Maggie's first word, Daddy, gets Simpsons podcaster every time

Two Calgary podcasters look at The Simpsons the way Waylon Smithers looks at Mr. Burns: with enduring love.

Alan Johnson and Greg Wilson used to do podcasts about movies, but when one of the creators of the popular animated comedy series died, they changed gears.

"It was death of one of the main creative forces behind The Simpsons, Sam Simon. When he passed away we decided, 'Hey, let'sdo a retrospective episode on Sam Simon and what his work meant to us,'" Wilson told The Homestretch on Monday.

"We found ourselves so passionate about talking about The Simpsons and his work and beyond, that we were like, 'Hey, we are having a lot more fun talking about The Simpsons than we are movies, why don't we give that a shot.'"

And the podcast Two Bad Neighbors was born.

"Alan and I sitting in front of a couple of microphones or a cellphone has been the foundation of our friendship for the past five years," Wilson explained.

Johnson says there is just so much to love about the adventures of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, which starts its 30th season next fall.

"Its enduring legacy, its mix of humour and sentimentality. It's really good at capturing, especially in the 1990s, the culture and all the stuff around it that people were drawn to. There is something about that show, in its golden years, that I just can't shake. My life revolves around references to that period in The Simpsons. A lot of cultural reference within the show, I saw on The Simpsons, before I saw the actual show. Citizen Kane, A Clockwork Orange, things like that," Johnson said.

"It has really coloured my sense of humour throughout my formative years."

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The podcast's goal is to analyze the first 10 seasons, often with the input of a guest, and they chose the name based on a presidential episode.

"It's a reference to a season seven episode of The Simpsons where former president George H.W. Bush moves in across the street. There is a scene in that episode where Bush puts this banner up on his house that says 'Two Bad Neighbors' and he draws these crude outlines of Bart and Homer," Wilson said.

Johnson's favourite episode is called 'You Only Move Twice' from the eighth season.

The Simpsons move to Cypress Hills when Homer accepts a job working for a great boss, but supervillain, Hank Scorpio.

"It's this one-off character, probably my favourite character in the show, and the whole episode is filled to the brim with jokes that I can't get past. Every time I watch it, I crack up," Johnson said.

For Wilson, the first time Maggie talks is the money episode.

"None of [Homer's] kids called him 'dad' first, Bart and Lisa called him 'Homer' first. At the very end of the episode he says, 'The sooner kids start talking, the sooner they start talking back,' as he is putting Maggie to bed. He says, 'I hope you never say a word,'" Wilson explained.

"As soon as he leaves, she takes her pacifier out and says 'Daddy.' It's the most heart-breaking, most beautiful moment that I have ever seen. I love that moment. It colours the values of the show and how great the show can be when it goes for the heart of it, which is the family."

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With files from The Homestretch