Praise for Planet Simpson

“A furiously intelligent volume that almost reinvents the art of comedy criticism. Turner quotes from the show with the diligence of a Jesuit scholar, but what lifts him above the Python-quoting pub bore is his staggering ability to contextualize every slice of hilarious dialogue through the prism of psychoanalysis, sociology, economics and rock ‘n’ roll.”

—Time Out

“Turner has written the definitive Simpsons study. He shows both a lightness of touch suitable to his subject and the intellectual rigour to grasp its vast purview.”

—The Gazette

“Planet Simpson is one of the more fascinating and entertaining works I’ve read.” —Steven Galloway in

The Globe and Mail

“Smart and funny, Turner is clearly one of the converted, and he writes with fitting enthusiasm for his subject while working in seemly references to cultural theory and TV-insider politics. His book is just the thing for fellow fans, and for anyone interested in how pop phenomena come to be.”

—The Hollywood Reporter

“A brilliant critique of western culture from the mid-90s to the present.… Turner understands pop culture in a way few others of his generation have been able to articulate thus far.”

—The Record (Kitchener-Waterloo)

“This opus has all the elements to make a Simpsons fan groan happily, like Homer tucking into an all-you-can-eat buffet.”

—Ottawa Citizen

“It’s tough to imagine a Simpson’s watcher who wouldn’t be pleased with this book.… Nobody else has managed to synthesize so much thoughtful analysis of the show (or maybe any TV program) before.”

—The Georgia Straight

“There’s a lot to like in this book. Turner provides us with useful background, detailed readings of specific episodes and worthwhile analysis both about the show and its relevance for the world beyond the show.”

—Winnipeg Free Press

“[Turner’s] examination is a broad-minded analysis that connects the television show to some of the most pressing issues in contemporary life, with chapters on topics ranging from the importance of family and God, the dispiriting alienation of the workplace, the role of the individual in society, the life and death of idealism and the political implications of U.S. foreign policy.”

—Alberta Views

“The Calgary-based writer has boldly defied the impossibility of truly conveying why The Simpsons is not just the greatest TV show ever, but—in my opinion—… the greatest thing ever, by writing a book that attempts to do just that.”

—Toronto Star

“A compendium of the trends and ideas that became gospel for a generation.”

—Ottawa Citizen