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A summary of news: March 2015

March 2015 saw a few new episode releases. However, it was also a very sad month for The Simpsons. Read on to find out why.

Episode news

Moe meets a new woman


On March 1st, “The Princess Guide” aired. The episode was written by Brian Kelley and directed by Timothy Bailey. Yaya DaCosta guest starred as Princess Kemi, Richard Branson guest starred as himself, Kevin Michael Richardson guest starred as the Nigerian king and Jon Lovitz reprised his role as Enrico Irritazio. The episode ended with a dedication to Leonard Nimoy who died a few days prior to the airing.

In the episode, Homer is charged with looking after Princess Kemi whilst her father makes a uranium deal with Mr. Burns. However, she escapes from Homer and spends time with Moe, who falls in love with her.

See also: Moe will plot revenge over Nigerian E-mail scam this March and 10 New Promotional Images for “The Princess Guide” have been released!

Chief Wiggum takes to the skies!


On March 8th, “Sky Police” aired. The episode was written by Matt Selman and directed by Rob Oliver. Nathan Fielder guest starred as Doug Blattner.

Chief Wiggum is mistakenly delivered a military jet pack. He uses this in his policing duties but eventually is found out and ordered to hand it back. He tries to escape and it crashes into the church. Several members of the congregation count cards at a casino to get the money for repairs.

See also: Chief Wiggum is mistakenly delivered a military jet pack this March and 5 Promotional Images for “Sky Police” have been released!

So You Think You Can Duff-man?


On March 15th, “Waiting for Duffman” aired. It was written by John Frink and directed by Steven Dean Moore. Cat Deeley guest starred as herself, Stacy Keach guest starred as Howard K. Duff VII and R. Lee Ermey guest starred as Colonel Leslie Hapablap.

Duffman injures himself during a parade and has to undergo hip replacement surgery. So, a reality show is invented to find the next Duffman, which Homer wins.

See also: So You Think You Can… DUFFMAN? on an all-new episode this March and 3 Promotional Images for “Waiting for Duffman” have been released!

Tapped Out news

Superheroes Issues 3 and 4


Issues 3 and 4 of the superheroes update were released on March 10th and 24th respectively. These carried in the superhero event which started in February. For all the details on the event and the issues, read the article.

Won’t somebody please think of the children?


On March 4th, Level 50 was released. This update came with the long awaited characters Helen and Jessica Lovejoy. Two new friend point prizes were also made available with this update. For all the details, read the article.

The Homer arrives!


On March 11th, the car Homer designed, “The Homer“, arrived in Tapped Out as a new Gil deal. The car cost 82 donuts and came with a new questline, which also teased the introduction of Herb Powell as a character, who will be coming to Tapped Out at some point in the future. Read the update article for more details!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!


On March 16th, only 5 days after the last update, a small St. Patrick’s Day update hit. This update re-released all the previous St. Patrick’s Day items and came with a new Gil deal for Blarney Castle and two new decorations. Read the update article for more details.

The Beach House arrives late


On March 31st, the Beach House arrived in Tapped Out. This was supposed to arrive on the 29th but for unknown reasons, it never arrived. It was purchasable for 120 donuts.

Comic news

Simpsons Comics #219


Simpsons Comics #219 was released on March 18th.

After a run-in with the paparazzi, Krusty the Clown hires Homer to stand in for him, or rather, stand next to him — because Homer makes Krusty look good by comparison. Meanwhile, Lisa becomes a stand-in studio musician for Bleeding Gums Murphy‘s sister, Flossy Murphy. But Homer and Lisa soon discover that the life of a second-hand, stopgap, stand-in celebrity isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

See also: Simpsons Comics #219 now available!

Bart Simpson #95


Bart Simpson #95 was released on March 25th.

In order to earn enough money for some tickets to a professional wrestling match, Bart gets a job at the Kwik-E-Mart. And then, in order to put food on the table Otto the Bus Driver offers his own services (as well as the Springfield Elementary bus) as an “Uber”-type driver. Plus, a Bart/SpongeBob SquarePants mash-up.

See also: Bart Simpson #95 now available!

Miscellaneous news

RIP Sam Simon


On March 8th, co-creator of The Simpsons Sam Simon sadly passed away after a long battle with colorectal cancer. Simon left the show in season 4 but continued to be credited as an executive producer for the show.

See also: RIP Sam Simon

Lisa Simpson’s Guide to Geek Chic


On March 17th, Lisa Simpson’s Guide to Geek Chic was released. This was the fourth book in the series of Vault of Simpsonology.

In Lisa Simpson’s Guide to Geek Chic, Springfield’s most sensitive student reveals the secrets of being a misunderstood geek goddess. The geeks have inherited the earth . . . And Springfield’s most outspoken and overlooked middle child, Lisa Simpson, is here to tell you why! So what does it matter that you don’t run with the popular crowd? You control the trends and tastes of popular culture. Who cares if you aren’t part of a clique? Your idiosyncratic style is now très chic. So what if you’re not very social? You’re tech savvy drives all social media. There’s no need to lay low in nerd anonymity. You are the smartest person in the room, and it’s time to fulfill your dork destiny!

See also: Lisa Simpson’s Guide to Geek Chic now available!

What to expect: March 2015

These are the upcoming events in March 2015 to look for.

Episode news

“The Princess Guide”


The Princess Guide” will air on March 1st, this very day. The episode is written by Brian Kelley. Yaya DeCosta guest stars as Princess Kemi, Richard Branson guest stars as himself and Joe Mantegna guest stars as Fat Tony. In the episode:

Homer is put in charge of keeping Princess Kemi out of trouble while her father, a Nigerian king, works out a uranium deal with Mr. Burns. When Kemi ends up at Moe’s, Moe jumps to the conclusion that she must be related to the Nigerian prince who scammed him over email and schemes to get his money back. But much to his surprise, he finds himself falling for the princess.”

See also: Moe will plot revenge over Nigerian E-mail scam this March and 10 New Promotional Images for “The Princess Guide” have been released!

“Sky Police”


Sky Police” will air on March 8th. The episode is written by Matt Selman and directed by Rob Oliver. Nathan Fielder guest stars as himself. In the episode:

Chief Wiggum is mistakenly delivered a military jet pack, which he gleefully accepts and uses in order to fight crime. But when the jet pack crashes into the church, the congregation, led by Marge, must resort to gambling and counting cards in order to collect money to repair the church.”

See also: Chief Wiggum is mistakenly delivered a military jet pack this March and 5 Promotional Images for “Sky Police” have been released!

“Waiting for Duffman”


Waiting for Duffman” will air on March 15th. It is written by John Frink. Cat Deeley guest stars as herself and Stacy Keach guest stars as Howard K. Duff VIII. In the episode:

“When Duffman undergoes hip replacement surgery and retires, the company sets up a reality show competition to find his replacement. Homer wins the competition, and because the job requires him to stay sober, he learns that beer isn’t as necessary as he thought to have a good time.”

See also: So You Think You Can… DUFFMAN? on an all-new episode this March and 3 Promotional Images for “Waiting for Duffman” have been released!

Tapped Out news

Enter the Bartman


On March 3rd, Bartman will be coming into The Simpsons: Tapped Out as a costume for Bart, as part of the Superhero update. He will be available at 8am GMT across all games worldwide for 60 donuts. He will be available until the end of the update.

The Fruit Knight Rises… Again


On March 10th, Fruit-Bat-Man will return to Tapped Out. He first appeared during the “Dark Knight Court” episode tie-in. He will be available for 90 donuts and will be available until the end of the event as well.

If you already had Fruit-Bat-Man from his original release, he can be used to fight felons for the premium time of 3 hours. He will be able to do this if you choose to purchase him.

Miscellaneous news

Lisa Simpson’s Guide to Geek Chic


On March 17th, the fourth book in the Vault of Simpsonology series will be released; Lisa Simpson’s Guide to Geek Chic.

“In Lisa Simpson‘s Guide to Geek Chic, Springfield‘s most sensitive student reveals the secrets of being a misunderstood geek goddess. The geeks have inherited the earth . . . And Springfield’s most outspoken and overlooked middle child, Lisa Simpson, is here to tell you why! So what does it matter that you don’t run with the popular crowd? You control the trends and tastes of popular culture. Who cares if you aren’t part of a clique? Your idiosyncratic style is now très chic. So what if you’re not very social? You’re tech savvy drives all social media. There’s no need to lay low in nerd anonymity. You are the smartest person in the room, and it’s time to fulfill your dork destiny!”

A summary of news: February 2015

This is the summary of all The Simpsons news from February, in case you missed anything.

Episode news

Springfield gets a new town anthem


On February 8th, “Walking Big & Tall” aired. The episode, written by Michael Price and directed by Chris Clements, guest starred Pharrell Williams as himself and Kevin Michael Richardson as Albert. Springfield learns that the town anthem they had used for 30 years was bought from a salesman and lots of other towns used it. So, Bart and Lisa help write a new town anthem. Meanwhile, Homer becomes proud of being fat.

See also: “Walking Big & Tall” promotional images released!, Pharrell Williams to guest star and Pharrell invites 2.8m

Marge and Moe get new jobs


My Fare Lady” aired on February 15th. Rich Sommer and Christopher Lloyd guest starred in an episode written by Marc Wilmore and directed by Michael Polcino. In the episode, Marge becomes a driver for a transportation app service to earn money. Meanwhile, Moe’s Tavern is destroyed by Homer when he watches over it for Moe and Moe becomes a janitor at the Nuclear Power Plant.

The episode also had a special couch gag by Australian animators Paul Robertson and Ivan Dixon. The couch gag was created and released onto YouTube by them and was found by the producers who liked it and added it to the episode.

See also: “My Fare Lady” information released, “My Fare Lady” promotional images released and Simpsons wins Fox’s night – with second-least watched episode ever

Tapped Out news

The Stonecutters return


The Stonecutters made a return on the 5th February. This update was just a resale of items from the previous Stonecutters event. This update had no new content at all and was a resale of most of the old Stonecutters stuff.

See also: Who is EA’s cheap(-ish) replacement for a Valentine’s event? They are, they are!

Jiminy Jillikers! Valentine’s Day was later than usual!


A week after the Stonecutters event, Valentine’s Day came around. The last two years, this was a major event. However, this update was a small update with very little new content. This was because something new and big was coming…

See also: Homer’s running late for Valentine’s…and so is EA!

Help, Sky Finger! Criminals have overrun Springfield!


February 18th brought a new event… Superheroes! This event, scheduled to end on March 23rd, added 3 new character collections; Superheroes, Vigilantes and Criminals. The update is split into four parts, called issues, and there is a comic book theme to the music, text, text bubbles and other parts. For full details, read our article.

See also: Homer’s leading the charge in an all-new Tapped Out event!

Comic news

Simpsons Illustrated #15 was released


Simpsons Illustrated #15 was released on February 4th. The description of the comic is:

“The Simpson family embarks on a globetrotting adventure that not only takes them around the world but, literally, into orbit around the Earth with everybody’s favorite, eternally optimistic, moonraking megalomaniac, Hank Scorpio! And when Bart finds himself living the dream after landing a gig as the new Radioactive Man comic book writer, Comic Book Guy finds himself living his worst nightmare. Then, Lisa applies her deductive skills to discovering the identity of her anonymous valentine.”

See also: Simpsons Illustrated #15 now available!

Simpsons Comics #218 was released


Simpsons Comics #218 was released on February 18th.

Comic Book Guy falls asleep during a Sci-Fi DVD marathon and dreams up three thrilling astronomical adventures. First, Bart is recruited by a battle school, where he and a ragtag crew of cadets are trained to fight an alien war. Then, Lisa finds herself set adrift in space when the satellite she is tethered too is destroyed by Krusty-themed space junk. Finally, no one is safe when Homer and yet another ragtag band of misfits become Protectors of the Planets.

See also: Simpsons Comics #218 now available!

What to expect: February 2015

This is the first in the What to expect series of posts. Every month, we’ll tell you what to expect in the upcoming month.

Episode news

“Walking Big & Tall”

February 8th will see the first episode of the month air, “Walking Big & Tall”. The official plot synopsis was revealed by The Funton Critic:

When Lisa learns Springfield’s anthem was stolen from another town she writes a replacement. Meanwhile, Homer learns the meaning of “Wide Pride”

Singer Pharrell Williams is to guest star.

See also: Springfield will get a new town anthem this February, Pharrell Williams to guest star and “Walking Big & Tall” promotional images released!

“My Fare Lady”


February 15th will see the second episode of the month air, “My Fare Lady”. The official plot synopsis was revealed by The Funton Critic:

When Marge gets fed up with the thankless duty of chauffeuring her kids around, she begins working as a driver for a transportation app service. Meanwhile, Homer bankrupts Moe when he watches over the bar for one night, which forces Moe to take a temporary job as a janitor at the nuclear plant.

See also: “My Fare Lady” information released and “My Fare Lady” promotional images released

Comic news

A gathering of comics

February 3rd will see Simpsons Comics Clubhouse get released. This is a collection of comics from previous issues.

“Looking to have some fun with the Simpsons? Join the club! Membership comes with these exclusive benefits: Get the low down on Homer as he discovers his new calling as the bearer of bad news; Mr. Burns opens a museum dedicated to his life and his legend; Marge gives up her apron for academia; Bart and Lisa memorize the entire cartoon canon of “Itchy & Scratchy” to save humanity; and Homer goes to freakish lengths to get Marge an anniversary gift. All this and even more rewarding perks and privileges await you in the Simpsons Comics Clubhouse. Dress code and proper attire will be strictly enforced at all times.”

Miscellaneous

The Simpsons Minecraft skins


Coming late February (release date as of now unknown) will be 24 character skins for Minecraft. These 24 characters include the main Simpson family; Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie. Who the other characters will be are currently unknown, but we’ll inform you on this blog when we know!

See also: Back in Block Form

A summary of news: January 2015

Each month, we will have a summary of the news from the past month, with all the episode airings, comic releases, Tapped Out updates and anything else you can think of.

Episode news

The Simpsons Movie 2?


January 4th saw “The Man Who Came To Be Dinner” air after a two year wait. It was originally supposed to be the season finale of season 24. No explanation for this was given, until recently. The episode was intended to be the second Simpsons Movie. The producers intended to make it a sequel, but eventually decided to make it an ordinary episode.

Al Jean stated in an interview with Entertainment Weekly:

“Two of the allures were exploring the rules of the new world and the cinematic nature of doing something in space,” says Jean. “But then we were worried that people might think it’s an idea that’s not canonical—it doesn’t really happen, unlike all of other 560 episodes that really ‘happened’—so the ultimate decision was to air it as an episode,” Jean explains. “It just got to the point where if we were unsure about it as a movie, then it would be good to air the episode. And then if we do a movie, we’d just think of something else…. So if you want to know what was thought of a possible Simpsons Movie 2, we just aired it—for free. You can see it for free!”

The episode saw the Simpsons heading to the homeworld of Kang and Kodos where they were to become their next meal.

A 25 year old script finally becomes an episode!


Back in season one of the show, a fairly new comedy writer wrote a script for The Simpsons which was filed away and lost. 25 years later, that episode, written by the now famous Judd Apatow, finally aired. “Bart’s New Friend” sees Homer get hypnotized into thinking he’s a 10 year old kid, who then becomes friends with Bart.

Elon Musk comes to Springfield


January 25th saw inventor Elon Musk come to Springfield. He and Homer become fast friends and together attempt to revolutionize the Nuclear Power Plant. However, when Musk goes too far, Homer has to break off his friendship with Musk.

See also: “The Musk Who Fell To Earth” promo images released and Two New Promotional Images for “The Musk Who Fell To Earth”

Tapped Out news

Queen Helvetica of Equalia!


Christmas was taken down on January 14th and the snow had all melted away. The next day, Gil came along with a limited time offer for a castle and a new costume for Lisa, for the low, low price of 175 donuts. Read all about what happened here.

See also: A Royal Welcome

Willie Becomes a Slave


A tie-in update for the upcoming episode “The Musk Who Fell To Earth” was released on January 21st. This saw a new costume for Willie come with a new questline tying into the upcoming episode. It’s too late to get any content from it now, but read about it in our article.

See also: Willie’s slave laboring – technically – in a new tie-in!

The Mafia Returns


On January 28th, Level 49 hit. This update came with two new characters, three new buildings, three new decorations and… a new strip of land! Read all about the update in our article.

See also: The Springfield Mafia returns and Land, Glorious Land!

Comic news

New comic releases



Simpsons Comics #217 was released on January 21st. Bart Simpson #94 was released on January 28th.

Comic stories for these issues will be added before this is published.

See also: Simpsons Comics #217 now for sale! and Bart Simpson #94 now available!

Miscellaneous news

MythBusters


January 10th saw a special The Simpsons special episode of MythBusters air. This special sees the presenters attempt to find out whether a cherry bomb dropped in a school toilet make others act like geysers, in reference to a prank Bart pulled in “The Crepes of Wrath”, and whether placing someone between a wrecking ball and a building protect the building, in reference to the scene from “Sideshow Bob Roberts”. Read about what happens here.

Sources