| The Samsonadzes | |
|---|---|
Title card | |
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Created by | Shalva Ramishvili |
| Country of origin | Georgia |
| Original language | Georgian |
| No. of episodes | 20[1] |
| Original release | |
| Network | Imedi TV |
| Release | November 2009 – 2010 |
The Samsonadzes (Georgian: სამსონაძეები, Samsonadzeebi) is a Georgian animated sitcom created and produced by Shalva Ramishvili. It first aired in Georgia in November 2009 and ended sometime in 2010.[2]
Description and resemblance to The Simpsons
[edit]The series has been described as "bearing more than a passing resemblance" to the American animated television sitcom The Simpsons,[2] although the creator has denied accusations of plagiarism.[3]
The Samsonadzes are "a yellow-skinned cartoon family, consisting of a dopey husband" (Gela Samsonadze, who works in a bank) "and his lavishly coiffed wife, Dodo, who live in a made-up city with their children", Shorena and Gia. They also have a parrot, Koke.[2] Their home city has been noted for its apparent resemblance to Tbilisi.[1]
Ramishvili has stated that the series aimed to be "relevant to Georgian reality and touch on social issues that will resonate with a Georgian audience",[2] while its chief scriptwriter, Zviad Bliadze, explained: "We just took an average family and made a parody of the common traits, like laziness or love of alcohol."[citation needed]
Russian focus
[edit]The series has attracted some attention by featuring Russian leaders in a negative light, in a context of tense Georgia–Russia relations. Russian President Vladimir Putin appears in one episode, sending a spy into Georgia.[2] Ramishvili described this criticism of the Russian government as "simply our civil liberty and duty".[4]
Episodes
[edit]| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | "Work on Bank for 1 Money" |
| 2 | "Please Get Me Away Cow" |
| 3 | "Battle for Movie: Qeto and Kote" |
| 4 | "You're the Evil" |
| 5 | "Double Gela" |
| 6 | "3054 G2S1" |
| 7 | "Dodo's Vacation" |
| 8 | "That's Evil-Team" |
| 9 | "Gelatown's First Land of Santa's Surprise" |
| 10 | "Evil Samsonadze Family" |
| 11 | "Simpsons in My Family" |
| 12 | "What a Fate (Part 1)" |
| 13 | "What a Fate (Part 2)" |
| 14 | "Most Money in Family" |
| 15 | "Most Power in Family" |
| 16 | "Dictatoring Ice" |
| 17 | "Hot-Lava-Land" |
| 18 | "Evil Dodo's Girlfriend" |
| 19 | "Furry Infection" |
| 20 | "Hard Trouble" |
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Putin appears in Georgia's Simpsons-like cartoon show", British Broadcasting Corporation, February 3, 2010
- ^ a b c d e "Georgia's answer to 'The Simpsons'", The Independent, December 18, 2009
- ^ Dart, Chris (5 February 2016). "This Georgian Simpsons ripoff is really weird". The A.V. Club.
- ^ "Georgia's answer to the Simpsons", The Guardian, January 15, 2010