Fans of Les Simpson, the beloved Québécois version of the animated series, can breathe a sigh of relief after telecoms giant Bell Media reached a deal with Disney to bring the show back for its 36th season this fall. The agreement ends nearly a year of uncertainty that began when Télétoon opted not to renew broadcast rights last August, leaving Quebec viewers facing the prospect of watching the series dubbed in 'European French'.
The show has cultivated a devoted following in Quebec by tailoring jokes and geographic references to the region. For instance, Homer Simpson is a fan of the Montreal Alouettes rather than the Dallas Cowboys. The adaptation uses a coarser, working-class style of dialogue that resonates with local audiences, as one Reddit user noted: 'A dive bar that’s serving cheap local beer like at Moe’s, we have that. Europeans drinking places are different.'
Thiéry Dubé, the Quebec actor who has voiced Homer for eight years, described the adaptation as 'very, very, very Québécois' and 'a piece of our identity'. The cast has faced recent losses, including the death of Béatrice Picard, the voice of Marge, in December at age 96, and Benoît Rousseau, who voiced Grampa Simpson, Mr Burns and Lenny Leonard. On the day the deal was announced, cast members attended Rousseau's funeral.
In a social media clip announcing the return, Bart and Lisa Simpson share the news with their Québécois accents. 'Can you imagine that, thanks to you, the Quebec version is making a big comeback?' Bart says. The clip ends with the siblings declaring: 'Vive les Simpson libres! Vive le doublage fait au Québec!'
