Guest Stars Ahoy!

[Stretch_Dude]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/tvnews.php?id=22487

John Stewart, Jack Black, Lionel Richie, Stephen Colbert, Matt Dillon, Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce and John Mahoney are among the upcoming guest voices on the 19th season of "The Simpsons" airing Sundays (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT) on Fox.

Homer is flying high in the season premiere episode, "He Loves To Fly And He D'ohs," airing Sunday, Sept. 23 (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT). After Homer saves Mr. Burns from drowning in a mall fountain, Burns thanks him by taking him on a whirlwind trip to Chicago on his private plane. Homer is smitten with the luxury jet and all the perks that come with it, including flying with song legend Richie, who serenades him with a customized version of "Say You, Say Me." After returning home, Homer makes it his mission to find a job that offers him the chance to fly on a corporate jet, and he enlists a life coach, guest star Colbert, to help fulfill this dream.

Steve Buscemi guest-stars in "I Don't Wanna Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" Sunday, Sept. 30 (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT). When Marge gets caught in a bank robbery, she convinces the assailant, Dwight (Buscemi), to turn himself in with the promise she will visit him in the pokey. Too scared to visit him, Marge may have to pay the price when Dwight escapes and comes looking for her.

In "Husband And Knives" Sunday, Oct. 7 (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), much to the shock of Comic Book Guy, Coolsville Comics & Toys opens up directly across the street. Owned by friendly hipster Milo (guest star Black), Coolsville is the ultimate retro fabulous store, which even offers the kids of Springfield a chance to meet comic book creators like guest stars Alan Moore, Art Spiegleman and Dan Clowes. Meanwhile, Marge takes her own hobby of working out to the next level by opening up a women's-only workout center.

Later in the season, Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce and John Mahoney are reunited playing Sideshow Bob, his brother and father, respectively, and Jon Stewart, Matt Dillon, Maya Rudolph, Dan Rather, Placido Domingo, Kurt Loder, Weird Al Yankovic, Beverly D'Angelo and Topher Grace also pay Springfield a visit.

*dances around performing the "Weird Al Is Guest-Starring Again Hell Yes" Polka*

[missy_misery]

YEY!  More Weird Al!

I like Jack Black n' all, but doesn't Springfield already have a hipster retro toy store?!

Ep I'm most looking forward to: The Sideshow Bob ep.

[Stretch_Dude]

YEY!  More Weird Al!

I like Jack Black n' all, but doesn't Springfield already have a hipster retro toy store?!

Ep I'm most looking forward to: The Sideshow Bob ep.

And all things considered, the return of Beverly D'Angelo could prove most interesting...

[c_nordlander]

I'm interested in the plot with Marge and the prisoner, and the Marge starts a gym subplot. Nice how they're doing something with her interest in working out.

[Stretch_Dude]

I'm interested in the plot with Marge and the prisoner, and the Marge starts a gym subplot. Nice how they're doing something with her interest in working out.

A couple of posters at NHC were quick to claim that the prisoner episode will be very similar to "Pokey Mom," and even said "they" weren't even bothering to "hide it" due to the presence of the word "pokey" in the description.

I sh*t thee not.

[missy_misery]

Woah, they're possibly breaking Lurleen out of Betty Ford? 

I'm looking forward to that one, too.

Last season was somewhat uneven, but it did show signs of improvement that have me hopeful for all of this.

[Stretch_Dude]

Add Glenn Close to the "Returning" list.

Why do I get the feeling we'll be hearing the name "DeVito" before long?

[Robbie]

Woah, they're possibly breaking Lurleen out of Betty Ford? 

I'm looking forward to that one, too.

Last season was somewhat uneven, but it did show signs of improvement that have me hopeful for all of this.

Woah...

Talk about digging up the past...

[missy_misery]

Why do I get the feeling we'll be hearing the name "DeVito" before long?

*HOPES LIKE WOAH THIS WILL HAPPEN*

I will say that Mona's two appearences weren't overdone/badly written, so I have hope for this season.

[archonix]

I have a theory now. The last couple of seasons have been written alongside writing the film, correct? It strikes me that, even with a huge writing staff, a lot of creative energy was being sucked up by the film. Perhaps now that's over we'll see an improvement.

Maybe.

Perhaps.

At least the animators are still good.

[Stretch_Dude]

New-type info, fresh from the Con.

Other tidbits revealed in the panel include:

— The crew is working on 60 new episodes of Futurama, which will be done in widescreen.

— "Spider Pig" from The Simpsons Movie will make an appearance in the first episode of the new season. There was a scene with the loveable pig at the end of the movie that got cut, but it will most likely make it onto the DVD.

— Lurlene Lumpkin is coming back next season.

— For Valentine's Day there will be a Sid and Nancy episode, with Nelson as Sid Vicious and Lisa as Nancy Spungen.

The panel was brought to a close with a clip from the upcoming season's Halloween episode. In it, Marge is decorating cupcakes that look like jack-o'-lanterns. She pokes fun at the fact that Halloween "was last week," but at the Simpsons' house they're still celebrating (a nod to the fact that the Halloween episodes never air on Halloween). While she's speaking, the American Idol "bug" pops up on screen. Marge is upset by this, grabs her Dust Buster and sucks the logo up. She tries to start speaking again, but the Fox Sports "bug" pops up and a bunch of mini-football players run out. Marge kills them with bug spray. Next, 24 (along with a mini-Jack Bauer), Family Guy (with mini-Peter Griffin) and House bugs (with mini-Dr. House) appear. Marge grabs Jack and sticks him to the fridge with a magnet. Next, she "blends" Peter to death with a cappuccino frother. Lastly, she grabs Dr. House, sticks him in the microwave, and blows him up. Cut to the family sitting at the dining room table and Marge walking in with fresh baked bread. "Dinner is served," says Marge. She slices off a piece of bread to reveal the various body parts of all these guys spelling out "Treehouse of Terror XVII."

[missy_misery]

@Graham: IMOHO, at least the last couple of seasons have the distinction of being uneven, which is better than the four seasons before it, which were equable to ingesting rat poision */inner wanky Simpsons fan* 

Huh, the TOH opening this year sounds fairly amusing (they haven't amused me since Maude Flanders' return a few seasons back).

...Nelson and Lisa as Sid and Nancy!  I'm almost afraid to find out what's going to serve as a substitute for heroin in the story...

[archonix]

Truckers Choice!

[Stretch_Dude]

Apparently we can add Sergio Aragones to the guest list for "Husbands and Knives."

Also, Bob in November.

[missy_misery]

FOCCASYN!  No, wait, that'd actually be better for a Nightmare on Elm Street parody...

I had a feeling the Bob ep would pop up in November sweeps.  Now I'm wondering how they'll get around the existance of his wife and Gino, or if they'll conveniently be "back in Italy" for all of this.