While I may not be the largest fan of "The Simpsons" I am certainly a fan, there wasn't a single episode in this sixth season that I had not seen already, and that means something considering I NEVER schedule time to watch "The Simpsons," I simply catch it when it is on rerun and if there is nothing else I would like to watch on television.
Along with all 25 episodes of the sixth season, including one of my personal favorites when Homer joins the Stonecutters, you also get the cliffhanger of "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" probably one of the greatest marketing ploys in television history! Aside from the episodes you get the standard BOATLOAD of special features, and if you are unfamiliar with the phrase, a boatload is a lot.
First off, there are 25 episodes with 25 commentary tracks! Yeah, 25 commentary tracks to keep you "Simpson" lovers happy. Personally, I couldn't care less to hear another commentary track on these shows as I have reviewed the last two "Simpson" releases so I have had close to enough, but the chatter does add some insightful information at points such as the "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" episode as well as the episodes with some out-of-the-ordinary footage such as the "A Star is Burns" episode and the commentary on creating Barney's black-and-white entry
As for the extras there is not a lot out of the ordinary from previous releases such as deleted scenes with select introductions, a look at the "Simpsons" as they are translated into various languages such as Spanish, Russian, French and so on, Animated Showcases with storyboards, animatics and the like, but there are a few that pertain directly to season six, most of which surround the "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" storyline.
First off there is a featurette on the "Simpsons" commercial push of 1-800-Collect and Church's Chicken, a "Springfield's Most Wanted" feature which surrounds the Mr. Burns storyline again and is hosted by "America's Most Wanted" host John Walsh as they combine live-action footage and archived "Simpsons" material to browse the list of possible suspects behind the Burns shooting.
There is a "Simpsons Plane" featurette, which is as uninteresting as it sounds as the focus is turned to the Western Pacific's Simpsons Plane, yeah I don't really care either.
Finally, how about that packaging? Yeah, it looks good on the shelf, but it is really a piece of junk when it comes down to it. First of all, as a collector's item there are a few set backs: 1) It is really flimsy plastic, I mean this stuff is almost paper thin and would crack under the slightest of pressure. 2) It opens length-wise, which makes for a pain in the ass as all the cardboard innards fall all over the place. 3) It comes sealed with plastic sticky tape on both sides, which leaves residue on the plastic that must be cleaned off. 4) There is a plastic sleeve that fits around the whole thing so it can stand on your shelf.
So, Fox gets an A for superficial appearance and an F for functionality and usability when it comes to the packaging.
Overall, season six is a great season for fans of "The Simpsons" and another good release on DVD despite the packaging woes. Fox is taking their time releasing these things, but it seems they already have the next four seasons of packaging ready to go so if they can get all their commentaries done (which is the undeniable cause for release delays) you may see the next few seasons much sooner.