Over the yearsThe Simpsons' couch gag has become an important part of the show’s legacy, and another way of seeing what the writers and creators are interested in enough that they want to give an homage to even beyond the show’s storylines. This time around, for Season 28, it’s one of my personal favorites: Cartoon Network’sAdventure Time! The couch gag zooms over a (far bleaker) picture than what we see inAdventure Time’s great intro, but it makes some amazing parallels (like Mr. Burns and the Ice King). It’s also clearly filled with Easter eggs in every frame for fans to pick apart.
If the song sounds super familiar, according toTV Line– who spoke with executive producerAl Jean–Adventure TimecreatorPendleton Wardrecorded this special version forThe Simpsonsto use. “That was the brain child of Mike Anderson, our supervising director. It’s a really beautiful, elaborate crossover.”
Check outThe Simpsons' version below, as well as theAdventure Timeoriginal to compare:
Here’s are thoseSimpsons-version lyrics:
“Simpsons Time / Run don’t walk / You might even hear Maggie talk / Bart the boy / and a dog named Homer / and jokes written on signs / it’s Simpsons time!”
If you aren’t watchingAdventure Time, um, rectify that immediately! It’s not really a kids cartoon, although it’s certainly full of things kids love. It’s deeply weird, beautiful, scary, and surreal, with hugely ambitious themes, a unique style, and a tone that vacillates between silly and soulful. It also just finished up its sixth season, so if you love it there’s plenty of it to binge to try and catch up.
As forThe Simpsons, it returns to Fox on Sunday, September 25th at 8 p.m.
