| "A Star Is Burns" | |
|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 6 Episode 18 |
| Directed by | Susie Dietter |
| Written by | Ken Keeler[1] |
| Production code | 2F31 |
| Original air date | March 5, 1995[1][2] |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
| Episode features | |
| Couch gag | The family’s heights are reversed; Maggie is now the largest while Homer is the smallest.[3] |
| Commentary | James L. Brooks Al Jean Mike Reiss Ken Keeler Dan Castellaneta Jon Lovitz Susie Dietter |
"A Star Is Burns" is the eighteenth episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on Fox in the United States on March 5, 1995.[2] In the episode, Springfield decides to hold a film festival, and famed critic Jay Sherman is invited to be a judge.
The story involves a crossover with the animated series The Critic. Jay Sherman was the main character on the show. The Critic was created by Al Jean and Mike Reiss, who had previously written for The Simpsons but left following the fourth season, and produced by James L. Brooks, who was also a producer for The Simpsons. The show had premiered on the ABC network in January 1994 but was canceled despite positive critical reception. The series was switched over to Fox, and put in the timeslot directly after The Simpsons. Brooks pitched a crossover episode as a way to promote The Critic and decided that a film festival would be a good way to introduce Sherman.
Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, has heavily criticized the episode, feeling that it was just an advertisement for The Critic, and that people would incorrectly associate the show with him. When he was unsuccessful in getting the program pulled, he had his name removed from the credits and went public with his concerns, openly criticizing Brooks.
The episode was directed by Susie Dietter and was the first episode to be written by Ken Keeler. Jon Lovitz, the star of The Critic, guest stars as Jay Sherman, while Maurice LaMarche (who was also a regular on The Critic) has a few minor roles. The episode received mixed reviews from critics, many of whom felt the crossover was out of place on the show, although Barney's film festival entry was well received.