The Simpsons: 12 Things You Missed If You Stopped Watching in 2000

9. The Happy Little Elves Are Collectibles

This isn't the biggest change, but it's a personal favourite, and a bit of nostalgia. Remember the Happy Little Elves? They were the annoying children's cartoon characters that pacified Maggie (beyond what her pacifier could do) in the early seasons of the show. They have popped up from time to time over the course of the series, and usually don't matter all that much. However, in "Lisa Simpson, This Isn't Your Life" a collectible line based on the fictitious movie series within a series plays a key role in the subplot. In it, Maggie is obsessed with the figures, and Homer is obsessed with getting her the last figure in her collection - to the point that he randomly starts buying gasoline he doesn't need (the figures are freebies from gas stations). The episode is a solid one in a season with several decent episodes, marking something of a return to form for the show (Angry Dad: The Movie was also a part of this season).