The Simpsons opening sequence

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A typical chalkboard gag.

A memorable couch gag.

The Simpsons opening sequence is one of the most memorable hallmarks of the American TV show The Simpsons. Almost every episode opens with the camera zooming in on the show's title while moving forwards through cumulus clouds. It continues to zoom in on the town and then through a window of Springfield Elementary, where we see Bart writing lines on the class chalkboard, presumably set as a punishment by one of his teachers for some mischievous deed or wayward comment, until the school bell rings and Bart, happily chuckling, leaves in a hurry - to which the camera pans to the outside and shows him flying off on his skateboard. The next shot shows Homer leaving the power plant, with a small plutonium bar stuck on his back (which he later throws away). Mr. Burns and Mr. Smithers are seen in the background looking at a layout plan when the end-of-shift whistle blows. Burns puts his watch up to his ear and shakes it, as if he believes it has stopped. During the first season opening sequence, an employee eating a sandwich is seen in the place of Burns and Smithers (it may be Homer's supervisor).

The next shot has Marge and Maggie checking out at a supermarket with Maggie inadvertently being scanned along with the groceries. The cashier rings her up at $847.63 (which was the monthly cost of raising a baby in 1989, and then stuck) and Maggie is mistakenly packaged. While Marge wonders where Maggie is, she pops out of one of the shopping bags, and Marge sighs in relief. The sequence then introduces Lisa, who is told to leave a band rehearsal due to her non-conforming playing, and does so while playing her saxophone. The family is shown on their way to their house at 742 Evergreen Terrace. The members of the family weave dangerously through traffic and inbetween fellow Springfield denizens, more noticeably Marge - when her car is shown wading through the traffic, the camera cuts to Maggie holding a steering wheel that is revealed to be just an adaptation for her, as the camera pans out to show Marge driving.

The Simpsons all miraculously reach home at the exact same time. Homer arrives first, parking his car before the garage, while Bart lands on the car roof with his skateboard. As Homer steps out of the car, he quickly dodges Lisa zooming by on her bike, and then screams as he sees Marge's car coming towards him. Then the scene shifts to Marge's sight, inside of the car, showing Homer running away from her until he goes in through the door. Upon entering their house, they speed towards the family room couch where, in comedic parallel with the audience, they settle down to watch their "must-see" TV show.

For each episode, the sequence includes a number of variations:

Bart writes something different on the chalkboard (see chalkboard gag).
Lisa may play a different solo on her baritone^[1] saxophone (see Lisa's sax solo gags ).
The family attempts to sit on the couch as something goes awry in an often surreal manner (see Couch gag).

The couch gag sequence is frequently used to help show staff make the show longer or shorter, depending on the length of the episode itself. Most couch gags last only about five seconds, but the longest one on record lasted 46 seconds. There are several kinds of opening; as of season 17, the show frequently just uses the clouds, driveway and couch gag. Homer leaving work, the chalkboard, Lisa's sax solo, etc. are not used so much, albeit they are not entirely gone.

In the syndicated version, part or all of the opening sequence is usually cut in order to include more commercials in the show's allotted timeslot. The first season opening sequence featured a number of differences from the later seasons, including a scene in which in place of Mr. Burns and Smithers at the Power Plant was a co-worker eating a sandwich with tongs. In addition, Bart snatched a bus stop sign, forcing several dazed Springfieldians to chase the bus, which was replaced from the second season by a sequence showing Bart weaving his skateboard between a group of characters, and a shot of Lisa riding her bike on the way home, which was changed to a camera whip pan across a crowd of characters towards the Simpsons' house.

Also in the syndication version, The Simpsons promo began in the fall of 1994. This promo begins with blue sky clouds smiliar to the simpsons opening and switches to a kaleidoscope effect using five Simpsons characters:
1. Bart and skateboard
2. Marge
3. Lisa and book
4. Maggie and pollow
5. Homer and donut.

This promo is 30 seconds long, with 5 second length of this promo that begins with blue sky clouds briefy and Homer and donut. The 15 second length begins with blue skies and switches to a kaledoscope effect using Marge and Homer with donut. the 20 second version begins with blue sky clouds and a kaliedoscope using Bart and skateboard, Marge and Homer with donut.

The 2 min. version begins with blue sky clouds for 9 seconds and switches to a kaliedoscope effect using 14 Simpsons characters:
1. Bart and skateboard
2. Milhouse Van Houten
3. Nelson Muntz
4. Ralph Wiggum
5. Marge
6. Maude Flanders
7. Edna Krabappel
8. Patty Bouvier
9. Selma Bouvier
10. Lisa and book
11. Maggie and pollow
12. Homer and donut
13. Barney Gumbel and root beer
14. Ned Flanders

The series' distinctive theme tune was composed by musician Danny Elfman in 1989, when Groening approached him wanting a "retro" style piece. Taking two days to create, it is perhaps the most recognizable music piece of his career. In a 1999 L.A. Times article, Elfman joked that the theme earns him $11.50 every time it is played.^[2]

The current arrangement, which dates back to the third season, is orchestrated by Alf Clausen. In Episode 1F11 — "Bart Gets Famous", Bart is whistling the tune and Marge tells him "not to whistle that annoying tune."

During five episodes, the opening sequence was parodied:

Once as "The Thompsons" in the episode "Cape Feare".
Once as "The Hurricane" in the episode "Hurricane Neddy".
Also in the opening of "Treehouse of Horror IX" as many elements of the sequence are seen with more gruesome results. Bart breaks his neck skateboarding off of the car, causing Lisa to trip on her bicycle catapulting her into the wall, Homer is run over by Marge, etc.
Once with an overweight Bart in "The Heartbroke Kid", who cracks the pavement when he leaves the school, runs over pedestrians, is hit by Marge's car, and crushes the roof of Homer's car.
Most recently in live action format.

Another element of the opening sequence parodied in the show is the scanner reading on Maggie. In "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular", it was stated that, instead of reading "847.63", the scanner actually read "NRA4EVER", explained as "one of the hundreds of conservative messages inserted into every show by creator Matt Groening".

[edit] Live action version

Live-action Bart Simpson writing sentences on a chalkboard as punishment.

In 2006, Sky One in the United Kingdom began advertising The Simpsons using a live action recreation of the series' opening sequence directed by Chris Palmer. ^[3]

It was the second time they had done so, the first being in September 2000 as part of a night celebrating the 10th anniversary of the show premiering in the UK. Except for the very first shot in which the logo appears out of the clouds, every piece of the opening is present in this version, with even multiple chalkboard and couch gags filmed. Attached to the end of this sequence is the message, "Come home to The Simpsons on Sky One." A version was also made for cinema distribution.

Because the live action sequence was made in the UK, there are some slight cultural differences, such as the side of the road in which "Homer" and "Marge" drive, or how the actor playing Chief Wiggum is wearing a British police uniform. It is sometimes erroneously stated to have tied in with the UK premiere of the 17th season of the show, but that started in November 2005, several months before the advert was first shown in March 2006. The video was also posted numerous times on YouTube and became an internet meme.

The sequence was used instead of the regular opening titles on the episode "Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife", first broadcast on FOX on 2006-03-26 with the images during the driving scenes mirrored so that the cars appeared to be driving on the right side of the road with the steering wheel on the left side of the car. This is perhaps rendered redundant by the fact that the live action version is obviously set in the UK (note the police officer). Additionally, "Homer's" visible buttcrack is blurred out in this version.