Mount Hood

“The Simpsons” place in pop culture

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

When the Simpson family first appeared as an animated short in 1987, nobody could have predicted the series’s influence on pop culture.

Created by cartoonist Matt Groening, “The Simpsons” originally started as a 30-second short on “The Tracey Ullman Show” — a variety program akin to “Robot Chicken” — airing on the Fox Broadcasting Company. Eventually, it expanded to half an hour and aired Dec. 17, 1989, as a Christmas special titled “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire.” The rest of season one began airing regularly in January 1990.

Oregon-born Groening partnered with seasoned producer-director James L. Brooks as the show’s executive producer with Sam Simon attached as a writer. Brooks is best known for “Mary Tyler Moore” and “As Good As It Gets,” while Simon is known for “Friends” and “Cheers.”

The show centers on a family with all the dysfunctions of the modern world but with the demographics of the 1950s: two married parents, two preteen children, an infant and plenty of living extended family. Springfield — named after Springfield, Oregon — is filled with all kinds of strange residents, ones that often fulfill stereotypical roles seen on television. An endless rollout of walk-on guest stars eventually joined the show and were voiced by their real-life counterparts — former President George Bush and astrophysicist Stephen Hawking were among these guest stars. 

In the ’90s, the show’s popularity skyrocketed and was so successful in its first two years that the term “Simpsonmania” was coined and used to describe the show’s rise to fame. In 1990, as many as one million Bart Simpson shirts were sold in a day, and Simpson merchandise generated $2 billion in revenue for the series. “The Simpsons” was Fox Network’s first television series to rank among the top 30 highest-rated shows in 1990.

As time went on, “The Simpsons” began to pass other shows in terms of series longevity. “The Simpsons” surpassed “The Flintstones” as the longest-running prime-time animated series in the United States Feb. 9, 1997. In 2004, the series surpassed “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet,” which ran from 1952 to 1966, as the longest-running sitcom — animated or live-action — in the United States. “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” was also originally the leader in number of episodes — a whopping 453 — but in the spring of 2009, “The Simpsons” surpassed it. 

“The Simpsons” and “Scooby-Doo” battled it out in October of 2004 for American animated show with the highest number of episodes, but when network executives canceled “Scooby-Doo” again the following year, “The Simpsons” reclaimed it with 378 episodes at the end of season 17. By season 18, the series had 400 episodes. It is now recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s longest-running sitcom.

“The Simpsons Movie” was released July 27, 2007, and grossed $536.4 million worldwide,  becoming the eighth-highest-grossing film of 2007, the second-highest-grossing traditionally animated film —  second only to Disney’s “The Lion King” —  as well as the highest-grossing film based on an animated television series and the highest grossing adult animated movie of all time. The film was nominated for numerous awards, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film.

The movie, much like the series, includes celebrity cameos, with Tom Hanks and the members of Green Day playing themselves. 

However, by the time “The Simpsons Movie” was released to theaters, critics began calling the show “tired” and fans were becoming disillusioned with the series. Jim Schembri of The Morning Herald believed the show’s decline was due to an abandonment of character-driven storylines and overused celebrity cameos and references to popular culture. 

“The central tragedy of ‘The Simpsons’ is that it has gone from commanding attention to merely being attention-seeking. It began by proving that cartoon characters don’t have to be caricatures; they can be invested with real emotions. Now the show has in essence fermented into a limp parody of itself. Memorable story arcs have been sacrificed for the sake of celebrity walk-ons and punchline-hungry dialogue,” Schembri said. 

Many fans and critics say the show’s golden era was in its first ten seasons and claim that when showrunners Mike Scully and Al Jean were added to the roster, then began the show’s true decline. 

Groening was quick to defend the show, as well as his showrunners, saying: “I honestly don’t see any end in sight. I think it’s possible that the show will become too financially cumbersome but right now, the show is creatively, I think, as good or better than it’s ever been. The animation is incredibly detailed and imaginative, and the stories do things that we haven’t done before. So creatively there’s no reason to quit.”

Currently, viewership of “The Simpsons” has been on the decline since season 21, which first aired in September 2009. While season one had an average viewership of 13.4 million viewers, season 21 had a dismal average of 7.2 million viewers. The first two episodes of season 36 have even worse numbers — episode two did not even break a million viewers, currently stagnant at 886,000.

Although, even as the show’s viewership declines, fans still come together to share their love of “The Simpsons,” especially the first ten seasons. Instagram accounts such as @bortposting, @the_simpsons_man and @bortofdarkness regularly post memes about the show’s golden era and all three accounts have a combined following of 281,200. r/Simpsons on Reddit has 43,000 members and is among the top three percent of Reddit pages.

Critics and fans alike do have hope for season 36. The season’s premiere began with a fake series finale and featured altered clips from classic episodes that were given tragic outcomes. On X (formerly Twitter), user @tonygoldmark shared their theory that the show’s recent quality could be because “the show is now being run by people who grew up watching it, and precisely understand the memetic impact it’s had.” Many fans also attributed this increase in episode quality to Matt Selman taking over as the primary showrunner starting in season 33. And although the season premiere was very standalone, its references reminded viewers that it is still the same show they loved watching years ago. 

Episode three of season 36 aired on Fox  Oct. 20 and is now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Witches through the years

Written by: Taylor Duff | Lifestyle Editor

The spooky season brings many frights, imagination and of course, costumes. Girls around the world might be dressing as witches this Halloween season, or they have done so in the past, or they just know that witches are generally associated with Halloween. When people think of a witch, they most likely appoint an old decrepit woman who rides a magic broom, casts spells and has a diet that consists of children. This depiction is far from what witches are, so where did the term “witch” come from? Where did they come from? 

It is believed that the term “witch” was a moniker given to women who practiced witchcraft and satanic rituals and ate children — but that is just what the fairy tales say. One early concept of what a witch is says that in mythology, witches were healers, shamans and spiritual workers who could affect the physical and the spiritual world. They used what is called “herbal medicine,” which is healing people with hand-crafted herbs. Not so different from what everyone in ancient times would do, however, witches were believed to have a special talent for healing. Some of the negative connotations come from Greek and Roman mythology: Deities like Hecate and Circe were goddesses that possessed magic and posed potential threats because of their power. 

Whether or not mythology is accurate, the witch hunts during the 15th-18th centuries caused significant harm. These included the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, precipitated by a real-life hysteria that affected many women during the time. A group of teenage girls from Salem, Massachusetts, claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused multiple local women of witchcraft. The trials resulted in the deaths of 25 innocent women, men and children. The purported witches were hung or crushed, not burned, which is a common misconception, as that was done in Europe during the Middle Ages. There is a museum in Salem, Massachusetts, where visitors can see just how the trials began and ended. 

Folklore and stories like “The Crucible,” a play by Arthur Miller, started to paint women as villains and self-absorbed, claiming they were witches. Fairy tales did the same, such as “Hansel and Gretel,” where two siblings travel in the woods and stumble across a witch’s house; she ends up eating them. Witches during this time were generally portrayed as old, bumpy and green; they were meant to look like they arrived out of the devil’s chambers and needed to take sources of life. Green witches appear often in fiction, most famously in “The Wizard of Oz” and its prequel “Wicked,” where the Wicked Witch of the West became the bad guy, and everyone was petrified because she was robbed. In Gothic literature, things looked a little different —  witches were usually painted as seductive and beautiful. But even then, they would use their beauty and seductive nature to lure men and hurt them. 

Women’s International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell — WITCH — was a 1960s feminist group that used guerrilla theater and public rallies to criticize patriarchy and capitalism. Feminist witchcraft movements in the 1970s reclaimed the image that represents the witch as a powerful monarch. Wicca is the largest modern Pagan or Neo-Pagan religion. Its adherents, known as Wiccans, commonly identify as witches and derive inspiration mostly from pre-Christian customs in Europe. Dianic Wicca, which concentrates upon the worship of a goddess figure, or female deity, and publicly supported feminist values, frequently gained influence from the emerging women’s rights movement of the time. Because of this movement, witches are now more popular in pop culture. Movies such as “The Craft” and “The Love Witch” show women usually painted as outcasts or weird embrace their individuality and sex appeal to contradict the patriarchy. Shows like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “American Horror Story, Coven” showed witches as everyday people who were just trying to navigate the world, and because pop culture sparks, the public made witches more approachable. This also opened up self-expression for LGBTQ+ characters, such as Willow Rosenberg from “Buffy,” emphasizing the connection between magic and gay identity. As environmental problems, feminism and LGBTQ+ rights continue to dominate public discourse, the witch remains a symbol of resistance and self-empowerment. 

TikTok, which has #WitchTok; Pinterest; Instagram and more platforms show modern-day people participating in witchcraft. Many creators provide spells, rituals, tarot readings and astrological insights. They show their lifestyles with aspects such as decor, clothing — witch-inspired Gothic apparel with Bohemian and crystal-laden looks, — black hats, pentagrams, jewelry, tattoos, books and much more. Halloween, in particular, has converted the witch into a fun, approachable figure for people of all ages. The internet enables individuals to combine cultural traditions, such as Wicca, Hoodoo and New Age practices, and participate in virtual covens or communal rituals. 

Overall, the witch isn’t one type of person. A witch can be multiple types of people, they can be friends, family, teachers, parents and your next-door neighbor. They are someone who embraces their faith and individuality and wears it proudly. Witches just want to be accepted and painted in a light that isn’t demeaning or harmful. The witch is a symbol of feminism and strength and has spent too many years not being understood. 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu

Deadpool takes on the Multiverse

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

Content warning: this article contains spoilers

Even Deadpool himself couldn’t have been prepared for the chaos he met in “Deadpool and Wolverine.” Between Charles Xaviers’ psychotic sister, his universe on the chopping block and one reluctant Wolverine, the titular anti-hero certainly has a lot on his plate. 

In this third installment in the “Deadpool” universe, movie watchers will see a continuation of Marvel’s “Multiverse Saga,” which began with the series “WandaVision” and will be completed in 2027 when “Avengers: Secret Wars” hits theaters. 

When the Time Variance Authority — TVA — knocks on Deadpool’s door, he learns that his universe’s anchor being is dead and his timeline has been fading ever since. The TVA offers to put him in the “Sacred Timeline,” or the timeline most people think of when they think of Marvel, but Deadpool refuses. Instead, he goes searching across the multiverse for a replacement anchor being, which is revealed to be Wolverine.

When Deadpool finally finds a suitable replacement for his anchor being, the unlikely duo is sent to the Void — where variants are sent for misbehaving in the multiverse or when their universe is destroyed. There they meet variants of superheroes who have already graced the screen or whose movies did not come to fruition, and of course, the fourth-wall-breaking Deadpool knows all about them.

Many of these variants are already well-known. Jennifer Garner returns as Elektra, Wesley Snipes as Blade and Dafne Keen as X-23, a Wolverine variant. Even the canceled 2014 “Gambit” movie was referenced, with Channing Tatum filling the role he was originally intended to play. 

A plethora of memes have arisen from the movie, as well as collaborations with the popular video game Fortnite, fast food company Jack in the Box and motorsport company Alpine Racing. Ryan Reynolds has a stake in Alpine Racing, explaining the connection.

“Bye Bye Bye” by NSYNC and “Like a Prayer” by Madonna were both played in the movie, and both have once again found themselves on Billboard’s Top 30 chart, with “Bye Bye Bye” sitting at number eight and “Like a Prayer” resting at number 16. Their streams have increased globally by a total of 50% and 62% respectively, thanks to social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, as well as the use of “Bye Bye Bye” as an emote and jam track in Fortnite. 

“Deadpool and Wolverine” grossed $211 million on its opening weekend at the box office and has earned $1.305 billion globally. It is currently the seventh highest-grossing Marvel movie in both domestic and global earnings. 

It has not yet been announced when “Deadpool and Wolverine” will hit streaming services, but fans anticipate a late October or early November date.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

H

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

Charlie Brown — no scares, just heartfelt Halloween

“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” streaming on Apple TV+

Based on Charles M. Schulz’s “Peanuts” comic strip, the Halloween classic follows Charlie Brown and the gang as they celebrate Halloween and Linus waits for the Great Pumpkin. “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” is perfect if one is looking for a cozy fall movie.

“The Addams Family” streaming on Paramount+

The Addams family is the first family of all things dark and creepy, so what better movie to watch for Halloween? With a live severed hand, a butler of unknown origins and two deranged children, anyone who watches this film will feel the Halloween vibes.

Not So Scary — a few scares, but mostly funny

“Scary Movie” franchise streaming on Paramount+

This movie franchise was the introduction of horror movies into the parody genre that was started by British comedy group Monty Python in the 1970s. The films incorporate elements and tropes from different horror movies, blending them to create a parody that is raunchy, ridiculous and funny all at the same time. 

Jumpscares and Chills — The scare factor is higher, but mostly jumpscares

“Cabin in the Woods” streaming on Peacock

“Cabin in the Woods” is right up there on this list with the “Scary Movie” franchise of parody movies; however, this movie takes on more of the traditional horror genre aspects. 

“The Ritual” streaming on Netflix

A true monster movie, this movie makes the audience feel as if they are being watched and hunted by the creature alongside the main characters. Set in the Swedish wilderness, this movie pits distorted pagan beliefs against modern protagonists. 

Heartstopping Horror — the scares are what makes the plot

“The Conjuring Universe” streaming on Max

This nine-movie franchise follows cases that were worked on and researched by Ed and Lorraine Warren, with most of the movies being interconnected in the universe. The movies have a plethora of antagonists, from possessed dolls to demon nuns, sure to terrify viewers.

Leave the Lights on to Sleep — can’t escape the horror, leave the lights on

“Terrifier” franchise streaming on Peacock

Viewer discretion is advised with any of the four movies within the “Terrifier” franchise. “Terrifier 3” was released in theaters Oct. 11 and is currently #1 at the box office. The movies are unrated, and contain heavy amounts of violence and gore, alongside the traditional horror elements of the movie. 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice review

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

Content Warning: This article contains spoilers.

The sequel to the 1988 cult classic “Beetlejuice” hit theaters Sep. 6, continuing the story 36 years later. Actors Winona Ryder, Jefferey Jones and Katherine O’Hara reprise their roles as members of the Deetz family, with Michael Keaton returning as the titular character.

Three generations of Deetz return to Winter River in the wake of a tragedy — the passing of Charles Deetz, the family patriarch played by Jones. Lydia, played by Ryder, is still haunted by Beetlejuice, and her life soon turns upside down when her daughter, Astrid, played by Jenna Ortega, opens a portal to the Afterlife. 

Realizing she needs help navigating the Afterlife, Lydia summons Beetlejuice, who is attempting to stay hidden from his soul-sucking ex-wife, Delores, played by Monica Bellucci. 

The film offers 105 minutes of hijinx, camp and a score by Danny Elfman, and in true fashion of its predecessor, Beetlejuice only appears on the screen for a total of 17 minutes, “He’s such a fun character to write, but he’s not the protagonist of the movie,” said writers and producers Miles Millar and Alfred Gough. “It was tricky in terms of keeping the right balance. People love him so much. It’s called ‘Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice’ for a reason, so he needs to be essential to the movie. It makes you think harder about what those scenes are going to be, and what his contribution to the movie is. It feels incredibly satisfying, and like you’ve spent a lot more time with him than you think. That’s the magic trick of that character.”

The film’s reviews, however, vary between a love for the movie and a lamentation of the movie’s length. 

“It takes way too long — nearly an hour of a 105-minute movie — for Beetlejuice’s actual story to emerge and for Keaton to take center stage again,” said ScreenCrush critic Matt Singer. Many fans also felt that Beetlejuice and Delores’ storyline felt tacked on and that the movie could have done without it. 

However, those who loved the movie, like David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter, spoke of “zippy pacing, buoyant energy and a steady stream of laugh-out-loud moments” and how the actors “warm to dizzying lunacy.”“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” grossed $111 million domestically and $147 million worldwide on its opening weekend, and currently sits number nine on ScreenRant’s Top 10 Grossing Movies of 2024 So Far list, between “Twisters” and “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.”

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Fall playlist

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

“Being Cool” — Kimya Dawson

“Rhiannon” — Fleetwood Mac

“All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” — Taylor Swift

“Oh Klahoma” — Jack Stauber

“Motion Sickness” — Phoebe Bridgers

“The Yawning Grave” — Lord Huron

“Whistling Tree” — Haunted Like Human

“Blood Orange Morning Light” — Andrew Montana

“In a Bad Way” — Haunted Like Human

“Tree Hugger” — Kimya Dawson & Antsy Pants

“Eleanor Rigby” — Cody Fry

“Harpy Hare” — Yaelokre

“the fruits” — Paris Paloma

“Tire Swing” — Kimya Dawson

“Massachusetts” — Jensen McRae

“this is me trying – the long pond studio sessions” — Taylor Swift

“Which Witch” — Florence + the Machine

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Here there be. . . dragons?

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

This year saw a resurgence of dragon-based media. Author Rebecca Yarros’ Empyrean series — following Violet Sorrengail at Basgiath War College as she and her friends become dragon riders  — has sold five million copies globally. 

Season two of Max’s “House of the Dragon” — based on author George R.R. Martin’s book “Fire and Blood” — premiered this summer, drawing nearly eight million viewers per episode. Other books that featured dragons, such as “When the Moon Hatched” by Sarah A. Parker and “The Priory of the Orange Tree” by Samantha Shannon, also sold extremely well this year with the latter selling more than one million copies in English worldwide.

What sets all these stories apart is their depiction and definition of dragons. So, time to answer the question: what defines a dragon?

Traditionally, dragons are flying lizards with at least 11 different subspecies, with the most common being wyverns, basilisks and hydras. Most have the ability to breathe fire or water, two elemental abilities that set apart Western and Eastern dragons. 

However, what defines each subspecies of a dragon is not its abilities but its number of limbs. Commonly, dragons have four legs and two wings, meaning any other number of legs and wings would classify the creature as something other than a dragon. For example, the dragons in “House of the Dragon” have two legs and two wings, which would technically classify them as wyverns instead of dragons, although the show never mentions this.

In interviews, when questioned about his choice to only give his dragons two legs, author George R.R. Martin was quick to defend his creative liberty. “No known species in the natural world has four legs and two wings,” Martin said. In doing this, Martin believes he has brought a more realistic feel to his fantasy world.

The Empyrean series has a more traditional definition of dragons and wyverns, dragons with four legs and wyverns with two, as well as having the wyverns occupy a traditionally evil role. The series even goes so far as to classify the dragons by color and tail types. 

With how popular dragon media is, one can’t help but wonder why they have remained so steadfast in pop culture. 

Professor Emily Zarka at Arizona State University has a few ideas as to why this is. “One enduring reason dragons continue to appear in our world could be because they represent the power of nature,” Zarka said, before adding, “More importantly, I believe, the beauty, terror and power of the dragon evokes mystery and suggests that not all phenomena are easily explained or understood.”

Whether fans agree or disagree on the definition of a dragon, one thing is evident: dragons will always be an important part of Eastern and Western media. The creatures are practically ingrained in the cultures and don’t seem to be leaving anytime soon, especially from the reading community.

The third book in the Empyrean series, “Onyx Storm,” is set to release in Jan. 2025, with copies available for preorder now. “House of the Dragon” has been renewed for another two seasons, with filming for season three starting in early 2025. 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu