by Matt Groening (Author)
Paperback: 128 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.40 x 9.12 x 8.02
Publisher: Perennial; 1st edition (October 22, 2002)
ISBN: 0060505923
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Matt Groening, the creator and executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning series "The Simpsons," the "Life in Hell" cartoon series, and the animated Fox tv series "Futurama", is the man responsible for bringing animation to prime time.
In addition, Groening formed Bongo Comics Group in 1993 and currently serves as publisher of their four comic books -- Simpsons Comics, Itchy & Scratchy Comics, Bartman, and Radioactive Man.
Groening lives in Los Angeles, CA.All rights reserved.
FuturamaTM & © Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved.
Book Description
Go Beyond Forever with "The Simpsons" for more couch gags, chalkboards, episode plots, guest stars, show highlights, Homeris-mmms, memorable quotes, Itchy & Scratchy" cartoons, musical moments, and stuff you may have missed from Seasons 11 and 12. Plus! Go behind the scenes from start to finish with never-before-seen character, prop, and background designs. This new guide offers an exhaustingly funny look at "The Simpsons" for everyone who loves to laugh, from the casual viewer to the most detail-oriented fun. It's a gollywhoppin' gala with guaranteed giggles galore!*
*Not an actual guarantee!
Customer Reviews
Mmm...Episode Guides, November 27, 2002
Reviewer: slickinafix from New Jersey United States
The third episode guide to The Simpsons television show continues to chronicle the exploits of "america's favorite family". As I read through this book, I found myself laughing out loud, just as I had with the other two guides. The Simpsons' creators pack so many gags into a single show, that even a die had fan like me, can't possibly catch every joke. Therefore, these gudes are a must have, and "Beyond Forever", continues that fine tradition. Laid out in the same fashion of the other books in the series, this particular volume, covers seasons 11 and 12. Each episode gets at least a page, sometimes two. devoted to it, and all of its minute details. As usaual, Creator Matt Groening, provides the introduction. Lyrics for the songs from each year are displayed, couch gags, guest stars, who does what voice, and many other staples of the show are given a few pages as well. Something new to the mix, this time though, are never before seen character, prop, and background sketches, complete with comments from the Simpsons staff. The book has 127 pages and comes highly recommended for anyone who needs to smile now and then
Layer upon layer, joke upon joke, October 24, 2002
Reviewer: 718 Session from Brooklyn, NY United States
It should be enough that The Simpsons is the funniest show on television. This book, a reference to Seasons 11 as 12, goes a long way towards explaining why.
This is third in the reference series of Simpsons books (the first is "The Simpsons: A Complete Guide To Our Favorite Family" and "The Simpsons Forever"). But forget all of the stodgy things that come with the word "reference". This is like reading the scripts to the "Director's Cut" of each episode. The series is so detailed and layered, joke upon joke, that it takes a reference book like this to give you appreciation of how much work goes into The Simpsons. This book give you back-character development, all of the tiny little jokes that fly by too fast for you to see (like the sayings on the church billboard), and lots of the freeze frame humor (The Animal Control ad has a woman fending an octopus off with a broom, or store names: "Just Chloroform: The Store For Liquid Persuasion"). Plus the more obvious list of chalkboard gags "I WILL NOT PLANT SUBLIMN al MESSA gore S", and couch gags.
Of course, it really helps to have seen the episodes. There are some things that were funny when you saw them that aren't funny when you read them. "New Kids On The Bleech", the episode where Bart forms a boy band, was hysterical when I saw it but didn't seem as funny when I read the premise.
If you love the show, the three reference books are indispensable. I found myself laughing at all of the things I missed in episodes I'd already laughed at!
Best Book Ever, July 7, 2003
Reviewer: jbworld29 from Brooklyn, New York United States
I love this book and I read almost everday. I love reading the Simpsons' crazy adventures and since I am a Simpsons fan I had to own it. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about each episode.
Seasons 11-12, Complete, April 2, 2003
Reviewer: Warren Holzem from Oregon City, OR
The first book covers seasons 1-8. This third book in the series, like the second book only covers two seasons: 11 and 12. Each episode gets a two page spread, while many of the episodes in the first book only had one page. This allows far greater detail to be covered, just as in the second book.
I keep all (currently) three books near the TV, and I'll review the pages for each episode before I watch the rerun. In doing so, it opens my eyes to a lot of the little details that I missed the first fifty times I saw the episode.
Essentially, this is the owners manual for seasons 11 and 12.
Best Book EVER!, February 15, 2003
Reviewer: Abby from SLC, UT, USA
I am probably the biggest Simpsons fan ever born! I know some of you would argue with that, and lets just say we're tied. Anyway, this book is amazing! It tells you things you might not have spotted in the episode that are hilarious and you would have missed otherwise. It even has a huge list of couch gags! This would be a great gift; I know, I got it as a gift!
Perfect, January 30, 2003
Reviewer: Todd Shyres from Los Angeles, CA United States
I will keep this short so you can buy the book already. This book (along with the others in the series) is a great addition to watching the show. The best part of these books is that they catch the nuances that fly by the screen. Some of the best jokes are missed because they go by too quickly.
This book helps us get all of the Simpsons humour without us having to play with the pause buttons on our VCRs.
Even without all of the Doh's, chalkboard quotables and character write-ups, this book is well worth the money.
I still can't believe what this show has become since its first start duing The Tracy Ullman Show (and the Is Hell book series prior to that). Glad to see that some Hollywood writing still has merit.
I have an episode guide for you, January 7, 2003
Reviewer: untouch from Idolville
If you're a Simpsons fan, you need to own this book. This is a complete guide to the last two seasons of the series. Though some have claimed the series is slipping in quality, and the plots do sometimes head into the unbelievable (as Matt Groening states in his introduction), the show still remains in top form, at least to me. The bonus with this episode guide is some unseen production drawings the animators drew of new characters, such as Funzo ("I have a flower for 'ou.") and the future Todd & Rod, who haven't been outed by Bart...yet. Also included are some song lyrics and the church billboard messages from over the years. Each episode of the past two season is covered with full-colour photographs from the episode, as well as new drawings. The episode is summarized and favorite quotes are highlighted. A great guide to the show, and a great continuation of the Simpsons episode guide series.
Egh, November 26, 2002
Reviewer: dr_hollywood from New York, NY USA
By no means is this a step up or an improvement from the other outstanding guides to "The Simpsons." In fact, a bit of a step down.
You get your memorable quotes from episodes, your summaries, your "Movie Moments," etc. But my favorite part about the other guides was the little box that pointed out the "Things You May Have Missed." That box doesn't seem too thorough in this guide:
There are always more and more "in-jokes" in the newer episodes...so why does this guide talk about them less than any of the others? It doesn't make sense; it was a little disappointing.
What you'll find in those boxes in this new guide are a bunch of tidbits that waste time...they point out bits such as, "Bart is wearing his lucky hat in this scene, which he hasn't worn in two seasons." It's too bad that the writers missed things that I, a regular fan, can find without even taping the episode and using the pause button. But everything else was up to par!
So fun!, November 1, 2002
Reviewer: Jake Mohlman from Hilliard, OH USA
It's hard to say more about this book than I have about the prior two, but to summarize: if you are a Simpsons fan, you need "The Simpsons Beyond Forever", and its predecessors, "The Simpsons Forever" and "The Simpsons Forever Cont'd". Like the other two, the current edition follows the same format: each episode is reviewed in detail, and there are pages for such miscellaneous items as when Homer says "D'oh!", songs, etc. For each episode, the reader is treated to a plot summary, stills from the episode, what the couch and chalkboard gags are, and "Stuff you might have missed". The last item is particularly enjoyable, because there is always so much going on in any given episode, it is almost impossible to keep up with it all. In particular, there are many pop culture and movie tributes that are clarified.
I'll always love The Simpsons, but these books take watching the show to a whole new level, whether it's figuring out that voice cameo that's driving you nuts, or catching a joke that came and went too fast. Moreover, these books are just fun to look at, they are brightly colored, creatively arranged, and printed with the highest quality. This is a must have for any Simpsons fan!