Good grief. It’s the 60th anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)! To celebrate this classic Christmas special, Adam and Nate decided to unpack it through its Simpsons parody in “Miracle on Evergreen Terrace” (S9E10) with Alan Siegel, author of the new book Stupid TV, Be More Funny.

Also in this episode:

• Alan’s take on how The Simpsons reinvented TV and molded millennial movie taste like an older brother

• Were the Simpsons DVD commentaries podcasts before podcasts?

• The many ways Charles M. Schulz inspired the people behind The Simpsons

• Why does this moody Christmas special endure today?

• Plus, check out our show notes for a complete list of Simpsons references, double feature suggestions, and further reading

(Sorry about the brief mic problems from around the 43 minute mark. If it’s driving you crazy, skip ahead to around 49 minutes.)

After a short holiday break, we’ll be back on January 13th with the daddy-daughter con job movie Paper Moon and its Simpsons parody in “The Great Money Caper” (S12E7).

For more of Alan’s writing on The Simpsons, check out his new book Stupid TV, Be More Funny: How the Golden Era of The Simpsons Changed Television—and America—Foreverand his writing about pop culture on The Ringer.

For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us at @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, TikTok, Threads, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

In this bonus minisode, Nate asks Adam for his bite-sized review of Ella Mccay (2025), the first new film directed by Simpsons co-creator James L. Brooks in 15 years. Can Brooks recapture the magic of his ‘80s masterpieces and the early days of The Simpsons?

Stay tuned next week for our full episode with Alan Siegel, author of a new book on The Simpsons called Stupid TV Be More Funny, as we unwrap A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) and its Simpsons homage in “Miracle on Evergreen Terrace” (S9E11).

Lobby Chats are short bonus episodes where Adam and Nate share their thoughts on new releases, what they’re watching besides The Simpsons, and more.

For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us at @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, TikTok, Threads, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

Mmm… forbidden episode. Adam and Nate revisit the classic and controversial “Stark Raving Dad” (S3E1) and its overshadowed parody of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975). How does Miloš Forman’s anti-establishment anthem hold up 50 years later?

Also in this episode:

• What should we do with “Stark Raving Dad” and other art featuring canceled artists?

• Nurse Ratched may be one of cinema’s great villains, but would we want McMurphy to run the ward instead?

• The surprising character from this movie that became a recurring Simpsons side character

• How this movie set Danny DeVito on the path to playing Unky Herb

• Plus, check out our show notes for a complete list of Simpsons references, double feature suggestions, and further reading

Next time, we’re joined by the writer Alan Siegel to talk about his new book about The Simpsons called Stupid TV Be More Funny, alongside A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) and its Simpsons homage in “Miracle on Evergreen Terrace” (S9E11).

For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us at @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, TikTok, Threads, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.