‘The Simpsons’ Infamous Poochie Episode Was Inspired By Real Life

For decades, fans of The Simpsons have debated which episode is the best, but one episode in particular stands out for a very specific reason. “The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show” is not just hilarious, but also one of the most brutally honest pieces of television satire ever made. What makes it even better is that the story behind it was inspired by real-life events.

According to Cracked, writer David X. Cohen conceived the episode as “a window from which the audience could see what it’s like to work on a hit show that’s already several seasons deep.” By 1997, The Simpsons had been on the air for nearly a decade. Ratings were still strong, but network executives were starting to worry. Fox had begun pushing the writers to shake things up. There was concern that the series was losing its so-called “wow factor.”