The Simpsons: Risky Business

When you consider how quickly Fox churn out decent box sets of TV shows like Angel and Buffy The Vampire Slayer, you'd think they'd manage more than just one Season Of The Simpsons per year. At this rate, we'll have to wait until the year 2015 to get the current season on DVD. Not fair is it?

Until then, we can make do with "themed" collections. This time, as the title suggests, it's Risky Business. Homer and Marge have had their fair share of diverse jobs, in between working at the Power Plant and being a housewife. These episodes are from the later seasons and have a more sophisticated sense of humor and superior animation than the first two - the only seasons currently available on DVD - and will probably prove to be more popular with the casual fan.

The first show is Realty Bites. Marge gets a job as a real estate agent, working for Lionel Hutz. Her total honesty causes her to make no sales and Hutz threatens her with the sack unless she sells by the end of the week. Her first sale involves the Flanders family, moving into a creepy old house. Marge neglects to tell them about a bloody massacre that took place there. A subplot involves Homer winning a GTO in a police auction.

Next is Homer The Smithers, in which Mr. Burns's assistant goes on a much needed vacation - to an all male resort! - and elects Homer to take his place. Homer is impervious to Mr. Burns's constant insults and put-downs, probably because he doesn't understand them, until finally he cracks and punches him.

In the third, Deep Space Homer, NASA use Homer and Barney as potential astronauts in an insane attempt to boost shuttle launch ratings. Barney loses and Homer is blasted into space alongside Buzz Aldrin. All goes wrong when Homer smuggles a bag of ruffled potato chips aboard.

Finally, there is Marge Gets A Job, the oldest of the collection. The Simpson house begins to tilt and, in order to raise money to get it fixed, Marge finds a job at the Power Plant. Mr. Burns quickly takes a fancy to her, but, naturally, she rejects his advances. Even kidnapping Tom Jones won't work.

Risky Business deserves more than four stars, but there is just not enough of it, I'm afraid. There are a few other themed collections available and I have to say I'm a bigger fan of these than the increasingly sporadic and featureless box sets. But, if you're a big Simpsons fan, like me, you'll buy every Simpsons DVD, anyway. It's cool having these to tide you over until Season 3 comes out.