Simpsons Season 6 DVD box set

Jeez. Give them an "A" for effort. Not content with the standard square DVD box set, The folks at the Simpsons have released a crazy contraption shaped like Homer's head, inside which are the DVDs and booklets.

The clamshell head is swathed in a clear plastic sleeve that more or less conforms to the shape of the head. Once you take off the sleeve and pry open the head, out tumbles a mess of crap. The inside opens yet again to reveal the pocket for the booklets and the DVDs, which are housed in a book-like collection of pages. This is a beautifully designed piece of collectible art but a really crappy practical design. The plastic is thin and cheesy and the access to everything is unbelievably awkward. I respect them for trying new designs, but this one doesn't work. Unfortunately, the next 4 seasons will be similar.

Good news is that there's a card inside, calling me a big whiner and telling me to call an 800 number to get a stupid, normal, square box instead. I finally figured out they meant 888, not 800, and got a recording directing me to a website. The website is www.simpsonsbox.com. They make a big joke out of us jerks wanting stupid boring boxes. It's actually quite funny. But they let you buy a new square normal box for $3.00 shipping. Not a bad deal I guess. It's not like you have to send them your old one.

The artwork inside is all based on "Who Shot Mr. Burns," the final cliffhanger episode of this season. It was a great episode, no question, but to base the whole design of a season on it? I felt it was a little much. The menus are similarly mystery-themed, but design-wise very much like season 5's menus. The episodes are pretty outrageously good. Season 5 was a fantastic season and this one is possibly better. The extras are somewhat thin at this point, but the ever-present audio commentaries are always welcome and appreciated!

Overall a great addition to the collection. I'll keep you posted about the replacement box.