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The Simpsons - When Did They Lose it? - Page 2

post #51 of 258
11/12/08 at 7:46pm
Yes, and as the first post alluded to, the other night they tried yet another Homer and Marge before they were married episode. Five minutes was as far as I got. There was a time when football would take a backseat to the show. Not anymore.

I caught bits and pieces from that one from last season, where they made Homer a grunge rocker. I don't give a shit about continuity, the show never really has, if it would have been funny, I would have been all for it.

Another particular low point: The episode from a few years ago where The Simpsons go to Italy for some stupid reason and meet up with Sideshow Bob. The Sideshow Bob episodes used to be among my favorites, always classic stuff, including the one with David Hyde Pierce playing his brother. After that, nope.
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post #52 of 258
11/12/08 at 7:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by EdHocken View Post
Especially because they already had two episodes set in the early 90s. One where Marge is pregnant with Maggie and when Lisa got her Sax.
Not to mention the god knows how many flashbacks of Marge and Homer's young life that clearly places it sometime in the 70's. And I guess Grandpa never watched the Johnny U/Joe Theisman game while Homer was a baby.

I didn't even know they did that, Wade. That makes me kinda angry.
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post #53 of 258
11/12/08 at 7:46pm
Thread Starter 
Not to mention, "Homer invents Grunge rock!" Ugh, kill me...

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post #54 of 258
11/12/08 at 7:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith F View Post
Speaking of that, you can also track the show's downfall just through the Christmas themed episodes.

Bart shoplifiting- Brilliant.

The Funzo bullshit- Not so much.
Hey...leave Funzo outta this. Until Gary Coleman showed up that episode was awesome.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wadeisdead View Post
But last season, when I tried to watch an episode where they ret-conned Home and Marge's early relationship into the 1990's, I truly became disgusted. The Simpsons is dead to me.
Yeah, that was a total low blow.

I own seasons 1-11 on DVD and I'll probably get 12 and 13 but as god as my witness I will not get seasons 14 on.
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post #55 of 258
11/12/08 at 7:54pm
Probably the worst episode I ever came across was the second future episode which involved some bullshit search for gold in the White House. And what was with that sledgehammer over the head attempt at satire when the family gets sent to Gitmo?
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post #56 of 258
11/12/08 at 7:57pm
I actually like the Lincoln's Gold/Lisa as president episode. That's the only defense I've got.
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post #57 of 258
11/12/08 at 7:59pm
You have to go to be kidding me. I won't hold it against you. But frankly I just don't understand it.
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post #58 of 258
11/12/08 at 8:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith F View Post
I actually like the Lincoln's Gold/Lisa as president episode. That's the only defense I've got.
Me too.
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post #59 of 258
11/12/08 at 8:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by EdHocken View Post
You have to go to be kidding me. I won't hold it against you. But frankly I just don't understand it.
Didn't say it was classic, just that it makes me laugh.

Coincidentally, the grunge sadgasm episode is on right now. Uggghh.
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post #60 of 258
11/12/08 at 8:21pm
If they at some point do a retake of the Double-Oh decade and Bart goes Emo. I swear I'll take it to the streets.
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post #61 of 258
11/12/08 at 8:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Ripoll View Post
Does anyone honestly enjoy the first season for anything more than nostalgia? Maybe I'm just too ADD, but the pacing is BRUTAL in that first season.

Growing up, I was not allowed to watch the Simpsons. It was one of those bullshit things that I never bothered calling my parents out on. I could watch King of the Hill, I could watch Futurama, but not The Simpsons. By the time I was old enough to watch it, I didn't really care. But a year ago my friend lent me the 5th and 6th seasons, and then I got the brilliance of it all.
My family hated me watching the Simpsons because they thought the show was in bad taste and immoral. And not just for me, but for them. Since it was so edgy and there were news reports on it, I'm sure they just never gave it a fair chance. Now that us kids are all grown up and we all watch the same stuff which is way more offensive than the Simpsons ever was, they still don't like the show.

Did anyone else have any of this hypocrisy growing up?

Oh, and the show died around season 9. The movie was fun in theaters, but isn't holding up well.
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post #62 of 258
11/12/08 at 8:24pm
For me, they jumped the shark when they started doing musicals, esp. Sherry Bobbins. It's not that it wasn't funny per se, i just felt that the end had begun.

EDIT: SADGASM was the fucking pits.
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post #63 of 258
11/12/08 at 8:25pm
Not really but I'll always remember H.W. Bush making some remark on the Simpsons. Ah Bush/Quayle getting into the affairs of fictional characters.

BTW, what was with making Patty or Selman gay and not just admitting to it with Smithers. Was it that overly obvious? Jesus.
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post #64 of 258
11/12/08 at 8:32pm
I was fifteen when the Simpsons premiered, and I was the only one in the household that really took to it, not because of any religious or taste concerns, but because I simply was the only one who liked it.

Eventually my brother came around, and my Dad has even admitted to catching some reruns and being sort of a fan of the show- he even went to the movie with us.

But there were several years where I would go into my room and watch the show by myself, while they were all watching Funniest Home Videos or whatever shit they watched. Or The Cosby Show, that long ago time when The Simpsons was on Thursdays.

It was a revelation when I moved out at nineteen and my roommates were huge Simpson's fans, complete with tapes and tapes of episodes.

Another episode where it should have been painfully obvious they were running out of ideas: Homer joins the Naval reserve.
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post #65 of 258
11/12/08 at 8:38pm
I had actually heard that episode had been done a couple of years prior to it being aired. Something like that.
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post #66 of 258
11/12/08 at 8:44pm
Oh and I think the death of Phil Hartman played a big role in the decline.
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post #67 of 258
11/12/08 at 8:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by EdHocken View Post
I had actually heard that episode had been done a couple of years prior to it being aired. Something like that.
I always felt that the episode where Bush Sr. moves across the street felt out of place in the season it aired. Even the animation seemed primitive. I can't back this up, it's probably not even close to being true, but I always thought maybe that was a throwaway episode, at least script wise, from an earlier season.

EDIT: Another clunker is on right now, where Bart gets married. Sheesh.
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post #68 of 258
11/12/08 at 8:50pm
Really? I still think the Bush episode is one of the greats. And the ending. Oh God, the ending.
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post #69 of 258
11/12/08 at 8:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by EdHocken View Post
Oh and I think the death of Phil Hartman played a big role in the decline.
True that. I'm sorry but Gil is not a worthy replacement for Lionel Hutz and Troy McClure.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith F View Post
I always felt that the episode where Bush Sr. moves across the street felt out of place in the season it aired. Even the animation seemed primitive. I can't back this up, it's probably not even close to being true, but I always thought maybe that was a throwaway episode, at least script wise, from an earlier season.
Love that episode too. Gorbachev: "I come to bring you gift for warming of house and find you brawling with local oaf"

Another shitty episode...Grandpa gets a drivers license and turns into a disgrunteled teen.
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post #70 of 258
11/12/08 at 8:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mr_adam View Post
Sherry Bobbins. It's not that it wasn't funny per se, i just felt that the end had begun.
What? When The Simpsons were firing on all cylinders their musical episodes were great! Monorail, The Burlesque House, even Sherry Bobbins were all awesome!
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post #71 of 258
11/12/08 at 8:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith F View Post
Another episode where it should have been painfully obvious they were running out of ideas: Homer joins the Naval reserve.
Even that EP has this great exchange:

Captain: are there any questions?
Homer: Is the poop deck really what I think it is?
Captain: Haha, I like the cut of your jib simpson!
Homer: What's a jib?
Captain: promote that man!

To be honest, I don't expect any show to keep it fresh for as long as they've been on. Yeah, losing Hartman was a blow, but I have a feeling the show would be just as bad...only with more Lionel Hutz and Troy McClure given their own episodes to suck in.

I'm actually surprised they haven't trotted out a Duff-Man episode yet....wait, have they?
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post #72 of 258
11/12/08 at 8:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott View Post
Really? I still think the Bush episode is one of the greats. And the ending. Oh God, the ending.
I like that episode, just thought it was out of place in that particular season, if memory serves (I'm sorely lacking in Simpson DVDs) the 95-96 season.

And if memory does serve, it's the episode with the neighborhood rummage sale, the introduction of Disco Stu. Hopefully memory isn't failing.
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post #73 of 258
11/12/08 at 8:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rando View Post
I'm actually surprised they haven't trotted out a Duff-Man episode yet....wait, have they?
A Duff Man centric episode? Yes, years ago. Something about him losing his job, Santa's Little Helper taking over as the Duff spokes, uh, person.
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post #74 of 258
11/12/08 at 8:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith F View Post
And if memory does serve, it's the episode with the neighborhood rummage sale, the introduction of Disco Stu. Hopefully memory isn't failing.
No, you're right. That ending is great. Plus I enjoy the slight resemblence Gerald Ford has to Homer.

"Do you like Football?"

And one of the great what-ifs. Had Hartman remained alive he was lobbying heavily for a live action Troy McClure movie. That movie would have been either great or a massive train wreck. Still, the possibilities.
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post #75 of 258
11/12/08 at 8:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rando View Post
Even that EP has this great exchange:

Captain: are there any questions?
Homer: Is the poop deck really what I think it is?
Captain: Haha, I like the cut of your jib simpson!
Homer: What's a jib?
Captain: promote that man!
I like how the Russian Ambassador presses a button at the UN and Russia goes back to being the U.S.S.R complete witha zombie Lennon, and a new Berlin wall.
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post #76 of 258
11/12/08 at 9:00pm
"Must...Crush..Capitalism...*Growl*"

Oh and being in the Naval Reserve means working two days a month and while you're doing it. You're drunk off your ass.
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post #77 of 258
11/12/08 at 9:02pm
I couldn't begin to try to pin down when exactly I stopped following it regularly. I haven't watched a new episode as it aired in years, but that said, I'll still watch reruns if there isn't anything else on, regardless of how new or old it is. There are some of the newer episodes that I just can't stomach and I'll turn off (like that 90s grunge rock one) but for the most part I'll watch any of them. I do get excited when an older one is on though, and I'm a big fan of the movie.

I kind of wish Futurama and this had switched fates. I'd rather see new Futurama episodes on a regular basis and the occasional Simpsons TV movie than our current situation. Of course, if Futurama had been going this entire time, who's to say that it wouldn't have degraded to Simpsons levels eventually?
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post #78 of 258
11/12/08 at 9:07pm
Bringing up Futurama is a good point, simply because, you could say on a aesthetic level, the Simpsons turned when they went digital. The whole charm of it was the hand drawn quality.

And yes, when Hartman died - that's a perfect sign of the show's turn as well.
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post #79 of 258
11/12/08 at 9:10pm
I'll never harbor ill will toward the Simpsons staff or the old episodes because they don't have it anymore (Time to trot out the Poochy episode, where Homer has a line about "the years and years of free entertainment"), but it seems like Fox is just keeping on the air at this point to break records. I'm sure it's still profitable, as evidenced by the movie's BO take, but really I don't think anybody would shed a tear if it was announced tomorrow that it was cancelled.

A live action Troy McClure movie? I can't do anything but imagine the awesomeness.

"From Chimpan A to Chimpan Z."
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post #80 of 258
11/12/08 at 9:13pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith F View Post
I was fifteen when the Simpsons premiered, and I was the only one in the household that really took to it, not because of any religious or taste concerns, but because I simply was the only one who liked it.

Eventually my brother came around, and my Dad has even admitted to catching some reruns and being sort of a fan of the show- he even went to the movie with us.
I remember the episode where the Flanders get custody of the Simpsons kids. At the end when Bart is a water-drop from being baptised and Homer screaming in slow-motion "NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" and his "transformation" into being religious, my mother was insanely offended by that bit.

But being the open-minded person she is, she just shrugged her shoulders and let me continue watching it at the time. No harm, no foul. And I'm Baptist for Christ's sake (and a Preacher's son, no less!)
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post #81 of 258
11/12/08 at 9:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wadeisdead View Post
Bringing up Futurama is a good point, simply because, you could say on a aesthetic level, the Simpsons turned when they went digital. The whole charm of it was the hand drawn quality.
That's actually a great point that I hadn't thought of, but subconsciously is something that I've always had in my head. Whenever I see that the Simpsons are on, I know right away whether or not I'm going to sit down and give it my full attention or just have it play in the background while I do something else depending on whether or not it's hand drawn. Sure, there are plenty of good digital ones, but when it has that old Simpsons feel, you know it'll be a good one.
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post #82 of 258
11/12/08 at 9:16pm
Oh, and Futurama is highly overrated. There really isn't anything special about turn-of-the-century pop culture humor and obvious jokes. That said, I really don't why people were so shocked when they found out the movies turned out to be shit.
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post #83 of 258
11/12/08 at 9:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by EL Wack View Post
That's actually a great point that I hadn't thought of, but subconsciously is something that I've always had in my head. Whenever I see that the Simpsons are on, I know right away whether or not I'm going to sit down and give it my full attention or just have it play in the background while I do something else depending on whether or not it's hand drawn. Sure, there are plenty of good digital ones, but when it has that old Simpsons feel, you know it'll be a good one.
Yeah I don't really like name-dropping that point because it seems kind of arbitrary but it's one of the things I hate about the later ones. It all feels too...plastic. Like it has no soul.

Speaking of - Bart Sells his Soul is another damn fine, amazing episode that showcased why the show was great. And I'm sure it was a blow when Hartman died, but I don't think it's fair to hang the series' decline on that. McClure and Hutz were GREAT supporting characters but they were just that - supporting. They offered some great moments but the show didn't hinge on them and even if Hartman were still alive today the show would suck just as bad.
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post #84 of 258
11/12/08 at 9:36pm
The show continued to be good to great for 2 seasons after Hartman died. While some of the best characters went with him, it certainly didn't bring about the death of the show. No, the death of the show was when they lost it's heart...the family.

It was a slow fade into mediocrity, then a slow fade into genuine awfulness.
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post #85 of 258
11/12/08 at 9:39pm
"Remember Alf? He's back. In Pog form."

Sorry, I know the intention is not to turn this thread into another quote fest, but the Bart sells his soul is one of my top five episodes.

"Who's been stealing your thoughts?"
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post #86 of 258
11/12/08 at 9:40pm
Thread Starter 
"I expected this kind of language at 'Denny's,' but not here!"
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post #87 of 258
11/12/08 at 9:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith F View Post
"Remember Alf? He's back. In Pog form."

Sorry, I know the intention is not to turn this thread into another quote fest, but the Bart sells his soul is one of my top five episodes.

"Who's been stealing your thoughts?"
"Pleasure doin' business with ya, chuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmm...P!"
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post #88 of 258
11/12/08 at 9:46pm
"You can flash fry a Buffalo in 40 seconds."
"40 seconds?! Oh I want one now."

And that weird way Moe was shaking infront of the camera when he was smiling.
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post #89 of 258
11/12/08 at 9:48pm
Thread Starter 
"Milhouse, just shut up and give your friend's soul back! I have to get up for work in the morning!"
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post #90 of 258
11/12/08 at 9:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr. Murder View Post
I can't believe anyone sane could dislike Homer's Enemy (especially not now in hindsight). I don't think the Homer in that episode is like anything seen before or after (seriously). Yeah he's a super-enhanced jerk, but it's kinda like how Homer is during a boring work day when he isn't eating or sleeping, and it plays perfectly against Grimes. I just find the whole episode hilarious, and Homer somewhat endearing in his annoyance.
The brilliance of the episode is that Grimes reaction to Homer is how a normal, rational human being would react to him. It's like the writers were saying, "let's put someone from the real world in Springfield and watch how they react". I mean, each and every one of Grimes cirticisms of Homer are utterly spot-on, but when he tries to point it out to anyone around him they don't see it. No wonder poor Grimey lost it.

I also don't have one episode that turned me off the show (tho the Maudes death ep comes close), just a gradual but definate slide that made me lose interest.

Then tho, I'll see the odd later episode, like the medicinal marijuana ep or the one in Vegas ("Do I have to be gang-probed?"), and I'll sit and giggle.
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post #91 of 258
11/12/08 at 10:04pm
I think the episode where we discovered Skinner wasn't Skinner was the end for me. I did a big "HUH" in that episode.
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post #92 of 258
11/12/08 at 10:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith F View Post
A Duff Man centric episode? Yes, years ago. Something about him losing his job, Santa's Little Helper taking over as the Duff spokes, uh, person.
Sorry, but that ep has possibly the funniest moment of the later years...

"Hey, you really are Duff Man! Then I must be Jesus!! Up, up and away!!!!"
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post #93 of 258
11/12/08 at 10:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott View Post
Really? I still think the Bush episode is one of the greats. And the ending. Oh God, the ending.
Isn't that episode the one where Milhous' dad gets his arm cut off?

I remember reading somewhere that, when pitched, that joke killed harder than any the Simpsons' writer's room had ever seen.

EDIT: No, I'm thinking of the fact that H.W. Bush also appeared in that episode.
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post #94 of 258
11/12/08 at 10:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott View Post
Oh, and Futurama is highly overrated. There really isn't anything special about turn-of-the-century pop culture humor and obvious jokes. That said, I really don't why people were so shocked when they found out the movies turned out to be shit.
Wrong on so many levels.
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post #95 of 258
11/12/08 at 10:45pm
Do any of those levels happen to have BENDER'S GAME on it?
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post #96 of 258
11/12/08 at 10:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott View Post
Oh, and Futurama is highly overrated. There really isn't anything special about turn-of-the-century pop culture humor and obvious jokes.
Wrong on so many levels.

There.
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post #97 of 258
11/12/08 at 10:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott View Post
Oh, and Futurama is highly overrated. There really isn't anything special about turn-of-the-century pop culture humor and obvious jokes. That said, I really don't why people were so shocked when they found out the movies turned out to be shit.
You. Are. Wrong.
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post #98 of 258
11/12/08 at 10:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by InTheShadows View Post
I wonder if the cause of that was because, by Season 10-11, they were getting writers on the show who had grown up watching The Simpsons, and were more interested in parody then the family dynamic that had made the first 8 seasons so great.
I think you hit the nail on the head right there.

I think that the creation of Futurama also had an effect on The Simpsons. I know that Matt Groening did not have as large of a role on The Simpsons as he did during the first few seasons, but by 98-99 he seemed to be putting nearly all of his effort into Futurama. Listen to the Futurama DVD commetarys and you can tell that he had much more affection for Bender and Fry than he had for the people of Springfield. There also could have been some kind of "brain drain" as the Futurama staff was filled.

I have no solid proof of this but it is pretty safe to claim that any episode after 1999 is average and almost all of the episodes after 2000 are just mediocre.
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post #99 of 258
11/12/08 at 11:04pm
Isn't the creation of Futurama directly related to the growing dissatisfaction that Groening had with The Simpsons at that point? I mean, wasn't there serious talk about stupidity like a Krusty spinoff show? It seems like he realized that the show was going in the absolute wrong direction at that point.
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post #100 of 258
11/12/08 at 11:28pm
When was the Max Powers episode? That one still makes me laugh.
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