Simpsons Season 15 Review Thread: Crap... or not?

[Reply #640 on:]

I know Its a fair point I liked it at the time.

I was just trying to be funny

[Reply #641 on:]

 

Originally posted by M0le:
Treehouse of Horror XIV was on for the first time in Australia about an hour ago. While it wasn't anything special, it was pretty funny to see the Monty Python Death chasing Bart around the Simpsons family home in the first one.   

It was more Benny Hill than Monty Python; but yeah, I liked that part too.

 

Originally posted by M Jackson:
It seems to have become "Cool" within the fan communty to bash newer Simpsons episodes. I call this "Phantom Menace sindrome". Something gets criticised so much by hardcore fans that they start to believe it's worse than it ever could be.

Except that The Phantom Menace really was as bad as everyone says it was.

[Reply #642 on:]

If Disney made large scale sci-fi... 

[Reply #643 on:]

...they'd make "Treasure Planet"? 

Seriously though, I can understand where M's coming from. My judgement is probably distorted by the fact  these episodes are "newer". But the way it feels it just seems these episodes are targeted at a younger audience, maybe early teens. And I just don't enjoy them anywhere near as much as I enjoyed the "classics".

I rewatch a lot of the older episodes, and I'm still finding little jokes that I was either too young or too ignorant to understand when I first watched them. But with the newer series they just seem to have lost their subtle touch.

[Reply #644 on:]

I liked The Phantom Menace. See? I can like crap.

But The Simpsons is undeniably sucky. How can you not give a single episode less than a 3 out of 5? Even the best shows ever have their share of bad episodes.

[Reply #645 on:]

First off, yeah, I'd like to aknowledge that my Scully analysis needs to be taken with a grain of salt, as the writing credit can mean so little.  But I tried to look at it in terms of trends in his writing.  And there were definetely a few trends that fit well with what he did as showrunner.

Anyways, agreed with others that say not rating any episodes below a three out of five seems a little extreme.  Its not good to be overly pessimistic and not aknowledge the good ones either as some seem to be doing . But there's still some duds, and I don't see how that can be denied.  I like this season overall, but even I gave a couple negative ratings.

[Reply #646 on:]

By the way the episode 'team homer' which scully wrote was produced by mirkin which is why it may have felt different to other season 7 episodes.

I really think rating episodes out of 5 is far too vauge even since jean took over they've never matched golden era quality, and since I'd probably rate some of the classics 3/5 (which I consider average grade) a lot of These newer ones wouldn't deserve more than 2/5, but them makes them sound bad when there actually quite good.

[Reply #647 on:]

Watched the one where Marge writes a book (Dunno anything about episode numbers etc.). It was crap, even my Nan said that without me saying anything first.

[Reply #648 on:]

Is your Nan usually a fan of The Simpsons?

[Reply #649 on:]

I say that I can't give any episode less than 3 stars because of how I define the ratings.

Basically
5 stars would be an episode that is truely perfect. Where everything is as good as it could be. The story, characters, and the script. There are many episodes I feel deserve 5 stars (admitedly most are from earlier seasons). Episodes I can think of are...
Lisa's Substitute
Homer at the Bat
Stark raving Dad
The call of the Simpsons
Last Exit to Springfield
Take My Wife, Sleaze
22 Short Films about Springfield
Bart the Daredevil
Three men and a Comic Book
The Cartridge Family
Lisa the Sceptic
Barts Dog Gets an F
Cape Fear.
Who Shot Mr Burns 1&2
There are more but I can't think right now

I think that the bulk of the Simpsons episodes deserve 4 stars. Episodes that are almost as high quality as 5 star episodes but there's just something missing. They can be laugh out loud funny all the way through, but maybe the story is a bit weak or far fetched.
The best examples I can think of are

Trash of the Titans
Reality Bites
The Crepes of Wrath
Bart Gets an F
Worst Episode Ever
Trilogy of Error
bart Gets Hit by a Car
Rosebud
Boy-scoutz N the hood
Simpsons Bible stories
New Kids on the Blecchn (It gets silly towards the end, but the jokes are so good that I don't care and it has possibly the best song in any episode "yvan eht nioj"

As for 3 stars. I would define that as an episode that has nothing badly wrong with it. It's good entertianment, but maybe a bit forgetable. These may also be episodes that go too far fetched, but there are lots of good one-liners that still keep it enjoyable. Some of the early season one episodes fit into this catagory. They are good, but the humour and characters weren't fully formed and they may be a bit dated now.
Most episodes I would give 3 stars to are those that don't blow you away, they just serves their purpose.
Bart gets an Elephant
Deep space Homer (the most far fetched of ALL the episode really. And this as early as season 5! It's still really funny though)
Grift of the Magi (it takes ages to work out what the main story is supposed to be, so the first act basically has nothing to do with the rest of the episode. But the brilliant jokes save it. I love the advertising slogan for Funzo "If you don't have Funzo, you're nothin'" )

Anyway, that's how I don't think any episodes should get less than 3 stars. With a few exceptions, I haven't watched an episode of the Simpsons and not enjoyed it. Even if it's a far fetched episode, there's always lots of good jokes. Few episodes are lacking in every area, there's always something good about them.

The few episodes that do get less than 3 are Helter Shelter
Children of a Lesser Clod (I like most of this episode, but Homer comes across as a real sleaze in this episode. And towards the end an insane sleaze! Kidnaping children in a minibus and becoming hysterical "We're going out for frosty chocolate milkshakes. Yeah that's right FROSTY CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKES!"
Makes me shudder!
She of Little faith
Sweets and Sour Marge
the Lastest Gun in the West
Homers Odysey (I know it's a "classic" but everything about it feels wrong now)

[Reply #650 on:]

 

Originally posted by Mouse On Venus:
Is your Nan usually a fan of The Simpsons?

She's not an fan of it, she doesn't regularly watch it or anything, but she doesn't hate the show. I found it to be pretty poor too.

[Reply #651 on:]

 

Originally posted by aslate:
 She's not an fan of it, she doesn't regularly watch it or anything, but she doesn't hate the show.

That's still hardly a good source for opinion on Simpsons episodes though, is it?

[Reply #652 on:]

I like to go on trips down memory lane and watch what I call 'Classic Episodes'. The Film Festival episode, The episode where Lisa gets her braces, Season 5 - 7 I believe they are based in. And the latest episodes aren't that bad, they're still a lot better than watching Friends or Reality TV. As my brother pointed out this afternoon, the day the Simpsons are officially cancelled will be a sad day, as dozens of people have literally grown up on it. 

[Reply #653 on:]

 

Originally posted by DotheBartman:
 That's still hardly a good source for opinion on Simpsons episodes though, is it?

But isn't it a better judgement on whether it's good entertainment?

You wouldn't show someone one of the latest episodes to get them into The Simpsons, would you? Much like I wouldn't show someone I wanted to get into Futurama Three Hundred Big Boys or Spanish Fry.

(Actually, I wouldn't even show them Luck of the Fryrish, my favourite episode, because it works best if you know the characters somewhat).

[Reply #654 on:]

 

Originally posted by CyberKnight:

You wouldn't show someone one of the latest episodes to get them into The Simpsons, would you?

Assuming I have every single episode of the series catalogued and labeled (and mind you I do have most of them) and could show them any single episode I wanted?  No, not neccasarily.  But if I was introducing them simply by turning the tv on at random reruns and episodes like "Moe Baby Blues", "My Mother the Carjacker" (maybe, they might need to see "Mother Simpson" first), "The President Wore Pearls", or a bunch of others really, happened to be on....let's just say I wouldn't complain.  In fact I'd show most season 15 and later season 14 episodes before I'd show "Three Hundred Big Boys" or "Spanish Fry" (and I like Spanish Fry).

And anyway, my point was that it sounds like this mother has seen The Simpsons before and doesn't care for it.  That doesn't mean she hates it (much in the way that there are many shows and movies I don't care for but don't hate...I just ignore them), but that obviously she isn't a fan and even  prime stuff like "Lisa's Substitute" or "Last Exit to Springfield" wouldn't be her cup of tea.  That's not neccasarily bad, just her tastes. But if, say, you wanted to know if a particular Futurama episode happened to be good, would you read the opinion of a critic that already doesn't care for Futurama?

[Reply #655 on:]

 

Originally posted by DotheBartman:
 That's still hardly a good source for opinion on Simpsons episodes though, is it?

I was trying to say that she's more of an "un biased" source of opinion. She's not an avid fan, she won't defend every episode and say none have sucked and she doesn't know that The Simpsons is viewed as going downhill for the past several seasons. She quite enjoys the ones on BBC2 (The old seasons that those on Terrestrial only have access to) when she sees them.

[Reply #656 on:]

 

Originally posted by aslate:
 I was trying to say that she's more of an "un biased" source of opinion. She's not an avid fan, she won't defend every episode and say none have sucked and she doesn't know that The Simpsons is viewed as going downhill for the past several seasons. She quite enjoys the ones on BBC2 (The old seasons that those on Terrestrial only have access to) when she sees them.

Okay, I guess that makes sense, although I don't think I'd call most season 15 fans or fans of that episode "biased" either.  Maybe some are, but there are plenty of people who are enjoying this season but have otherwise given some pretty poor reviews to episodes in the past (even in this season).  For instance, at the NHC episodes like "Tis the Fifteenth Season" have had pretty positive reaction, whereas "The Fat the Furriest" had pretty negative reactions.

[Reply #657 on:]

 

Originally posted by Shadowstar:Season 9
The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson: 3.5
The Principal and the Pauper: 2
Lisa's Sax: 4

None of these are Scully episodes. They're all season 8 holdovers. I find your ratings odd, too. I thought they were all A+'s, especially Lisa's Sax. Probably even better than the "real" season 8.

And you gave The Bart of War a "1"?? That's a crime right there.

EDIT: Sorry to suddenly switch topics, but I just found out what happened to Simon! He'll be appearing in an episode called "Smart and Smarter". Details have not yet been released.

[Reply #658 on:]

Better than the real Season 8. You need to be shot.
I go by airing seasons, and I'm aware of the holdovers. "New York" and "Lisa's Sax" were good, "Pauper" wasn't too bad either, but still, you can't deny the fact that it was totally fucked up and screwed Skinner's background up REAL good.
And the Bart of War is possibly one of the worst episodes ever. (maybe somewhere in the 16th worst, or something) It was not funny, it was totally stupid, relying on cheap gags (Kirk stabbing his flag on a turtle, for example) I didn't really like it, but the ending just vaulted it down the toilet. You can't possibly tell me that ending was funny or made any sense. The only funny part was the beginning where Bart and Milhouse watch South Park, partly because I liked that the creators acknowledged the SP episode "Simpsons Already Did It."
Also, don't give me that "all A+"s stuff. There are only a couple A+, like Behind the Laughter, Homer's Enemy, You Only Move Twice, etc. Only the episodes that truely go above and beyond get A+'s. There are a lot of A's though, mostly in Seasons 3-8.

[Reply #659 on:]

Shadowstar, might I suggest you check out the rate and review thread for "The Bart of War" at the NHC sometime?  I didn't love it at first (though I did enjoy it, something like a "B" ), but on further viewings and really thinking about it it became apparent there was more to that episode then I initially thought, including a concrete point to the "Canada" ending.  There should be some comments made by me and some other members in that thread, though I don't want to go into an analysis of it right now.  It became one of my favorite modern episodes.

[Reply #660 on:]

'Today I am a clown' aired in the U.K today.
I though it was a great episode lots of funny jokes, decent plot, a nice bit of emotion.
The first real season 15 episode and its really starting to feel more like classic era Simpsons,
Nothing in the episode really botherd or annoyed me Like things did in Season 13 or 14.

[Reply #661 on:]

Just bumpin' up my ratings...


-THOH XIV B-
-My Mother the Carjacker A+
-The President Wore Pearls A
-The Regina Monologues B+
-The Fat and the Furriest C
-Today I Am a Clown B+
-Tis the 15th Season A+
-Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless couples and Teens and Gays C-
-I, D'oh-bot A
-Diatribe of a Mad Housewife A
-Magical History Tour

[Reply #662 on:]

OK, and here are my un-sugarcoated ratings:
(out of 5)
- THOH XIV: 2
- My Mother the Carjacker: 4
- The President Wore Pearls: 3
- The Regina Monologues: 2.5
- The Fat and the Furriest: 1.5
- Today I Am a Clown: 3.5
- 'Tis the Fifteenth Season: 3
- Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples, Teens and Gays: 1
- I, D'oh!bot: 4
- Diatribe of a Mad Housewife: 3.5
- Margical History Tour: We'll see.

Tonight's episode, if you didn't already know, is "Margical History Tour" where we see the family as historical figures. This is the fourth episode in a series that has now gotten old, where there are three stories based on things. First we had "Bible Stories," which was pretty good. Then "Tall Tales" which was OK. Then "Tales from Public Domain" which was OK too. And now this. At least the first two had good exterior stories, but with the two other ones, they're just Homer, and now Marge, reading to the kids. But who knows? It might be good, but I wouldn't bet the farm on the promos, labelling it as the best Simpsons episode of all time.

[Reply #663 on:]

My grades:

THOH XIV: C+/B-
My Mother the Carjacker: A
President Wore Pearls: A
Fat and the Furriest: D+
Today I am a Clown: B/B+
Tis the Fifteenth Season: A
Marge vs. You: B-
I, D'ohBot: B/B+
Diatribe of a Mad Housewife: B+

I'm not really looking forward to "Margical History Tour" at all to be honest.  In fact (not counting "Regina Monologues" ) it and "Fat and the Furriest" are the only episodes this season I haven't really looked forward to.  I've just never liked these "three stories" episodes where they retell other stories much; I tune in to watch The Simpsons, not Mozart, Moses, or anyone else.  Plus I feel the formula has been overdone by now.  I think MGH will be decently enjoyable, but I also have this nagging feeling it will be entirely forgetable.  I watched "Tales from the Public Domain" again recently after having not really seen it since the day it originally aired so I could compare it to MHT, and I realized again what a forgetable episode it was.  Decent, enjoyable, but so incredibly forgetable.

[Reply #664 on:]

Oh God, what a horrible episode. These three story episodes are just getting worse and worse.
Henry VIII: The worst of the bunch. Just a bunch of cheap sex and murder jokes shoved into a horrible segment. One line particularly disgusted me, where Homer, who needs a son to be an heir, tells his daughter, Lisa, to either grow a penis or get out. So, Lisa grunts and struggles to, but says she can't. ...     The only good line was Wiggum, the executioner, saying to a victim that their head will survive for a bit after they're beheaded, so he put a magazine in the basket. And the Itchy and Scratchy puppets were OK, I guess.
Grade: 1/5
Sacagawea: Probably the strongest one, but still pretty weak. French Milhouse and the Indians were fine, but the whole Lenny and Carl as idiots and Lisa as the guide just got old after the second joke of it.
Grade: 2/5
Mozart:Fell in the middle, but still bad. Bart playing the piano in wacky positions was not funny. Neither was anything else Bart did or the fart opera which was horrendous. There were a few good lines. A SMALL few.
Grade: 1.5/5
I am disgusted.
Overall Grade: 1.5/5

Also, the promo for next week's episode, which is "Milhouse Doesn't Live Here Anymore" was idiotic, since we all know that a core family member cannot leave. Presuming the title, Milhouse probably will. That sucks, Milhouse is cool. They should get rid of Ralph, I feel he's run his course by now. "My nose makes its own bubble gum" feel forced, and the writers just can't keep him fresh. But he can't move away, since Cheif Wiggum would have to go too, and he's a good character. Maybe he could go to a special ed school and we won't have to see him anymore.
And that's my rant. I'll be here all week, try the veal.

[Reply #665 on:]

 

Originally posted by Shadowstar:
Also, the promo for next week's episode, which is "Milhouse Doesn't Live Here Anymore" was idiotic, since we all know that a core family member cannot leave. Presuming the title, Milhouse probably will. That sucks, Milhouse is cool.

I think I heard it speculated somewhere that it was Kirk, his father, who was leaving.

[Reply #666 on:]

I watched the Margical History Tour tonight and that was a bad thing to do. I think watching the pant dry would have been a better choice.

[Reply #667 on:]

I think that ad was just Fox over-hype, or if someone is leaving it'll be Luann.  I could be wrong, but it seems like it would be her (she and Milhouse go to Capitol City in that one, so my guess is Milhouse will go back to Kirk in Springfield by the end).

Anyways, as usual anyone who wants to read my more detailed review can do so at NHC, though maybe I'll post it here later.  In any case, pretty awful this time, Grade: D

[Reply #668 on:]

Is The Simpsons getting better or getting worst?

[Reply #669 on:]

Why Nobody takes Lisa Simpson's advice?

[Reply #670 on:]

Beg your pardon? What was Lisa's advice?

[Reply #671 on:]

Teeside, generally simpsons has been getting better this season. seems like a slip up in this tripartite episode, there seems to have been a few lapses this season but generally its been better, also most of the lesser ones where season 14 holdovers.  who were the writers on this episode by the way ?
 
and please explain Lisa's advice, we cant read your mind you have to make it clear what you mean.

[Reply #672 on:]

 

Originally posted by Shadowstar:
Oh God, what a horrible episode. These three story episodes are just getting worse and worse.
Henry VIII: The worst of the bunch. Just a bunch of cheap sex and murder jokes shoved into a horrible segment. One line particularly disgusted me, where Homer, who needs a son to be an heir, tells his daughter, Lisa, to either grow a penis or get out. So, Lisa grunts and struggles to, but says she can't. ...   

Yuk! And that's supposed to be funny!? This is the kind of wacky crappy demeaning stuff that just wouldn't pass in the first few seasons, or even a few years ago for that matter. Well not to that level anyway... And yet somehow some people think Season 15 is getting back on track!?...

[Reply #673 on:]

I hope Shadowstar was BSing about that penis growing bit.  It sounds very South Park.

[Reply #674 on:]

Okay, Grow a penis is not classy funny Simpsons. It's desperate shit funny.

[Reply #675 on:]

I don't even think I'd like that kind of joke on South Park. Even people crapping out their mouths is more excusable than that, from the SP ep "Red Hot Catholic Love."
Anyway, season 13 was pretty good for the Simpsons, then season 14 wasn't as good, and season 15 is basically at the same level. It was a shame though, because "I, D'oh!bot" and "Diatribe" were two good eps in a row, and I'm back to square one with this newest pile of shit.
And MOV, I wish I was BSing that line.

[Reply #676 on:]

 

Originally posted by Mouse On Venus:
I hope Shadowstar was BSing about that penis growing bit.    It sounds very South Park.

Unfortunately, Shady wasn't kidding.  That was really in the episode.   

On the other hand, the bit with Ned Flanders as St. Thomas More was really good.

I also liked the Sacajawea story, especially the bit at the end with the dollar coin.

The third story was just a parody of the film Amadeus, which Lisa pointed out at the end of the episode.

[Reply #677 on:]

The fat and the furriest was the one where Homer is attacked by a bear, right?

I only saw the second half of this when it was on Sky One a few weeks ago. But I loved it. It felt like one of the classic episodes like Call Of the Simpsons, Boyscoutz in the Hood, or Mountain of madness. It contained probably the best Simspsons physical slapstick style comedy yet. I cried with laughter when the hunter shot into the air, held out a slice of bread and an eagle dropped onto it from above.
I watched this episode with a large group of friends, and I know that you often laugh harder with a bunch of mates, but I still think it was bloody funny! I'll rewatch it by myself when it's repeated. But I'd say this has been very under-rated.

[Reply #678 on:]

Ya know, I think at this point the only real big problem with the show might be that they need to weed out some of the crappier plot ideas.  Most episode ideas this season have been good, and thus the episodes have been good (remember, I'm completely barring "Regina Monologues" since I haven't seen it and never will).  Its when they have a really dumb idea, like bear fighting or the History stories, that an episode doesn't work.  Thankfully all the forthcoming ideas that we know of sound good to me, so I think this bodes well for this season as a whole.

[Reply #679 on:]

 

Originally posted by DotheBartman:
(remember, I'm completely barring "Regina Monologues" since I haven't seen it and never will).

Why?