How far is the Simpsons a parody of the Waltons?

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How far is The Simpsons a parody of The Waltons?

The Simpsons and The Waltons are two very different TV shows; the latter is a rural drama about a large American family struggling during the Great Depression, while the other is a city cartoon about a dysfunctional family trying to cope with modern American life.

The title sequence of The Simpsons opens with clouds in the sky parting to reveal big, yellow writing “The Simpsons”. This title is very similar to the yellow title “The Waltons” which appears in the Waltons sequence. This is a clear statement that The Simpsons parody the Waltons; surely such a conspicuous example can’t be deemed a coincidence?

The puffy clouds at the start of The Simpsons represent pollution in the modern-day world which contrasts with the clear blue skies at the beginning of the Waltons sequence. A mock angelic voice sings in the background as the image zooms through the letter “P” of the title and gives us an establishing shot of Simpsonesque Springfield. This is quite different from The Waltons sequence which opens with a guitar solo accompanying the establishing shot of a rural, picturesque area surrounded by unspoilt hills and trees.

While The Simpsons moves quickly to a view of the nuclear power plant after the title, The Waltons opening show us the surrounding countryside. This highlights the development of modern & urban culture in The Simpsons with the traditional rustic lifestyle of The Waltons.

The music of The Simpsons is fast-paced and rapid; it complements the busy and chaotic lifestyle of the family, while The Waltons differs by having slow, country music accompanying the title sequence which suggests to viewers a slow pace of life.

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Following the establishing shot of The Waltons, the camera slowly pans to the left, zooms out and then dissolves into a shot of green trees overlapping a large American– country house. The camera then slowly zooms in towards the house and through a window, then dissolves to a close-up of John-Boy writing away happily on a desk. He then pauses before being distracted by the sound of a truck horn. He looks outside and smiles at seeing the truck come up the driveway, before rushing downstairs. This shows that John-Boy is anxious to see his family, and that they are ...

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