Writing A Simpsons Episode Was Too Hard For Ricky Gervais

In the "Simpsons" episode "Homer Simpson, This is Your Wife" (March 26, 2006), Homer (Dan Castellaneta) becomes obsessed with the crisp images on an HDTV and decides he has to purchase one. To get the money, he enlists his family into a reality TV series called "Mother Flippers," wherein the matriarchs of two families swap places. Marge (Julie Kavner) is sent to live with the dandyish Charles Heathbar (Ricky Gervais), while Homer welcomes Charles' stern wife Verity (Tress MacNeille). Over the course of the episode, Charles develops a crush on Marge, while Verity will begin developing a romance with Marge's sister, Patty (Kavner).

"This is Your Wife" aired during the 17th season of "The Simpsons," so the series was already enormous and influential. Indeed, "This is Your Wife" only came into being because the makers of "The Simpsons" were fans of the British TV series "The Office" and wanted to meet its creator and star, Ricky Gervais. In 2006, Gervais was gaining more and more traction as a major comedy actor, having made "The Office" from 2001 to 2003 and then launched his series "Extras" in 2005. That same year saw the premiere of the American reboot of "The Office," which would also become an enormous hit, after Gervais had just won an Emmy. "The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening was a fan of Gervais' comedy, so he wanted to have a lunch with Gervais to congratulate and chat with him.

According to the history book "Springfield Confidential" by Miek Reiss and Mathew Klickstein, that meeting was also meant to be an invitation for Gervais to appear on "The Simpsons." It also spun out into an ambitious plan for Gervais to write an episode himself. However, it seems that Gervais' writing ambitions stalled out.

Reiss admitted in "Springfield Confidential" that many of the writers on "The Simpsons" had allowed their pop influence to go to their heads and started to write characters and scripts with the express purpose of meeting their comedy heroes. Gervais, he explained, was just on their hit list, as it were. As Reiss recalled:

"[W]e often write in guest stars to meet our idols. The writers have used the show to bring in all of their comedy heroes: Eric Idle, Rodney Dangerfield, Albert Brooks, Mel Brooks, Jerry and Richard Lewis. Ricky Gervais, who sort of invented modern comedy with the original version of 'The Office,' asked us if he could write an episode. We were flattered, and even more flattered when he called back two weeks later and said, 'I can't do it –- it's too hard.' (He did pitch the plot of the show, star in it, and perform original songs.)" 

Gervais, it seems, wasn't as prepared as he might have thought to write something as whimsical as "The Simpsons." Gervais' comedy style is miserable, sardonic, and can even be mean-spirited in many cases. "The Simpsons" is certainly satirical and sarcastic, but it doesn't have the mean edge that Gervais does. As such, writing an actual script didn't come easy.

In 2006, Gervais talked about "Homer Simpson, This is Your Wife" with The Independent and admitted to feeling a great deal of fear during the writing process; he realized he had bitten off more than he could chew. "Well, I knew I had to say yes [when I was offered the job]," Gervais explained, "but fear kicked in at exactly the same time."

The Independent interview was also attended by Groening and "The Simpsons" executive producer Al Jean, and they all agreed that Gervais' offer to write for the show was a risky proposition. Indeed, Gervais felt that he was being tested, saying:

"What I think happened was this: they keep being offered more seasons of 'The Simpsons,' and they're very jaded, and bitter that other programmes are even on the television. So they thought, 'Let's show that little s*** that it's not as easy as he thinks.'"

Gervais admitted to being wholly intimidated, as he fell in love with "The Simpsons" when his comedy career was just taking off. He looked to the animated sitcom as the apex of comedy television and developed mere pipe dreams of contributing. When the opportunity finally came, he still felt he was unequal to the task; he was never going to be as good as "The Simpsons." Few of us could ever be. Gervais praised the series, saying:

"[W]hen I got into comedy in about 1999, I remember thinking that I would love to get a joke on 'The Simpsons.' It had already been my favourite programme for about 10 years by then. The thing is, every comedian worth his salt, his favourite thing is 'The Simpsons.' The contest for the rest of us is to come second; first place has already gone. I'm just in awe of it. It's wickedly satirical, and when it nails a joke, then that joke is done, forget it, because it does it in fewer words than anyone can."

Gervais would return to "The Simpsons" playing himself in the episode "Angry Dad: The Movie" (February 20, 2011). He's still the credited writer on "This is Your Wife."