New Edinburgh episode of The Simpsons sees the famed family visit the Old Town and the Fringe festival

Now in its 35th season, the long running sitcom uses the Capital as a backdrop in a new episode

Edinburgh provides a scenic backdrop in a new episode of long running comedy, The Simpsons, with the show featuring Arthur’s Seat, the Royal Mile and the city’s annual Fringe festival.

Titled ‘AE Bonny Romance’, the Edinburgh episode is the eighth instalment of the 35th season - and includes many famous landmarks - from Edinburgh Castle, Calton Hill and famous buildings and statues found in the Old Town. Whilst in town the cultured member of the family, Lisa, finds time to watch several Fringe shows, with comedic titles including ‘The Fourth Wall,’ and ‘Three Tall Men Eating Cereal.’

The episode sees the Simpson family depart Springfield for Edinburgh in search of groundskeeper Willie who they believe has been kidnapped. But after arriving in the Capital they soon learn that Willie has actually left for Scotland to marry his long-lost love, Maisie - and manufactured a lie about his abduction in a ploy to get the Simpsons to attend his wedding.

A new episode of The Simpsons sees the beloved family visit Edinburgh. Titled 'AE Bonny Romance’ the Simpson family visit several Edinburgh landmarks including Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh Castle and Calton Hill. Picture: SOCIALisBETTER, flicker

The show also makes some generic Scottish references when Homer becomes disgruntled at having to walk the seven hills of Edinburgh during the happy couple’s ‘love hike.’ After voicing his disdain for the weekend activities Homer shouts ‘when am I going to get some freeeee-time’ parodying a famous Mel Gibson line from the 1995 film, Braveheart.

According to Screen Rant, the episode portrays a ‘realistic’ account of Edinburgh overall, but adds ‘The Simpsons did get a few major details wrong’ explaining that when Homer and Marge walk from Arthur’s Seat to a golf course in St Andrews, this in reality, would be an ‘18-hour stroll.’

But Screen Rant’s review concluded that the show made a good effort of ‘realising Edinburgh's real-life charms on-screen.’ It said: “The show’s depiction of Edinburgh is a lot closer to the real thing than when The Simpsons went to Ireland. Even if the geography and timing are a little off, The Simpsons didn’t do a bad job of bringing the unique Georgian architecture of Edinburgh’s New Town to the series, while Lisa’s tour through The Royal Mile and her experience at the Fringe festival were both pretty true to life.”