The years 1996 and 1997 seem so long ago. They were, in fact. Ten years, give or take a few months. Things were different then, too. Clinton was still in office. Terrorism was only a veiled threat heard about on brief news broadcasts. I was a newlywed, and I was still six years from starting to review films.

However, “The Simpsons” television show was still in the first half of its life. It was in its eighth season, which is a phenomenal task for a prime time television show. It’s even more impressive to know that the show is currently in its 18th season – longer than anything else besides “Saturday Night Live” and “Lawrence Welk.”

I remember when “The Simpsons” started. The FOX network was in its infancy, and this show provided a well-needed anchor for the ratings. It lasted much longer than “Married With Children” and “In Living Color.” Back when the show began, it was railed by some critics because it provided negative role models for kids. Now, Bart and Lisa are considered mainstream children. My, how things change.

Even in its eighth season, “The Simpsons” was being criticized for not being fresh. After all, the show had been on for more than seven years. Could they keep up with their track record?

Striking back at the critics, the writers of “The Simpsons” poked fun at their own issues. In season eight, there were plenty of chances to give a wink and a nod to the audience, revealing that they will try some old-fashioned tricks to keep things fresh.

In one episode, the television cartoon “Itchy and Scratchy” develops a new character to freshen up the series. With animated life imitating animated art, suddenly there’s a new character in the Simpson household. In another episode, we’re treated to several possible spin-offs, revealing how creatively void Hollywood can be. It is this irreverent look at itself that actually kept “The Simpsons” fresh.

In recent years, the animated series that’s getting the most mileage out of poking fun at pop culture has been “South Park” (which incidentally debuted on Comedy Central during this season of “The Simpsons”). However, “The Simpsons” was doing this long before Tom Cruise’s “couch incident” and Mel Gibson’s drunken anti-Semitic diatribe.

Quite simply, these episodes of “The Simpsons” are cinematic treasures. Everything you’ve grown to love about this dysfunctional family is here in the eighth season. Homer’s a lazy slob. Bart’s a brat. Lisa’s a nerd. However, there are still new discoveries for each character. Lisa falls in love for the first time. Homer gets a Bart-is-gay scare. And we get a well-deserved “X-Files” crossover.

Part of what makes “The Simpsons” fresh is that they keep grounded in what made the show great the first time. They don’t try to grow. They don’t try to give depth. It’s impossible to say that season eight is funnier than any other because the show is so well done.

The four-disc season eight DVD set comes with a ton of special features. Series creator Matt Groening provides a commentary on every episodes, with special guests from the cast and crew. There’s additional featurettes and dozens of deleted scenes. Groening also provides a special introduction and is spotlighted in promotional spots from the FOX network. Other highlights include multi-angle animation showcases, animators’ illustrated commentaries and original sketches.



Specifications: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Fullscreen (1.33:1). Spanish and French audio tracks. Spanish subtitles. English language subtitles for the hearing impaired.