February 22, 2010
This behind-the-scenes look at perhaps the most successful television series of all time is a memorable and highly entertaining romp that offers listeners never before heard stories and anecdotes from such figures as Conan O'Brien and James L. Brooks. John Allen Nelson does a splendid job at relating the text with an ear for Ortved's wry wit—though his Homer impression could use a little work. Nelson takes listeners to places they've never been, tells them stories they thought they'd never hear, and does it all in such a cool and collected tone, that it seems almost second nature. It's endlessly informative and a fine complement to Ortved's superb study of the pop culture phenom. A Faber & Faber hardcover (Reviews, Oct. 5).
October 12, 2009
Freelance writer Ortved tells the story of a cartoon about a dysfunctional family living in the shadow of a nuclear power plant that became the longest-running prime time series in American television history. The Simpsons first appeared as a series of shorts on The Tracy Ullman Show in 1987 and debuted as a full-length series in 1989. Almost immediately it became an international phenomenon, helping to establish the then-upstart Fox network. Since then, The Simpsons has featured dozens of celebrity guests, from Michael Jackson to Tom Wolf, and has become a major influence on the development of television comedy and on a generation of Americans. Ortved has done dozens of in-depth interviews, and they make the book. His oral history approach is particularly compelling through the first 200 pages, where the disagreements over who deserves credit for The Simpsons take on a Rashomon-like complexity. Ortved seems evenhanded in his assessments of principals like Matt Groening and James Brooks-few of whom come through unscathed. As the book progresses, it loses focus, and Ortved inserts more of his own opinions and analyses, which are generally less interesting than the interviews (hating Everybody Loves Raymond isn't exactly a radical stance). Nevertheless, Ortved has done a remarkable job of bringing to light the creators of our beloved four-fingered creatures with the bright yellow skin.