The Simpsons opening sequence

The opening sequence of the American animated television series The Simpsons is among the popularized opening sequences in television and goes along with one of television's most recognizable theme songs. The first episode to use this intro was the series' second episode "Bart the Genius".

The standard opening has had two major revisions. The first was at the start of the second season when the entire sequence was reanimated to improve the quality and certain shots were changed generally to add characters who had been established in the first season. The second was a brand-new opening sequence produced in high-definition for the show's transition to that format beginning with "Take My Life, Please" in season 20. The new opening generally followed the sequence of the original opening with improved graphics, even more characters, and new jokes.

This sequence opens with the show's title in yellow approaching the camera through misty cumulus clouds In a dark blue sky. The shot cuts through the counter in the letter "P" to an establishing shot of the town of Springfield.

The camera zooms in through the town and then through a window of a lavender Springfield Elementary, where Bart is writing lines on the class chalkboard as a punishment. When the school bell rings, Bart leaves in a hurry and skateboards out of the school doors.

The shot cuts to Homer working at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant wearing a safety mask while handling a green rod of uranium with tongs. An unknown co-worker in the background eats a sandwich, also with a pair of tongs. The end-of-shift whistle blows, and Homer immediately takes off his mask and drops the tongs to leave work. As he does so, the glowing rod bounces into the air and falls down the back of his radiation suit.

The next shot shows Marge and Maggie checking out at a supermarket. Maggie, who is sitting on the conveyor belt, is inadvertently scanned along with the groceries as Marge reads a magazine, "Mom Monthly". Maggie is rung up at a price of $847.63 (which represented the monthly cost of raising a child at the time) and bagged, and is dropped into Marge's shopping cart. As Marge looks around panicked for her child, Maggie pops out of a shopping bag, and Marge breathes a sigh of relief.

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