Simpsons: Season 13

[on:]

I thought I'd start a Simpsons thread. If PEEL gets a new Simpsons forum, this can be moved over there and be the first Simpsons thread...if not, it's still a worthy topic to make a thread about.

What do you guys think of Season 13? I am cautiously optimistic. I think Al Jean will make things less non-good. The episode descriptions don't sound too great, but oh well.

One thing I am REALLY excited about: Dennis Weaver is guest starring. Me and my friends absolutely love "DUEL"(except for VF, what the hell is wrong with her    ). Although not exactly intentional, Dennis Weaver is just hilarious in the movie. And despite its camp appeal, it's pretty well shot and keeps you interested throughout the whole film.

With all their N'Syncs and Britney Spears', I was really surprised to see someone like Dennis Weaver on the guest cast list. I hope he sings about the environment on the show.       Oh that would rock. But I can tell that I am boring all you people who have no idea who Dennis Weaver is. So I'll shut up and let you discuss The Simpsons.

[Reply #1 on:]

Well, since this is about the Simpsons in general . . .

I think the best of season 12 came in the opening sequence of "Children of a Lesser Clod" (the one where Homer starts a day-care).  Everything in the YMCA was brilliant, from the gymnast class to the etiquitte class.  The best full episode, however, was "Trilogy of Error."

[Reply #2 on:]

Duel sucks, this thread is getting closed.

ah ha just kidding.  I cannot say I am excited for Simpsons because the past year sucked so bad that I rarely watched it.  I used to run home to watch it in time and have a tape ready or whatever, but now?  Its crap, I'd rather go save starving children or cut my arms or something. 

But I guess i'll watch some of it, whenever I'm home or whatever

[Reply #3 on:]

Here in Spain we haven't seen the 12th season 

I didn't like the 11th season, the Simpsons' humor is getting worse... In the firsts seasons it was psychological humor, but now it's very childrish, and the stories are weird. Where are the feelings of the firsts seasons?

[Reply #4 on:]

Lots of stuff about 13 and it looks poorly done. Scully is now executive producer, I hope he does well.
The thing that really sucks is that Fox is bumping down shows like OFF, Futurama and King of the Hill (although KOTH has no importance to me whatsoever) all the way to November, already making the THOH episode XII out-of-date.

[Reply #5 on:]

That's nothing new...Simpsons and The X-Files have been starting in November for like the past five years. And they usually show the THOH episode near Halloween, but they don't technically count it as the season premiere.

And before you scare everybody, it's Al Jean who is executive producing the show now. I'm pretty sure Scully is gone now, or at least has a smaller role in making the show(all the interviews I've read about the upcoming season have been with Al Jean, no word of Scully).

[Reply #6 on:]

I think AL Jean is already screwing the show more then scully. I thought AL would make it all better. But, no.

The Simpsons were the best show on tv for the first 10 season (and a couple in 11) now, pure crap.  end of story

[Reply #7 on:]

 

Originally posted by bart182:
I think AL Jean is already screwing the show more then scully. I thought AL would make it all better. But, no.

The Simpsons were the best show on tv for the first 10 season (and a couple in 11) now, pure crap.  end of story

Yeah. From what I've seen of the Season 13 eps, they suck... oh, wait, I haven't seen ANY of Season 13.

[Reply #8 on:]

 

Originally posted by Kryten:
 Yeah. From what I've seen of the Season 13 eps, they suck... oh, wait, I haven't seen ANY of Season 13.

Yes yes, but you and everyone else knows that you can tell whether an ep will be good or not just bye the description(s).

[Reply #9 on:]

best eps this season, IMO:  Children of a Lesser Clod,  Trilogy of Error

[Reply #10 on:]

 

Originally posted by bart182:
 

Originally posted by Kryten:
 Yeah. From what I've seen of the Season 13 eps, they suck... oh, wait, I haven't seen ANY of Season 13.

Yes yes, but you and everyone else knows that you can tell weather an ep will be good or not just bye the description(s).

Really? Her are descriptions of two of the most popular episodes this year...

"Fry goes searching for alucky seven-leaf clover."

"Worms build a civilization inside Fry."

When I saw these, I had no idea how they'd stretch them into full episodes.

This year, the internet community declared the crayon-in-brain episode "Worst Episode Ever" five months before it was even released. It turned out to be one of the season's best.
Basically, what I'm trying to say is you can't judge quality from a one-sentence description.

[Reply #11 on:]

No doubt I'll find out how good or bad the season is in several years time, the newest episodes shown on BBC2 were made in 1997 

[Reply #12 on:]

 

Originally posted by Kryten:
 Really? Her are descriptions of two of the most popular episodes this year...

"Fry goes searching for alucky seven-leaf clover."

"Worms build a civilization inside Fry."

When I saw these, I had no idea how they'd stretch them into full episodes.

This year, the internet community declared the crayon-in-brain episode "Worst Episode Ever" five months before it was even released. It turned out to be one of the season's best.
Basically, what I'm trying to say is you can't judge quality from a one-sentence description.

Well for one thing, futurama is a very different show.  So they can do many different things with it and make it good.

I thought the crayon episode was one of the worst episodes ever.  That’s just my opinion.


Btw, one of these days edel, vwamp! Bam! Boom! To the moon!   Nah, I’m just kiddin 

[Reply #13 on:]

i dont think its the story that made the early simpsons and futurama great its those little scenes like the internet part in abbft.

[Reply #14 on:]

wow...13 seasons already? i wonder how many futurama will have...hopefully at least 50 

[Reply #15 on:]

 

Originally posted by FishyJoe:
And despite its camp appeal, it's pretty well shot and keeps you interested throughout the whole film.

[This message has been edited by Spelling Nazi edeltraut (edited 08-24-2001).]

Aw fuck! This is my first time being edited by you, Edel. Well the first time I've noticed, anyway. I am filled with such shame.

[Reply #16 on:]

I think I speak for everyone (well, maybe except Sarge) that the reason The Simpsons have changed a great deal is because they are trying to adapt to a changing culture. Many of the slapstick stuff you see is probably meant to attract new young audiences, and its style of humor changes to try to imitate shows like South Park. To me, The Simpsons have become a parody of itself, taking events to the extreme. And that doesn't work when we know how the show wasn't like that when it first came out.

[Reply #17 on:]

I don't think I could say it any better... Well, maybe I could. But I wont 

[Reply #18 on:]

ok... i think that the two most crappy seasons of the simpsons so far have been season 10 and 11 season 12 ( what I have seen of it so far, which is up to the 'homer creates day center' episode) is pulling itself out of the slum. Sure there has been some real crap ( was n'sync in season 11 or 12?) but there has been some redeeming episodes. season 12 brought us linguo, after all...

[Reply #19 on:]

I wanna see the ep where homer smokes weed...haha

[Reply #20 on:]

Think about it, maybe the weed will make  homer a better charecter!  He wont be such an idiot!  Bah I dunno.

[Reply #21 on:]

There's a "Homer gets toasted" episode? I gotta see that!

[Reply #22 on:]

I agree with what Just Chris said -- the changing culture and all that -- but I also think that they're just plain running out of ideas, and trying to compensate by making Homer so stupid, he's downright unpleasant. (Not that he was exactly Mr. Rogers before, but he's really unsympathetic now.)

I think South Park was mentioned -- now that's a show that balances it's elements well. It's quite crass, and still very funny, I think, but it hasn't gotten to the point where the plotlines are no longer bothered about. Plus, it's still got soul to it -- the characters aren't as extremely cynical as they now are in the Simpsons.

(sigh,) why do I give so much thought to these things? 

[Reply #23 on:]

I think South Park has lost its balance. Once Cartman became a complete psychopath, I lost my point of identification with the show. Now it's just a show that I'll watch if I can be bothered to remember if it's on.

[Reply #24 on:]

Well at any rate it can easily be said that season 14 will be the simpsons last season... and that is a good thing... I just hope that the simpsons movie is more like a one hour season 9ish ep and not (as I am afraid it will be) a one hour season 12 ep...

[Reply #25 on:]

I think a strong reason for the recent down turn is - and I know lots of you agree - Matt Groening's absence and the leadership of Mike Scully.
Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Mike (infact he's written lots of great episodes and when I saw him about a year ago when he was over in the UK he really made me laugh) it's just that he doesn't have the right attitude to run the show. Since he took over he obviously got it into his head that everyone wanted to see Homer all the time since he (was) by far the most popular character.

I actually don't think the down turn is through lack of ideas either as the show has managed to produce hundreds of great episodes on lousy plots.
As with Futurama, The Simpsons is mainly a team effort with lots of writers producing lots of jokes. They, of course, need to be guided by somebody and when Matt was incharge everything was great. Now Mike is in charge it affects the whole show - unfortunately to the negative.
The New boss - Al Jean -  in my opinion should bring more stability to the show as he is a veteran from the first season and along with Sam Simon, Matt and a select few helped mould the early shape and feel of the show.
Let's hope he succeeds as it's important The Simpsons finishes on a high!

[Reply #26 on:]

 

Originally posted by Adam:
Well at any rate it can easily be said that season 14 will be the simpsons last season... and that is a good thing... I just hope that the simpsons movie is more like a one hour season 9ish ep and not (as I am afraid it will be) a one hour season 12 ep...

I doubt 14 will be the last season... FOX won't let the Simpsons die until it has sucks every bit of potential life from its dessicated, decomposed corpse. They know that if the Simpsons is cancelled, they have nothing.

[Reply #27 on:]

i think that we,the fans should writethe simpsons.

[Reply #28 on:]

I don't know if Groening hurt the show by leaving...the Simpsons/Critic crossover in season six showed that he didn't really have any say in the show even back then. And I thought seasons 5 and 6 were the best ever.

I'm going to place the blame mostly on Scully. Which is too bad, because I was really rooting for him to do a good job...all the newsgroup nerds kept putting him down, but I thought season 9 was damn good, and it kept improving with every episode.

But what happened during season 10? Even the season 9 hold-overs were sucky, with lame celebrity-centered episodes and boring stories. Then again, season 10 is when Al Jean rejoined the show...it's possible that he's the one ruining the show, and now that he's the sole executive producer, he'll make the show even crappier.

[Reply #29 on:]

 

Originally posted by Kryten:
They know that if the Simpsons is cancelled, they have nothing.

No, they think[/i] they'll have nothing if/once the Simpsons are cancelled.  Maybe if they can dislodge their heads from their asses they'll recognize Futurama for what it is: the best show they have running currently.

[Reply #30 on:]

 

Originally posted by Nixorbo:
 No, they think[/i] they'll have nothing if/once the Simpsons are cancelled.  Maybe if they can dislodge their heads from their asses they'll recognize Futurama for what it is: the best show they have running currently.

That's asking a lot.

[Reply #31 on:]

the day fox realises it has shows other than the simpsons is the day after I have threatened them with a gun and several pointy implements.

[Reply #32 on:]

 

Originally posted by rach_the_tall:
the day fox realises it has shows other than the simpsons is the day after I have threatened them with a gun and several pointy implements.

May that day come soon!

[Reply #33 on:]

I find that once people get there heads in there asses (a pyshically demanding job yet not uncommen...) it is really hard to dislodge them.. Networks like to take any good idea and squeeze them to death... Why do you think when who wants to be a millionaire was a sucess we where suddenly flooded with primetime game shows? Or when Survivor was a sucess we are flooded with "reality" shows? It is not till the networks realize that instead of chasing every fad show which normally barely makes back cost to try and make the quick buck and actully concentrating on there own original shows will we see progress... But I digress.. I HOPE season 14 is the final season.. The Simpsons is a good show but 14 seasons? Although I am sure if they got some good writers and producers in there they could still come up with a few more seasons of good episodes I just don't see that happening.

[Reply #34 on:]

I disagree I hope season 14 isn't the final season but probably will be because the writers are running out of ideas. But I heard somewhere that when the show is canceled they will be coming out with a simpsons movie and I know that I'll be the first in line to see that.

[Reply #35 on:]

hmm, they should let it die with dignity, like so many good shows, that knew when to stop. but, I think the simpsons is slowly getting better.

[Reply #36 on:]

 

Originally posted by rach_the_tall:
I think the simpsons is slowly getting better.

yeah your right. it has been getting way better recently.

[Reply #37 on:]

Yeah, I'd say Season 12 has been a definite improvement. The problem is that they don't know how to end a show anymore. We get these weird endings that seem to have no connection to the rest of the show, like "Surf's up", and that Mad Magazine crap... that, and all the jokes are over-explained.

44...

[Reply #38 on:]

I think there will be at least 15 seasons maybee more but the problem they will face is having to pay the voice people more & more until they barely make anuff money to bother carrying on.

[Reply #39 on:]

Ah, my old season 13 thread. Good timing--Mike Reiss had some presentation thingy yesterday at Virginia Tech. According to a friend of mine who was lucky enough to see him:

Season 13 will be more normal
The Simpsons will never go off the air
Lisa becomes a Buddist and Bart makes an internet cartoon
Maude was killed because she was boring and the actress wanted a raise

Nothing new, but it's still cool. Getting rid of the wackiness sounds like a step in the right direction.