The Samsonadzes (Georgian: სამსონაძეები, Samsonadzeebi) is a Georgian animated sitcom and television series created and produced by Shalva Ramishvili. It first aired in Georgia in November 2009 and ended sometime in 2010.[2]
| The Samsonadzes | |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Description and resemblance to The Simpsons
editThe 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
editThe series has attracted some attention by featuring Russian leaders in a negative light, in a context of tense Georgia–Russia relations. Former Russian Prime Minister 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] The Independent, however, has remarked that there are "no plans to introduce the controversial Georgian President, Mikheil Saakashvili" into the programme, and Russia Today has noted that the series' creators "make lots of fun of Russian politicians, while forgetting their own."[citation needed]
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