Springfield Googolplex: The Movie Podcast for Fans of The Simpsons

Mmm… forbidden episode. Adam and Nate revisit the classic and controversial “Stark Raving Dad” (S3E1) and its overshadowed parody of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975). How does Miloš Forman’s anti-establishment anthem hold up 50 years later? Also in this episode: • What should we do with “Stark Raving Dad” and other art featuring canceled artists? • Nurse Ratched may be one of cinema’s great villains, but would we want McMurphy to run the ward instead? • The surprising character from this movie that became a recurring Simpsons side character • How this movie set Danny DeVito on the path to playing Unky Herb • Plus, check out our show notes for a complete list of Simpsons references, double feature suggestions, and further reading Next time, we’re joined by the writer Alan Siegel to talk about his new book about The Simpsons called Stupid TV Be More Funny, alongside A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) and its Simpsons homage in “Miracle on Evergreen Terrace” (S9E11). For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us at @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, TikTok, Threads, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

Inspired by Guillermo del Toro’s new take on Mary Shelley’s classic creature, Adam and Nate invited film critic Dede Crimmins to help them reanimate Frankenstein (1931) and its multiple parodies in “Treehouse of Horror II” (S3E7). Together, we explore how this movie became one of the most referenced movies on The Simpsons, including the warnings and creepy credits at the beginning of almost every “Treehouse of Horror” episode. Also in this episode: • The silent magic of Boris Karloff’s performance as the creature • When parodies set up false expectations for classic movies • That time Frankenstein inspired one of the most deep-cut references on The Simpsons ever • How the hell was this episode going to end with a Broadcast News parody? Plus, check out our show notes for a complete list of Simpsons references, double feature suggestions, and further reading. Next time, Nate and Adam go crazy for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) at 50 and the forbidden episode… For more of Dede’s movie reviews and more stay tuned to her Bluesky @dedecrim.bsky.social. For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us at @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, TikTok, Threads, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

In this bonus minisode, Nate, Adam, and film critic Dede Crimmins give their bite-sized reviews of Guillermo Del Toro’s new adaptation of Frankenstein (2025), as well as their thoughts on the year in horror movies so far. Stay tuned next week for our full episode with Dede on Frankenstein (1931) and “Treehouse of Horror II” (S3E7). Lobby Chats are short bonus episodes where Adam and Nate share their thoughts on new releases, what they’re watching besides The Simpsons, and more. For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us at @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, TikTok, Threads, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

What with the grim specter of everything, Halloween just wasn’t enough to contain all the frights and chills! Simpsons writer Dan Vebber joins the podcast to extend the spooky season by walking us through his award-winning episode “Thanksgiving of Horror” (S31E8) and its parody of Ridley Scott’s sci-fi horror masterpiece, Alien (1979). Also in this episode: • Why Martin Prince is the perfect stand-in for the android Ash • Alien’s connection to H.P. Lovecraft • Adam and Dan’s defense of Alien³ • The story of Dan’s son’s first word… while watching Apocalypto Plus, check out our show notes for a complete list of Simpsons references, double feature suggestions, and further reading Next time, film critic and horror aficionado Dede Crimmins returns to reanimate Frankenstein (1931), and its double parody in “Treehouse of Horror II” (S3E7). For more of Dan’s work, tune in to new episodes of The Simpsons Sundays at 8pm (EST) on Fox and the day after on Hulu. For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us at @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, TikTok, Threads, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

Adam and Nate are joined by film critic Norm Wilner to revisit I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) and its parody in “Treehouse of Horror X” (S11E4), one of the most movie parody-packed episodes of The Simpsons ever. Does Norm still agree with his pull quote on every home release of this movie that says it’s “a pure fright machine [that] scares the hell out of you”? (Did he ever?) Also in this episode: • Screenwriter Kevin Williamson’s meta impact on pop culture • Does this movie work better as a ghost movie or a whodunnit? • Norm’s theory about the deep cut reference behind werewolf Flanders • Could the recent legasequel be an improvement on the original? Plus, check out our show notes for a complete list of Simpsons references, double feature suggestions, and further reading Next time, we’ll be nursing our Halloween hangover with a little horror hair of the dog. Simpsons writer Dan Vebber joins us to talk about his incredibly ambitious episode “Thanksgiving of Horror” (S31E8) and its parody of Alien (1979). For more of Norm’s work, check out his podcast Someone Else’s Movie and his physical media newsletter Shiny Things. For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us at @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, TikTok, Threads, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

Adam and Nate celebrate their 50th episode by breaking down AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Movies list through the lens of The Simpsons. If we reorder these 100 movies by how many times they were referenced on The Simpsons, can we create a different canon of American film? Also in this episode: • What are the canonical films that The Simpsons never parodied in the classic years? • The time capsule that is the “100 Years… 100 Movies” TV special • Does The Simpsons parody movies because they’re influential, or are these movies influential because they’re parodied on The Simpsons? • Trivia and favorite moments from the last three years of the podcast Plus, check out our show notes for our completely reordered list of AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Movies based on the number of Simpsons references, and further reading Next time, film critic Norm Wilner joins the podcast to kick off our spooky season with I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) and “Treehouse of Horror X” (S11E4). For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

Adam and Nate debate the virtues of Martin Scorsese’s After Hours (1985) on its 40th anniversary. At least they can agree that “Bart Sells His Soul” (S7E4) is pretty much a perfect Simpsons episode. Also in this episode: • Uncle Moe’s Family Feedbag and the restaurants that inspired it • Is the dream logic of this movie enticing or frustrating? • The wild and wooly world of 1980s New York • Why does the Comic Book Guy want to buy a little boy’s soul? Plus, check out our show notes for a complete list of Simpsons references, double feature suggestions, and further reading Next time, Adam and Nate celebrate our 50th episode with a special look at how Simpsons parodies stack up against the canon of American film! For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

Hey, that gum you like is finally back in style. That’s right! We’re kicking off another season of the Springfield Googolplex with the thrilling conclusion of “Who Shot Mr. Burns? Part Two” (S7E1) and David Lynch’s Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992). Plus, we have a uniquely qualified guest to guide us through the Venn diagram of The Simpsons and Twin Peaks, the multitalented musician, writer and podcaster Allie Goertz! Also in this episode: • Is Fire Walk with Me the ultimate test of how expectations shape the movie experience? • Which Springfieldians would we cast as the various denizens of Twin Peaks? • Can we crack the symbolism of Twin Peaks, or does it even matter? • Our secret favorite movies that we always to justify have to people Plus, check out our show notes for a complete list of Simpsons references, double feature suggestions, and further reading Next time, Adam and Nate will catch up with Martin Scorsese’s After Hours (1985) on its 40th anniversary, alongside its parody in “Bart Sells His Soul” (S7E4). Featuring “The Becoming“ by Allie Goertz from her latest album, Peeled Back. For more of Allie’s work, check out the complete runs of her two podcasts, Round Springfield and Fire Talk With Me. For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

In this bonus minisode, Nate and Adam give their bite-sized reviews of the recently released The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and how it stacks up against Superman. Our latest special summer episode covered the scandalous story of Roger Corman’s unreleased The Fantastic Four (1994), alongside Stan Lee’s guest star appearance in The Simpsons episode “I Am Furious (Yellow).” So with that in mind we ask, did the MCU break it or make it better? Lobby Chats are short bonus mini-episodes where Adam and Nate share their thoughts on new releases, what they’re watching besides movies parodied on The Simpsons, and more. For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

With The Fantastic Four: First Steps in theaters this week, Nate and Adam felt inspired to cover the latest MCU blockbuster. But in the absence of a press pass, we decided to watch Roger Corman’s unreleased The Fantastic Four (1994) instead! We also revisit “I Am Furious (Yellow)” (S13E18), the most Marvel-icious episode of the classic era of The Simpsons. Also in this episode: • The behind-the-scenes Hollywood shenanigans that kept this film from seeing the light of day • Is Stan Lee one of the best guest stars ever on The Simpsons? • Roger Corman’s surprising influence on The Simpsons movie references • An ode to the golden era of internet cartoons Plus, check out our show notes for a complete list of Simpsons references, double feature suggestions, and further reading We will return with regular biweekly episodes in September. Until then, keep an eye out for more special one-off episodes and new articles on our blog. For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

With the 36th season of The Simpsons recently wrapping up, we invited the current showrunner Matt Selman to sit down with us and talk all about the most recent season, its many movie parodies, his own relationship with the movies, and more. We even got a sneak preview of a few upcoming episodes of season 37! Also in this episode: • Why movie parodies on The Simpsons these days are longer, more elaborate, and more niche than ever • Is prestige TV displacing cinema as the parody of choice? • The most Simpsons-y part of Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning • A lightning round about possible movie references in season 36 Plus, check out our blog for instructions on how to run a movie box office draft like The Simpsons writers room We will return with regular biweekly episodes in September. Until then, keep an eye out for more special one-off episodes and new articles on our blog. Watch season 36 of The Simpsons on Hulu and Disney+, including a new collection page and non-stop stream on Disney+. For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

In our season finale, Adam and Nate celebrate the 30th anniversary of one of The Simpsons’ most famous season finales, “Who Shot Mr. Burns? Part One” (S6E25). To complement Mr. Burns’s fiendish scheme to block out the sun, we paired it with Goldfinger (1964), the James Bond movie that invented much of the formula that every later movie in the series either imitates or plays against. Also in this episode: • The brassy music of John Barry and Shirley Bassey that became synonymous with espionage and gadgetry • What set pieces hold up best, and why is the correct answer the industrial laser scene? •The imperceptible craft that pulls together the behind-the-scenes patchwork of this movie • Can James Bond survive his latest encounter with an ambitious bald billionaire? • Plus, check out our show notes for a complete list of Simpsons references, double feature suggestions, and further reading. Springfield Googolplex will return in September 2025 with the thrilling conclusion to “Who Shot Mr. Burns?” (S7E1), alongside a mystery movie pairing. In the meantime, we will be taking a break to produce our next season, but keep an eye out for a few very special summer episodes. For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

What more can be said about Jaws (1975)? For the 50th anniversary of the original summer blockbuster, we invited filmmaker and podcaster Devan Scott to help us unpack how it quietly became one of the most referenced movies in the classic years of The Simpsons. Also in this episode: • The many parodies of Quint and his iconic introduction, including our Simpsons double feature, “The Joy of Sect” (S9E13) • A deep dive on the dolly zoom, from Hitchcock to Spielberg to The Simpsons • How Amity provides a template for the small-town politics of Springfield • Why does The Simpsons leave the climax of this movie untouched by parodies? • Plus, check out our show notes for a complete list of Simpsons references, double feature suggestions, and further reading Next time, for our season finale, we celebrate the 30th anniversary of one of the most memorable Simpsons finales of all time, “Who Shot Mr. Burns” (S6E25) and its parody of Goldfinger (1964). For more of Devan Scott’s film content, check out the complete podcast How Would Lubitsch Do It? and his video essays on YouTube, or follow him on Bluesky, Letterboxd, and Instagram. Plus, check out Arrow Video’s new definitive 4K UHD release of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966), which Devan consulted on as part of a “weird Leone amateur brain trust.” (Nate has already pre-ordered.) For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

Why does “Bart Gets Hit by a Car” (S2E10) show the episode title on screen at the beginning, unlike nearly every other episode of The Simpsons? We think we found an answer in The Fortune Cookie (1966), the very first pairing of longtime comedy duo Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. They’re the original odd couple! This forgotten movie provided the plot for this early episode of The Simpsons, and possibly much more. Also in this episode: • A classic example of “homage, French for theft” • How this movie may have inspired the origins of Lionel Hutz and Dr. Nick Riviera • When does Walter Matthau sound most like season 1 Homer in this movie? • Adam and Nate unwisely try to rewrite Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond, two masters of comedy writing Plus, check out our show notes for a complete list of Simpsons references, double feature suggestions, and further reading Next time, filmmaker and podcaster Devan Scott returns to discuss Jaws (1975) on its 50th anniversary, alongside its culty parody in “The Joy of Sect” (S9E13). For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

Sean Baker’s movie had heart, but Football in the Groin had a football in the groin. Adam and Nate review the 97th Academy Awards, and compare their top five movies of 2024. Also in this episode: • The biggest surprises, snubs, and satisfying wins of the night • Does former Simpsons writer Conan O’Brien work as host of the Oscars? • A round-up of the night’s best Simpsons memes • A trivia game about the most reference Best Picture-winners on The Simpsons, fresh from the Simpsons Movie Reference Database Plus, check out our show notes for our top five lists, trivia answers, and more bonus content Next time, we’re back to our regularly scheduled programming with The Fortune Cookie (1966), a Billy Wilder joint that had its plot stolen for The Simpsons episode “Bart Gets Hit By a Car” (S2E10). For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

When Jay Sherman showed up as a guest judge for the Springfield Film Festival, it created the perfect platform for one of the most movie parody-packed episodes of The Simpsons ever. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of “A Star Is Burns” (S6E18), Adam and Nate explore an equally epic movie—Ben-Hur (1959)—as well as The Critic, an even more movie-saturated series developed by several Simpsons alumni. Also in this episode: • Is this movie actually as Christian as it seems, or is there very little meat in this gym mat? • Which actor is more Troy McClure-ish, Charlton Heston or Stephen Boyd? • Does the chariot race that launched a thousand homages hold up today? • Are the lepers in Ben-Hur as scary as Maude Flanders thinks? Plus, check out our show notes for a complete list of Simpsons references, double feature suggestions, and further reading Next time, Nate and Adam look back on our favorite movies of the year and recap the surprises, snubs, and the Simpsons-related host of the 97th Academy Awards. For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

The year 1999 was a big one for film. Star Wars returned to the big screen, The Matrix changed action movies forever, and notorious producer Jon Peters finally got his giant spider in a movie. In our first episode of 2025, Nate and Adam revisit Peters’ and Barry Sonnenfeld’s notorious flop Wild Wild West (1999) and its eight-legged parody in “The Sweetest Apu” (S13E19). Is this movie as bad as you remember, or has Hollywood lowered our standards to meet it halfway? Let’s find out. Also in this episode: • One of the greatest Simpsons episodes of season 13 • Special effects and production design that have aged like fine wine • Sexual politics that have aged like milk • Is this the height of the ‘90s trend of end-credits raps that summarize the plot? Plus, check out our show notes for a complete list of Simpsons references, double feature suggestions, and further reading Next time, Adam and Nate revisit the Simpsons-Critic crossover “A Star Is Burns” (S6E18) on its 30th anniversary and Mr. Burns’s rip-off of Ben-Hur (1959). For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

For our annual Non-Denominational Holiday Fun Fest this year, we unwrap “Grift of the Magi” (S11E9)—the Simpsons episode that gave us the name of this special—and its climactic spoof of James Cameron’s The Terminator (1984). Podcaster and prolific Letterboxd reviewer Matt Lynch joins us to break down the greatest movie ever made about a son sending his father back in time to have sex with his mother. (Oh yeah, and save the world in the process.) Also in this episode: • The delicious stone soup of Cameron’s budget filmmaking and special effects • Is this a slasher movie? Does it simply borrow slasher tropes? Did those tropes exist in 1984? • How James Cameron makes corniness as well as Frank Capra • Why ‘90s kids saw T2: Judgment Day first, and why we need to break the cycle • Plus, check out our show notes for a complete list of Simpsons references, double feature suggestions, and further reading Springfield Googolplex is taking a break for the holidays, but we will be back on February 4, 2025, with a new batch of episodes. In the meantime, have a merry Christmas, a happy Hanukkah, a cwazy Kwanzaa, a tip top Tet, and a solemn and dignified Ramadan. For more of Matt Lynch, check out his popular Letterboxd profile, his thriller movie podcast The Suspense Is Killing Us, Scarecrow Video’s YouTube channel VIVA! Physical Media, or the massive library of Scarecrow Video itself and its awesome rent-by-mail program. For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

Remember that time when Homer became Mr. Burns’ prank monkey? Adam and Nate watch The Magic Christian (1969), an adaptation of Terry Southern’s satirical novel that inspired The Simpsons episode “Homer vs. Dignity” (S12E5). Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr punking rich Brits to prove that everyone has their price—how could you go wrong? Well, let us tell you. Also in this episode: • Terry Southern’s influence on The Simpsons, Stanley Kubrick, The Beatles and beyond • Is Peter Sellers’ talent as big as his ego? • The undeniable and underutilized magnetism of Ringo Starr • How this movie became a pop culture vortex in the careers of The Beatles, Monty Python, Yul Brynner, and Roman Polanski • Plus, check out our show notes for a complete list of Simpsons references, double feature suggestions, and further reading We’ll be taking a brief hiatus, but for our Non-Denominational Holiday Fun Fest on December 17th, we’ll be back to revisit The Terminator (1984) and “Grift of the Magi” (S11E9) with “the villain of Letterboxd” Matt Lynch. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network. Follow us @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, and Letterboxd.

On our election day special in America, Nate and Adam invited filmmaker and podcaster Devan Scott (How Would Lubitsch Do It?) to dissect the painfully relevant political thriller All the President’s Men (1976) and its Simpsons send-up in “Sideshow Bob Roberts” (S6E5). Join us as we try to laugh through the nausea and exorcize the ghosts of elections past! Also in this episode: • The Simpsons’ surprisingly timeless satire of populism and corruption in American politics • Why they call cinematographer Gordon Willis the “Prince of Darkness” and why they shouldn’t • The delightful chemistry and realism of Robert Redford’s Woodward and Dustin Hoffman’s Bernstein • Is it a bad sign that a movie about a real-life government conspiracy orchestrated by one of the most corrupt presidents in American history makes us feel nostalgic about simpler times? • Plus, check out our show notes for a complete list of Simpsons references, double feature suggestions, and further reading Next time, Adam and Nate explore the film adaptation of Terry Southern’s cult classic novel, The Magic Christian (1969) and Homer and Mr. Burns’s reenactment in “Homer vs. Dignity” (S12E5). Peter Sellers. Ringo Starr. Elaborate practical jokes. Pow. For more of Devan Scott’s film content, check out the complete podcast How Would Lubitsch Do It? and his video essays on YouTube, or follow him on Twitter, Letterboxd, and Instagram. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network. Follow us @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, and Letterboxd.