The Call of the Simpsons episode, along with his four other appearances on "The Simpsons", the best guest appearance in the show's history. "The Call of the Simpsons" received mixed reviews from critics. Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, the authors of the book "I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide", both criticized and praised the episode saying: "This episode is a bit less than the sum of its parts. The early stuff at the RV Round-Up is much better than the main camping story, although there's some nice Marge-Lisa bonding, and who could resist Maggie and the bears?" In a
The Simpsons Springfield and meet the Simpsons. "The Simpsons" has also influenced live-action shows like "Malcolm in the Middle", which featured the use of sight gags and did not use a laugh track unlike most sitcoms. "Malcolm in the Middle" debuted January 9, 2000, in the time slot after "The Simpsons". Ricky Gervais called "The Simpsons" an influence on "The Office", and fellow British sitcom "Spaced" was, according to its director Edgar Wright, "an attempt to do a live-action "The Simpsons"." In Georgia, the animated television sitcom "The Samsonadzes", launched in November 2009, has been noted for its very strong resemblance with