The Newest TREEHOUSE OF TERROR

[James Harvey]

So, who watched THE SIMPSONS 12th Halloween episode. Why they air it 6 days AFTER Halloween is beyond me. Probably becuase of sweeps or something. Anyways, any opinion on this rathar mediocre installment? I got a few laughs out of it, but that's it.

Comments? Thoughts? Opinions?

[Captain Caps]

have given up on "The Simpsons" (The new ones, at least). It just isn't swinging with me anymore. Critics and many others say that even when "The Simpsons" are bad, they're still good. I, for one, don't believe it. So, toodle-oo to Homer and crew...I'm not watching the new episodes anymore. The older episodes (early-to-mid-90s) are still okay by me, though.

Sincerely,

John "Captain Caps" Kilduff

Finding himself either on the computer or watching Encore a lot more often...

[Failure]

I think the Simpsons didnt air on Halloween because of the World Series. It was an ok ep, not their greatest not too bad. I liked the Harry Potter skit the best.

[optimal321]

Yeah, it wasn't the greatest, but it wasn't the worst.

[Maxie Zeus]

I'm with Capt. Caps and Brainatra. I've given up on it. I completely forgot that it was on.

[DR. BELCH]

--but my FOX feed was bad. Is it worth waiting a year for?

[James Harvey]

Nope. only caught it becuase I was waiting for 24. I dont think I would've gone out of my way to see it.

[Cyclops]

I got a few laughs out of it. The scene with Millhouse and "the cloak of invisibility" was pretty funny. So was the way the lepricon (is that spelled right?) talked. Otherwise nothing special. I just hope Malcom in the Middle is funny this season, and they don't start to suck the way a few episodes did last season.

[BourgeoisBuffoon]

To me, a forever Simp-fanatic, it was VERY bad with the first skit, but gt a LOT better as the show went on. The credits scene was excellent, as was the House of Horror (my name for it) sketch, and WIZ KIDS was gold. The worst part? The fact it wasn't very scary...

...oh, and it WAS due to World Series coverage. Bad sign on seasons for me is if a ToH eppy starts off the season, worse if it's AFTER Halloween...:o

[The Mad Hatter]

I got a few laughs out of it too. And I hate to say it, but even Simpsons in its fallen state really is miles better than 95% of the other stuff on the networks.

[Lonestarr]

The first segment was stupid. Homer was a complete jerk (not a good omen for the new season) and the family's suffering was a waste. Perhaps if the writers borrowed the plotline of Stephen King's Thinner...

The second segment ("House of Whacks") was the best. An interesting kind of Demon Seed/Electric Dreams-type of vibe going there. The celebrity voicing was good (it's nice to see...hear Matthew Perry doing animation voicework, even if it was just one line...but what a line), but, alas, the gross-out quotient was present.

The third segment ("Wiz Kids") was pretty blah. "Lisa on Ice" crossed with "Harry Potter" for so-so results. Best bit: "Stop zapping yourself!".

Overall, grosser than (but not a patch on) previous installments, but a damn sight better than last year.

[Calhoun07]

I want to enjoy the new episodes of the Simpsons, I really do. And I keep on hoping this new season will redeem the sins of the past season, but I am afraid to say the Halloween episode did little to instill much faith in me. I am with the majority here, it was worth a few chuckles, but I feel the past Halloween episodes were much better.

And please don't defend the show by saying that even at it's worse it's still better than anything else on TV. Honestly, I guess you aren't watching anything else on TV if you really believe that.

I still am holding out hope. I will watch the premier on Sunday. I want this show to be good, I really do! I just don't want to say the show has "jumped the shark." But sometimes I fear it has.

[DerekPowers]

ive pretty much given up on the simpsons as well. there were times i watched it last season and the season before, that i actually felt like i'd been robbed of a half-hour, like they advertised the show as "the simpsons' but it really should be advertised as a big pile of crap. seriously, most of the eps over the last 2-3 seasons are just inexcusable. they were just so bad i dont understand how they could have been written. how does a show that was once, imo, one of the best and funniest shows ever become such trash?

but i did hear that this season they got a new executive producer or something, so anyone been watching this season?? has it gotton any better?

[Calhoun07]

That's why I am giving the new season a chance. I think it was somebody who they took from Futurama. I really hope he can revive this show. As for if it's gotten any better, the new season actually starts Sunday, but the new episode they showed Tuesday didn't instill much hope in me.

[Calhoun07]

Originally posted by DerekPowers
\"the simpsons' really should be advertised as a big pile of crap.

LOL!!!! I just keep on laughing over that statement! I'd love to see the commercials for it! They remname the series "Big Pile of Crap!" LOL. I can just imagine the ad in TV Guide now...

[langden alger]

the simpsons have really run out of gas...i used to be a really big fan. homer was and always will be one of my all time favorite tv characters-truly an ingenious concept. the show as a whole though, has really gone down the toliet. the reason is mainly because they really softened up the humor..i mean the nsync keister kissing ep. was the ultimate slap in the face to all the true fans..celeb guest shots used to be done in a clever, creative manner(the monorail ep,mr.plow ep.) nowadays it's really just a big commercial for these flavor of the weeks..that's why i've really turned my back on the show...after theses past few seasons i've really lost faith. the halloween ep really didn't give me much reason to change my mind..it had some good moments,but the best is pretty much behind them. as much as i hate to say it, i think it's time to finally end the show after this season. the real simpsons series ended long ago anyways.

[Calhoun07]

I think they signed a contract to go to season 15. Does that mean we will have three more years of this?

[Jowy Blight]

Does that mean we will have three more years of this?

Hopefully, the show will improve. I liked the "Wiz Kids" segment the best of this halloween episode. I think I'll stick to Futurama for a while though.

[Trent Lane]

I thought this year's ToH was pretty good. I mean, it had a Katie Couric joke, right?:D I thought the gypsy wedding was pretty funny, Yoda as the minister was really funny. The high point was "Wiz Kidz". Between all the Milhouse stuff and "Slithers" eating Burns whole, it was LOL funny. I'm already working on a custom Slithers as we speak...

[DerekPowers]

WOW, i didnt see the tree house of horrors this year, but if it wasnt even good then the simpsons is truely doomed, despite the new executive producer. imo, in the past few seasons of crappy episodes, the one ep that was always pretty good was the halloween one, i always assumed it was because in the halloween eps, anything goes, so it isnt too hard to come up with funny and new stuff to do. like the dolphins one was great, even though that season sucked. but if they cant even do a halloween ep right, then its all over.

[Calhoun07]

I have to admit I found the segment with the Katie Couric joke rather funny.

And flhero311, you'll have to post up pics of your custom Simpsons figures when you get done with them! A Slithers figure? Sure sounds good to me! (Now there is a toy line idea! The Treehouse of Terror action figures! Toys based on each segment of the past 12 TOT episodes would be quite delightful to see!)

[Jedi Knight]

Wow, I can't believe so many people on this board have just given up on the Simpsons. Most of my friends and I still watch it every Sunday. I mean, we realize it's not as good as it used to be (but what do you expect after 12 seasons?). Besides, I dare any of you to name something better to watch at 8:00pm on a Sunday!

To whoever asked: The Simpsons is contracted through season 15, and I personally think it's still funny.

The Halloween episode was funny! The Harry Potter sketch definitely was the best. "This isn't my wand, it's a Twizzler!"

By the way, does anyone know when Futurama starts up again? I didn't see a listing for it next week when Simpsons/X-Files is back.

[Calhoun07]

Originally posted by Jedi Knight
Wow, I can't believe so many people on this board have just given up on the Simpsons. Most of my friends and I still watch it every Sunday. I mean, we realize it's not as good as it used to be (but what do you expect after 12 seasons?).

I expect a show of quality to bow out with some dignity before it turns into a self parody so painful to watch, I'd rather take an ice pick to my brain to lobotomize myself so I can remove the part of my brain that is still remembering what I just watched.



Besides, I dare any of you to name something better to watch at 8:00pm on a Sunday!
[/B]

Oh, heck, ok, I will take a few wild stabs in the dark here...

Samurai Jack
120 Minutes
Crocodile Hunter
Facts of Life
The True Hollywood Story
The Education of Max Bickford
The Weakest Link
Ripley's Believe it or Not
the $100,000 Pyramid
Doc
Andromeda
Wolf Blitzer Reports
JAG
Nicktoons TV
Dr Quinn Medicine Woman
Cops

shall I continue?

[Failure]

After the show ends, I think they're signed for 3 movie deals as well.

I still like the Simpsons, I still find them funny, what I find lacking in the new eps is the replay value. I mean, in the older seasons I'll watch an episode 10 times and it'll still be as funny as the first time. But the new ones, I can only watch it twice or so before I decide, ok that's enough, I'm not watching that again.

[Calhoun07]

I never tire of watching the older episodes of the Simpsons. I laugh just as hard at each viewing. There is something timeless about the comedy in them. I do watch the new ones from time to time. I watched the episode where Homer lost his thumb recently. I thought maybe all I needed was a break from the Simpsons, maybe I was getting over loaded on them, and was getting sick of them and being unfair on the show. I laughed a few times, but it was mostly so-so funny.

[Trent Lane]

Originally posted by calhoun07
I have to admit I found the segment with the Katie Couric joke rather funny.

And flhero311, you'll have to post up pics of your custom Simpsons figures when you get done with them! A Slithers figure? Sure sounds good to me! (Now there is a toy line idea! The Treehouse of Terror action figures! Toys based on each segment of the past 12 TOT episodes would be quite delightful to see!)

You got it, man! I'm going searching for a Smithers today so I can make a face casting, then on from there...

[DR. BELCH]

calhoun07:
Now there is a toy line idea! The Treehouse of Terror action figures! Toys based on each segment of the past 12 TOT episodes would be quite delightful to see!)
Ooh, yeah. I'd like a Freddy-style Groundkeeper Willie for my desktop, personally....

Re: other things to watch on Sunday--there's Biography on A&E as well. Sometimes they profile an interesting celeb. There was a good one on Ronald Reagan the other night....

[Trent Lane]

Simpsons isn't so bad that I'd torture myself with Dr. Quinn, tho. They'd have to start doing some messed up stuff before I got that desperate.... Magical powers and an alien only Homer can see:D :p

[Calhoun07]

once they chose to do the Simpsons Kids or Simpsons Beyond, I won't even try to give it a fair chance anymore!

[Trent Lane]

Simpsons Beyond, eh? I see so much potential there. And the marketing! Can you imagine?;)

[Captain Caps]

Movies that air on:

Encore
Starz!
Independent Film Channel
Turner Classic Movies
The Movie Channel

If you want your movies edited, you always have:

FX
Comedy Central (Hey, they may always play "Coming To America", but it's always excellent.)

Sincerely,

John "Captain Caps" Kilduff

Note: They had a great "True Hollywood Story" last night on "Dynasty". I want to see reruns of that show so badly!

[Firefly]

I am a pretty big Simpsons fans I loved the 2nd segment "House of Whacks" and Homer's Line

Lisa: Dad Thats the water softener
Homer: well I am missing the back part of my head you could cut me some slack

As for Whiz Kids It was O.K. but it was a lot better than the first segment



The real reason it aired a week late was after the events of Sept 11. Major League Baseball pushed all games back one week and thats why the World Series Went on so long (Until this year a WS game has never been played in the month of November)

[joe h]

Just some info about this season, in case you didn't know.

This years Executive producer is Al Jean. He's been a writer on the Simpsons for quite a while, maybe even since the beginning, I don't really remember. Scully is gone for good.

The first 5 episodes of this season, including this years THOH, are left overs from last year when Scully was the producer.

CABF18 Hunka Hunka Burns in Love
CABF19 Treehouse of Horror XII
CABF20 Homer the Moe
CABF21 The Blunder Years
CABF22 The Parent Rap

And if you want my review, this was by far the worst THOH episode. It's like they use THOH as an excuse to do crap, until 2 seasons ago, they would never be able to get away with during the regular season. Hopefully once we get to Jean's episodes, just before christmas, The Simpsons will show massive improvements. Like most fans, I will never be able to take another season like last year.

[DerekPowers]

i honestly dont think anyone else could either. but the sad thing is, i think the last few seasons were crap AND i have NO HOPE for this season to be any better. i mean when a show like the simpsons reaches the lows it reached last year, its reached the point of no return, regardless of the executive producer. it was just such garbage, a complete embrassement, you start to wonder who the hell is making these and if they really gave a crap about what they were doing they'd put the show out of its missery. the only watchable ep, imo, was the thoh and the maude theme park one, all the rest were terrible. and they werent anything nearly as good as classic simpsons eps. um, hehe, got alittle caried away. but, i still highly doubt it will get any better, though i hope im wrong. peace.

[Trent Lane]

I've got that slightest bit of hope that things are going to turn for the better. Of course, some of you could be right. These guys are getting paid big bucks, so who cares about the quality? Certainly not them, as long as that paycheck keeps coming... Hmmm, reminds me of my job...:p

[Calhoun07]

I will give the new season a chance since they are getting in some seasoned talent who cares for the show. But if I don't see an improvement, I am writing Fox back and beg them to just cancel the show. (I actually did that last year!) It's past the point of giving it a respectable death, but perhaps we could still save some face. If the show continues to suck bad, I forsee pretty poor sales on the DVD season sets after season ten or so.

[BourgeoisBuffoon]

Al Jean's here and Scully's gone...? Excuse me.

(B.B. runs into another room. Various shouts of joy are heard, and he then comes back out calmly)

I still love the Simpsons enough for me to have faith in them getting better again. And the fact that all the old talent is being hired back is BOUND to get things better. After all, Jean's been with the Simpsons since the early days, so he should know something on thier character... :)