Summary of "'The Simpsons' marks 800 episodes | An AP mini-documentary"

Overview

This AP mini‑documentary celebrates The Simpsons reaching 800 episodes by gathering creators, cast, animators and composers to reflect on how the show began, why it endured, and some of the funniest behind‑the‑scenes stories. It weaves archival sketches, anecdotes and interviews to trace the creative choices that shaped the show’s look, tone and characters.

Quick recap — the main story

The Simpsons began as short sketches on The Tracey Ullman Show and expanded into a half‑hour series that reshaped TV comedy.
The documentary highlights the show’s evolution using archival sketches and early design experiments, showing how intentional roughness in the animation helped define the look.
The team identifies the secret of longevity as character‑based stories with emotional cores (Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa) and a reset mechanism: the family never ages, allowing hundreds of standalone episodes without a sprawling canon.
The collaborative production process is emphasized: actors record together in the same room, writers and producers work in a tight loop with performers, and special care goes into music, timing and joke delivery.

Highlights, jokes and memorable anecdotes

Casting switch: Nancy Cartwright auditioned for Lisa but became Bart; Yeardley Smith was originally considered for Bart. Bart being voiced by a woman remains a surprising fact for many viewers.
Voice performance: actors keep the same seats in the recording room, approach voice roles as whole‑body performances (including facial and brow movements) and often record many takes, improvising until a read “lands.”
Lisa’s sax: the decision to make Lisa the family’s gifted sax player (baritone sax) came from an opening‑title meeting and helped define her as the misunderstood genius.
Early animation: Groening and early animators intentionally traced rough sketches rather than over‑polishing them; those sketches are shown and credited for shaping the show’s aesthetic.
Merchandise and signatures: Matt Groening explains why he signs merch/art, how he spots fakes (signed drawings should be lower‑right), and recalls the Bart T‑shirt and “Don’t have a cow, man” controversies that boosted the show’s profile.
Celebrity guests: anecdotes include Beatles members, the Rolling Stones, Lady Gaga and a famous Michael Jackson story — Jackson prank‑called, then called back and contributed a song without taking credit due to label issues.
Toys R Us Bart dolls: Groening bought many early talking Bart dolls (strings were often too short) as cheeky collectibles and gifts.
Comic Book Guy and fandom: early internet overanalysis inspired characters like Comic Book Guy. The team finds some criticism lazy but values thoughtful critique and the passion fans bring.
“Simpsons predicted the future” and AI: creators joke about accidental “predictions” and note complications from deepfakes and viral misinformation, accepting the attention even when it’s spurious.
Writing challenges: Bart is hard to write—he must stay “cool” without losing realism—while secondary characters (Ralph, Nelson) provide rich comedic and emotional material.
Streaming and new audiences: Disney+ renewed viewership and attracted younger fans; creators are pleased to reach new generations while keeping the show’s spirit.
Pride and pressure: interviewees describe a mix of pride, responsibility and terror in stewarding a cultural institution and still trying to surprise themselves after decades.

Notable laughs and quotable bits

“She auditioned for Bart, he auditioned for Lisa — switcheroo.”

“Underachiever… and proud of it.” (T‑shirt controversy)

“We are time travelers — The Simpsons will be on in a thousand years. Fans will say it’s been downhill for 500 years.”

Other memorable bits in the film include the Michael Jackson prank‑call story, the Toys R Us Bart doll anecdote, and Matt Groening’s tiny “MG” idea in Homer’s hair (which he later scrapped) along with his tip for spotting fake signed art.

Why the show still works (according to the film)

Emotional honesty + character comedy: jokes land when they’re grounded in believable feelings between family members.
Vast ensemble: a huge roster of memorable secondary characters gives writers endless angles.
Collaborative craft: a dependable cast, veteran writers/directors, careful scoring and attention to visuals and sound sustain quality.
The reset button: characters don’t age, so each episode can start fresh for new viewers and returning fans alike.

People who appear or are quoted

Matt Groening (creator)
James L. Brooks (producer/director)
Al Jean (longtime showrunner)
Matt Selman (writer/showrunner)
David Silverman (animator/director)
Nancy Cartwright (voice of Bart)
Yeardley Smith (voice of Lisa)
Julie Kavner (voice of Marge)
Hank Azaria (voice actor)
Harry Shearer (voice actor)
Alf Clausen and Danny Elfman (music — mentioned/credited)

The documentary also references numerous celebrity guest stars (Michael Jackson, Beatles members, The Rolling Stones, Lady Gaga, Dustin Hoffman, Elizabeth Taylor, Kirk Douglas) and many more of the show’s writers, producers and musicians.