10 Things You Didn't Know About The Making Of The Simpsons
8. The Original Pilot Episode Was Aired At The End Of The First Season Because It "Didn't Work"
"Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire" is often thought to be the first episode of the show; the pilot, if you will. And whilst that's kind of true in a roundabout way (given that it aired on television first chronologically), it was actually the eighth episode of the show to be made. In actuality, the first full-length episode of The Simpsons ever created was titled "Some Enchanted Evening," which eventually aired as the thirteenth and final episode of season one (you know, in the hope that fewer people would actually see it). The problem with the episode stemmed from the animation, which was deemed to be indistinct and messy. Al Jean, Simpsons showrunner extraordinaire, explains the problem:"The first episode ever done was by someone who didnt quite get the show. It needed a lot of rework. It was held back 'til maybe the last episode of the first season. Its pretty well known it was very disappointing to everybody."Indeed. After sitting down to a preview of "Some Enchanted Evening," James L. Brooks famously declared: "This is sh*t." Thankfully the rest of the season turned was fine!