The Simpsons becomes a 1950s-style live-action sitcom in a strange AI-generated video. Created by Matt Groening, The Simpsons first aired in 1989 on Fox, chronicling the daily lives of the members of the titular family in the town of Springfield. The series, which is about to conclude season 35, has remained firmly in the realm of animation throughout its 35 years on the air, and retains a contemporaneous setting.
A new AI video shared by demonflyingfox on X, formerly Twitter, now imagines The Simpsons‘ characters in live-action if the show were a sitcom from the 1950s. Check out the video below:
The video, which includes a narrator, features some characters looking more at home in live-action that others. While Homer, Marge and the Simpson family look relatively human-like, Mr. Burns ends up looking more like a scary claymation figurine. Sideshow Bob, too, becomes creepier, and is shown holding a large kitchen knife.
While the above video serves as an interesting what-if scenario, The Simpsons‘ extreme longevity is surely due, at least in part, to the fact that it’s an animated show. Unlike live-action series, animated characters don’t have to age if the creators don’t want them to. In live-action, however, shows eventually have to account for the aging of their main characters, crafting storylines that reflect this.
There’s undoubtedly a level of comfort to watching The Simpsons because it has remained largely unchanged for more than three decades. The animation style and quality has evolved from season 1, but the art style and characterization remain largely the same. Homer is still a middle-aged suburban dad, Bart is still a trouble-making youth, and Maggie has remained an infant for 35 years. Animation, then, helps The Simpsons remain relatively timeless, and makes it a comforting show to spend time with.
What’s more, The Simpsons‘ animation is where many of the show’s laughs come from. Certain physical comedy gags are only really possible in animation, and sometimes the way characters move in this medium is a crucial part of the humor. Although the latest video serves as a curious experiment, The Simpsons, thankfully, remains an animated endeavor, and it’s all the better for it.
Source: @demonflyingfox