The Simpsons
Season 24
Digital purchase image featuring Grampa Abraham Simpson
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes22
Release
Original networkFox
Original releaseSeptember 30, 2012 (2012-09-30) –
May 19, 2013 (2013-05-19)
Season chronology
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Season 23
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Season 25
List of episodes

The twenty-fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons began airing on Fox on September 30, 2012, and concluded on May 19, 2013.[1][2]

Advertising revenue

An August 2011 article in Advertising Age reported that the average cost of a 30-second advertising spot during a first-run episode of The Simpsons was $286,131—up from $254,260 in season 23. In 2012, The Simpsons was the sixth-most expensive television series in the United States to sponsor. The top five were (in ascending order) American Idol (Thursday), New Girl, Modern Family, American Idol (Wednesday), and NBC Sunday Night Football. A first-run, season 24 episode of The Simpsons was the Fox Broadcasting Company's fourth-most expensive program to sponsor, up from fifth in 2011.[3]

Episodes

See also: List of The Simpsons episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code		U.S. viewers
(millions)
5091"Moonshine River"Bob AndersonTim LongSeptember 30, 2012 (2012-09-30)PABF218.08[4]
The Simpsons return to New York City after Bart discovers that, out of all of the female interests he has had, the only one who continued to like him was Cletus Spuckler's daughter, Mary who once helped him save a cow, and now that Mary has moved to the Big Apple to be a writer for Saturday Night Live, Bart wants to see her again.
Guest star: Ken Burns, Zooey Deschanel, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Anne Hathaway, Maurice LaMarche, Don Pardo, Natalie Portman, Kevin Michael Richardson, Al Roker and Sarah Silverman
5102"Treehouse of Horror XXIII"Steven Dean MooreDavid Mandel & Brian KelleyOctober 7, 2012 (2012-10-07)PABF176.57[5]

A Halloween special:
-An intro showing a botched Mayan sacrifice in the past causing the end of the world in 2012.
-The Greatest Story Ever Holed: Professor Frink's Subatomic Supercollider releases a black hole that Lisa takes in as a pet – and the hole ends up sucking up all matter thanks to everyone using it as a waste disposal unit.
-Unnormal Activity: In this parody of the Paranormal Activity movies, a collection of video clips shows demonic activity in the Simpsons' house late at night – which may have something to do with Marge's deal with the Devil she made years ago.

-Bart & Homer's Excellent Adventure: In this light parody of the Back to the Future film franchise, Bart steals Professor Frink's time-traveling car and heads to 1974 so he can buy a Radioactive Man comic at cover price (25 cents instead of the present-day price of $200), but his visit into the past alters the future and leads Marge to marry her first prom date, Artie Ziff.
Guest star: Jon Lovitz
5113"Adventures in Baby-Getting"Rob OliverBill OdenkirkNovember 4, 2012 (2012-11-04)PABF185.54[6]
A series of events involving a sinkhole and a new car purchase by the family leads Marge to a sudden realization that she wants to have another baby, and Homer is unable to tell her he doesn't want to have more kids. Meanwhile, Bart and his friends spy on Lisa when she begins biking to points unknown on weekday afternoons.
Guest star: Jeff Gordon
5124"Gone Abie Gone"Matthew NastukJoel H. CohenNovember 11, 2012 (2012-11-11)PABF166.86[7]
Homer gets a settlement for fast-food related injuries, and concerns over bad banks' behavior leads him to put the money into a college fund for Lisa. But he puts the funds on an online poker site, and Lisa ends up becoming a hard-core player to build her nest egg. Meanwhile, Grampa Simpson mysteriously disappears from the Springfield Retirement Castle, and leaves behind clues to parts of his life that the family never knew before, including his marriage to a black singer named Rita LaFleur, and when he worked in a restaurant with Marvin Hamlisch.
Guest star: Jennifer Tilly, Anika Noni Rose and Marvin Hamlisch
5135"Penny-Wiseguys"Mark KirklandMichael PriceNovember 18, 2012 (2012-11-18)PABF195.06[8]
Homer is shocked to discover that his bowling teammate Dan Gillick is an accountant for Fat Tony and his mob. Meanwhile, Lisa adds insects to her vegetarian diet after passing out during a saxophone solo from iron deficiency, but immediately quits when the bugs guilt her in her dreams.
Guest star: Steve Carell, Joe Mantegna and Alex Trebek
5146"A Tree Grows in Springfield"Timothy BaileyStephanie GillisNovember 25, 2012 (2012-11-25)PABF227.46[9]
Lisa wins a Mapple MyPad for Homer at a school raffle and Homer (who had been battling severe depression) becomes happy while using the MyPad, only to fall further into despair when he accidentally breaks the device. Flanders picks up Homer's spirits when he finds the word "Hope" written on The Simpsons' backyard tree in sap and everyone sees it as a miracle.
Guest star: Kelsey Grammer
5157"The Day the Earth Stood Cool"Matthew FaughnanMatt SelmanDecember 9, 2012 (2012-12-09)PABF207.44[11]
Homer wants a younger, hipper image, so he starts hanging out with Terrence and Emily, two hipsters from Portland, but Marge and Bart find the couple, their child, and their ilk who take over the unhip town of Springfield to be irritating and pretentious.
Guest star: Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein, Patton Oswalt, and The Decemberists[10]
5168"To Cur with Love"Steven Dean MooreCarolyn OmineDecember 16, 2012 (2012-12-16)RABF013.77[12]
When a fire at the retirement home forces Grampa to move home with the Simpsons, Homer throws out his back on moving day and decides to stay home to recover. While enjoying his time alone, Homer gets distracted by a tablet game called "VillageVille" and loses the family dog, Santa's Little Helper. Once they find him, Homer says he doesn't care about SLH or any other dog. Grampa tells them the very sad story of young Homer's bond with a pooch named Bongo and the tragic events that Mr. Burns caused over the dog.
5179"Homer Goes to Prep School"Mark KirklandBrian KelleyJanuary 6, 2013 (2013-01-06)RABF028.97[13]
After a lockdown at a kids' fun center (caused by a kid chasing after a ball and a negligent worker talking on her cell phone), Homer is traumatized over seeing everyone panic in the chaos, and meets a doomsday prepper who introduces him to some Springfield residents who are preparing for the day when society crumbles from a disaster.
Guest star: Tom Waits
51810"A Test Before Trying"Chris ClementsJoel H. CohenJanuary 13, 2013 (2013-01-13)RABF035.04[14]
Springfield Elementary School does so badly on a state test administered by an ice-cold administrator that it looks like the school will be permanently shut down. It turns out that Bart didn't take the test and can save SES with a passing grade, but is he interested in doing so? Meanwhile, Homer uses a discarded parking meter to rake in some extra coinage.
Guest star: Valerie Harper
51911"The Changing of the Guardian"Bob AndersonRob LaZebnikJanuary 27, 2013 (2013-01-27)RABF045.23[15]
After surviving a tornado landing in Springfield, Marge and Homer seek out guardians for the kids in case they end up getting killed. They first turn to friends and family, including Homer's half-brother, Herb Powell (who inexplicably has gone broke again), with whom to entrust their kids, but when Bart and Lisa fall in love with a super-cool couple, Mav and Portia, Marge starts to question their potential guardians' true motivations.
Guest star: Danny DeVito and Rashida Jones
52012"Love Is a Many-Splintered Thing"Mike Frank PolcinoTim LongFebruary 10, 2013 (2013-02-10)RABF074.19[16]
A "special Valentine's-themed outing" in which Bart's heartstrings are pulled once again when Mary Spuckler returns to Springfield, but his failure to pay her enough attention strains their relationship.
Guest star: Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Caro, Zooey Deschanel and Max Weinberg
52113"Hardly Kirk-ing"Matthew NastukTom Gammill & Max ProssFebruary 17, 2013 (2013-02-17)RABF054.57[17]
Bart gives Milhouse a haircut to get the epoxy out of his hair, and Milhouse's new Kirk-mirroring appearance leads the kids to enjoy the adult life for a while. Meanwhile, Marge tries to wean Maggie off a series of DVDs for toddlers that were pulled for stunting children's developmental growth, and Homer gets addicted to "find the hidden object" puzzle books.
Guest star: Kevin Michael Richardson
52214"Gorgeous Grampa"Chuck SheetzMatt SelmanMarch 3, 2013 (2013-03-03)RABF064.66[18]
Homer buys a storage locker after watching a reality show, only to discover that it is Grampa's. He suspects that his dad was secretly gay, but it turns out Grampa was actually a superstar (and deeply loathed) pro wrestler named Glamorous Godfrey. And Mr. Burns, who idolized GG, convinces Grampa to start wrestling again.
52315"Black Eyed, Please"Matthew SchofieldJohn FrinkMarch 10, 2013 (2013-03-10)RABF094.85[19]
A new substitute teacher named Miss Cantwell is hired while Miss Hoover is out with severe depression, and Lisa must figure out why Miss Cantwell hates her. Meanwhile, Flanders tries to atone for punching Homer in the eye after Flanders' parents take a liking to him instead of their own son.
Guest star: Richard Dawkins and Tina Fey
52416"Dark Knight Court"Mark KirklandBilly Kimball & Ian Maxtone-GrahamMarch 17, 2013 (2013-03-17)RABF104.89[20]
Lisa must defend Bart after he is accused of pulling an Easter prank on the school marching band. Meanwhile, Mr. Burns fulfills his dream of becoming a superhero, and Smithers pays the townspeople to fake being supervillains for Fruit Bat Man to "defeat".
Guest star: Janet Reno
52517"What Animated Women Want"Steven Dean MooreJ. Stewart BurnsApril 14, 2013 (2013-04-14)RABF084.11[21]
Homer realizes Marge is very unhappy over their lack of romantic spark, and tries to find a way to reignite it. Meanwhile, Milhouse uses Marlon Brando's cinematic legacy of being a jerk women loved to impress Lisa.
Guest star: Wanda Sykes and George Takei
52618"Pulpit Friction"Chris ClementsBill OdenkirkApril 28, 2013 (2013-04-28)RABF114.54[22]
Reverend Lovejoy leaves his pulpit after a charismatic new minister usurps him and finds a new job as a hot tub salesman, while Homer's newfound devotion and work as a deacon starts to annoy Bart.
Guest star: Edward Norton
52719"Whiskey Business"Matthew NastukValentina L. GarzaMay 5, 2013 (2013-05-05)RABF134.43[23]
Homer and Marge help a suicidal Moe get a new lease on life and Moe's homemade alcohol pings the radar of venture capitalists. Elsewhere, Grandpa gets hurt at home and finds Bart takes better care of him than the nursing home staff does, and Lisa complains about the "exploitation" of her dead jazz mentor Bleeding Gums Murphy after he 'performs' at a concert as a projected image.
Guest star: Tony Bennett, Kevin Michael Richardson, Sonny Rollins and Ron Taylor
52820"The Fabulous Faker Boy"Bob AndersonBrian McConnachieMay 12, 2013 (2013-05-12)RABF124.16[24]
Bart's interest in piano lessons surges when he sees the instructor is a beautiful young woman, while Homer tries to keep Marge from finding out he has lost the final two original hairs on his head, and Marge helps a Russian man pass his driver's test.
Guest star: Justin Bieber, Bill Hader, Jane Krakowski and Patrick Stewart
52921"The Saga of Carl"Chuck SheetzEric KaplanMay 19, 2013 (2013-05-19)RABF144.01[25]
Homer, Moe, and Barney team up to buy a winning lottery ticket, but when Carl absconds with the winnings and heads to his homeland of Iceland, Homer, Lenny, and Moe set out to get him and the money back.
Guest star: Sigur Rós
53022"Dangers on a Train"Steven Dean MooreMichael PriceMay 19, 2013 (2013-05-19)RABF174.52[25]
Marge stumbles upon a website for married women to arrange affairs (after mistaking it for a cupcake delivery website) and meets a man named Ben, who falls for Marge after the two bond over a Downton Abbey-esque period drama. Meanwhile, Homer takes home a steam train that used to belong to Springfield's high-end, outside mall and recruits Reverend Lovejoy, Moe, Lenny, Carl, and Larry the Lush to fix it for his wedding anniversary.
Guest star: Lisa Lampanelli and Seth MacFarlane

References

  1. ^ Marnell, Blair (June 18, 2012). "Fox Announces Fall 2012 Season Premiere Dates". CraveOnline. Archived from the original on June 21, 2012. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  2. ^ "FOX Broadcasting Company - The Simpsons TV Show - The Simpsons TV Series - The Simpsons Episode Guide". Fox Broadcasting Company. Archived from the original on January 28, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2013.
  3. ^ Steinberg, Brian (October 21, 2012). "TV Ad Prices: 'Idol' No Match for Football". AdAge. Crain Communications. Archived from the original on April 23, 2013. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
  4. ^ Bibel, Sara (October 2, 2012). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'Once Upon A Time', 'The Simpsons', 'Bob's Burgers' Adjusted Up; '666 Park Avenue', '60 Minutes' Adjusted Down & Final Football Numbers". TV By the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
  5. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (October 9, 2012). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'Once Upon a Time' & 'The Amazing Race' Adjusted Up; '60 Minutes' Adjusted Down + Final Football Numbers". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
  6. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (November 6, 2012). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'The Amazing Race' & 'Revenge' Adjusted Up; '60 Minutes', 'The Mentalist', '666 Park Ave' & 'American Dad' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on November 8, 2012. Retrieved November 6, 2012.
  7. ^ Bibel, Sara (November 13, 2012). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'Revenge', 'The Mentalist' & 'The Amazing Race' Adjusted Up; '666 Park Avenue' & '60 Minutes' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on November 14, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
  8. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (November 20, 2012). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'Family Guy', 'Amazing Race', 'American Dad' and 'The Good Wife' Adjusted Up; 'America's Funniest Home Videos', '60 Minutes' & 'The Simpsons' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on November 22, 2012. Retrieved November 20, 2012.
  9. ^ Bibel, Sara (November 27, 2012). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'Once Upon a Time', 'Family Guy' & 'The Cleveland Show' Adjusted Up; 'The Good Wife' & '60 Minutes' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on November 30, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  10. ^ Stubbs, Dan (December 11, 2012). "Daft Punk and The Decemberists appear on 'The Simpsons'". NME. Archived from the original on May 8, 2016. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  11. ^ Bibel, Sara (December 11, 2012). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'American Dad' Adjusted Up & Final Football Numbers". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on December 14, 2012. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  12. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (December 18, 2012). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'Bob's Burgers' and 'Bachelorette' special Adjusted Up ; 'The Simpsons' adjusted down and Unscrambled Football". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on December 21, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  13. ^ Bibel, Sara (January 8, 2013). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'Family Guy', 'Revenge' & 'The Biggest Loser' Adjusted Up; 'The Simpsons' Adjusted Down + Final Football Numbers". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on January 11, 2013. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
  14. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (January 15, 2013). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'Family Guy' & 'The Mentalist' Adjusted Up; '60 Minutes', 'The Cleveland Show' & 'Happy Endings' Adjusted Down + Final Golden Globes Numbers". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  15. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (January 29, 2013). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'The Mentalist', 'Family Guy' & 'American Dad' Adjusted Up; 'The Simpsons' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Zap2it. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013.
  16. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (February 12, 2013). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'Family Guy' & 'The Cleveland Show' Adjusted Up; 'The Simpsons', '60 Minutes' & 'Revenge for Real' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved February 12, 2013.
  17. ^ Bibel, Sara (February 20, 2013). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'Once Upon a Time', 'The Amazing Race' & 'The Mentalist' Adjusted Up; 'The Good Wife' & 'Bob's Burgers' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Zap2it. Archived from the original on February 23, 2013.
  18. ^ Bibel, Sara (March 5, 2013). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'Once Upon a Time', 'The Amazing Race', 'Celebrity Apprentice', 'Red Widow', 'The Cleveland Show', 'America's Funniest Home Videos' Adjusted Up; '60 Minutes', 'The Simpsons' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on March 12, 2013. Retrieved March 6, 2013.
  19. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (March 12, 2013). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'Once Upon a Time', 'Family Guy', 'Celebrity Apprentice' & 'The Mentalist' Adjusted Up; 'Red Widow' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Zap2it. Archived from the original on March 14, 2013. Retrieved March 12, 2013.
  20. ^ Bibel, Sara (March 19, 2013). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'Once Upon a Time', 'The Amazing Race', 'Family Guy', 'The Cleveland Show, 'The Simpsons, 'Bob's Burgers' & 'The Mentalist' Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Zap2it. Archived from the original on March 22, 2013.
  21. ^ Bibel, Sara (April 16, 2013). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'The Cleveland Show', 'Once Upon a Time', 'The Amazing Race', 'Family Guy', 'Celebrity Apprentice' & 'American Dad' Adjusted Up; '60 Minutes' Adjusted Down + Final Golf Numbers". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on April 19, 2013. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
  22. ^ Bibel, Sara (April 30, 2013). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'Family Guy', 'The Simpsons', 'The Amazing Race', 'The Mentalist', 'Celebrity Apprentice' & 'America's Funniest Home Videos' Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on May 3, 2013. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
  23. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (May 7, 2013). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'The Amazing Race' & 'Celebrity Apprentice' Adjusted Up; 'Red Widow' Adjusted Down + Final FOX Numbers". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on June 6, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  24. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (May 14, 2013). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'Survivor', 'Once Upon a Time', 'The Simpsons' & 'Revenge' Adjusted Up — Ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on June 7, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  25. ^ a b Bibel, Sara (May 21, 2013). "Sunday Final Ratings: 'The Simpsons' & 'The Cleveland Show' Adjusted Up, 'The Billboard Music Awards', 'America's Funniest Home Videos' & '60 Minutes' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on June 7, 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
Bibliography

External links

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