Overview
"22 Short Films About Springfield" is an anthology episode from season 7 of The Simpsons that first aired on April 14, 1996. Rather than following a single plotline, the episode is composed of a sequence of brief segments—22 in total—each focusing on a different resident or corner of the town. The pieces vary in tone and length and together form a mosaic portrait of Springfield, showing how ordinary and absurd moments overlap across the community.
Structure and characteristics
The episode abandons the sitcom's standard three-act structure in favor of many short vignettes. Some segments stand alone as quick jokes or character sketches, while others pick up threads that connect with later scenes. This format allows secondary and background characters—people who rarely receive screen time—to take center stage for a moment, giving viewers a broader sense of the show's world beyond the Simpson household.
- Major and minor characters both appear: Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Principal Skinner and many locals.
- Segments range from slapstick to satirical commentary on everyday life in Springfield.
- The episode frequently shifts visual style and pacing to suit each vignette.
Origins and influences
The episode's title and concept nod to the short-film anthology tradition and is explicitly modeled on the film title Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould. Its writers and directors also drew on earlier moments in the series—some structural ideas echo the montage-style ending of the season 4 episode "The Front"—to build a patchwork narrative. Several segments contain clear cinematic references and homages; certain scenes parody motifs and camera moves familiar from contemporary films, including visible borrowings from Pulp Fiction and other popular movies of the era.
Notable segments and cultural impact
Among the 22 vignettes, a few have become especially well known. The exchange between Principal Skinner and Superintendent Chalmers in which Skinner improvises excuses for a ruined lunch—later nicknamed "Steamed Hams"—achieved widespread popularity long after the episode aired and evolved into an internet phenomenon, shared and remixed as an internet meme. Many fans point to the episode as a highlight of the series' ability to balance character-driven humor with formal experimentation.
Other short scenes provide quick satirical takes on small-business life, celebrity culture in Springfield, and the private concerns of recurring characters. The variety of tones—absurdist, deadpan, sentimental—shows how an episodic series can use a nontraditional format to explore its ensemble cast.
Reception and legacy
Critics and viewers generally praised the episode for its inventiveness and for giving secondary figures room to breathe. It is often cited as an example of The Simpsons' willingness to experiment with storytelling and to layer jokes with cultural references. Over time the episode has influenced other television shows that adopt vignette or mosaic approaches to ensemble storytelling.
For further reading on the series and to explore episode details and credits, consult official episode guides and fan archives that collect production notes and retrospective essays. The episode remains a frequently discussed entry in the series’ run and a memorable example of television short-form storytelling.
To learn more about life in Springfield as depicted across the series, see in-universe character lists and episode summaries at fan and reference sites: life in Springfield. For background on the airing and later cultural revival, see discussions of the meme’s emergence two decades later and contextual coverage of the phenomenon.