns out that Bart is not.)However, boys/girls who don't get it (sex) might get a little... confused and think that sex is cool, and he should talk about to make himself seem cool.They drink heavily (espicially Homer), and have a few not-so-bad swears.

Tomrock101
teen, 16 years old
 
Its Good. But Not For Many Under 9.

xray75
kid, 11 years old
 
I love it perfect for ages 9+ ages 6-8 Parent supervison

PrincessPink4e ...
teen, 14 years old
 
great!
i watched it when i was 5 or 6 just because of the slapstick and cartoons. Nothing to worry about as i didn't care about the jokes i didn't understand then. Now i like it alot more.

Gameboy
teen, 15 years old
 
Great show for ages 10 and up!!!
This show began as a show for adults, but eventually, kids began watching it. Overall, the show is funny and enjoyable. The only bad thing is the strong use of alcohol. Some of the show takes place in a bar in almost every other episode. Language is nothing to worry about. I am sure that they have heard ALOT worse.

 
ABSOLUTELY NOT FOR KIDSQ
Do anybody know what the TV-14 rating means? It means: Not for kids under 14! So, I would personally say that everyone who shows they're kids under 12 this show without guarding them, are bad parents! Like the description says, this is a adult show, not meant for kids. It contains bloody violence (Very bloody at the Treehouse of Horror sequences) with even going as far as cutting of somebodys fingers sometimes like Marge did with Homer, crude Language (Like the F-word, but it gets bleeped) and high sexual content. Even a lot of drug references, with Whisky, Beer,wine and so on. Do I need to say more? I'm a big fan of The Simpsons, but I would never showed this show to them before they are teens. Some parents just don't understand that some cartoons are made for adults...

racolson
teen, 17 years old
 
Awesome show for 6+
Good show all around, one of my favorite shows. I have been watching this since i was about 6 and honestly i think its good for kids 6+. There isn't too much violence or cussing, although Homer excessively drinks beer. Either way, a very well written show except for the latest episodes (2004-Present). I would prefer the older ones.

Britain
teen, 13 years old
 
Great Show for late pre-teens and up. The sex scenes are not very graphic and are not very common in most episodes. Most shows are on for ages 8 and over but others are slighty more mature. There is also some cartoon violence between Homer and Bart and Homer offen goes to the bar and is an alcholic. Some epsiodes have drugs in them and as for the language crap is as strong as it gets. The TV-14 is harsh I would say more TV-PG.

tvgirl
adult
 
PG-rated Clean Humor Still Exists!! Fun for the Whole Family!!
This fantastic program comes on FOX Sunday nights at 7:00 (central time; time slot changes occasionally due to other programs). It has been on the air since 1989 and is still funny fun for the whole family. Jokes are good for both parents and children who are old enough to understand that a cartoon is not reality, so I'd say age 9+. It is chock-full of "Homer Humor" for adults and "Bart Humor" for kids. The only bad thing in the show is how Homer's alcohol abuse is depicted as having no negatives and "Itchy & Scratchy" jokes can sometimes be disturbingly violent, which is the joke. Bottom line is the show is normally rated TV-PG DLV. Ages 9+. 5/5 stars. Fun for the whole family. Enjoy.

abby1710
kid, 13 years old
 
[:
Has some hidden dirty jokes (but don't worry, because little kids won't get it anyways) I think pretty much anybody can watch this, it isn't that bad

 
Caution: READ THIS REVIEW IF YOUR KID IS WACTHING THIS SHOW.
Listen up parents, if your kids are wacthing this, they may be at risk. Back when it first came out, it was clean, now i do not know what happend to it. It has uses of curses,drugs, and other inpropiate talk that kids may repeat. Please, if your child is wacthing the new episodes, stay with them because they may see some things NOT for their age. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU MAKE SURE KIDS YOUNGER THEN 10 DONT REPEAT THE THINGS THEY DO ON THIS SHOW. SO PLEASE, BE CAUTION WHEN WACTHING THIS SHOW WITH KIDS. IT HAS SOME 'SEX WORDS', BUT NOT VERY HARSH BUT KIDS MAY STILL BE AT DANGER. THANK YOU FOR READING ME COMMENT. -Coolj204

 
Hilarious
This is a great TV show... one of my all time favorites I really wouldnt be conserned about your kids watching this

kkgarnet
kid, 12 years old
 
awesome i love this show
i love it and I'm only ten

danthecool
teen, 18 years old
 
Its a great show but lately its more adult with a TV 14 DLSV RATING
bad words used include god, D**n, hell, as*,cr*p, b*tch,sh*t has been use and wh*re, s*x, and frequently b*sta*d it has sexual terms like orgasm and orgie ive seen every episode so i know this it usualy was a tv pg but now its a tv 14

some kid
kid, 12 years old
 
A kid friendly adult cartoon.
This show must be one of my top 3 favorite animated shows and is in my Top 10 shows of all time. A little bad humor is in the show, but most kids would not get it. Iffy for 6+. It isn't SpongeBob or anything, but it is a kid friendly adult cartoon. Homer does drink too much beer, but you can explain to younger viewers that you should not drink beer in access.

SeanWeb.com
teen, 17 years old
 
My Personal Favorite. Less Offensive Than Other Mature Toons.
I LOVE this show. It will always be my favorite. In fact it's the longest running American prime time show. It won it's 10th Emmy award in 2008 and I'm glad it's still going on. This Show Is Rated TV-PG most of the time and sometimes TV-14 (mostly when they make fun of the Irish). There is some content that parents might find offending. Homer Drinks Alcohol in almost every episode but he's not always drunk, and there can sometimes be talk/use of drugs (mostly steroids). There can sometimes be shooting and stabbing including blood and guts, but it's presented in a cartoonish way that's funny most of the time, especially in "Itchy & Scratchy" and the Halloween specials. There is language but it's fairly mild for teens. The worst that the sexual content can get is when people make out, cleavage is sometimes shown, and at times Homer can have his butt showing. But there are a lot of guest stars that appear on this show which can sometimes crack me up. Overall, if your teen has never seen an adult cartoon, "The Simpsons" is a fresh start. P.S., If you have never seen this show and let your young kids watch this show just because it's a cartoon, then you should actually watch the show first before you let your kids watch it any longer.

NintendoMaster
kid, 12 years old
 
Perfect
This is surprisily great for the whole family. Sex isnt mentioned often, and is used barely. Language isnt a big deal, as you would find those words in any PG rated live action kids film. Bart is a really bad role model how ever. Same with Homer and some of the other guys. The show isnt aimed for younger viewers such as 6 or 7,but it is partly a kids show, because it won 2 Kids Choice Awards. Overall, great family fun, and sit on the couch and watch this!

An independent voice for families
Age-appropriate reviews
 

vote now

Will you see The Simpsons?


Already seen it? What do you think?

 

Great alternatives handpicked by our editors


About our rating system
ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age