Just last month, The Simpsons celebrated the thirty-first anniversary of its debut as its own show on Fox, way back in 1989. Granted, the Simpson family themselves has been in existence for a touch longer, but the show, as it is known today, appeared just a week before Christmas Eve and two weeks before the 1990s began.
It's become a cultural touchstone by this point, with hundreds of episodes (and counting) of The Simpsons piling up on top of a movie, a theme park attraction, and endless merchandising opportunities. It's hard to imagine life without the series and almost harder to remember what happened in the first episode, "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire." Fortunately, there's always the ability to jog some memories.
Moth Tattoo
Almost as iconic as a series of souvenir license plates that read "BORT" is the notion of getting an arm tattoo of a heart, emblazoned with "MOTH." The most dedicated Simpsons fans have certainly debated getting this tattoo for themselves.
The idea actually comes from the first act of the first full episode of The Simpsons ever. When Bart sneaks away to get some ink, Marge puts a stop to it before the word "mother" can be completed, leaving Bart with a testament to a fluttery insect instead.
David Silverman's Direction
Most would assume that some combination of Matt Groening, Sam Simon, and James L. Brooks would be responsible for the first installment of The Simpsons. Instead, it's easy to forget that the episode was directed by David Silverman and written by Mimi Pond.
While Pond has become more of a graphic memoir writer, Silverman always remained attached to The Simpsons. It's easy to forget his importance to the show, but it's evident in this first episode and in the fact that he'd later direct The Simpsons Movie, too.
The Tracey Ullman Show
One element of the pilot of The Simpsons that's easy to overlook is the fact that it was not the first time audiences were introduced to a nuclear yellow family that represented the dysfunction and affection of the United States.
Of course, the characters were present in a short-form, animated capacity on The Tracey Ullman Show first. "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" was a daring foray into the half-hour sitcom format, but the episode is such a classic that it doesn't show.
Crude Animation
Today, The Simpsons churns out new episodes in a well-honed (and computer-aided) process. As a result, the effects and the animation are clean, sharp, and high-definition. But when the show premiered, animation techniques were much less advanced than they are now.
After all, this debuted six years before the first fully computer-animated film, Toy Story, came from Pixar. As such, the animation on the first episode of The Simpsons is much cruder and the characters come across as rougher versions of themselves. It's quite jarring to revisit it after seeing newer episodes.
Christmastime
It's not often that the first episode of a series is set during the Christmas season. As such, it can be quite easy to forget that The Simpsons began in the throes of yuletide and snow.
After all, many shows launch in September, the traditional start of the television calendar. The Simpsons premiered in December, though, and proved that it is more than possible to start a great show with a Christmas episode.
Santa's Little Helper Introduction
It can be difficult to imagine the Simpsons without their faithful furball, but Santa's Little Helper wasn't part of the family in the first scenes - in fact, the first episode was all about how he came to join the family! And of course, that's why he has such a Christmassy name. He may not always be front and center in the show, but it's nice to remember his early-days backstory.
The Minimal Ensemble
The first episode features a surprisingly minimal ensemble of Springfield residents. Barney Gumble, Homer's drinking buddy, and Mr. Burns, Homer's sycophantic boss, are two of the main ancillary characters who turn up in "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire."
Aside from them, though, the story mostly revolves around the core Simpson family. These days, a great deal of screen time is afforded to many locals, from Chief Wiggum to Ned Flanders. But in this first episode, the Simpsons came first.
Homer's Jobs
Over the years, a recurring gag on The Simpsons has been the wide array of occupations and roles Homer has had over the years. The show even pokes fun at its own implausibility in that regard.
Homer has done everything from drive a plow to go to space. But this chameleon-esque notion of flexibility within Homer began in the first episode, when he picked up a job as a mall Santa Claus. He was always trying on new looks, which can be easily forgotten.
Bart's Heart
What helped make The Simpsons one of the all-time great shows was that it had a great deal of heart to go with its humor. Many can forget that this heart was present from the very beginning of the series.
For one, Bart actually expresses kindness and empathy towards Homer, rather than just being an irredeemable brat. These early nuances of The Simpsons were easy to take for granted at the time, but they're definitely missed now.
Musical Number
Finally, it might be easy to forget that the very first episode of The Simpsons actually contained a musical number. The series has dabbled with songs many times over the decades, but their first one came in the first-ever installment.
As the episode concludes and the family shares love for Santa's Little Helper, a rendition of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" breaks out. It's a common Christmas song, no doubt. But it helped set the tone for a series that is still running today, even with that first episode coming so long ago.