'The Simpsons' 'controversial' Banksy intro

"The Simpsons" — which outsources animation duties to South Korea — satirizes the bleakness of Asian sweatshops in an opening sequence. Hypocritical?

The most recent intro to 'The Simpsons' is inspired by reports that the show's animation is outsourced to South Korea.
(Image credit: YouTube)

The video: Though Fox's "The Simpsons" rarely plays it safe, last night's episode began with a uniquely subversive and "controversial" 90-second intro created by political street artist Banksy. A response to reports that "The Simpsons"' animation chores are largely outsourced to South Korea sweatshops, the intro depicts oppressed Asian factory workers grinding out "Simpsons" animation cells and tie-in merchandise in a hellishly un-charming factory. As a panda bear lugs back-breaking loads and an emaciated unicorn's horn is reduced to a tool, the sequences fades out to a 20th Century Fox logo.

The reaction: "Are we supposed to laugh at this?" says Tanner Stransky in Entertainment Weekly. "Should 'The Simpsons' be co-opting criticism of their show and making light of it?" It was Banksy's idea, reveals a Simpsons' executive producer in a New York Times interview, noting that, although Fox does outsource to South Korea, the "far-fetched" sequence is meant to poke fun at inaccurate reports of the labor conditions. Still, airing the sequence is hypocritical, says Mof Gimmers at HecklerSpray. "This weak-wristed attack on mass-production will no doubt end up on a Simpson's DVD at some point, made in some unpleasant warehouse somewhere." That may be, says Max Read at Gawker, but it was "funnier than anything that's been on 'The Simpsons' in a long time." Watch it for yourself:

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us