The Simpsons is an American animated television sitcom created by Matt Groening for Fox. It is a satirical depiction of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its eponymous family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. The show is set in the fictional town of Springfield, and lampoons American culture, society, and television, as well as many aspects of the human condition. Later released on the 2001 DVD The Simpsons – The Complete First Season by 20th Century Fox. The family was conceived by Groening shortly before a pitch for a series of animated shorts with producer James L. Brooks. Groening created a dysfunctional family and named the characters after members of his own family, substituting Bart for his own name. The shorts became a part of the Fox series The Tracey Ullman Show on April 19, 1987. After a three-season run, the sketch was developed into a half-hour prime-time show that was an early hit for Fox.
Throughout the years, many episodes of the show have been released on VHS, DVD and Blu-ray. When the first season DVD was released in 2001, it quickly became the best-selling television DVD set in history, although it was later overtaken by the first season of Chappelle's Show. The first twenty seasons are available on DVD in Regions 1, 2, and 4, with the twentieth season released on DVD and Blu-ray in 2010 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the series. However, only the first seventeen seasons were released in Region 3. The Simpsons Movie, a feature-length film, was released in theaters worldwide on July 27, 2007, and was later available on DVD and Blu-ray worldwide on December 3, 2007, and on December 18, 2007, in the U.S.
On April 8, 2015, showrunner Al Jean announced that there would be no more DVD or Blu-ray releases, shifting focus to digital distribution. Two years later, following fan protest, season 18 was released on December 5, 2017, on DVD with the possibility of further seasons if sales were strong enough. Two years later, season 19 was released on DVD on December 3, 2019. Also on December 3, 2019, a limited-edition DVD collection consisting of seasons 1-20, limited to 1,000 units, was released.
Overview Season Episodes DVD release dates Formats DVD Discs Region 1 Region 2Region 3 Region 4 1 13 December 17, 2004 DVD 3 2 22 August 9, 2004 4 3 24 August 9, 2004 4 22 June 2, 2005 5 22 June 2, 2005 6 25 November 9, 2005 7 25 April 18, 2006 8 25 August 3, 2007 9 25 February 16, 2007 10 23 August 16, 2007 11 22 November 6, 2008 12 21 August 27, 2009 13 22 September 29, 2010 DVD & Blu-ray 14 22 January 10, 2013 15 22 January 10, 2013 16 21 December 5, 2013 17 22 January 5, 2015 18 22 DVDMovie December 5, 2007 DVD, VCD and Blu-ray 1 19 20 DVD 420 21 DVD & Blu-ray 3
Full season sets
DVD
Season Set details DVD release dates Special features Region 1Region 1 DVD box sets: Region 2Region 2 DVD box sets: 1 Discs: 3 Episodes: 13 1.33:1 aspect ratio September 25, 2001 September 24, 2001 Original scripts for "Bart the Genius", "Bart the General", "Moaning Lisa" and "Some Enchanted Evening" Unaired version of "Some Enchanted Evening" Albert Brooks outtakes BBC Special: America's First Family ABC News: Bart T-shirt Controversy Tracey Ullman Show short: "Good Night" Foreign language clips Photo gallery AUDIO English 5.1 Dolby Digital English 2.0 Dolby Surround French 2.0 Dolby Surround SUBTITLES English SDH Spanish 2 Discs: 4 Episodes: 22 1.33:1 aspect ratio August 6, 2002 July 8, 2002 Bart at the American Music Awards The Simpsons presenting at the Emmy Awards "Do the Bartman" and "Deep, Deep Trouble" music videos Featurette: "Creation of an Episode" Featurette: "An Interview with Matt Groening and James L. Brooks" 3 Butterfinger Commercials Foreign language clips Photo gallery AUDIO English 5.1 Dolby Digital English 2.0 Dolby Surround French 2.0 Dolby Surround SUBTITLES English SDH Spanish 3 Discs: 4 Episodes: 24 1.33:1 aspect ratio August 26, 2003 October 6, 2003 Trivia tracks for "Colonel Homer" Storyboards Easter egg audio outtakes Multi Language Featurette Treehouse of Horror II Czech 2.0 Dolby Surround Polish 2.0 Dolby Surround Clip from the 1991 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade featuring a balloon of Bart Jukebox feature Commercials AUDIO English 5.1 Dolby Digital Spanish 2.0 Dolby Surround French 2.0 Dolby Surround SUBTITLES English SDH Spanish 4 Discs: 4 Episodes: 22 1.33:1 aspect ratio June 15, 2004 August 2, 2004 Deleted scenes Special Language Feature Kamp Krusty Portuguese 2.0 Dolby Surround Japanese 2.0 Dolby Surround Italian 2.0 Dolby Surround Castilian Spanish 2.0 Dolby Surround Featurettes Animatic/Storyboards Featurette: "The Cajun Controversy" Featurette: "Bush v. Simpsons" Commercials AUDIO English 5.1 Dolby Digital Spanish 2.0 Dolby Surround French 2.0 Dolby Surround SUBTITLES English SDH Spanish 5 Discs: 4 Episodes: 22 1.33:1 aspect ratio December 21, 2004 March 21, 2005 Animation Showcases "A Look Back" with James L. Brooks Commercials Special Language Feature Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song Czech 2.0 Dolby Surround Polish 2.0 Dolby Surround Hungarian 2.0 Dolby Surround Italian 2.0 Dolby Surround Deleted scenes Audio outtakes Original sketches AUDIO English 5.1 Dolby Digital Spanish 2.0 Dolby Surround French 2.0 Dolby Surround SUBTITLES English SDH Spanish 6 Featured character: Homer Discs: 4 Episodes: 25 1.33:1 aspect ratio August 16, 2005 October 17, 2005 Animatics Deleted scenes Special Language Feature Who Shot Mr. Burns? - Part One Parisian French 2.0 Dolby Surround Castilian Spanish 2.0 Dolby Surround Czech 2.0 Dolby Surround Russian 2.0 Dolby Surround Sketch gallery: "Who Shot Mr Burns" Suspect Profiles TV Special: "Springfields Most Wanted" Featurette: The Simpsons Plane Commercials AUDIO English 5.1 Dolby Digital Spanish 2.0 Dolby Surround French 2.0 Dolby Surround SUBTITLES English SDH Spanish 7 Featured character: Marge Discs: 4 Episodes: 25 1.33:1 aspect ratio December 13, 2005 January 30, 2006 Deleted scenes Special Language Feature 22 Short Films of Springfield Portuguese 2.0 Dolby Surround German 2.0 Dolby Surround Italian 2.0 Dolby Surround Japanese 2.0 Dolby Surround Special "3D Homer" featurette Paul McCartney's Lentil Soup recipe Animatic/Storyboards Sketch gallery AUDIO English 5.1 Dolby Digital Spanish 2.0 Dolby Surround French 2.0 Dolby Surround SUBTITLES English SDH Spanish 8 Featured character: Maggie Discs 4 Episodes: 25 1.33:1 aspect ratio August 15, 2006 October 2, 2006 Deleted scenes Special Language Feature Homer's Enemy Czech 2.0 Dolby Surround Japanese 2.0 Dolby Surround German 2.0 Dolby Surround Parisian French 2.0 Dolby Surround Featurette: "The Simpsons House" Animation showcases for "Treehouse of Horror VII", "In Marge We Trust" and "TheSecret War of Lisa Simpson" Original sketches Promos AUDIO English 5.1 Dolby Digital Spanish 2.0 Dolby Surround French 2.0 Dolby Surround SUBTITLES English SDH Spanish 9 Featured character: Lisa Discs: 4 Episodes: 25 1.33:1 aspect ratio December 19, 2006 January 29, 2007 Deleted scenes Special Language Feature Trash of the Titans Polish 2.0 Dolby Surround Portuguese 2.0 Dolby Surround German 2.0 Dolby Surround Japanese 2.0 Dolby Surround Animation showcases Illustrated commentary: "All Singing, All Dancing" and "Lost Our Lisa" Sneak peek at The Simpsons Movie Commercials Sketch gallery AUDIO English 5.1 Dolby Digital Spanish 2.0 Dolby Surround French 2.0 Dolby Surround SUBTITLES English SDH Spanish 10 Featured character: Bart Discs: 4 Episodes: 23 1.33:1 aspect ratio August 7, 2007 September 10, 2007 Deleted scenes Special Language Feature Sunday, Cruddy Sunday Czech 2.0 Dolby Surround Portuguese 2.0 Dolby Surround Japanese 2.0 Dolby Surround Ukrainian 2.0 Dolby Surround Animation showcases Sneak peek at The Simpsons Movie DVD Commercials Sketch gallery Featurettes AUDIO English 5.1 Dolby Digital Spanish 2.0 Dolby Surround French 2.0 Dolby Surround SUBTITLES English SDH Spanish 11 Featured character: Krusty Discs: 4 Episodes: 22 1.33:1 aspect ratio October 7, 2008 October 6, 2008 Deleted scenes Special Language Feature Beyond Blunderdome Portuguese 2.0 Dolby Surround Czech 2.0 Dolby Surround German 2.0 Dolby Surround Italian 2.0 Dolby Surround Featurettes Extra: "And Then There Were Menus" Sketch gallery Animation showcases AUDIO English 5.1 Dolby Digital Spanish 2.0 Dolby Surround French 2.0 Dolby Surround SUBTITLES English SDH Spanish 12 Featured character: Comic Book Guy Discs: 4 Episodes: 21 1.33:1 aspect ratio August 18, 2009 September 28, 2009 Deleted scenes Special Language Feature Homer vs. Dignity Portuguese 2.0 Dolby Surround Hungarian 2.0 Dolby Surround Ukrainian 2.0 Dolby Surround Italian 2.0 Dolby Surround Featurettes Commercials Sketch gallery Animation showcases AUDIO English 5.1 Dolby Digital Spanish 2.0 Dolby Surround French 2.0 Dolby Surround SUBTITLES English SDH Spanish 13 Featured character: Ralph Discs: 4 Episodes: 22 1.33:1 aspect ratio August 24, 2010 September 20, 2010 Animation showcases Deleted scenes Special Language Feature Treehouse of Horror XII Portuguese 2.0 Dolby Surround Czech 2.0 Dolby Surround Japanese 2.0 Dolby Surround German 2.0 Dolby Surround Commercials Featurettes Sketch galleries AUDIO English 5.1 Dolby Digital Spanish 2.0 Dolby Surround French 2.0 Dolby Surround SUBTITLES English SDH Spanish 14 Featured character: Kang Discs: 4 Episodes: 22 1.33:1 aspect ratio December 6, 2011 October 10, 2011 Animation showcases Special Language Feature Three Gays and the Condo Portuguese 2.0 Dolby Surround Czech 2.0 Dolby Surround German 2.0 Dolby Surround Italian 2.0 Dolby Surround Deleted scenes Featurettes Sketch galleries AUDIO English 5.1 Dolby Digital Spanish 2.0 Dolby Surround French 2.0 Dolby Surround SUBTITLES English SDH Spanish 15 Featured character: Otto Discs: 4 Episodes: 22 1.33:1 aspect ratio December 4, 2012 December 3, 2012 Animation showcases Deleted scenes Commercials Special Language Feature My Big Fat Geek Wedding Portuguese 2.0 Dolby Surround German 2.0 Dolby Surround Italian 2.0 Dolby Surround Ukrainian 2.0 Dolby Surround Featurettes Sketch galleries AUDIO English 5.1 Dolby Digital Spanish 2.0 Dolby Surround French 2.0 Dolby Surround SUBTITLES English SDH Spanish 16 Featured character: Professor Frink Discs: 4 Episodes: 21 1.33:1 aspect ratio December 2, 2013 Animation showcases Deleted scenes Special Language Feature Pranksta Rap Czech 2.0 Dolby Surround Italian 2.0 Dolby Surround Portuguese 2.0 Dolby Surround Hungarian 2.0 Dolby Surround Featurettes Bonus Episode Holidays of Future Passed Sketch galleries AUDIO English 5.1 Dolby Digital Spanish 2.0 Dolby Surround French 2.0 Dolby Surround SUBTITLES English SDH Spanish <span style="color:white;">17</span> Featured character: Sideshow Bob Discs: 4 Episodes: 22 1.33:1 aspect ratio Buongiorno, Simpsons Lovers Audio Commentary On Every Episode With Writers, Actors And Directors Deleted Scenes With Commentary The Great Ones Let There Be Music Live! It's The Simpsons Bonus Episode The Man Who Grew Too Much Multi-angle Animation Showcase Special Language Feature Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife Hungarian 2.0 Dolby Surround Ukrainian 2.0 Dolby Surround German 2.0 Dolby Surround Italian 2.0 Dolby Surround Original Sketches AUDIO English 5.1 Dolby Digital Spanish 2.0 Dolby Surround French 2.0 Dolby Surround SUBTITLES English SDH Spanish Note: This is the first season to receive a 15 rating in the UK although this was due to the bonus features and not the episodes. <span style="color:#ffabab;">18</span> Featured character: Fat Tony Discs: 4 Episodes: 22 1.33:1 aspect ratio Welcome Back, Loyal Fans!