Some classic Simpsons jokes are ruined on Disney+ thanks to the image being cropped

The Simpsons.
(Image credit: Screenshot/Twitter/Tristan Cooper)

D'oh!

Disney+ officially launched Tuesday with every single episode of The Simpsons now available to stream in all their glory. But there was one problem: many seasons aren't in the right aspect ratio.

The Simpsons was produced for pre-widescreen televisions all the way until 2009, giving most episodes a square shape. Usually, when watching these older episodes on a modern widescreen television, viewers see black bars on the left and right of the screen; this keeps the entire frame visible, even if it doesn't completely fill the television.

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But the version of The Simpsons that's on Disney+ cuts off portions of the image so that it can fill a widescreen TV. That's a major problem for a show with so much visual humor throughout. In just one example below, those watching The Simpsons on Disney+ would miss a key joke because the top of the frame isn't displayed. Rest assured, subscribers were on the internet within minutes, registering their disgust throughout the world.

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This actually isn't the first time this issue has come up. Back in 2014, FXX aired a Simpsons marathon, but early episodes were also presented in the wrong aspect ratio, once again leaving out visual gags and provoking Twitter scorn. FX's Simpsons World app allowed users to switch between the two aspect ratio options, ScreenCrush notes, so it's possible Disney+ will add this feature in light of the criticism. But if not, fans may be forced to declare it the Worst. Streaming service. Ever.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.