Ruqayyah Snyder
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The show is set in the fictional town of Springfield and parodies American culture, society, and television. It has been extremely influential and popular in Australia. In fact, there is an entire episode dedicated to the Simpsons family's visit to Australia, titled Bart vs. Australia, which first aired in 1995. The episode received positive reviews from fans and television critics and finished 56th in the ratings for the week of its release. The Simpsons has been described by some Australians as a massive part of their lives, influencing their sense of humour and pop-culture savvy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode set in Australia | "Bart vs. Australia" |
| Air date | 19 February 1995 |
| Nielsen rating | 9.1 |
| Ranking | Fourth-highest-rated show on Fox that week |
| Reference to Australian films | Mad Max 2, Crocodile Dundee |
| Reference to Australian events | 1980 disappearance and death of Azaria Chamberlain |
| Reference to Australian wildlife | Cane toads |
| Reference to Australian actors | Yahoo Serious |
| Reference to Australian cities | Sydney |
| Reference to Australian landmarks | Sydney Opera House |
| Number of times Australia has been mentioned | 68 |
| Popularity in Australia | High |
| Influence on Australians | Knowledge of quotes, humour, pop culture |
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What You'll Learn
'Bart vs. Australia' episode
The "Bart vs. Australia" episode of The Simpsons is the sixteenth episode of the show's sixth season. It first aired on Fox in the US on February 19, 1995, and concluded with a Nielsen rating of 9.1, making it the fourth-highest-rated show on Fox that week. The episode was written by Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein and directed by Wes Archer. It features cultural references to films such as Mad Max 2 and Crocodile Dundee, and the 1980 disappearance and death of Azaria Chamberlain.
In the episode, Bart crank-calls a child in Australia to prove to Lisa that the Coriolis effect affects the direction in which water drains. However, the boy confirms that the water is draining clockwise, angering Bart. Unconvinced, Bart makes several more international calls to countries in the Southern Hemisphere but is unable to get an answer. He then makes a collect call to an Australian boy named Tobias, pretending to be Dr. Bart Simpson of the International Draining Commission in Springfield. Tobias confirms that the water is draining clockwise, and Bart becomes even more frustrated.
Following these events, Bart is indicted for fraud in Australia, and the Simpson family travels to the country so that Bart can make a public apology. The episode includes various cultural stereotypes and inaccuracies, such as the portrayal of Australians as beer snobs or coffee snobs, people wearing cork hats and carrying boomerangs, and kangaroos hopping around everywhere. It also perpetuates the myth that the Coriolis effect affects the motion of drains in different hemispheres, which is not true. The episode's writers did, however, conduct research on the Coriolis effect, and Lisa's explanation of it in the episode is intentionally incorrect.
Upon their arrival in Australia, the Simpsons are met with anger from the locals, and Bart agrees to be kicked by the Australian Prime Minister as punishment for his prank. However, during the punishment, Bart dodges the kick, moons the Australians with the words "Don't tread on me" written on his buttocks, and hums "The Star-Spangled Banner". This enrages the Australians further, and the Simpsons are evacuated from the country by helicopter.
The episode received mixed reviews, with some Australians finding it insulting and inaccurate in its portrayal of their country. However, it has also been praised as a friendly ribbing of Australia's idiosyncrasies, and it has gained a cult following among millennials in the country. It was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1995 in the category of "Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Comedy Series or a Special".
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Influence on Australian humour
The Simpsons has had a significant influence on Australian humour and popular culture. The show has been described as "a massive part of my life" and "an influence on my sense of humour and my pop-culture savvy" by Australian fans. The popularity of The Simpsons in Australia may be attributed to several factors, including the accessibility of the show on free-to-air television and the limited number of television channels available at the time. The show's unique brand of humour, which parodies American culture and society, also seems to have resonated with Australian audiences.
The Simpsons has been credited with shaping the humour and pop-culture references of many Australians. Fans of the show in Australia have demonstrated a vast knowledge of The Simpsons' quotes, characters, and references, with some suggesting that the show is as popular in Australia as it is in its country of origin, the United States. The show has been so influential in Australia that it has even been referenced by Australian politicians.
The Simpsons has also dedicated an episode to Australia, titled "Bart vs. Australia", which first aired in 1995. In this episode, Bart is indicted for fraud in Australia after making a prank call to a boy in the country, and the Simpson family travels to Australia so that Bart can publicly apologize. The episode is filled with references to Australian culture, including the cane toad, the film Crocodile Dundee, and the Yahoo Serious Festival. The writers of the episode intentionally designed Australia and its people inaccurately, taking creative liberties with the landscape, buildings, and customs. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, the episode received positive reviews from fans and critics.
The Simpsons' influence on Australian humour can also be seen in the show's impact on the use of humour to address serious issues. For example, the episode "Bart vs. Australia" touches on the issue of invasive species and the environmental damage caused by the introduction of cane toads in Australia. Through humour, The Simpsons brought attention to this issue, showcasing its ability to use comedy to engage with relevant topics.
Overall, The Simpsons has had a significant impact on Australian humour and popular culture. The show's unique blend of satire, parody, and humour has resonated with Australian audiences, influencing their sense of humour and contributing to the development of Australian pop culture.
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Cultural references in the show
The Simpsons is known for its plethora of cultural references, some more obvious than others. The show has been on the air since 1989, and in that time has amassed thousands of references to popular culture.
The show is set in the fictional town of Springfield and parodies American culture, society, and television. One of the most well-known references comes from the season 3 episode "Bart's Friend Falls in Love". After receiving permission from Steven Spielberg himself, the episode features a shot-for-shot remake of a scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark, including a chase scene with Homer taking the place of the boulder. Another episode, "You Only Move Twice", is one long reference to the James Bond franchise, with the character of Hank Scorpio mirroring that of an Ernst Blofeld-type supervillain.
The Simpsons also references horror, sci-fi, and myth, particularly in its Treehouse of Horror episodes. One of the most notable is a segment dedicated to the original 1958 cult classic horror film The Fly, with Bart swapping heads with a fly. The Simpsons also makes references to other television shows. For example, in the episode "Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo", Bart watches a show called Battling Seizure Robots, a reference to the Pokémon episode "Computer Soldier Porygon", which gave Japanese children seizures in 1997. In another episode, "Homer to the Max", one of the FOX shows advertised is "All in the Family: 2000".
The show also references real-life events, such as the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the hostage crisis that saw 52 U.S. citizens held captive at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran for 444 days. The Simpsons also references popular films, such as Akira Kurosawa's 1950 classic Rashomon, with a subtle joke about Homer's unreliable memory. The show also loves a good Stanley Kubrick reference, with nods to The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and A Clockwork Orange.
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Australian fans' knowledge
Australian fans of The Simpsons have a deep knowledge of the show and its quotes. Some fans have suggested that the show is more popular in Australia than in North America, where it originated. The show has been described as a massive part of some Australians' lives, influencing their sense of humour and pop-culture knowledge.
The Simpsons first aired in Australia in 1991, and it has been suggested that the relatively limited television options at the time contributed to its popularity. Australia has been mentioned a total of 68 times in the show, including an entire episode dedicated to the country, titled "Bart vs. Australia". The episode features numerous cultural references and parodies of Australian culture, including a reference to the cane toad, a well-known pest in the country.
The episode "Bart vs. Australia" received positive reviews from fans and television critics, with a Nielsen rating of 9.1, making it the fourth-highest-rated show on Fox the week it aired. The writers of the episode intentionally included Australian jokes, assuming that Australian viewers would "get the jokes". This assumption proved correct, as the episode was well-received by Australian audiences.
Australian fans of The Simpsons have also created online communities and Facebook groups dedicated to the show, further demonstrating their knowledge and enthusiasm for the series.
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Popularity in proportion to the US
The Simpsons is a popular show in Australia, with some Australians claiming that the show has been a massive influence on their lives, humour, and pop-culture knowledge. In fact, one Australian commentator claimed that the show is as popular in Australia as it is in America when accounting for the difference in population size.
The show has a strong presence in Australian fan communities, with many Australians demonstrating a vast knowledge of the show and its quotes. Several Facebook groups and memes based on The Simpsons originate from Australia, and the show has even been referenced by Australian politicians.
The Simpsons first aired in Australia in 1991, and it took some time for the show to become a ratings hit. Negative publicity surrounding the show and Bart's supposed bad influence may have contributed to this initial slow uptake. However, through re-runs and word-of-mouth, the show eventually caught on and became a mainstream success in Australia, despite limited television options at the time.
The popularity of The Simpsons in Australia is evident in the episode "Bart vs. Australia," which aired in 1995 and finished as the fourth-highest-rated show on Fox that week. The episode features numerous cultural references to Australia and showcases the show's writers and animators' playful take on the country and its people.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, 'The Simpsons' is popular in Australia. The show has been described as a "massive part of my life" by Australians, who also claim that it has been an influence on their sense of humour and pop-culture knowledge. The show has also been a ratings hit in Australia, with the episode "Bart vs. Australia" finishing as the fourth-highest-rated show on Fox the week it aired.
There are a few reasons why 'The Simpsons' is so popular in Australia. One reason could be that the show was readily available on free-to-air TV, with Channel 10 playing it every day, sometimes twice a day. Another reason could be that the Australian sense of humour fits well with the humour in 'The Simpsons'.
Yes, in the sixteenth episode of the sixth season of 'The Simpsons', titled "Bart vs. Australia", the Simpsons family travels to Australia after Bart is indicted for fraud in the country.
