The Simpsons Movie

After a gargantuan 18 series of the world's favourite family and despite Homer's assertions that television was a "teacher, mother… secret lover", The Simpsons Movie will soon spring (field) onto the big screen. This long anticipated move sees the jaundice-toned characters involved in one big abrasively humour-filled yarn including Flanders welcoming one of the Simpsons clan into this family, the town baying for Homer's blood and Bart demonstrating Demi Moore levels of nakedness.

But can it live up to the hype and expectation? Will Mayor 'Diamond' Joe Quimby declare July 27th 'The Simpsons Movie Day'? And will the profits be enough to please the money-grabbing Mr Burns? Just a casual, well educated guess but I would not fear the release of the hounds just yet. However, perhaps the main question on the lips of every regular at Moe's Tavern is why the creative team have only now decided to make a movie seeing as the show has been running smoothly since 1989.

Well, with competitors like South Park having released movies it may have seemed about time that the programme - often touted as the best-animated (and possibly best overall) television show of all time - made the Bartman-esque jump to cinemas worldwide. Hey, if there was a market for a Care Bears movie then there sure as hell is going to be demand for 90 minutes of Homer's brilliantly written debauchery and endlessly watchable donut-devouring. Are we all excited now - like Bart and Lisa when the Krusty the Clown show airs? Good, you should be.

As any television producer worth his Quick-E Mart salt would tell you, a show must be incredibly good and fantastically consistent to keep running for over 18 years. Like George Lucas did with Jedis and lightsabres and Tolkien did before him with Hobbits and rings, creator Matt Groening has given us a completely self-sustaining universe with a multitude of well known and warmly quoted characters.

So why are you still reading and not calling your local multiplex to reserve tickets? You can almost hear the 'Dohs!' echoing around the country from disappointed fans who failed to book. It could be worse though, you could end up sitting staring at a woman with large blue hair and a croaky voice. But isn't that the whole point?