The Simpsons Showrunner Talks About The Fun Of Hiring Fans To Create Couch Gags
"The Simpsons" is currently on its 34th season, and it's created quite the legacy to go with it. Numerous running gags have rewarded viewers who have stuck around over the years, from famous catchphrases to Lenny getting stuff in his eye he's not supposed to get in there. Still, it's abundantly clear that out of all of the running gags on the series, the one that sticks out the most is the couch bit.
Most episodes contain the opening sequence consisting of Bart writing something on a blackboard and Marge driving Maggie home. Sometimes it gets truncated, but the one thing that usually remains consistent is the entire Simpson clan jumping on the couch at the end. From straightforwardly sitting down to abstract animations, the couch gag has evolved splendidly over the years.
"The Simpsons" team has even brought on guest animators over the years to create brilliant couch gags, as showrunner Matt Selman discussed during a recent interview with GQ.
The Simpsons team keeps an eye out for great fan work
From Bill Plympton to Sylvain Chomet, plenty of noteworthy guest animators have cropped up on "The Simpsons" now and then. But even individuals who aren't necessarily big names have had the honor of animating a couch gag because their art style caught the attention of the higher-ups on the show. Matt Selman went into detail about one individual who brought their designs to life on the show, stating, "We had a young gentleman who lives in Venezuela; he used his designs of the teenage version of 'The Simpsons' for a couch gag on an episode. And I think it connects us to a new generation of 'Simpsons' fans in a really special way."
If the love for "The Simpsons" is on display, then there's a good chance Selman and the rest of the crew will check it out and might just bring someone on to guest-animate a couch gag. That was the case for some Swiss fans who recreated the now-iconic sequence of Homer going through New Orleans, trying out all sorts of local delicacies. Selman went on to say, "They now do couch gags for us. They've done a couple: they did one with, like, potato stamps of the Simpsons, they did one like a Google doodle."
It must be a dream come true for hardcore "Simpsons" fans. They express their love for the show online, and now, they get an opportunity to work on the series. With no signs of slowing down any time soon, it's exciting to think of what fans will come up for the show next.