The Simpsons in Australia, March to July 1997


This page is an archive of which episodes of The Simpsons were broadcast in Australia from March to July 1997. It is maintained by . Comments and contributions are welcome.


Broadcast History from March to July

Network Ten

Foxtel

Tracey Ullman


Episodes on Network Ten

Sundays from 7:00pm

March, April and May

June and July

Weekdays at 7:00pm

Episodes on Foxtel

March and April, 1997

May, 1997

June, 1997

July, 1997

The Tracey Ullman Show




[August]


Broadcast History from March to July

Network Ten Broadcasts from March to July


March: We pick up the story part-way through Season Eight with new episodes of The Simpsons, playing at 7:00pm on a Sunday evening, in the company of Season Five repeats at 7:30pm. Despite the complaints of Simpsons fans, Network Ten has resumed its policy of merging the two episodes by removing the intervening credits and opening sequence. The timing is decidedly poor, as nearly every episode in the first half of Season Eight has special music playing over the credits; and at least three episodes couple this with continuing visual action. The Australian consumer loses, yet again.

April: New episodes and repeats continue to be paired on Sunday evenings, enlivened by a special, uncut presentation on a certain Wednesday night from 7:30pm. First, Homer poses a well-known pair of F.B.I. agents what they cannot help but call "the worst case we've ever had" in the Simpsons' X-Files take-off. Then, Homer gains a whole extra dimension in the latest instalment of Treehouse of Horror, graduating to a very spectacular 3D! (This is no less impressive for being a repeat.)

May: Finally, Ten listens to its viewers, and the Simpsons are shown uncut! Season Eight moves to 7:30pm, while Season Six repeats jump into the 7:00pm timeslot on Sundays. Apparently, though, the cuts don't cease as a result of viewer feedback, but because the remaining new episodes have all managed a PG rating(!) and hence cannot be merged with episodes from earlier seasons, all of which were awarded G ratings. Sigh.

June: Uncut, new and repeat episodes continue on Sundays. But in the last week of June, Ten runs out of Mad About You repeats, and The Simpsons return to their old weekday timeslot at 7:00pm, Monday to Friday. Amazingly, the episodes are shown in very nearly the correct order! Ten has almost regained the confidence of its viewers.

Incidentally, the technical term for running repeats of a series every day at the same time is 'stripping.' You'll see me struggling to make this into a verb throughout my news and other pages. ;)

July: Season Eight concludes on the 13th with chapter VII of the Treehouse of Horror. Season Six maintains its 7:00pm timeslot on Sundays, while Season Seven repeats for the first time at 7:30pm. Meanwhile, weekday repeats move from Season One through to the end of Season Two. Ten continues to get the episode order right!


Foxtel Broadcasts from March to July


In March I finally got sick and tired of phoning and writing to Network Ten programming, pleading with them to cease their policy of cutting new episodes of The Simpsons on Sunday evenings. Instead, I tried a different tack: I got connected to Foxtel! I quickly overcame my initial disappointment that they only had rights up to Season Five, when I realised that episodes were being screened uncut, in their entirety (I completely lost it when I first heard Mrs Krabappel say, "She's faking it.") Time to refresh my video collection...

Foxtel were nearing the end of Season Four when I tuned in, and well into Season Five by the end of the month. Episodes were shown at 6:00am, then repeated in the evening at 7:00pm, making it easy to check that the right episode would go on the right tape.

This is a good time to point out that Foxtel's master screening order is very close to the order episodes were originally broadcast in the US. In fact, judging by their surprising accuracy with Highlander -- The Series (which has a particularly complicated episode order), I suggest that Foxtel's episode order for The Simpsons may well be more correct than the US sequence.

April the First featured the April Fool's Day episode from Season Four (of course), before resuming to complete Season Five and start again at the very beginning of Season One. Somewhere in here was also a whole Saturday dedicated to The Simpsons, screening episodes from Seasons Two and Three (unfortunately, I no longer have the screening order).

May covered Season Two and part of Season Three.

June ended half-way through Season Three, though its second week was dedicated to screening all four of the Hallowe'en episodes then accessible to Foxtel. Furthermore, the Queen's Birthday holiday was the perfect opportunity for another Simpsons marathon, showing episodes all day (7:00am to 7:30pm), from Seasons Four and Five.

By the end of July, the sequence was again complete, the end of Season Five having been reached. But August was to hold some new surprises...


The Tracey Ullman Show from March to July


When I connected to Foxtel, I never expected to get the opportunity to observe the Simpsons' origins as part of The Tracey Ullman Show. So it came as quite a surprise to see Tracey's name in the Comedy Channel's column in the Foxtel Guide.

Always one to capitalise on such an opportunity, I found a suitable tape, readied my remote trigger finger, and set to trying to pick the Simpsons shorts out from all the other sketches. In the process, I compiled a considerable amount of information about each episode of The Tracey Ullman Show, now available to you in my Tracey Ullman Episode Guide.

The Tracey Ullman Show has always maintained only an unstable, shifting timeslot, appearing sometimes at 7:30 in the morning, sometimes at 11:30am, or at 5:30pm or 11:00 in the evening. Generally, episodes have been repeated, usually the following day. Interestingly, four or five episodes have not been shown by the Comedy Channel, including two sets of Simpsons shorts.

From March to June (and probably earlier), Tracey appeared on our screens every day -- usually two or three times each day. The Comedy Channel's programme reorganisation at the start of July saw Tracey relegated to weekend mornings at 7:30am, and Friday to Sunday at 5:00pm. The decline had begun.

Nonetheless, special episodes were shown on the last day of June (the end-of-Season Three "best of" special) and the 11th of July (the interesting Backstage Special from the start of Season Three).


Simpsons Episodes on Network Ten from March to July


Sundays from 7:00pm

Ten Simpsons in March, April and May, 1997

DateTimeEpisodeCode
Sun 2 Mar 19977:00pmLisa’s Date with Density4F01 M
Sun 2 Mar 19977:30pmLisa vs Malibu Stacey1F12 RM
Sun 9 Mar 19977:00pmHurricane Neddy4F07 M
Sun 9 Mar 19977:30pmDeep Space Homer1F13 RM
Sun 16 Mar 19977:00pmThe Twisted World of Marge Simpson4F08 M
Sun 16 Mar 19977:30pmHomer Loves Flanders1F14 RM
Sun 23 Mar 19977:00pmMountain of Madness4F10 M
Sun 23 Mar 19977:30pmBart Gets An Elephant1F15 RM
Sun 30 Mar 19977:00pmBurns’ Heir1F16 RM
Sun 30 Mar 19977:30pmSweet Seymour Skinner’s Baddasssss Song1F18 RM
Sun 6 Apr 19977:00pmThe Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show4F12 M
Sun 6 Apr 19977:30pmLady Bouvier’s Lover1F21 RM
Wed 9 Apr 19977:30pmThe Springfield Files3G01
Wed 9 Apr 19978:00pmTreehouse of Horror VI3F04 R
Sun 13 Apr 19977:00pmSimpsoncalifragilisticexpiala-D’oh-cious3G03 M
Sun 13 Apr 19977:30pmItchy & Scratchy Land2F01 RM
Sun 20 Apr 19977:00pmThe Brother From Another Series4F14 M
Sun 20 Apr 19977:30pmThe Boy Who Knew Too Much1F19 RM
Sun 27 Apr 19977:00pmEl Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Homer3F24 M
Sun 27 Apr 19977:30pmSecrets of a Successful Marriage1F20 RM
Sun 4 May 19977:00pmMy Sister, My Sitter4F13 M
Sun 4 May 19977:30pmLisa’s Rival1F17 RM
Sun 11 May 19977:00pmSideshow Bob Roberts2F02 R
Sun 11 May 19977:30pmHomer vs the Eighteenth Amendment4F15
Sun 18 May 19977:00pmBart’s Girlfriend2F04 R
Sun 18 May 19977:30pmHomer’s Phobia4F11
Sun 25 May 19977:00pmLisa on Ice2F05 R
Sun 25 May 19977:30pmYou Only Move Twice3F23




[August]

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Ten Simpsons in June and July, 1997

DateTimeEpisodeCode
Sun 1 Jun 19977:00pmHomer: Bad Man2F06 R
Sun 1 Jun 19977:30pmGrade School Confidential4F09
Sun 8 Jun 19977:00pmGrampa vs Sexual Inadequacy2F07 R
Sun 8 Jun 19977:30pmThe Canine Mutiny4F16
Sun 15 Jun 19977:00pmFear of Flying2F08 R
Sun 15 Jun 19977:30pmThe Old Man and the Lisa4F17
Sun 22 Jun 19977:00pmHomer the Great2F09 R
Sun 22 Jun 19977:30pmIn Marge We Trust4F18
Sun 29 Jun 19977:00pmAnd Maggie Makes Three2F10 R
Sun 29 Jun 19977:30pmHomer’s Enemy4F19
Sun 6 Jul 19977:00pmBart’s Comet2F11 R
Sun 6 Jul 19977:30pmThe Simpsons Spinoff Showcase4F20
Sun 13 Jul 19977:00pmHomie the Clown2F12 R
Sun 13 Jul 19977:30pmTreehouse of Horror VII4F02
Sun 20 Jul 19977:00pmBart vs Australia2F13 R
Sun 20 Jul 19977:30pmHome Sweet Home-Diddily-Dum-Doodily3F01 R
Sun 27 Jul 19977:00pmHomer vs Patty & Selma2F14 R
Sun 27 Jul 19977:30pmBart Sells His Soul3F02 R




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Weekdays at 7:00pm

Week
Starting

MonTueWedThuFri
23/6/97
7G087G027G037G047G05
30/6/97
7G067G097G077G117G10
7/7/97
7G137G127G017F037F02
14/7/97
7F017F057F087F077F06
21/7/97
7F097F107F117F127F13
28/7/97
7F157F167F147F177F18




[August]

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Simpsons Episodes on Foxtel from March to July


Foxtel Simpsons in March and April, 1997

Episodes screened on weekdays at 6:00am and 7:00pm, and on weekends at 6:00am and 6:00pm.

DateEpisodeTitle
Mon 17/39F18Whacking Day
Tue 18/39F20Marge in Chains
Wed 19/39F21Homer’s Barbershop Quartet
Thu 20/39F22Cape Feare
Fri 21/39F19Krusty Gets Kancelled
Sat 22/31F02Homer Goes to College
Sun 23/31F01Rosebud
Mon 24/31F04Treehouse of Horror IV
Tue 25/31F03Marge on the Lam
Wed 26/31F05Bart’s Inner Child
Thu 27/31F06Boy-Scoutz N The Hood
Fri 28/31F07The Last Temptation of Homer
Sat 29/31F08$pringfield
Sun 30/31F09Homer the Vigilante
Mon 31/31F11Bart Gets Famous
Tue 1/49F17So It’s Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show
Wed 2/41F10Homer and Apu
Thu 3/41F12Lisa vs Malibu Stacey
Fri 4/41F13Deep Space Homer
Sat 5/41F14Homer Loves Flanders
Sun 6/41F15Bart Gets An Elephant
Mon 7/41F16Burns’ Heir
Tue 8/41F17Lisa’s Rival
Wed 9/41F18Sweet Seymour Skinner’s Baddasssss Song
Thu 10/41F19The Boy Who Knew Too Much
Fri 11/41F21Lady Bouvier’s Lover
Sat 12/41F22Bart of Darkness
Sun 13/41F20Secrets of a Successful Marriage
Mon 14/47G08"The Simpsons Christmas Special"
Tue 15/47G02Bart the Genius
Wed 16/47G03Homer’s Odyssey
Thu 17/47G04There’s No Disgrace Like Home
Fri 18/47G05Bart the General
Sat 19/47G06Moaning Lisa
Sun 20/47G09Call of the Simpsons
Mon 21/47G07"The Telltale Head"
Tue 22/47G11Jacques to be Wild
Wed 23/47G10Homer’s Night Out
Thu 24/47G13The Crepes of Wrath
Fri 25/47G12Krusty Gets Busted
Sat 26/47G01Some Enchanted Evening
Sun 27/47F03Bart Gets An F
Mon 28/47F02Simpson and Delilah
Tue 29/47F04"The Simpsons Halloween Special"
Wed 30/47F01Two Cars in Every Garage, Three Eyes on Every Fish




[August]

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Foxtel Simpsons in May, 1997

Episodes screened on weekdays at 6:00am and 7:00pm, and on weekends at 6:00am and 6:00pm.

DateEpisodeTitle
Thu 1/57F05Dancin’ Homer
Fri 2/57F08Dead Putting Society
Sat 3/57F07Bart vs Thanksgiving
Sun 4/57F06Bart the Daredevil
Mon 5/57F09Itchy & Scratchy & Marge
Tue 6/57F10"Episode 23: Bart Gets Hit By A Car"
Wed 7/57F11One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish
Thu 8/57F12The Way We Was
Fri 9/57F13Homer vs Lisa and the 8th Commandment
Sat 10/57F15Principal Charming
Sun 11/57F16Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?
Mon 12/57F14Bart’s Dog Gets An F
Tue 13/57F17Old Money
Wed 14/57F18Brush with Greatness
Thu 15/57F19Lisa’s Substitute
Fri 16/57F20War Of The Simpsons
Sat 17/57F21Three Men and a Comic Book
Sun 18/57F22Blood Feud
Mon 19/57F23When Flanders Failed
Tue 20/57F24Stark Raving Dad
Wed 21/58F01Mr Lisa Goes To Washington
Thu 22/58F03Bart The Murderer
Fri 23/58F04Homer Defined
Sat 24/58F05Like Father, Like Clown
Sun 25/58F02"The Simpsons Halloween Special II"
Mon 26/58F06Lisa’s Pony
Tue 27/58F07Saturdays of Thunder
Wed 28/58F08Flaming Moe’s
Thu 29/58F09Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk
Fri 30/58F10I Married Marge
Sat 31/58F11Radio Bart



[April]

[August]

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Foxtel Simpsons in June, 1997

Episodes screened on weekdays at 6:00am and 7:00pm, and on weekends at 6:00am and 6:00pm.

DateEpisodeTitle
Sun 1/68F12Lisa the Greek
Mon 2/68F14Homer Alone
Tue 3/68F16Bart the Lover
Wed 4/68F13Homer at the Bat
Thu 5/68F15Separate Vocations
Fri 6/68F17Dog of Death
Sat 7/68F19Colonel Homer
Sun 8/68F20Black Widower
Mon 9/68F21The Otto Show
Tue 10/67F04"The Simpsons Halloween Special"
Wed 11/68F02"The Simpsons Halloween Special II"
Thu 12/69F04Treehouse of Horror III
Fri 13/61F04Treehouse of Horror IV
Sat 14/68F22Bart’s Friend Falls In Love
Sun 15/68F23Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?
Mon 16/68F24Kamp Krusty
Tue 17/68F18A Streetcar Named Marge
Wed 18/69F01Homer the Heretic
Thu 19/69F02Lisa the Beauty Queen
Fri 20/69F03Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie
Sat 21/69F05Marge Gets a Job
Sun 22/69F06New Kid on the Block
Mon 23/69F07Mr Plow
Tue 24/69F08Lisa’s First Word
Wed 25/69F09Homer’s Triple Bypass
Thu 26/69F10Marge vs the Monorail
Fri 27/69F11Selma’s Choice
Sat 28/69F12Brother from the Same Planet
Sun 29/69F13I Love Lisa
Mon 30/69F14Duffless



[May]

[August]

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Foxtel Simpsons in July, 1997

Episodes screened on weekdays at 6:00am and 7:00pm, and on weekends at 6:00am and 6:00pm.

DateEpisodeTitle
Tue 1/79F15Last Exit to Springfield
Wed 2/79F16The Front
Thu 3/79F17So It’s Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show
Fri 4/79F18Whacking Day
Sat 5/79F20Marge in Chains
Sun 6/79F21Homer’s Barbershop Quartet
Mon 7/79F22Cape Feare
Tue 8/79F19Krusty Gets Kancelled
Wed 9/71F02Homer Goes to College
Thu 10/71F01Rosebud
Fri 11/71F04Treehouse of Horror IV
Sat 12/71F03Marge on the Lam
Sun 13/71F05Bart’s Inner Child
Mon 14/77G13The Crepes of Wrath
Tue 15/71F06Boy-Scoutz N The Hood
Wed 16/71F07The Last Temptation of Homer
Thu 17/71F08$pringfield
Fri 18/71F09Homer the Vigilante
Sat 19/71F11Bart Gets Famous
Sun 20/71F10Homer and Apu
Mon 21/71F12Lisa vs Malibu Stacey
Tue 22/71F13Deep Space Homer
Wed 23/71F14Homer Loves Flanders
Thu 24/71F15Bart Gets An Elephant
Fri 25/71F16Burns’ Heir
Sat 26/71F17Lisa’s Rival
Sun 27/71F18Sweet Seymour Skinner’s Baddasssss Song
Mon 28/71F19The Boy Who Knew Too Much
Tue 29/71F21Lady Bouvier’s Lover
Wed 30/71F22Bart of Darkness
Thu 31/71F20Secrets of a Successful Marriage



[June]

[August]

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The Tracey Ullman Show from March to July

Week
Starting

MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
9/6/97
4W094W034W114W054W11
4W13
4W154W16
16/6/97
4W16
4W10
4W114W12
4W18
4W13
4W19
4W21
4W20
4W224W23
23/6/97
4W23
4W17
5W06
4W24
5W07
4W25
5W08
4W26
4W21
5W02
5W01
5W045W05
30/6/97
5W05
4W24
5W76



5W065W06
5W07
5W07
5W08
7/7/97




Spec3
5W09
5W09
5W10
5W10
5W11
14/7/97




5W125W12
5W13
5W13
5W14
21/7/97




5W155W15
5W16
5W16
5W17
28/7/97
No episodes this week.




[August]

[Top]



These pages are not intended to infringe on the rights of Twentieth Television, Twentieth Century Fox, or Gracie Films, who are the intellectual property holders of The Simpsons, and who hold copyright over the show, the characters and the storylines.

If you have any suggestions or contributions regarding this page, please email .

Copyright ©1997-98 Paulius Stepanas. All Rights Reserved.

Last Updated: 7-October-1997