The Old Man and the Simpsons Thread

[Reply #360 on:]

  I don't know, I thought THOH was very uneventful and just wasn't interesting.

I've been pretty undecided with the rest of the season, quite poor if i may say so myself.

[Reply #361 on:]

my local Fox station was crewing up tonight, so I didn't catch it, hopefully it'll be on hulu tomorrow

It's up now, I just watched it. It's the first episode I've seen this season, and it seems like it's better than last season's episodes. I read that it was the least watched THOH in Simpsons history, yet was still the most watched program on Fox that night. Doesn't spell well for the quality of animation Fox is dishing out.

[Reply #362 on:]

It blows

[Reply #363 on:]

For some reason, it seems like the Simpsons writers have upped their game this season

Agreed. This season's definitely kicking some ass, by most standards. I mean, it's not on-par with anything from seasons 1-9, but I've enjoyed every episode thus far (and thought the two most recent episodes were particularly excellent). So, yeah--I'm a happy dork right now.

[Reply #364 on:]

Yeah I've actually been rather impressed with the last few episodes.

[Reply #365 on:]

My perspective on this is colored by the fact that Fox has been showing classic Simpsons episodes from seasons 1-8. 

[Reply #366 on:]

What does everyone think of Season 20 getting released on DVD/Blu-Ray before Seasons 13 through to 19?...


I've only seen 5 or 6 eps from it, but I'll get it anyway. I can see why they're doing it, what with the Blu-Ray and the HD animation, and the 20th anniversary. Still, I hope the missed out seasons come out too, not that they're much good but you know...

[Reply #367 on:]

I think it's a smart move, in a money-making sense: most shows that are still cranking out new episodes release the previous seasons' on DVD over the summer hiatus. Really, it's about time The Simpsons do the same. Granted, it probably means we'll have to wait a lot longer for seasons 13-19 (and the commentaries, assuming we still get 'em, will be interesting to hear considering how close to the airdates they'll be recorded for the newest seasons), but season 20 wasn't half-bad, so I don't mind getting it on DVD this soon.

So, anyone interested in reading this book? Methinks it ought to be mighty, uh, enlightening.

[Reply #368 on:]

I like how the box art has no images from season 20

[Reply #369 on:]

I watched the 450th episode.  Anne Hathaway as a repeat guest voice?

[Reply #370 on:]

My parents have the season 20 dvd. I'm watching it right now and it's..... Bad!:P They just have the episodes and no commentary or anything else for that matter!

I'm glad I didn't pay for them.

[Reply #371 on:]

They'll probably make a proper 20th Season DVD when they finally get through 13-19. This is one of those cash-cow efforts by Fox.

[Reply #372 on:]

I think it's kind of funny that one of the worst Simpsons episodes (according to fans and even Matt Groening) was written by Ken Keeler (The Principal and The Pauper)

[Reply #373 on:]

it wasn't such a terrible episode except that it completely fucked with everything the fans came to expect and believe and was the first step in what would be the complete destruction of continuity

[Reply #374 on:]

 Would it help if we never spoke of it again?

[Reply #375 on:]

Principal And The Pauper was funny.

It just...yeah, what tyraniak said.

[Reply #376 on:]

I never thought of that episode as bad? Surely Billy and the Cloneasaurus isn't something to scoff at!

[Reply #377 on:]

In the commentary to that episode, Ken Keeler says that he is more proud of "The Principal and the Pauper" than of anything else he ever wrote; he considers it his best work for any TV show. Bill Oakley then tells him that he felt "that Harlem Globetrotters" episode from Futurama was better (and I'm inclined to agree), but you get the vibe that people on-staff at the time thought it was a decent episode. Personally, I have no problem with it; it's a little shark-jumpy, but it has its moments. And it's much better than a lot of what proceeds it. I feel like the humor itself and the execution were fresh, which is more than can be said for pretty much anything beyond season 12.

'Course, I haven't watched the episode in a long time. Perhaps I ought to rewatch it.

[Reply #378 on:]

I don't think "The Principal and the Pauper" is nearly as bad as the past 5 seasons have been. And many of those episodes have fucked with continuity a lot more and haven't tried to make up for it. I think "That 90's Show" is a lot worse.

[Reply #379 on:]

I've never understood why some people think that was a bad episode.  Still don't.

[Reply #380 on:]

Neither do I.

On a related note, my (already high) estimation of Matt Groening went up even further when I realised that as much as he dislikes the episode in question he didn't seem to let it spoil his working relationship with the writer (Ken Keeler).

[Reply #381 on:]

I think people hated that episode because it took them out of their comfort zone and changed the whole backstory of a pretty important character.

[Reply #382 on:]

I don't know if anyone saw the last episode, but Bart's chalkboard gag went like this :

"South Park - We'd stand behind you if we weren't so afraid"

[Reply #383 on:]

On a related note, my (already high) estimation of Matt Groening went up even further when I realised that as much as he dislikes the episode in question he didn't seem to let it spoil his working relationship with the writer (Ken Keeler).

I find it similarly admirable that he doesn't seem to hold a grudge against Al Jean and Mike Reiss for "A Star is Burns", though I know he threw a sort of fit over it at the time. And I actually enjoy "A Star is Burns" (and "Round Springfield", and most of the other Reiss/Jean collaborations in seasons eight and nine); the cross-over aspect strikes me as no less corny than that send-up of 24 the show did a few years back. And I like The Critic, which probably helps, too.

[Reply #384 on:]

 Same here (to each point of your post).

[Reply #385 on:]

"A Star is Burns" is one of my favorite episodes.  Love some of the dialog:

Mr. Burns: Get me Steven Spielberg.
Smithers: He's unavailable.
Mr. Burns: Then get me his non-union Mexican equivalent!
Mr. Burns: OK, Spielbergo, I want you to do for me what Spielberg did for Oskar Schindler.
Sr. Spielbergo: Pero Schindler es muy bueno, y senor Burns es el diablo.
Mr. Burns: Pish posh! Listen, Spielbergo, Schindler and I are like peas in a pod! We're both factory owners, we both made shells for the Nazis, but mine worked, damn it!

[Reply #386 on:]

"A Star is Burns" is one of my favorite episodes.  Love some of the dialog:

Agreed. In fact on of my favorite lines from the entire show comes from that episode.

Woman: "What crawled down your throat and died?"

Barney: "It didn't die."

[Reply #387 on:]

I love it when Barney wins the overall festival prize:

Barney: I've learned that I have a gift to share with the world. From now on, I'll be a new Barnard Gumbel! Clean, sober, and hardworking.

Mayor Quimby: Congratulations, Barney, and enjoy your prize--A lifetime supply of Duff beer!  (The curtains pull back to reveal a Duff Beer tanker truck.)

Barney: Just hook it to my veins! 

[Reply #388 on:]

Another Simpsons episode that pretty mush destroyed the continuity of the series prior to its airing was "That 90's Show". I happen to find this episode to be fantastic despite the fact that it basically fucks the timeline of the show completely up.

As a side note "Sadgasm" as the name of a 90's grunge band is amazing and one of my favorite Simpsons moments of all time.

[Reply #389 on:]

That 90's show sucked, I have problems with episodes which not only disregard, but completely trample into the ground and take a dump on the shows history...

[Reply #390 on:]

You suck. Sorry. I understand what you mean and it would be nice if the Simpsons had a what if machine because the episode would have made a lot more sense. It's just hard to come up with brand new stuff that follows the continuity of 20 years of show and remains funny. The songs in the show are awesome and maybe changing the back story adds some freshness. But like I said I can understand why it would piss you off.

[Reply #391 on:]

That 90's show sucked, I have problems with episodes which not only disregard, but completely trample into the ground and take a dump on the shows history...

Agreed, but I have to admit the grunge parody made me happy since I love that kind of music. I honestly wish that Homer's song Margarine was an actual song.

[Reply #392 on:]

Hi, I started a topic asking a question, and was directed to this thread, so I'll ask it here:

Who do you think is the main character in the simpsons apart from the main family (Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Maggie)?

I'm really not sure who I think it is. I think it must be in between Moe, Mr Burns, and Flanders.

Who would you say it is?

[Reply #393 on:]

They are all secondary characters that can have their own story, some episodes can be about Flanders and some can be about Burns. I wouldn't consider any of them main characters. 

[Reply #394 on:]

I think Flanders, Burns, Apu, and Moe are probably the secondary characters who are the most developed (at least in the first, say, 15 seasons; I can't speak for the more recent seasons), so to an extent they are all, uh, main secondary (secondary-plus?) characters.

[Reply #395 on:]

Krusty has had some pretty lengthy episodes devoted to his backstory also.

[Reply #396 on:]

I love Barney's backstory.  He's studying to take his SAT's, to get into Harvard, and Homer has him drink a beer.  Years later, he wakes up in Moe's...

[Reply #397 on:]

That story makes me sad

"Don't cry for me, i'm dead already."

[Reply #398 on:]

New Simpson's episode had one good thing, Flight of the Conchords. Everything else about it was meh! New season, old suckiness.

[Reply #399 on:]

Yeah, the Homer/Bart/Krusty subplot was a complete waste of time and there was no need for he Glee kids. Pretty lame ep, except for the FOTC guys