• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

The last two Simpsons episodes have been really good

Status
Not open for further replies.
There will be spoilers for the last two episodes, if you somehow don't want the recent episodes of The Simpsons to be spoiled for you...

Is it just me or have the last two episodes of The Simpsons have been really good? Last week's A story was fine (it dealt with Patty and Selma quitting smoking and only one of them actually seeing it through), but the B story was a whimsical romp with Maggie and animals, which led to an awesome surprise appearance of Spider-Pig. That whole sub-plot was just fun in my opinion. And home some really funny moments.

Tonight was actually the first ever real Halloween episode of the Simpsons (Treehouse of Horror is next Sunday). It was also one of the better episodes where Homer shows off his fathering skills. Towards the beginning, Homer and the family going to a seasonal Halloween store run by A-boo (Apu's Halloween themed name, which Marge prefers). There are three workers who try to steal from the store and Homer tells Apu about it. They get fired and vow revenge on Homer. Later, Homer, Bart, and Lisa go to Krustyworld (second appearance of that park) for it's Fright Fest-esque event. Prior to going, Lisa is all excited because she is old enough and is finally able to go. When she gets there, she freaks out, but Homer is able to get her to realize its not real and she shouldn't be scared. She listens to Homer, but gets separated from him when a horde of zombies are walking through the park. Somehow she ends up holding the hand of zombie and Homer ends up holding the hand of Hans Moleman (I had a nice laugh here). Lisa starts really freaking out and sort of becomes terrified of pretty much all things Halloween. Homer, to the chagrin of Bart, removes all Halloween decorations at their house to avoid upsetting Lisa. Later, while Homer and Lisa (a shell of herself at this point) are home (Marge and Bart had a B-plot and were out), the fired workers break into the house, seemingly to harm them. Hiding in the attic, Lisa keeps repeating that it was not real, but Homer had to calmly and bravely tell her that it was not fake, that they were in real danger, and he was really scared himself. They manage to get to the roof to fire off fireworks and get the adults that were out after hours to get the police. It ends with the intruders being arrested. I really didn't expect this episode to go where it went, because I didn't expect those workers to present an actual threat, which they did. It was a very good episode that had something substantial to it.... something meaningful. And it had a plot that didn't seem forced or tired.

Did anyone else watch these episodes?
 

davepoobond

you can't put a price on sparks
funny you mention it, i watched the one with the grill, and it wasn't terrible. it was like a normal episode back when i used to watch it more regularly in the early 2000s.

the last part of that episode was great, though, with the way they showed what happens to the grill. maybe it was because they are tying it in more with Futurama since they may as well at this point.
 
funny you mention it, i watched the one with the grill, and it wasn't terrible. it was like a normal episode back when i used to watch it more regularly in the early 2000s.

the last part of that episode was great, though, with the way they showed what happens to the grill. maybe it was because they are tying it in more with Futurama since they may as well at this point.

Yeah. That was the second episode of the season. I thought that was fine. Not great, but good enough. The premiere, though, I was not a fan of. That really felt like an episode from the late 90's-mid 00's.
 

xxracerxx

Don't worry, I'll vouch for them.
They were mid-tier, the only thing is that since the show has fallen so far it seems like they were really good.
 

Switch Back 9

a lot of my threads involve me fucking up somehow. Perhaps I'm a moron?
No they weren't. Don't lie to me. Don't try and swindle me with your eloquent writing and obfuscating and vague descriptions of "quality" and "humour". How dare you even attempt to get me, for one second, to bare my soul and open my heart to the possibility that this program has anything left but scorn and disappointment for me. You'll not fool me OP, not this time. This old dog has been wounded too many times, I'll not stand for this deceptive style of baiting and biting.

Shame OP, shame.
 
No they weren't. Don't like to me. Don't try and swindle me with your eloquent writing and obfuscating and vague descriptions of "quality" and "humour". How dare you even attempt to get me, for one second, to bare my soul and open my heart to the possibility that this program has anything left but scorn and disappointment for me. You'll not fool me OP, not this time. This old dog has been wounded too many times, I'll not stand for this deceptive style of baiting and biting.

Shame OP, shame.

You're searching for the episodes to see if he's right, aren't you?
 

Richie

Member
You're searching for the episodes to see if he's right, aren't you?

He totally is.

And if not, he should be. Checked out the Halloween episode yesterday, and I can confirm the OP's judgment is legit, helluva polished episode, plenty entertaining, visually dynamic, and with a great focus on characterization seldom seen nowadays.

Why hasn't Matt Selman taken over Al Jean's reigns, again?
 

ghst

thanks for the laugh
i don't trust anyone who still watches the simpsons to be a decent judge of the simpsons.
 
I randomly saw the episode in question, and I enjoyed it too. I really haven't seen an episode since like season 14 (and of course stopped enjoying it from like season 9/10), so it was a pleasant surprise.
 

ElTopo

Banned
NQHKSVE.gif
 
All I'm hearing about these Simpsons episodes are the same things I'm hearing about the new Spongebobs.

"Well, they're not insulting anymore. That's good, right? Right?"
 

120v

Member
Simpsons can eke out a few good episodes here and there, contrary to popular belief. I think they got better writers the last few seasons.

Still a zombie of its former self though
 
I almost started this thread after the Halloween episode and was surprised no one did or bumped the show thread (that I could find).

I didn't even think the episode was that *funny* but I just had a really organic and character-driven story, and all the separate plots fit together very naturally.
 

Molemitts

Member
It's kind of like the tree falling in the woods scenario. If no one watches The Simpsons because it's not funny anymore, but a good episode of The Simpsons is released, how will we know it's good?
 

Social

Member
I actually saw the Halloween one, (I haven't been following the Simpsons for over 10+ years I think) and it was a fun episode! I was surprised.
 

Richie

Member
i don't trust anyone who still watches the simpsons to be a decent judge of the simpsons.

.

I've fallen for this trick a few times over the last 15 years. Never again.

I've long stopped watching the series in a regular basis, only checking it when there's a crazy premise that makes me curious (the Lego episode, the Futurama crossover, Kang and Kodos episode) or when there's an episode with notoriously positive reception (the future Christmas episode, Steal This Episode, and now this Halloween one). I stand by what I said, the Halloween eppie is good times.
 

Entropia

No One Remembers
I too have enjoyed The Simpsons this season. People need to take the blinders off that anything past season 8/9/10 (whichever you say) is crap.
 
I've seen every Simpson episode and the new season is terrible, like usual. The first one was one of the worst episode ever.

The only thing I can say is that the latest episode, the one about Halloween, was indeed much much better than the rest. Probably one of the best we've had in 7-8 years.

But I wouldn't call it "really good", it has a song about sexy Halloween costumes...

But I understand OP. When you watch The Simpsons, an above-average episode is like a miracle.
 

Ahasverus

Member
The last one (Halloween) was AMAZING, legit legit season 4 tier. I could not believe my eyes. That guy should be the shorwunner. 5/5 EPISODE.
 

PSqueak

Banned
[episodes descriptions]

Father-daughter moments between Homer and Lisa are not only great, but pretty much the only moments Lisa is tolerable anymore.

One of my fave moments in "recent" simpsons that is like this, is when Homer and Lisa are reading that Harry Potter knockoff and Homer finds out his fave character dies, fearing Lisa would be upset he changes the ending while reading to Lisa so the book ends in a happier note. After homer leaves Lisa pulls the book and reads the real ending and says "Dad's ending was better", i think it was the sweetest thing and im glad to hear that version of Lisa is getting screen time again.
 
I'm not sure if it would be the worst or the best thing if in its final seasons, The Simpsons suddenly became amazing again. Good to see that they can still have great episodes.
 

AlexBasch

Member
Never understood the fascination around "Spider Pig", the whole thing about it was fucking stupid and couldn't believe why it was so "goddamn hilarious".

And this comes from someone who laughed out loud watching Biodome
Movie snobs of GAF come at me
, so that kinda worries me a bit.
 

MrBadger

Member
The non-Treehouse of Horror Halloween episode was excellent. The Patty and Selma one had a few laughs from me (the joke about the couch gags got me, and burning down their mothers house) but it was pretty meh. Funny how The Simpsons are constantly becoming the show they made fun of in their glory days, though. Spider Pig's such a Poochy

i don't trust anyone who still watches the simpsons to be a decent judge of the simpsons.

I can vouch for the Halloween one being good and I've been disappointed by the modern episodes too many times to count
 

KalBalboa

Banned
Just watched the Halloween episode.

That was rock solid. A really good way to shake things up. It played of the family dynamic in a sincere way and it gave them a good chance to show material the Simpsons never got to cover before (a realistic Halloween).
 
I haven't seen Sunday's episode yet but I thought last week's "Puffless" was one of the best eps I'd seen in a long time. Several LOL moments. I'm not suggesting anyone else watch it, I'm just reporting my own enjoyment.
 
So I've just started watching The Simpsons and am almost done with the first season. At what point does the show start getting bad?
 

Red Devil

Member
i don't trust anyone who still watches the simpsons to be a decent judge of the simpsons.

Although I haven't seen any episode of this season so far, in the recent years I don't see them right when they come out but I'll catch up on reruns and such so I'll still end up watching them. For me the show went on a downward spiral post season 10 and eventually hit rock bottom in the early 2000s(around 2003 I'd say), in the late 2000s/early 2010s it rose up a little but still not as good as old days, and now it seems to be in a constant hit and miss situation were the hit is a little above mid-tier at best.

So I've just started watching The Simpsons and am almost done with the first season. At what point does the show start getting bad?

As I said, for my point of view it begins the nosedive during/after the 10th season, the peak is somewhere between the 4th and 6th season, I'd say the 5th season the is one that's the most consistent in terms of good episodes.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom