An exhaustive list of all the Apple references ever made in long-running television cartoons The Simpsons and Futurama has been compiled by Yoni Heisler of TUAW. On the air since 1989 and 1999, respectively, The Simpsons and Futurama have featured Apple products in various episodes more than 40 times.
Some standouts include a 2010 episode of Futurama where Bender declares the Mac to be better than the PC and a 1994 episode of The Simpsons, featuring the poor handwriting recognition capabilities of the Apple Newton, a PDA device.
Another highlight is a 2013 episode of The Simpsons that depicts a character attempting to use Siri to locate a hospital.
In this particular Simpsons episode, a store owner tries to use Siri to locate a hospital for Homer.
Upon doing so, Siri tells him, "I'm sorry, I don’t see any 'hos petals' near you. Deleting all contact information."
Furious, the man responds, "No, I didn’t ask you to do that Siri!" To which Siri responds, "Delete confirmed."
In 2008, The Simpsons aired what may be its most popular Apple-centric episode, with a satirical anti-Apple focus on the "Mapple Store" filled with MyPods, MyPhones, and a "braniac bar." The episode also introduced Mapple founder and Chief Imaginative Officer Steve Mobbs. "He's a genius!" shouts the crowd. "He's like a god who knows what we want!"
During his compilation of references, Heisler was able to speak with The Simpsons writer Bill Oakley and director David Silverman. According to the duo, computers on the show were often drawn as Macs because it was the platform of choice for animators in the 90s.
Oakley also noted that Smithers, Mr. Burns' well-known assistant, was written as a Mac user because he "is the type of progressive young fellow who would have a Mac rather than a PC."
Silverman wanted to be clear that references to Apple are only added to episodes for comedic effect and the show is carefully written to avoid product placement.
"Even if it's in the Simpsons universe and we created it," Silverman explained, "we don't want to put it in every show because it looks like we’re promoting it, and that’s not our point. Mapple is too close to the real thing."
The full list of Apple references can be accessed on TUAW and is well worth checking out. The compilation includes images, videos, and additional commentary from show creators.
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Top Rated Comments
The Simpsons will never die, it's the eternal television show
I agree. We need more patent litigation stories :P.
Groening is, of course, the creator of the "Life In Hell" comic strip that appeared in alternative papers in the 80s until not too long ago. It preceded The Simpsons and in many ways inspired The Simpsons. There were several "Life Is Hell" compilation books: "Work is Hell," "Life is Hell", etc. In the late 80s or early 90s, there was a special booklet commissioned by Apple called, "Computing is Hell." It was very similar to the other "...in Hell" books but it was a ad for Macintosh with the "Life In Hell" characters. It was pretty good!
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I know they say they don't do product placement, but I thought the 2008 "Mapple Store" with "Steve Mobs" was actually "anti-product placement." If you were vaguely considering Apple at that point, I think one came away with a feeling that one shouldn't even think about buying anything Apple.
My reaction was, "Wow! Apple must have done something to really tick off The Simpons, Groening, Fox or some semblance of those.
Was a huge fan of The Simpsons when it came out, but it lost its edge. After I happened upon the "Mapple" episode, I first thought, "Wow, I will never watch again." And then I rethought it: pretty innovative--I don't think I ever saw a cartoon show trash a product line and company like that.