Tonight's Simpsons Episode (SPOILERS)

[Pietro]

Hey Everyone!

The new Simpsons episode airing tonight sounds great!

The plot sounds very similiar to Kenneth White's Simpsons Fanfic, It's a Plunderful Life (http://animatedtv.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.sit.ac.nz%2Folsen%2Fkenny%2F1KW03.html)

-Pietro:D

[Chris Sanders MSX]

Heh it was funny.. Frank Grimes Jr.

"He happened to like Hookers!"

(This'll be in the animation forum shortly)

[JTurner954]

This episode was much better than the last two with Sideshow Bob. As soon as I saw Junior, I knew right away it was him (he looked exactly like Frank Grimes). Even though it was predictable, I really liked it (the best stuff began with the George Foreman mail sorter and Dr. Masseuse).

Finally some redemption with Junior getting some (I hated that episode where Frank Grimes died) and Bart and the family on Sideshow Bob with the buzzer.

[Proteus3]

As soon as I saw the mechanic, I knew it would be him and it would have to do something with Frank Grimes. The show had a couple of laughs, but the ending with Bob singing wasn't very funny and dragged out for too long. The buzzer joke got old very quickly also. Overral, it was an average new episode.

[Craig Marinaro]

That was actually the most I've laughed at a Simpsons episode in awhile. Bob himself wasn't all that funny, unfortunately, although it's always nice to hear Kelsey sing (yes, I'm sure everyone else hated it - I'm just a sucker for musicals). The zapper joke got old *very* fast. But stuff like Moe's tragic loss, That '30s Show, and "If I kill him, everyone will think I'm the real Homer!" really rubbed me the right way. It's silly stuff, but it's giddy-silly (like another Bob episode, "Cape Feare"), instead of the typical cool-silly the last few episodes (and seasons) have been dishing out.

Maybe nobody else noticed. I dunno. But I needed a good laugh tonight, and this episode came through.

Wonder if Brainatra (who always hated "Homer's Enemy") would be pleased or not with this episode, were he still watching the show. Junior does get to wreak some hell on Homer for his father's death, even if he does get arrested at the end.

This was also the first digitally-colored episode. I noticed a subtle difference in the first scene because I was looking for it (seemed a bit brighter than usual), and the clouds looked kind of digitized / overly pointy in the skydiving scene. Otherwise, it wasn't a big deal, thankfully.

Also lost audio in one portion near the beginning of the show. This is the second time this has happened recently (it also cut out near the end of "Large Marge" a few weeks back). From what I read on the newsgroups, the "Large Marge" one was nationwide. Not sure if this one was just the NY area or what, but it's starting to get on my nerves. Is Fox experimenting with a new broadcasting system or something?

-C
Turn down that original cast recording and go to sleep!

[AJW73]

Pretty decent episode.

But the only part I didn't like was where Lisa said "It beats going to Disney's California Adventure"

Do the Simpsons' creators have something against Disney?

[JTurner954]

This felt like I was watching a classic Simpsons episode. Seemed very memorable and not irrevelent (some people might use the word "filler"). These are the kinds of episodes I like: Spoofs will always win me over.

[Pietro]

It was a great episode. I really liked the running gag of Bob getting shocked. And it was interesting to see Frank Grimes Jr. too. I actually kinda liked the episode with Frank Grimes, "Homer's Enemy" 4F19. And the story of Frank Grimes Jr. being born was hilarious. "He happened to like hookers okay?" I also liked Homer's line during Bob's song, "Bart! Turn down that original cast recording!"

It was a zillion better than the last SideShow Bob episode.

I really liked the reference to the past episodes. There was a reference to 7G12 "Krusty Gets Busted," when Apu says that Bob was a much better robber than the current ones. When Bob gets shocked and his hair turns into an afro it's actually a reference to 7G07 "The Tell-Tale Head," when the animators of Gabor Csupo's studio in Korea animated Bob with hair like that. And there was footage resued from 4F19 "Homer's Enemy."

This was truly by far the best episode this season!

-Pietro:D

[catwoman]

JTurner954 said:
This felt like I was watching a classic Simpsons episode. Seemed very memorable and not irrevelent (some people might use the word "filler"). These are the kinds of episodes I like: Spoofs will always win me over.

I agree! This episode seemed really focused. It didn't feel like it was a sketch comedy.
King of the Hill was still better. :p

[Mynd Hed]

I have edited this thread's title to reflect the fact that it contains spoilers.

People, PLEASE remember that unless a thread's title specifically states that there will be spoilers, you MUST put all spoilers in spoiler tags.

Of course, in a talkback thread like this it's almost impossible to have any kind of meaningful discussion without spoilers, which is why it makes things a lot easier on everyone if the person who starts the thread puts a spoiler warning in the thread title in the first place.

[The Guard]

The George Forman Mail Sorter was priceless.

"Don't try taking it off because it's taped to your leg hair."

"I...thought I could get it while it was in the recharger."

"Good things do happen to bad people!"

The Museum of Swordfish was great. I wish I lived in Springfield.

Frank Grimes Jr. Classic.

"Attention drunken idiots! This is your king! Sacrifice yourself to slow me down!"

"If I can tranq out just one freak on stilts, I know I've done my job."

The spoof of "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face" was great.

[Andy Mancini]

That was pretty good. Not as good as the classic "Brother From Another Series", but enjoyable nonetheless. Here are my comments:

- I was really expecting them to make fun of "Hannibal". I'm glad they didn't.

- Yes, this episode did seem a little more focused than usual.

- "I should do what my friend Lenny told me to do". I'm surprised that they haven't started printing "What Would Lenny Do?" T-shirts yet.

[cross blues]

it was good but more serious than funny. spoofs are entertaining, not laugh out loud funny most of the time. I was hoping it would be funnier. maybe watching andy richter is making everything else less funny cause it's so damn hilarious

[Terminatah]

Originally posted by JTurner954
This episode was much better than the last two with Sideshow Bob. As soon as I saw Junior, I knew right away it was him (he looked exactly like Frank Grimes). Even though it was predictable, I really liked it (the best stuff began with the George Foreman mail sorter and Dr. Masseuse).This episode was an abomination. There are no words in the English language to describe how galactically moronic and substandard this episode was, but I will try anyway.

In my opinion, the last decent Sideshow Bob episode was "Brother from Another Series" (the one with Sideshow Cecil). The ones after it were insults. Which is what this entire series has become.


Originally posted by JTurner954
Finally some redemption with Junior getting some (I hated that episode where Frank Grimes died) and Bart and the family on Sideshow Bob with the buzzer. That Grimes episode was pretty good. What I don't think is funny is the countless stupid references to Grimes' death, like it was such a big deal. Grimes dying shouldn't be some major event. The fact that it was a short gag at the end of that episode (which ended with a laugh as Grimes was lowered to his grave) was what made it work. But the thing is, we're supposed to forget about Grimes now (plus, not every reference to a previous episode is automatically funny).


Originally posted by Craig Marinaro
That was actually the most I've laughed at a Simpsons episode in awhile. Bob himself wasn't all that funny, unfortunately, although it's always nice to hear Kelsey sing (yes, I'm sure everyone else hated it - I'm just a sucker for musicals). The zapper joke got old *very* fast. But stuff like Moe's tragic loss, That '30s Show, and "If I kill him, everyone will think I'm the real Homer!" really rubbed me the right way. It's silly stuff, but it's giddy-silly (like another Bob episode, "Cape Feare"), instead of the typical cool-silly the last few episodes (and seasons) have been dishing out.

Maybe nobody else noticed. I dunno. But I needed a good laugh tonight, and this episode came through.I don't think I could ever mention the masterful "Cape Feare" and tonight's "episode" in the same sentence (except for this sentence right here).


Originally posted by Nintendo Fan
Pretty decent episode.

But the only part I didn't like was where Lisa said "It beats going to Disney's California Adventure"

Do the Simpsons' creators have something against Disney? I think it was just a half-assed attempt at a clever pop culture reference by whatever two-bit hacks pounded this gem out.


Originally posted by JTurner954
This felt like I was watching a classic Simpsons episode. Seemed very memorable and not irrevelent (some people might use the word "filler"). These are the kinds of episodes I like: Spoofs will always win me over. If there is an exact opposite of a classic Simpsons episode, this was it. This was irrelevance embodied. And exactly how was it in any way a spoof?


Originally posted by Pietro
It was a great episode. I really liked the running gag of Bob getting shocked.I think the executive producers must have been at a garage sale and gotten a sweet deal on a cardboard box full of unfunny cliches, which they now store in whatever room they keep the 100 monkeys chained to typewriters.


Originally posted by The Guard
"Don't try taking it off because it's taped to your leg hair."

"If I can tranq out just one freak on stilts, I know I've done my job."It's lines like these that reek of desperation. The writers used to be able to differentiate between "clever jokes" and "words floating through my head that sound like they should be clever."


Originally posted by The Guard
The spoof of "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face" was great. I thought the spoof lyrics were badly written (namely, dull and awkward). Not to mention the fact that the entire scene was ridiculously out of character for Bob. Although, to be fair, there isn't one character on this show that hasn't deteriorated into a blithering imitation of his former self.

Speaking of imitations, I almost shot myself in the face when all the clues leading to Grimes Jr. started flashing through Bob's head like they did to Bart in the original (and SERIOUSLY classic) Sideshow Bob episode where he framed Krusty for armed robbery. Do the high school dropouts who composed this symphony of drivel dare to presume that they can write something remotely comparable to "Krusty Gets Busted"?


Originally posted by prozzak
it was good but more serious than funny. spoofs are entertaining, not laugh out loud funny most of the time. I was hoping it would be funnier. maybe watching andy richter is making everything else less funny cause it's so damn hilarious That's another thing that's substandard.

-Terminatah

[JTurner954]

I find absolutely nothing funny about a guy who tries and tries and fails and fails and ends up killing himself because someone who doesn't try hard gets everything he (Frank Grimes) strived for. There was no redemption in that episode and that is why I hated it.

This episode on the other hand had redemption so I therefore liked it. (the buzzer to me never got old because it wasn't constant like the Marvin Monroe episode).

How could you miss the spoofs? Besides the mail sorter, Dr. Masseuse, and "That 30's Show", there were references to past episodes that made the episode even more entertaining.

When will people learn that this show is fantasy ( I laugh at people who complain about lack of logic in fantasy shows)?

[Exatron]

Originally posted by JTurner954
I find absolutely nothing funny about a guy who tries and tries and fails and fails and ends up killing himself because someone who doesn't try hard gets everything he (Frank Grimes) strived for. There was no redemption in that episode and that is why I hated it.

That's the most idiotic thing I've heard in a while. An episode doesn't need "redemption" to be funny. "Homer's Enemy" was hillarious because it demonstrated that a person from our world couldn't survive in their universe. Frank Grimes brought it upon himself. Homer kept trying to be nice, but Grimey could only see how much better Homer's life was.


This episode on the other hand had redemption so I therefore liked it. (the buzzer to me never got old because it wasn't constant like the Marvin Monroe episode).

The buzzer bit wasn't constant in "There's No Disgrace Like Home." It was only in one scene in the shortest episode of the series. The buzzer in "The Great Louse Detective" worked because they usually had a reason to shock Sideshow Bob.


How could you miss the spoofs? Besides the mail sorter, Dr. Masseuse, and "That 30's Show", there were references to past episodes that made the episode even more entertaining.

When will people learn that this show is fantasy ( I laugh at people who complain about lack of logic in fantasy shows)?

The Simsons isn't a fantasy. It's a comedy. There is no excuse for random idiocy, even in a fantasy show.

[JTurner954]

Originally posted by Exatron
An episode doesn't need "redemption" to be funny.

I never said that. I said I didn't like the episode overall. I just didn't find that aspect of the episode funny. In order for me to like a show, there has to be redemption in some shape or form (even if a villain gets it).

[JTurner954]

[QUOTE] The buzzer bit wasn't constant in "There's No Disgrace Like Home." It was only in one scene in the shortest episode of the series. [QUOTE]

And that is why it was constant. It kept going in the one scene whereas this episode had it spread out through the episode.


[QUOTE] The buzzer in "The Great Louse Detective" worked because they usually had a reason to shock Sideshow Bob. [QUOTE]

And there is the redemption I was talking about. All those times Sideshow Bob attacked the family and now they can get some revenge (to me, revenge and redemption are similar).

[J.C.]

There sure were a lot of references to older episodes in this one, which I always like to see in The Simpsons. Pretty good episode yesterday, for the most part. Homer was less of a jackass then he's been in episodes focused around him in recent years, and I also liked seeing Junior get a little revenge for what happened to his dad, even if I still believe Grimes was as responsible for his own fate as Homer. And the Museum of Swordfish bit had me cracking up.

[Terminatah]

Originally posted by JTurner954
I find absolutely nothing funny about a guy who tries and tries and fails and fails and ends up killing himself because someone who doesn't try hard gets everything he (Frank Grimes) strived for. There was no redemption in that episode and that is why I hated it. Well, it's too bad the episode didn't work for you, but (and I mean this rhetorically) who cares about redemption?


Originally posted by JTurner954
This episode on the other hand had redemption so I therefore liked it. (the buzzer to me never got old because it wasn't constant like the Marvin Monroe episode).Constant? The shocking scene in the Marvin Monroe episode had a little something called comedic timing. Plus, it aired over 10 years ago, when electrical shocks were slightly less played and the show was far more grounded in reality. And that's what made it funny -- seeing a normal family shock the hell out of each other like a bunch of crazed animals. "The Great Louse Detective" showed us the opposite of that. A stupid fantasy world where you expect crazy things to happen to characters you can't identify with in a half-hour parade of badly-conceived gags and tired cliches.


Originally posted by JTurner954
How could you miss the spoofs? Besides the mail sorter, Dr. Masseuse, and "That 30's Show", there were references to past episodes that made the episode even more entertaining.Well, duh. I thought you meant the episode itself was a spoof of something.

And by the way, could they hit us over the head any harder with all these gags? I remember when the parodies on this show were a little more subtle.


Originally posted by JTurner954
When will people learn that this show is fantasy ( I laugh at people who complain about lack of logic in fantasy shows)? Like I was saying, all this crazy nonsense the writers have thrown in is exactly what made the show less funny. A shocking gag works when you ground a situation in reality. Not when you're watching a third-rate cavalcade of outlandish circumstances where the characters constantly break the fourth wall in a constant state of unrealism. Wit is supposed to catch you off guard, but that's impossible when every episode is like a Halloween episode.

-Terminatah

[The Landstander]

didn't like it. but then again i haven't seen a simpsons episode i've liked in about 2 years.

[JTurner954]

Every episode is like a Halloween episode?? You've got to be kidding. Someone else can explain the obvious reasons why the first sentence is untrue.

As far as the buzzer thing goes, that was funny too (I never said it wasn't funny).

People are overcritical of the show because they are use to the humor and it bores them now (explaining why shows like Futurama, King of the Hill, and The Oblongs [on Adult Swim anyway] are popular). It's that simple.

Oh, and what you call crazy is considered humor by others;it's fantasy (and comedy of course). It's not suppose to be taken seriously all of the time. If you're the type who wants logic all the time, stop watching TV, listening to the radio, and never read anything printed on paper.

[Lonestarr]

Despite the ending of the last Sideshow Bob episode (where's the continuity?!), this was a pretty good one.

The buzzer gag was surprisingly not ran into the ground.

I absolutely despised the episode "Homer's Enemy", so it was pretty nice to see a sort of closure to that (though it seemed pretty contrived how Frank Grimes, Jr. came along, I guess it fits in Grimes, Sr.'s hard times).

Also, I'm surprised that no one mentioned these two funny moments:

"The American...taxpayer." (Hi-yo!)

"I wore nuh-zing!"

The references to past episodes were also good.

[Exatron]

Originally posted by Lonestarr
Despite the ending of the last Sideshow Bob episode (where's the continuity?!), this was a pretty good one.

The buzzer gag was surprisingly not ran into the ground.

I absolutely despised the episode "Homer's Enemy", so it was pretty nice to see a sort of closure to that (though it seemed pretty contrived how Frank Grimes, Jr. came along, I guess it fits in Grimes, Sr.'s hard times).


What's supposed to be so bad about "Homer's Enemy?" It's the story of a man from our world who only becomes more furious as Homer attempts to be friends. In many ways Frank Grimes brought his untimely death upon himself.

And, Terminatah, you wouldn't know a good episode of The Simpsons if it bit you on the ass. "The Great Louse Detective" was generally devoid of the problems that plague the most recent seasons of the series, the story was coherent, had few "one step away from the obvious" jokes, and contained thoughtful references to previous episodes.

[Terminatah]

Originally posted by JTurner954
Every episode is like a Halloween episode?? You've got to be kidding. Someone else can explain the obvious reasons why the first sentence is untrue.What a lovely way to pretend to invalidate my statement. The fact is, there is no longer any differentiating between the regular episodes and the Halloween episodes. The regular episodes used to be grounded in reality. Sure, the Simpsons would encounter satirical characters or situations that probably wouldn't exist in real life, but the show was generally plausible in its plotlines and jokes. It was like watching an animated portrait of real life. Then you had the "Treehouse of Horror" episodes, which showed us stories where crazy things were allowed to happen. Characters died, major changes occurred, and, most importantly, the supernatural thrived. These days, nothing on the show is realistic. The Simpsons have ridiculous adventures where nothing makes sense, and the gags are arbitrary and unimaginative. In short, there's not much of a point to having a Halloween episode if one week the Simpsons are living in a leper colony and the next they're having a Behind the Music special.


Originally posted by JTurner954
People are overcritical of the show because they are use to the humor and it bores them now (explaining why shows like Futurama, King of the Hill, and The Oblongs [on Adult Swim anyway] are popular). It's that simple.Yeah, except nope. Because I still like the countless good episodes of "The Simpsons" from when it was still good. The problem is not that I'm bored of their humor. It's that these newer episodes are incapable of reproducing it -- It's not bad because it's boring. It's boring because it's bad.


Originally posted by JTurner954
Oh, and what you call crazy is considered humor by others; it's fantasy (and comedy of course). It's not suppose to be taken seriously all of the time.It's not supposed to be a "fantasy."


Originally posted by JTurner954
If you're the type who wants logic all the time, stop watching TV, listening to the radio, and never read anything printed on paper. Well, that makes perfect sense.


Originally posted by Exatron
And, Terminatah, you wouldn't know a good episode of The Simpsons if it bit you on the ass.Excellent point. Stephen Douglass opened against Lincoln with that, didn't he?


Originally posted by Exatron
"The Great Louse Detective" was generally devoid of the problems that plague the most recent seasons of the series, the story was coherent, had few "one step away from the obvious" jokes, and contained thoughtful references to previous episodes. Not only was it badly written (by a pair of writers who have never penned a decent episode), I think it was probably the worst episode of the season.

-Terminatah

[JTurner954]

:after reading Terminator's wild explanation: Wow. Just wow.

:goes back to sensible mode: I'm glad that more than one person knows what I am saying and took enough guts to stand up and post it (though saying a profane word doesn't help).

Hey Terminatah, besides the episode with the Friar's Club-like roast of Homer Simpson and the X-Files spoof episode, name an episode (or two) where aliens or super natural characters appeared in episodes that involved them in the main story.

[TimTwoFace]

I have to admit, I was a little disappointed. The last two Sideshow Bob outings weren't that funny - or evil. Bob's played more for laughs than as a serious threat now; I mean, honestly, that shocking gag got old after the first time. It was about as lame as the therapuetic shock-fest at Marvin Monroe's in the first season.

The fatal flaw was trying to do too much in this episode. It was two episodes crammed into one. Frank Grimes was a great character in his one appearance, and having his son seek revenge on Homer would have been great. Bob had absolutely no reason to be broken out to catch him - it was as if the writers were jamming him into this storyline. In previous seasons I know the writers wouldn't write a Bob episode unless they had a great idea; based on the last two outings, I think that cardinal rule has been thrown out the window. I mean, I was really hoping Cecil would come back - at least, that way, it would make sense for Bob to lend a hand, as Cecil is the more evil of the two.

I'll take this opportunity to rate all the previous Sideshow Bob outings in order of appearance:

1) KRUSTY GETS BUSTED - An instant classic. It featured a great little mystery, good detective work by Bart and Lisa, and set up a great villainous character - even if he isn't a very successful one. The animation was crude, yes, but the story was top notch. And the chemistry between Krusty and Bob was great.

2) THE ONE WHERE HE MARRIES SELMA - A great sequel. We knew Bob was up to something, but the fun was seeing how Bart and Lisa would be able to figure it out. These are among the most intricately well-written stories in the Simpsons, period. Both witty and smart.

3) THE ONE WITH THE HOUSE BOAT - Another great episode. Bob seemed to appear every season or two back in the early years but they were always great episodes. This was when he was a fresh character - and Kelsey Grammer was a great casting choice. And the rake gag...gotta love the rake gag(s).

4) THE ONE WHEN HE RUNS FOR MAYOR - I wasn't a huge fan of this one, but the one thing I like about it is that there was still a mystery element involved.

5) THE ONE AT THE AIRSHOW - See above. Not as witty or funny as the first three, but still a great one. This is what you need in a good episode - Sideshow Bob was a mission, sheer determination, and the plucky Simpson children standing as the only people in the way of his goal - sometimes lofty, sometimes personal.

6) BROTHER FROM ANOTHER SERIES - This is the last great Bob episode I can recall. I loved it - the inclusion of Cecil was great, and the interaction between the two was just as entertaining - and snooty - as their characters on FRASIER. And at last, a good "city in peril" type story. Bob shows his softer side, and in this one particular storyline, I believe it.

7) DAY OF THE JACKENAPES - Ehhhh - the basic idea of being upset about Krusty getting rid of Bob's episodes was a good one, but as all the writing was back then, it was pulled off very ineffectively. Bob came off more as a simpering idiot all the time (instead of just sometimes, which is fine), and I never really felt threatened. And by the end, he'd gone really soft.

8) THE GREAT LOUSE DETECTIVE - Better than the last, but it's still missing the Bob/Bart angle. That musical number at the end was cute, but it didn't make up for all the buffoonery of Homer for the majority of the episode. And why did they need Bob for that episode? I would have prefered an original character playing the detective, and save Bob for a later story that suited him better.

[Terminatah]

Originally posted by JTurner954
:after reading Terminator's wild explanation: Wow. Just wow. That certainly put me in my place.


Originally posted by JTurner954
:goes back to sensible mode: I'm glad that more than one person knows what I am saying and took enough guts to stand up and post it (though saying a profane word doesn't help). Look at all my arguments just crumbling in your hands. I don't know what I was thinking.


Originally posted by JTurner954
Hey Terminatah, besides the episode with the Friar's Club-like roast of Homer Simpson and the X-Files spoof episode, name an episode (or two) where aliens or super natural characters appeared in episodes that involved them in the main story. Go back and read my last post until you notice I never said that. I would explain what I said once again, but I'm getting a little tired of repeating myself, and it's becoming more and more evident from your posts that you're not interested in listening. Just talking.

-Terminatah

[Sketcher]

Holy macs! Talk about detailed! :) All over a buzzer gag and the Hallowe'en episodes.

Just say "Worst episode ever" ;)

I love satires & that's why the Simpsons appeals to me so much. But the bizzer did get old for me after a while. But the joke at the end with the birds was funny.

But didn't Bart and Sideshow Bob make peace?

[JTurner954]

Originally posted by Terminatah
The fact is, there is no longer any differentiating between the regular episodes and the Halloween episodes... Sure, the Simpsons would encounter satirical characters or situations that probably wouldn't exist in real life, but the show was generally plausible in its plotlines and jokes ... Then you had the "Treehouse of Horror" episodes, which showed us stories where crazy things were allowed to happen. Characters died, major changes occurred, and, most importantly, the supernatural thrived... These days, nothing on the show is realistic. The Simpsons have ridiculous adventures where nothing makes sense, and the gags are arbitrary and unimaginative. In short, there's not much of a point to having a Halloween episode if one week the Simpsons are living in a leper colony and the next they're having a Behind the Music special.

It's not supposed to be a "fantasy."

Not only was it badly written (by a pair of writers who have never penned a decent episode) ...
-Terminatah

You expect me to read that and not react with "Wow"? Your comments above (especially the last sentence in the first paragraph) proved my point (many times throughout your post I said "That's the point"). This isn't a show that is suppose to be taken seriously (if it was, it wouldn't be labeled comedy) and they have proven this time and time again. The last sentence above proves my point;you are taking it too seriously. My request for you to name those episodes in my previous post was going to prove my points even further.

[Terminatah]

Originally posted by JTurner954
You expect me to read that and not react with "Wow"? Your comments above (especially the last sentence in the first paragraph) proved my point (many times throughout your post I said "That's the point"). This isn't a show that is suppose to be taken seriously (if it was, it wouldn't be labeled comedy) and they have proven this time and time again. The last sentence above proves my point;you are taking it too seriously. My request for you to name those episodes in my previous post was going to prove my points even further. No friend, I don't think you're proving anything. I never said the regular episodes use supernatural situations (although I could name some). Your request for me to name those episodes is immaterial -- unrelated to the issue I'm trying to talk about. My only charge is that this show used to be well-written, and now, in an effort to imitate its own intelligent bizarreness, it has become unfunny. And there is no one to blame for this downturn except the writers.

Take a look at the first half of this series run and tell me if it's supposed to be a fantasy. You say this show isn't supposed to be "taken seriously," and "if it was, it wouldn't be labeled comedy." What does that mean? I'm not allowed to analyze why it's no longer funny? It's blatantly clear that the less realistic this show got, the less funny it got. Not a lot of people have said that in this thread, but this thread is hardly an accurate representation of all the people who watch "The Simpsons."

Back when it was funny, the writers could take the occasional trip into fantasyland, like when the fortune teller foresaw Lisa's future. That episode was very well-written, because (even though it was set in the future) it was grounded in reality. You didn't have inplausible plot twists or ridiculous out-of-character remarks. The whole thing functioned within the rules of the show, and it was one of the best episodes. Later, after the series got bad, we saw a similar episode, where future Lisa becomes President. This episode managed to throw out all continuity and give us an unrealistic story that was based on a stupid premise and pumped full of mind-numbingly bad dialogue ("I can't believe 'smell ya later' replaced goodbye"). Plus, the animation was worse (which didn't help) and you had careless mistakes like adult Ralph speaking in a child voice. What a tragedy that episode was. And it's not like I'm looking for things to find wrong with this show. It's all right there on the screen.

The writers should know that throwing the audience an occasional bone of realism (a little jargon here, a little attention to continuity there; anything) will fuel our suspension of disbelief and provide a perfect canvas to contrast with whatever satire they come up with, thus making it funnier. You can't just slap together a whole episode of mildly amusing gags glued together by a ridiculous plot. I know that Bart once said cartoons are "just a bunch of hilarious stuff you know, like people getting hurt and stuff, stuff like that," right before getting slammed behind a door in a delicious turn of irony, but "The Simpsons" shouldn't be just another dumb cartoon.

I am reminded of a short clip they showed back in 1992:

Homer: "Little Theo. You grew up before our eyes."
Bart: "Hey, Dad. How come they're taking The Cosby Show off the air?"
Homer: "Because Mr. Cosby wanted to stop before the quality suffered."
Bart: "Quality, schmality! If I had a TV show, I'd run that sucker into the ground!"
Homer: "Amen, boy. Amen."

-Terminatah

[Cinos]

2) THE ONE WHERE HE MARRIES SELMA - Black Widower

3) THE ONE WITH THE HOUSE BOAT - Cape Feare

4) THE ONE WHEN HE RUNS FOR MAYOR - Sideshow Bob Roberts

5) THE ONE AT THE AIRSHOW - Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming

I Hate when People don't know the titles :p

[JTurner954]

Terminatah, you'd be surprised at the large fanbase that liked every episode you described as bad. And many people do not focus on continuity (there was even an episode making fun of it with the 2nd time The Simpsons had a horse);the people who do therefore enjoy the show less because of it (people who want logic in a fictional town where fictional things happen in "fantasy" ways. Funny.)

That last example in your post shows exactly what they were doing: An in-joke. They get the joke and are going with it giving the occasional wink to the audience. There was even proof of this in the episode with the Homer Simpson roast.

BTW, I do not like every episode. In general, I like how they start until they go into the plot (Futurama did this more often so I stopped watching them). Most of the plots are good;the others are not. Your opinion seems to be the exact opposite of mine.

[Batman's Biggest Fan]

I for one looooooovvvvveeeeeee Sideshow Bob episodes and it was great to have him back I was afraid he died in the last episode he was in. My favorite Bob episode however remains "Cape Feare"

[Scythemantis]

Originally posted by JTurner954
I never said that. I said I didn't like the episode overall. I just didn't find that aspect of the episode funny. In order for me to like a show, there has to be redemption in some shape or form (even if a villain gets it).

I've always thought that if I had the oppurtunity to write/direct a show, movie or even a comic, the villains would win hands-down, just to be different.

Anyway, I love the classic simpsons episodes, but I like the new ones too. I know full well the jokes have become stupid, but in my opinion, it's deliberate. Don't try to argue this and say they're just plain bad at writing...the dialogue is even spoken in an obviously intentional over-the-top manner. I believe the show's drop in quality is all part of an in-joke on just how stupid televiision in general can be, and it also seems to be a smug way of saying they can do whatever they like and people will keep watching, and fox will keep giving them money. It's not a crazy theory or something...the writers of many old shows admit to these kinds of things all the time. Jumping the shark is more often than not done on purpose.

[Exatron]

Originally posted by Terminatah
What a lovely way to pretend to invalidate my statement. The fact is, there is no longer any differentiating between the regular episodes and the Halloween episodes. The regular episodes used to be grounded in reality. Sure, the Simpsons would encounter satirical characters or situations that probably wouldn't exist in real life, but the show was generally plausible in its plotlines and jokes. It was like watching an animated portrait of real life. Then you had the "Treehouse of Horror" episodes, which showed us stories where crazy things were allowed to happen. Characters died, major changes occurred, and, most importantly, the supernatural thrived. These days, nothing on the show is realistic. The Simpsons have ridiculous adventures where nothing makes sense, and the gags are arbitrary and unimaginative. In short, there's not much of a point to having a Halloween episode if one week the Simpsons are living in a leper colony and the next they're having a Behind the Music special.

While you are correct that the most recent seasons have seemed like a Halloween episode every week, the same can't be said of "The Great Louse Detective." It had little gore, few wacky jokes, no animal attacks, and told a coherent story. One of the jokes was even designed to play on people's expectations for zany events.


Not only was it badly written (by a pair of writers who have never penned a decent episode), I think it was probably the worst episode of the season.


"The Great Louse Detective" was far from badly written. It kept the random idiocy to a minimum, gave us interesting character interaction, and took advantage of continuity in a sensible way. This episode is equal in quality to the average episodes of the show's first nine seasons.

I suggest you stop being critical for the sake of being critical.

[Terminatah]

Originally posted by JTurner954
Terminatah, you'd be surprised at the large fanbase that liked every episode you described as bad. And many people do not focus on continuity (there was even an episode making fun of it with the 2nd time The Simpsons had a horse);the people who do therefore enjoy the show less because of it (people who want logic in a fictional town where fictional things happen in "fantasy" ways. Funny.) Well, the major fanbase of diehard Simpsons fans is notorious for not liking these new episodes, and it's not because they're nerds (well, some are -- not me). I'm sure there will always be some group of people that will always say they like a show, but it's firmly established by now that the show is long past its prime. Hell, it was past its prime even when it was still pretty good. I enjoy the occasional episode now and then, but I don't kid myself into thinking it's anywhere near as good as it was about 5, 10 seasons ago. It's just a lower quality show now. I can see that the writers care less about continuity and realism, but what I'm saying is that maintaining these concepts is not a difficult thing. I attribute the problem to The Simpsons' writers room having gone from literally all Harvard guys to their current group of lesser talent. You think it's funny that I don't like the "fantasy" in a show that started out as a clever charicature of modern American life? That's cool with me. Whatever works for you.


Originally posted by JTurner954
That last example in your post shows exactly what they were doing: An in-joke. They get the joke and are going with it giving the occasional wink to the audience. There was even proof of this in the episode with the Homer Simpson roast.The last example in my post is from 1992, when the show was excellent going on genius. That's what makes the sweet irony so bitter to the taste.


Originally posted by JTurner954
BTW, I do not like every episode. In general, I like how they start until they go into the plot (Futurama did this more often so I stopped watching them). Most of the plots are good;the others are not. Your opinion seems to be the exact opposite of mine. You must be Bizarro me. I'm sure one day we will battle to the death or something. ;)

Incidentally, I do love "Futurama." The writers are very intelligent, and it shows.


Originally posted by Sting chameleon
I've always thought that if I had the oppurtunity to write/direct a show, movie or even a comic, the villains would win hands-down, just to be different.

Anyway, I love the classic simpsons episodes, but I like the new ones too. I know full well the jokes have become stupid, but in my opinion, it's deliberate. Don't try to argue this and say they're just plain bad at writing...the dialogue is even spoken in an obviously intentional over-the-top manner. I believe the show's drop in quality is all part of an in-joke on just how stupid televiision in general can be, and it also seems to be a smug way of saying they can do whatever they like and people will keep watching, and fox will keep giving them money. It's not a crazy theory or something...the writers of many old shows admit to these kinds of things all the time. Jumping the shark is more often than not done on purpose. The writing is not an in-joke. It's plain rotten. Just because they make constant self-depreciating jokes doesn't mean the show's decline was an intentional social commentary. No offense, but that's crazy talk.


Originally posted by Exatron
While you are correct that the most recent seasons have seemed like a Halloween episode every week, the same can't be said of "The Great Louse Detective." It had little gore, few wacky jokes, no animal attacks, and told a coherent story. One of the jokes was even designed to play on people's expectations for zany events. I'm thankful whenever that happens.


Originally posted by Exatron
"The Great Louse Detective" was far from badly written. It kept the random idiocy to a minimum, gave us interesting character interaction, and took advantage of continuity in a sensible way. This episode is equal in quality to the average episodes of the show's first nine seasons. I'm sure it would be if it had come out sometime between 89 and 98.


Originally posted by Exatron
I suggest you stop being critical for the sake of being critical. I would if I was, pal.

-Terminatah