Disney/FOX "The Simpsons" Season 5 opener "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" is one of the most iconic episodes of all time.
By the time Matt Groening’s The Simpsons reached its fifth season, it was a well-oiled machine. Season 5 helped the show reach some major milestones including its 100th episode titled, “Sweet Seymour Skinner’s Baadasssss Song.” The show also produced some of its most acclaimed episodes ever including “Cape Feare,” “Rosebud,” and “Homer Goes to College.”
The Simpsons‘ fifth season originally aired on Fox between September 30, 1993 and May 19, 1994. David Mirkin stepped in as showrunner and also executive produced 20 of its episodes. Al Jean and Mike Reiss executive produced the remaining two which were both hold overs from the previous season.
Season 5 continued following the Simpson family and all of the wacky residents of Springfield. The titular family consists of dad Homer, a safety inspector at a local power plant, mom Marge, a homemaker, and their three children: troublemaker Bart who’s always getting into it at school, Lisa, a precocious activist, and baby Maggie who rarely talks. The family parodies American society and pop culture with their increasing levels of ridiculousness and huge cast of townie characters that add to the sheer stupidity and genius of the show.
What started as just a series of shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show grew into what would soon become one of the longest-running primetime cartoon shows (and a global behemoth) that still seems virtually neverending. With 663 episodes and counting, The Simpsons outlasted Gunsmoke as the longest-running American scripted primetime TV show in terms of seasons and episodes. A full-length feature film was released in 2007 (entitled The Simpsons Movie), in addition to comic books, video games, and even a Universal Studios ride. The family even has its own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Now with Disney+, you can now stream The Simpsons Season 5 online.
How to Stream ‘The Simpsons’ Season 5 – Exclusively on Disney+
The Simpsons Season 5 is one of the many beloved seasons of the classic animated series that will be streaming exclusively on Disney’s new subscription streaming service, Disney+.
You can sign up for a 7-day free trial of Disney+ HERE, which will allow you to stream The Simpsons and hundreds of other movies and shows on your computer, phone, tablet, smart TV or streaming device. If you extend past the free trial, the service costs $6.99/month. You may also opt for this discount bundle of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ for $12.99/month.
- 1. Sign up for Disney+ here
- 2. Go to Disneyplus.com or download the Disney+ app on your device
- 3. Log in using your information
- 4. Search for “Descendants”
- 5. Tap on “Descendants”
- 6. Tap the PLAY button
Disney+ also boasts a vast library of Disney-owned movies and series — plus several new original series coming soon. The service includes unlimited downloads so you can watch offline whenever and wherever you want. The list of compatible devices and smart TVs includes iPads, Apple TV, Amazon devices, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Chromecast, Roku, PS4, and Xbox One.
‘The Simpsons’ Season 5: Overview
Release Date: September 30, 1993 and May 19, 1994
Creators: Creator and producer Matt Groening, Showrunner and executive producer David Mirkin
Starring: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Harry Shearer, and Hank Azaria
Rating: The series is mostly rated TV-PG, though some episodes are slapped with a TV-14 rating.
Synopsis: The Simpsons is a satirical depiction of working-class life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie, all of whom live in the fictional town of Springfield. It parodies American culture and society, television, and the human condition.
How Long Is ‘The Simpsons’ Season 5?
The Simpsons Season 5 consists of 22 episodes including two that were originally intended for Season 4. Episodes range from 22-24 minutes without commercials.
‘The Simpsons’ Season 5 Plot
In the fifth season opener, Homer recalls his time with a popular barbershop quartet called The Be Sharps. The group featured Principal Skinner, Apu, and Chief Wiggum who was later replaced with Barney. The Be Sharps struck it big with their hit song “Baby on Board” and even won a Grammy. It’s a classic entry to the series.
In a Cape Fear parody, Sideshow Bob is released from prison and Bart is placed in the Witness Relocation Program. The family moves to Terror Lake, but it’s not far enough away to escape Bob’s wrath. Later, Homer must go back to college to pass a nuclear physics class, but soon becomes wrapped up in an Animal House-style party scene.
The fourth annual “Treehouse of Horror” is a parody of Night Gallery with Bart telling three scary stories based on paintings. In “The Devil and Homer Simpson,” Homer sells his soul to the Devil (otherwise known as Ned Flanders) for a doughnut. In “Terror at 5½ Feet” Bart discovers that there is a Gremlin on the side of the bus as he’s on his way to school. Then, in “Bart Simpson’s Dracula,” the Simpsons are invited to a dinner with Mr. Burns where Bart and Lisa discover that Mr. Burns is a vampire.
Season 5 has an exceptional amount of Bart episodes: Bart gets accidentally famous on the Krusty show, but his fame is fleeting. After winning a radio station contest, Bart acquires a brand new elephant. Then, Bart becomes Mr. Burns’ heir, temporarily leaving his family to live with the millionaire until he has a change of heart.
‘The Simpsons’ Season 5 Cast
Dan Castellaneta as Homer Simpson, Grampa Simpson, Krusty the Clown, Groundskeeper Willie, Mayor Quimby, and Barney Gumble
Castellaneta voices the lovable imbecile and patriarch of the family, Homer. His other credits include voice spots on The Batman, Hey Arnold and Futurama, though Castellaneta also acts on screen as well in shows and movies like Super 8, Parks and Recreation, Castle, and Greek.
Nancy Cartwright as Bart Simpson, Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggum, and other children
Cartwright voices the mischievous Bart Simpson. When she’s not working on The Simpsons, she can be found (and heard) on shows like Animaniacs, Kim Possible and Rugrats.
Harry Shearer as Ned Flangers, Principal Skinner, Larry, Mr. Burns, Mr. Smithers, Principal Skinner, Reverend Lovejoy, and Dr. Hibbert.
Shearer voices a number of characters that also include Mr. Burns and Waylon Smithers. When he’s not voice acting, he’s spinning comedy gold in films like A Mighty Wind and This Is Spinal Tap.
Julie Kavner as Marge Simpson, and Patty and Selma Bouvier
Before she got into voice acting, Kavner played Brenda Morgenstern on the series Rhoda. Kavner has also starred in films like Hannah and Her Sisters and Click.
Yeardley Smith as Lisa Simpson
Aside from voice acting, Smith made guest appearances on Dharma & Greg, Murphy Brown, Empty Nest, and Mama’s Family and had a regular role for three seasons as Louise on Herman’s Head.
Hank Azaria as Moe Syzlak, Chief Wiggum, Comic Book Guy, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, and Professor Frink
When Azaria isn’t lending his voice, he can be seen in fare like Ray Donovan and Brockmire. He was also in films like Birdcage and Mystery Men.
‘The Simpsons’ Season 5 Songs and Soundtrack
Season 5 includes hit songs by musicians like The Carpenters, Benny Goodman, Joe Cocker, James Taylor, and James Brown. In subsequent years, The Simpsons released a number of various studio albums and soundtracks such as Songs in the Key of Springfield and The Yellow Album.
‘The Simpsons’ Season 5 Ratings
Like its previous three seasons, The Simpsons Season 5 aired Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. alongside The Sinbad Show. The season premiere, “Homer’s Barbershop Quartet,” held a Nielsen rating of 12.7. “Treehouse of Horror IV” became the highest rated episode of the season, rating of 14.5. It was watched by approximately 24 million viewers. “Secrets of a Successful Marriage”, the season finale, held a Nielsen rating of 9.8. On average, 18.9 million viewers watched the show’s fifth season.
‘The Simpsons’ Season 5 Reviews – What the Critics Said
The Simpsons‘ impact on the American sitcom and TV at large remains in stone. The show not only paved the way for every primetime cartoon series that followed, but it did so with critical acclaim and tremendous ratings, shaping ’90s pop culture as we knew it. Thirty-one Emmys, 30 Annie Awards, and a Peabody Award only help prove the show’s legacy and staying power after all these years.
In his AV Club review for “Homer’s Barbershop Quartet,” Nathan Rabin wrote, “That’s how deeply The Simpsons has gotten under my skin and the skin of much of my generation. Seemingly throwaway lines from a cartoon are as deeply ingrained in my psyche as my most strongly held convictions.”
Joe Reid from Decider called the season premiere “one of The Simpsons‘ most creative episodes,” while Robert Canning of IGN noted, “What better way to kick off a season than looking back at a character’s past?”
On Uproxx‘s ranking of every Simpsons season ever, Season 5 was the number 2 pick for best season writing, “The Simpsons was experimenting with unusual pairings and turning previously undeveloped Springfield citizens into fan favorite main characters.”
Critics Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz ranked The Simpsons as the greatest American TV series of all time in their 2016 book TV (The Book). Time magazine once called The Simpsons the century’s best television series, including Bart in their list of the century’s 100 most influential people. He was the only fictional character included.
‘The Simpsons’ Season 5 Trivia: 5 Fast Facts
1. Ever Wonder Why The Simpsons Were Yellow?
Ever wondered why most of the Springfield residents are yellow? Creator Matt Groening told the BBC: “They’re yellow because when it was time to pick the color for the cartoon I didn’t want the conventional cartoon colors. An animator came up with the Simpsons’ yellow and as soon as she showed it to me I said: ‘This is the answer!’ because when you’re flicking through channels with your remote control, and a flash of yellow goes by, you’ll know you’re watching The Simpsons.” Not only is the cartoon family easy to spot, but their yellow color is now icnoic—and memorable—in the world of animation.
2. Season 5 Is A Big Season for Guest Star Phil Hartman
The SNL veteran Hartman stars in seven episodes of The Simpsons‘ fifth season and would continue providing voices for the show until his death in 1998. His main two characters were Troy McClure and Lionel Hutz but he also provided additional voices for background characters throughout the series. After his passing, the show retired all of Hartman’s characters. Groening said he “took Hartman for granted because he nailed the joke every time” and that his voice acting could provide “the maximum amount of humor” with any line he was given.
3. The Show Continued Earning Many Awards and Nominations
Thanks to an incredibly strong fifth season, The Simpsons kept piling on award nominations and wins. At the Primetime Emmy Awards, Alf Clausen and Greg Daniels received a nomination in the Outstanding Individual Achievement in Music and Lyrics category for the song “Who Needs The Kwik-E-Mart?” from the episode “Homer and Apu.” Clausen also was nominated for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore) for the episode “Cape Feare.” The series was also nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Genre Television Series. These were far from the last accolades the show would receive; it continues winning the hearts of fans and academy voters to this day.
4. The Case of the Missing Maggie
Homer, Bart, Lisa, and Marge are in every single episode of the show (except for Marge hitting the cutting room floor for Season 4’s “Krusty Gets Kancelled”), but Maggie disappears from time to time. Season 5’s “The Last Temptation of Homer” is completely Maggie-free; the next episode the character would be missing from would be Season 8’s “Lisa’s Date with Density.”
5. ‘The Simpsons’ Is Still the Longest-Running Primetime Series On the Air
The series became the longest-running American primetime series when Family Matters ended on July 18, 1998. The show has retained that status ever since. Currently, The Simpsons is airing its 31st season.
A few shows held this honor for a short period of time. Cheers held it for the shortest time (only one week) until it ended on May 20, 1993. The Simpsons is the last running series to have premiered in the 1980s as well as the only animated show to become the longest-running primetime scripted series.