The Unfiltered Ramblings of a DVR Addict

I must admit that I was psyched to get a season of The Simpsons on Blu ray.  The twentieth season marks the debut of the Simpson’s in HD, but what makes this Blu ray unusual is that only half of this season was in HD.  Therefore, the first disc is basically a DVD since the HD doesn’t kick in until episode 10 “Take My Life, Please.”

High Def is not the only momentous change for the milestone twentieth season.  The opening sequence was updated for the first time.  The opening retained most of the original bits like bart writing on the chalk board and the long running couch gags, but with a lot more characters jammed in and a cinematic feel.

If you’re looking for extra features with this release, look somewhere else.  The only “feature” is a trailer for the 20th season documentary by Morgan Spurlock.  I was expecting at least some commentaries or a featurette to mark the occasion.  Every season so far has had plenty of features and unique packaging.  I’m sure that a super special edition is in the works packed with special features to suck more money from our pockets.

Despite the lack of features it is still worth owning.  After 20 years the Simpsons are still as fresh and relevant as ever.  You’ll enjoy antics like Lisa’s obsession with her Mypod and Homer and Ned acting as bounty hunters.  It’s easy to see why The Simpson’s are the longest running prime time series on TV.