Groening’s The Simpsons (now in its 31st season) is set in the fictional town of Springfield and follows the titular family of dad Homer, a safety inspector at a local power plant, mom Marge, a homemaker, and their three children: troublemaker Bart who’s always getting into it at school, Lisa, a precocious activist, and baby Maggie who rarely talks. The family parodies American society and pop culture with their increasing levels of ridiculousness and huge cast of townie characters that add to the sheer stupidity and genius of the show.
The Simpsons‘ third season saw a shake-up in showrunners. Al Jean and Mike Reiss stepped in to run the production and also executive produce 22 episodes of the season. Two others were produced by outgoing showrunners James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, and Sam Simon. An additional episode, “Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?”, aired in the summer of 1992 after the official end of the third season. That episode was included on the Season 3 DVD set.
The show’s third go-around won six Primetime Emmy Awards including “Outstanding Voice-Over Performance” and also received a nomination for “Outstanding Animated Program” for the episode “Radio Bart.”
What started as just a series of shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show was already growing into what would soon become one of the longest-running primetime cartoon shows (and a global behemoth) that still seems virtually neverending. With 663 episodes and counting, The Simpsons outlasted Gunsmoke as the longest-running American scripted primetime TV show in terms of seasons and episodes. A full-length feature film was released in 2007 (entitled The Simpsons Movie), in addition to comic books, video games, and even a Universal Studios ride. The family even has its own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Now with Disney+, you can now stream The Simpsons Season 3 online.
How to Stream ‘The Simpsons’ Season 3 – Exclusively on Disney+
The Simpsons Season 3 is one of the fan-favorite animated shows that will be streaming exclusively on Disney’s new subscription streaming service, Disney+.
You can sign up for a 7-day free trial of Disney+ HERE, which will allow you to stream Descendants and hundreds of other movies and shows on your computer, phone, tablet, smart TV or streaming device. If you extend past the free trial, the service costs $6.99/month. You may also opt for this discount bundle of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ for $12.99/month.
- 1. Sign up for Disney+ here
- 2. Go to Disneyplus.com or download the Disney+ app on your device
- 3. Log in using your information
- 4. Search for “The Simpsons Season 3”
- 5. Tap on The Simpsons
- 6. Tap the PLAY button
Disney+ also boasts a vast library of Disney-owned movies and series — plus several new original series coming soon. The service includes unlimited downloads so you can watch offline whenever and wherever you want. The list of compatible devices and smart TVs includes iPads, Apple TV, Amazon devices, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Chromecast, Roku, PS4, and Xbox One.
‘The Simpsons’ Season 3: Overview
Release Date: September 19, 1991 – August 27, 1992
Creators: Creator and producer Matt Groening, and producers James L. Brooks and Sam Simon; Showrunners Al Jean and Mike Reiss
Starring: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Harry Shearer, and Hank Azaria
Rating: The series is mostly rated TV-PG, though some episodes are slapped with a TV-14 rating.
Synopsis: The Simpsons is a satirical depiction of working-class life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie, all of whom live in the fictional town of Springfield. It parodies American culture and society, television, and the human condition.
How Long Is ‘The Simpsons’ Season 3?
The Simpsons Season 3 consists of 24 episodes, counting the bonus episode that aired in the summer following the season. Episodes range from 22-24 minutes without commercials.
‘The Simpsons’ Season 3 Plot
In the series’ third season, Homer is committed to a mental hospital where he meets a big bald man who says his name is Michael Jackson (and the King of Pop actually guest-starred!). Bart accidentally stumbles on the “Legitimate Businessman’s Social Club” Mafia bar and Fat Tony, the group’s leader, hires him to work as their permanent bartender. Lisa and Bart reunite a struggling Krusty the Clown with his estranged father. Aerosmith guests on an episode where Moe steals a secret alcoholic drink recipe from Homer—the Flaming Homer turned Flaming Moe. Bart uses a radio transmitter microphone to pull pranks all over Springfield, but when he gets trapped in a well after a prank-gone-wrong, the town refuses to believe he actually needs help. Mr. Burns makes a baseball bet with Shelbyville Nuclear Power Plant and hires nine professional baseball players to fill out the team. When eight of those ringers fall victim to separate accidents, Burns must count on his regular employees to win the game. (Wade Boggs, Jose Canseco, Roger Clemens, Ken Griffey, Jr., Don Mattingly, Steve Sax, Mike Scioscia, Ozzie Smith, Terry Cashman, and Darryl Strawberry guest star.) Bart prevents Sideshow Bob (Kelsey Grammer) from killing his Aunt Selma kickstarting a series-long feud between Bob and Bart.
In the season’s “Treehouse of Horror” installment, Homer, Bart, and Lisa eat a ton of candy and start having scary nightmares. Their dreams make up the segments of the episode which include:
Lisa’s nightmare, “The Monkey’s Paw”: The Simpsons visit Morocco and find a monkey’s paw that makes all their wishes come true – with dire consequences.
Bart’s nightmare, “The Bart Zone”: In this parody of the Twilight Zone episode “It’s a Good Life,” the town of Springfield must think happy thoughts or suffer the powers of Bart’s twisted imagination.
Homer’s nightmare, “If I Only Had a Brain”: In a parody of the 1931 film Frankenstein, Mr. Burns kills Homer so he can transplant his brain into a robot to create a super-efficient worker.
‘The Simpsons’ Season 3 Cast
Dan Castellaneta as Homer Simpson, Grampa Simpson, Krusty the Clown, Groundskeeper Willie, Mayor Quimby, and Barney Gumble
Castellaneta voices the lovable imbecile and patriarch of the family, Homer. His other credits include voice spots on The Batman, Hey Arnold and Futurama, though Castellaneta also acts on screen as well in shows and movies like Super 8, Parks and Recreation, Castle, and Greek.
Nancy Cartwright as Bart Simpson, Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggum, and other children
Cartwright voices the mischievous Bart Simpson. When she’s not working on The Simpsons, she can be found (and heard) on shows like Animaniacs, Kim Possible and Rugrats.
Harry Shearer as Ned Flangers, Principal Skinner, Larry, Mr. Burns, Mr. Smithers, Principal Skinner, Reverend Lovejoy, and Dr. Hibbert.
Shearer voices a number of characters that also include Mr. Burns and Waylon Smithers. When he’s not voice acting, he’s spinning comedy gold in films like A Mighty Wind and This Is Spinal Tap.
Julie Kavner as Marge Simpson, and Patty and Selma Bouvier
Before she got into voice acting, Kavner played Brenda Morgenstern on the series Rhoda. Kavner has also starred in films like Hannah and Her Sisters and Click.
Yeardley Smith as Lisa Simpson
Aside from voice acting, Smith made guest appearances on Dharma & Greg, Murphy Brown, Empty Nest, and Mama’s Family and had a regular role for three seasons as Louise on Herman’s Head.
Hank Azaria as Moe Syzlak, Chief Wiggum, Comic Book Guy, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, and Professor Frink
When Azaria isn’t lending his voice, he can be seen in fare like Ray Donovan and Brockmire. He was also in films like Birdcage and Mystery Men.
‘The Simpsons’ Season 3 Songs and Soundtrack
The Simpsons Season 3 featured many songs from popular artists such as Aerosmith, Debby Boone, Sting, Supertramp, Bette Midler, Spinal Tap, and more.
Further down the road, The Simpsons released a number of various studio albums and soundtracks such as Songs in the Key of Springfield and The Yellow Album.
‘The Simpsons’ Season 3 Ratings
Once again reclaiming its timeslot on Thursdays at 8 p.m., The Simpsons Season 3 averaged 21.8 million viewers over the course of its run. The most-watched episode was “Colonel Homer” which was watched by 25.5 million viewers. In the episode, Homer becomes the manager of a beautiful country music singer which drives a wedge between Marge and Homer.
‘The Simpsons’ Season 3 Reviews – What the Critics Said
The Simpsons‘ impact on the American sitcom and TV at large remains in stone. The show not only paved the way for every primetime cartoon series that followed, but it did so with critical acclaim and tremendous ratings, shaping ’90s pop culture as we knew it. Thirty-one Emmys, 30 Annie Awards, and a Peabody Award only help prove the show’s legacy and staying power after all these years.
The AV Club wrote about the show’s staying power giving kudos to Season 3’s premiere episode. “The emotional dynamic for ‘Stark Raving Dad,’ echoes that of “Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire,” the episode that started it all.”
Robert Canning from IGN Movies wrote, “Opening the year with a guest appearance from the King of Pop was a great way to kick off the series’ third season…big guest star, great story, and the season just got better from there.”
The show started to come into its own politically, strengthening the biting, socially aware commentary the show later became known for. “In its third year The Simpsons finally solidified its politically satirical voice,” wrote Bryce Wilson of CinemaBlend.
Uproxx echoed similar positive sentiments. “It’s heartfelt, but not saccharine and always funny, which goes for the entirety of the season, too,” wrote Josh Kurp.
On a more macro level, critics Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz ranked The Simpsons as the greatest American TV series of all time in their 2016 book TV (The Book). Time magazine once called The Simpsons the century’s best television series, including Bart in their list of the century’s 100 most influential people. He was the only fictional character included.
‘The Simpsons’ Season 3 Trivia: 5 Fast Facts
1. Michael Jackson is Credited With Writing Three Episodes of ‘The Simpsons’
Michael Jackson voices Leon Kompowsky in the Season 3 premiere “Stark Raving Dad,” but The King of Pop is also credited for writing on three of the series’ episodes. He’s a writer on the track “Do the Bartman” which was popular in 1998, and he’s also an uncredited writer on the 2017 episode Mr. Lisa’s Opus. On “Stark Raving Dad,” he was responsible for “Happy Birthday, Lisa” in addition to his own tracks, “Billie Jean” and “Beat It.” For the Season 3 episode, Jackson went under the pseudonym “John Jay Smith”; following the episode, the show instituted a policy that celebrities wishing to guest-star on the show had to be willing to be credited under their real names.
2. Phil Hartman Continued His Role As A Recurring Voice Actor on the Show
Saturday Night Live‘s Phil Hartman became popular for voicing Troy McClure, Lionel Hutz, and Bill Clinton among others. Hartman provided voices for 52 episodes in total. Future showrunners Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein stated in a DVD commentary track that they loved Hartman so much they developed an entire episode that focuses on Troy McClure and expands the character’s backstory.
3. By Its Third Season, the Series Released Over 7 Video Games on Various Systems
The very first Simpsons video game, Bart vs. the Space Mutants, was released in 1991 on Nintendo, Genesis, Game Gear, and more. An arcade game was released that same year, which was followed by Bart vs. the World, Krusty’s Fun House, Bart Meets Radioactive Man, and more. As of 2014, 27 video games based on The Simpsons series have been released.
4. Season 3 Continued to Introduce New Characters to the Series
Throughout all of its 30+ seasons, The Simpsons never stopped adding new characters to the town of Springfield. Season 3 saw the addition of Kirk Van Houten, Luann Van Houten, Rabbi Hyman Krustofski, Jack Larson, Fat Tony, Legs, and Louie to the show.
5. Season 3 Won An Emmy for “Outstanding Voice-Over Performance”
Six voice actors shared the Emmy for “Outstanding Voice-Over Performance” for their performances in the series’ third season. The actors who shared the collective Emmy were:
Nancy Cartwright as Bart Simpson in “Separate Vocations”
Dan Castellaneta as Homer Simpson in “Lisa’s Pony”
Julie Kavner as Marge Simpson in “I Married Marge”
Jackie Mason as Rabbi Hyman Krustofsky in “Like Father, Like Clown”
Yeardley Smith as Lisa Simpson in “Lisa the Greek”
Marcia Wallace as Edna Krabappel in “Bart the Lover”
Wallace passed away on October 25, 2013. Her last featured episode was for the show’s thirteenth episode of Season 25. Since then, the show retired the character of Edna Krabappel stating that it wouldn’t feel the same with a different voice actor. The show paid its respects to Wallace in the credits of her final episode with a small tribute to her work as the voice actor of Edna.