As a long-time writer for The Simpsons, I have had the privilege of working with some truly talented voices, and Pamela Hayden is one of them. Her retirement from the series was a bittersweet moment for me, as her performances were always a highlight of my workdays.
The Simpsons, which first appeared on television screens back in 1989 with “The Simpsons Christmas Special,” is now marking its 35-year milestone by releasing a special, extended length Christmas episode exclusively on Disney+. We had the opportunity to chat with some of the creative minds behind this exciting development. Since its debut, The Simpsons has been captivating audiences worldwide and is now pushing boundaries even further with its first-ever double-length episode now available for streaming on Disney+. To honor both the 35th anniversary and the upcoming Christmas holiday, there’s a lot to discuss!
With “The Simpsons” episode “O C’mon All Ye Faithful” now streamable only on Disney+, ComicBook had an opportunity to interview Carolyn Omine, a writer for the show, as well as Matt Selman, The Simpsons Executive Producer, about the new special. During this conversation, they revealed details about the development of the extended episode, the emphasis on Ned Flanders in the longer storyline, teaming Homer with Ralph Wiggum, the retirement of Pamela Hayden from the series, and many other topics.
Delve into the condensed and streamlined version of our in-depth conversation with Carolyn Omine and Matt Selman from ‘The Simpsons’.
It’s delightful to witness The Simpsons making their debut on Disney+ with this special, as it aligns with the holiday season and commemorates the 35th anniversary of its initial broadcast. Can you tell me when exactly the idea for this extended celebration began to materialize?
CAROLYN OMINE: Initially, I envisioned that Ned would grapple with a spiritual dilemma, finding it fitting for the holiday season. Additionally, the concept reminded me of Derren Brown’s shows, as I was deeply engrossed in his work at the time. Once we decided on this premise, we began discussing the narrative and our intent to approach it sincerely. Later on, during the script-writing phase, Matt suggested that the story might be too substantial for a single episode. He proposed that we should spread it out, avoiding cramming everything into just one installment.
MATT SELMAN: It would have been quite challenging to squeeze in elements such as Derren Brown, various other components, Buddhist parables, and more, all at once.
Instead of splitting our story into two parts, we opted to create a double episode. This isn’t set up to end with a suspenseful cliffhanger, leaving viewers wondering “What’s next?” We also took advantage of the unique opportunities that a whole episode on Disney+ offers. For one, there are no time constraints, although our budget for animation still applies. However, unlike our usual episodes, we don’t have to worry about fitting everything into tight time slots. This allows us more flexibility in terms of pacing and joke delivery. In the past, we might have to rush through a joke or cut it short due to time constraints. Here, we can afford to linger on jokes or scenes for a better impact, without worrying about running out of space.
To clarify, there were numerous instances where we paused the action for a moment, allowing the scene to linger slightly longer than usual. We added approximately 20-30 seconds of such pauses, which we hadn’t done before. This provided a chance to slow things down and breathe a bit more, all while adhering to our budget constraints. The decision to extend the animation came later in the production process, as it was decided that this would be a special 35th anniversary project. We also incorporated tributes to previous Christmas episodes, but we made sure to include specific references to the very first one. The prospect of creating something more significant and event-like was truly exhilarating.
SELMAN: Christmas on a Tuesday morning.
Regarding that moment in the show, one hilarious pause that particularly stood out to me was following Ralph’s quip about “You can’t spell elf…” It was special because such pauses are not common in our series. Similarly, the pairing of Homer and Ralph is quite uncommon. I’m having a hard time recalling their last joint appearance in a story. So, I’m curious to know what motivated the creators to have Homer transform into Santa and Ralph take on the role of his elf?
We turned Homer into Santa Claus to provide Dr. Dre Brown with a means to explore how individuals can get engrossed in cults or beliefs without criticizing religion. On the surface, it appears that Ned gets confused because he questions, “Why are you all believing in Santa?” However, it’s not only this issue that triggers him. There were other underlying problems that Ned had been dealing with, and becoming Santa was just the final straw. The transformation of Homer into Santa was a humorous way to show how people can get wrapped up in an idea or concept. Additionally, we thought it would be interesting for Homer and Ralph to interact more, such as having conversations, which they rarely did before.
Perhaps there’s a brief mention in the episode titled “This Little Wiggy” where Bart and Ralph establish friendship, but what really caught my attention was the amusing concept in that same show. It’s when Homer, who is so dim-witted, gets hypnotized for a simple task – being good at giving presents. The hilarious part is that the hypnosis went beyond the hypnotist’s intentions, leading to Homer fully embracing the role of Santa Claus and refusing to accept he’s not. There’s an element of evasiveness in his denial of being Santa, even though deep down he knows it’s true. I find that playful denial quite intriguing.
In that amusing moment, it reminds Homer of countless films where even a sweet postman could be disguised as Santa or another holiday character. He’s been captivated by many Hallmark movies featuring an affectionate old relative who would exclaim something like, “Hey, where did he go? What’s that noise on the roof?” Essentially, Homer has absorbed these subtle hints deeply. This undercurrent is what makes it enjoyable for me.
In my role as the creator of Homer, I take great care to portray him in a way that is true to his character. One such scene involves Homer playing with Maggie while she puts hats on his head. This moment is significant because before Marge enters and asks him to do shopping, I instructed the animators to depict him enjoying this time with his daughter. The reason Homer dislikes shopping isn’t due to laziness or a hatred of Christmas, but rather because he knows he’s not skilled at it, which saddens him. This is the root cause behind his store breakdown, as it’s not just that he finds shopping annoying, but rather that he feels inadequate and fears disappointing others with his gifts. In essence, this scene showcases Homer struggling with self-doubt and the burden of expectations placed upon him.
In simpler terms, Homer’s issue with Christmas isn’t about being selfish. Instead, it stems from his desire to be kinder towards others. This is why the suggestion that he’s excellent at giving gifts, as Derren puts it, brings him immense joy. And to top it off, learning that he’s Santa Claus just makes him even more ecstatic and eager to participate.
However, it’s worth noting that by the end of Homer’s journey, he becomes quite adept at selecting thoughtful gifts, and even finds one that strikes the perfect balance between tasteful and provocative. On the eve of the episode’s release, we organized a party, and the magical Disney team graced us with an invite featuring a Christmas-themed Sudoku puzzle on the back. Though it could have been more sensual, it was delightful to celebrate the holidays with the crew, writers, animators, and everyone else. So, it was quite enjoyable.
Hey Carolyn! I recall your interest in delving deeper into the character of Ned. That brings me back to the two-part episode “A Serious Flanders,” where we also had an extensive examination of this character. From a creative standpoint, what is it about Ned that makes him such an intriguing figure to develop through longer stories?
It seems part of the appeal is that he has a robust moral compass, which gives us room for exploration and he’s quite self-aware about his identity and beliefs. Although we often poke fun at these aspects since we’re a comedy show, he’s always thinking on a deeper level. Given that a significant portion of his life and identity is tied to being Christian, he naturally delves into questions about morality, spirituality, and lifestyle more than others. In essence, this character is more introspective, making him an intriguing figure to portray due to his depth.
In addition, it’s worth mentioning that the storyline for Ned seems significant because it allows him to confront some of the hardships his character has experienced over the series, particularly the tragic loss of his wives. Is this a key motivation behind the development of this plot, to delve deeply into these past events within the show’s narrative?
In my rephrasing: Initially, we weren’t intending for it to be a triggering factor. Rather, our focus was on Ned losing his faith. However, if someone were to explain all the tactics employed by cults, it could make one question their beliefs. In Ned’s case, he starts doubting because he reasons that Santa isn’t real in the same way he dismantles the argument about God. Yet, while writing this, I felt that it wasn’t convincing enough to have Ned abandon faith solely due to this. It seemed more plausible that these experiences would lead him to question God’s will, given all that he has been through.
It’s often suggested that Christians should forgive and rely on God, and it seems like Ned portrays himself as someone who follows this teaching. However, since he’s human, it’s natural for him to harbor doubts and questions about the unfairness of his circumstances. As we developed the story, we found that he would indeed wonder, “Is this fair?” He does question God, and these thoughts add depth to his character. It was a fascinating aspect to explore as we wrote, as it gave us an opportunity to delve into his personal feelings about these matters. Yet, it’s interesting to note that despite his inner turmoil, he chooses to cope with his grief in a unique way through the use of Post-Its.
SELMAN: Very, Ned-type character way of the kinda upbeat, hopeful, adorable way.
OMINE: Then to have this moment when it all comes sort of crashing down, and Nelson is so mean. Once he realizes, “Oh, this is stupid, what am Idoing? Nobody is reading my Post-It notes.” It becomes like this house of cards. It makes everything else fall. Then hearing all this other stuff about how people fall for cults, and why everybody believes in Santa when it it seems crazy. It just sort of knocks him over.
To wrap things up, Pamela Hayden stepped down from the series following many years of involvement. It was great to hear her acting in this special one last time. As colleagues who’ve been part of the series for a long time, how do you feel about her departure and getting to enjoy these final performances in the special episode?
As I observe, some additional performances remain due to our unusual arrangement of presenting them out of sequence. It was during the table reading where she shared this news with us.
SELMAN: Yeah, it’s her last table read.
Oh, we’ll surely feel her absence deeply. This episode also features a memorable moment for Milhouse, but it’s Rod who truly steals the show. He’s undeniably one of my favorite characters portrayed by her.
This episode features some fantastic moments with Rod and Todd that are quite humorous. They seem less over-the-top like traditional cartoon characters and instead come across as more authentic.
When you make up your mind to proceed with this, and then you think, “Perhaps Rod and Todd ought to respond in some way. It’s quite amusing to imagine them celebrating a non-religious Christmas by exchanging an embrace.
SELMAN: Air fryer. Clean up is a breeze.
Indulging in sweets, enjoying bizarre shows, desiring playthings, and clashing rapidly – it was amusing to dabble in such antics, and she’s simply hilarious.
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2024-12-18 02:11