Simpsons Bible Stories

While executive producer and former showrunner Mike Scully stated that the idea for the episode came after Fox requested an Easter-themed episode, co-writer Selman argued that it was conceived by former staff writers Dan Greaney and Donick Cary while they were pitching ideas for the tenth season.

While the episode mostly features references to the Old Testament and Christianity, it also parodies children's television programs, American politicians and action films by Jerry Bruckheimer.

The episode's ending scene is one of series creator Matt Groening's favorite moments on The Simpsons.

When the collection plate is passed around, Homer puts in a chocolate Easter bunny that he found in the dumpster, enraging Reverend Lovejoy, calling it a wicked idol, and provoking him to read the Bible from the beginning.

Adam is unwilling to come clean, but misses Eve and thinks of a way of getting her back in by digging a tunnel with the help of some of the animals.

Lisa imagines she and all the other Springfield Elementary students are Hebrews in ancient Egypt, with the Pharaoh (Principal Skinner) making them build a pyramid.

To radicalize their request for freedom, Lisa helps Moses produce plagues to scare the Pharaoh into freeing the Israelites, but they fail.

Rather than disappoint Moses again with news of the ongoing anti-Semitism that will plague the Jews for many centuries, she distracts the crowd by sending them to search for manna.

Solomon cuts it in half, sentences Lenny and Carl to death, and then eats the pie, before presiding over a civil case between Jesus and Checker Chariot.

Much to his shock, David is sent to jail as the townspeople claim that Goliath II was the best king they ever had, building roads, libraries and hospitals.

According to former staff writer Tom Martin, Long wanted the pig in the garden of Eden to have a "Tony British" accent.

[5] The pig was voiced by regular cast member Hank Azaria, who portrays Moe Szyslak among other characters in the series.

[4] The song that plays during Bart's training montage is "Winner Takes It All" by American rock singer Sammy Hagar.

[7] The song that plays during the episode's end credits is "Highway to Hell" by Australian hard rock band AC/DC.

Scully said that when they asked if they could use "Highway to Hell", the band's manager "signed on right away" and gave the Simpsons staff a "huge discount.

[8] In the DVD commentary for the episode, Scully stated that he regretted not submitting "Simpsons Bible Stories" for the Primetime Emmy Award in the category of animated programming less than one hour in 1999.

[8] The first segment is based on the story of Adam and Eve, who, according to the Book of Genesis were the first man and woman created by God.

Ned Flanders has the role of God, while the serpent that lures Marge into eating an apple from the forbidden tree resembles Snake Jailbird.

The scene refers to the second of ten Biblical plagues that were imposed on Egypt by God, in chapters 7-12 of the Book of Exodus.

The execution of the scene is based on the one seen in the 1956 American epic film The Ten Commandments, in which Moses parts the Red Sea.

[4] After being defeated by Bart, Nelson reappears while a variation of Modest Mussorgsky's composition St. John's Night on the Bare Mountain plays in the background.

In its original American broadcast on April 4, 1999, "Simpsons Bible Stories" received a 7.4 Nielsen rating, translating to approximately 7.4 million viewers.

David Bianculli of New York Daily News attributed the loss in viewership to the fact that the episode aired on a religious holiday.

Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood of I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide wrote that the episode is "A fantastic twist of the Treehouse of Horror style of storytelling," and added that each segment is a "classic on its own".

[10] They wrote that Wiggum telling Moses and Lisa to give his regards to the British Museum as he seals them inside a tomb and Marge asking Bart if he is wearing clean underwear as they face the apocalypse were some of the episode's "best moments", and concluded by writing that the episode is "The Simpsons at its very best: inventive, irreverent and very, very funny.

[17] He added that he "just think the brevity required by the inclusion of three separate tales better suits the world of horror spoofs than it does these Bible pieces," as they "try to pack an awful lot into very little time.

[17] Aaron Roxby of Collider described "Simpsons Bible Stories" as his least-favorite trilogy episode, and wrote "Considering that, in earlier seasons, the show had some of the most thoughtfully edgy religious humor on television, this one feels surprisingly toothless.

While the other family members are left on earth, Lisa at first starts ascending into Heaven, but Homer stops her by grabbing her leg and says "Where do you think you're going, missy?