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How is Homer killing Grandpa Simpson funny?
- Thread starter Spike Spiegel
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Like the hat?
Banned
beelzebozo said:
I stand corrected. there were three absolutely terrible episodes. This one was probably the worst of the worst. I had totally forgotten about it.
I'm gonna get hate for some of this, but (i) it all just comes down to personal taste and (ii) I've been reading Matt Groening since well before the Simpsons started, even carrying around his School Is Hell collection as a little third grader, making my opinion more valid.
Bad Season 8 episodes (comments in parentheses, synopses courtesy SNPP since you've probably expunged many of these from your memories; i even left out a couple of borderline cases where characterization/use of celebrities sucked but there were enough funny gags to raise the quality to "decent"):
Hurricane Neddy (#4F07) 29 Dec 1996 (one of the first and most blatant examples of character mutilation b/c the writers obviously didn't want to actually think of a plot; see also, every episode from season 9 on)
Ned Flanders checks himself into a mental hospital after suffering a nerves breakdown when his house is destroyed in a hurricane.
The Springfield Files (#3G01) 12 Jan 1997 (i know a lot of ppl like this one, so just peg me as an x-files hater, i thought the crossover wasn't funny or very well handled)
Homer witnesses something out of this world in Springfield woods, but no one believes him, not even FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully (from The X-Files), who came to investigate the incident. Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny and Leonard Nimoy guest star.
Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious (#3G03) 7 Feb 1997 (unfunny+singing)
The Simpson family get a nanny after Marge starts loosing her hair to overwork stress.
The Canine Mutiny (#4F16) 13 Apr 1997 (wat; see also, bad plots stemming from total lack of ideas above)
Purchasing an expensive purebred dog on a fraudulent credit card lands Bart in the doghouse when creditors want the pooch back, but Santa's Little Helper ends up the real loser here. Frank Welker guest stars.
The Old Man and the Lisa (#4F17) 20 Apr 1997 (should have thrown in captain planet for some kool-aid-man-in-family-guy yuks; terrible episode that would fit in perfectly today)
Mr. Burns loses his vast fortune and turns to Lisa for help in getting it back through environmental means. Bret "the Hitman" Hart guest stars.
In Marge We Trust (#4F18) 27 Apr 1997 (over the top and unfunny)
Marge becomes the "Listen Lady" when the people of Springfield turn to her after Reverend Lovejoy loses interest in helping people. Meanwhile, Homer sets out to discover why his face is on a box of dish soap. Sab Shimono, Gedde Watanaabe and Frank Welker guest star.
The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase (#4F20) 11 May 1997 (my personal official "The Day the Simpsons Died" episode)
Troy McClure present three Simpsons spinoff spoofs: In Chief Wiggum, P.I., Chief Wiggum becomes a detective and moves to New Orleans with Principal Skinner as his assistant. Next, Grampa Simpson's soul is trapped inside Moe's Love tester machine in The Love-Matic Grampa. Finally, the Simpson family host a '70ish variety show in The Simpson Family Smile-Time Variety Hour.
NOTES: Tim Conway and Gailard Sartain guest star.
Bad Season 8 episodes (comments in parentheses, synopses courtesy SNPP since you've probably expunged many of these from your memories; i even left out a couple of borderline cases where characterization/use of celebrities sucked but there were enough funny gags to raise the quality to "decent"):
Hurricane Neddy (#4F07) 29 Dec 1996 (one of the first and most blatant examples of character mutilation b/c the writers obviously didn't want to actually think of a plot; see also, every episode from season 9 on)
Ned Flanders checks himself into a mental hospital after suffering a nerves breakdown when his house is destroyed in a hurricane.
The Springfield Files (#3G01) 12 Jan 1997 (i know a lot of ppl like this one, so just peg me as an x-files hater, i thought the crossover wasn't funny or very well handled)
Homer witnesses something out of this world in Springfield woods, but no one believes him, not even FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully (from The X-Files), who came to investigate the incident. Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny and Leonard Nimoy guest star.
Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious (#3G03) 7 Feb 1997 (unfunny+singing)
The Simpson family get a nanny after Marge starts loosing her hair to overwork stress.
The Canine Mutiny (#4F16) 13 Apr 1997 (wat; see also, bad plots stemming from total lack of ideas above)
Purchasing an expensive purebred dog on a fraudulent credit card lands Bart in the doghouse when creditors want the pooch back, but Santa's Little Helper ends up the real loser here. Frank Welker guest stars.
The Old Man and the Lisa (#4F17) 20 Apr 1997 (should have thrown in captain planet for some kool-aid-man-in-family-guy yuks; terrible episode that would fit in perfectly today)
Mr. Burns loses his vast fortune and turns to Lisa for help in getting it back through environmental means. Bret "the Hitman" Hart guest stars.
In Marge We Trust (#4F18) 27 Apr 1997 (over the top and unfunny)
Marge becomes the "Listen Lady" when the people of Springfield turn to her after Reverend Lovejoy loses interest in helping people. Meanwhile, Homer sets out to discover why his face is on a box of dish soap. Sab Shimono, Gedde Watanaabe and Frank Welker guest star.
The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase (#4F20) 11 May 1997 (my personal official "The Day the Simpsons Died" episode)
Troy McClure present three Simpsons spinoff spoofs: In Chief Wiggum, P.I., Chief Wiggum becomes a detective and moves to New Orleans with Principal Skinner as his assistant. Next, Grampa Simpson's soul is trapped inside Moe's Love tester machine in The Love-Matic Grampa. Finally, the Simpson family host a '70ish variety show in The Simpson Family Smile-Time Variety Hour.
NOTES: Tim Conway and Gailard Sartain guest star.
Like the hat?
Banned
The Love-Matic Grandpa was outstanding. you're crazy.
worldrunover
Member
AstroLad said:
Suddenly the ugliest man in Scotland isn't good enough for ya! I would agree with some of those, but the Sherry Bobbins episode was really funny. Also, In Marge We Trust is worth it for fishbulb alone.
And the spin-off show was weird but obviously just a parody of itself, which is why it gets a pass in my book.
I still go with "The Principal and the Pauper" as the day the Simpsons died for me.
Yeah, fishbulb was great. Funny thing is that the memory of the fishbulb is completely divorced from that episode for me.
Definitely recognize that I'm the outlier on Simpsons Files; definitely just a personal taste thing--I think that for whatever reason that episode did not jibe with me; possibly because I was still reeling from Hurricane Neddy.
Definitely recognize that I'm the outlier on Simpsons Files; definitely just a personal taste thing--I think that for whatever reason that episode did not jibe with me; possibly because I was still reeling from Hurricane Neddy.
Souldriver
Member
I've just watched the 3 most recent episodes, and I'm pleasently surprised by them. My expectations have dropped very low though since the past 5 seasons have sucked so much to "the Simpsons" standards.
But it seems like they are trying to do an effort and telling a story in every episode, instead of just doing a bunch of random stuff.
- The ep where Skinner hires a rat to frame Bart
- The ep where Bart and Lisa think they've killed Martin
- The ep where Lisa is tempted to smoke to stay thin and focussed
They don't touch the classics by a long shot, but they're miles better than the really "shitty" ones. And in all three episodes there have been moments I laughed out loud (something I don't do very often with the Simpsons anymore).
The most important thing is that the Simpsons don't act really out of character anymore. Even when Lisa tries to hide the death of Martin, or when she is tempted to smoke, she still stays the moralistic, little know it all, good at heart girl that'll do the right thing.
But it seems like they are trying to do an effort and telling a story in every episode, instead of just doing a bunch of random stuff.
- The ep where Skinner hires a rat to frame Bart
- The ep where Bart and Lisa think they've killed Martin
- The ep where Lisa is tempted to smoke to stay thin and focussed
They don't touch the classics by a long shot, but they're miles better than the really "shitty" ones. And in all three episodes there have been moments I laughed out loud (something I don't do very often with the Simpsons anymore).
The most important thing is that the Simpsons don't act really out of character anymore. Even when Lisa tries to hide the death of Martin, or when she is tempted to smoke, she still stays the moralistic, little know it all, good at heart girl that'll do the right thing.
but Lisa had already joined a ballet class before (back when they mistook an 8 year old for a college student), and before that she joined a tap-dancing class (showing a completely different level of skill). and before that Bart joined a ballet class.
it's practically impossible to name a recent episode without being able to name a previous one that had the same idea. Marge gets mugged (in one ep becomes a policeman, in another has a panic attack), Bart gets a driver's licence (one ep goes on a road trip, the other has him nearly married to a pregnant girl), Homer loses his driver's licence, ad infinitum.
oh, and that "future" episode that showed Krabappel trying to seduce Bart just turns my stomach. never look at any of the classroom scenes the same way again.
Owed T'Alex
Member
Man The Simpsons is so great
Souldriver
Member
Well yeah, "simpsons did it". In every episode there's something that's been done before. The ballet class Lisa did in the recent episode wasn't a storyline on it's own, it was a way to make the smoking story-line possible. I think you're being overly harsh on them for doing the same things multiple times. It's a bit like saying "there has already been a monkey story in Friends" when talking about the episodes with Marcel the monkey in them.Zenith said:
Edit: the one where Edna seduces Bart, is that the one where Homer and Bart are in Moe's and they start talking to Mrs Hoover and Krabappel? Because if you mean that, then I think it wasn't all that bad. Both Bart and Krabappel said it was way to weird. (Which was the point of that scene).
Season 8 is still very much part of the golden age for me, it had some of the best episodes and also some of the more ambitious ones. Bill & Josh pushed the envelope (spinoff showcase, mysterious voyage, homer's enemy), but in a good way. It has a few weaker episodes, but I can count them on one hand.
So yeah basically this
My favorites from that season
You Only Move Twice
Bart After Dark
A Milhouse Divided
Lisa's Date with Density (he can't hear you right now, we had to pack his ears with gauze)
Hurricane Neddy
Mysterious Voyage of Homer (now gimme some inner peace or i'll mop the floor with ya)
Springfield Files
In Marge we Trust
Mountain of Madness. Incredibly underrated episode
Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie
Homer's Phobia
Homer vs Eighteenth Amendment
Grade School Confidential
Homer's Enemy
Spin off showcase
all A material in my book
Season 9 had some Bill & Josh leftovers, of which Lisa the Simpson and City of NY vs Homer were the best.
With their 2 season run they've proven themselves to be pretty much the most versatile showrunners the Simpsons ever had. I bow down before them
They had the balls to bring changes to characters and actually make them work. Ned's whole anger incident brought depth to his character, they also created a dynamic for the entire Van Houten family. Shame that Scully basically took their take on characters as an example and did the same, only he fucked the characters up.
Their take on Skinner is very controversial, but I could never hate that episode like so many others did tbh. My view on the episode also changed somewhat after I heard the dvd commentary
So yeah basically this
Souldriver said:
My favorites from that season
You Only Move Twice
Bart After Dark
A Milhouse Divided
Lisa's Date with Density (he can't hear you right now, we had to pack his ears with gauze)
Hurricane Neddy
Mysterious Voyage of Homer (now gimme some inner peace or i'll mop the floor with ya)
Springfield Files
In Marge we Trust
Mountain of Madness. Incredibly underrated episode
Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie
Homer's Phobia
Homer vs Eighteenth Amendment
Grade School Confidential
Homer's Enemy
Spin off showcase
all A material in my book
Season 9 had some Bill & Josh leftovers, of which Lisa the Simpson and City of NY vs Homer were the best.
With their 2 season run they've proven themselves to be pretty much the most versatile showrunners the Simpsons ever had. I bow down before them
They had the balls to bring changes to characters and actually make them work. Ned's whole anger incident brought depth to his character, they also created a dynamic for the entire Van Houten family. Shame that Scully basically took their take on characters as an example and did the same, only he fucked the characters up.
Their take on Skinner is very controversial, but I could never hate that episode like so many others did tbh. My view on the episode also changed somewhat after I heard the dvd commentary
Souldriver
Member
Yep. Watched it just now. It's pretty awkward.DrLazy said:
PrinceAdam
Banned
Well the Simpons isn't funny, but it is much much less annoying then before.
Tyrone Slothrop
Banned
season 8 was my favorite. some of you must smoke pcp or something
MisterHero
Super Member
i blame family guy for the ramping up of the shock value comedy
south park was there first, but family guy is a network show
south park was there first, but family guy is a network show
King Endymion
Member
I enjoyed it a lot, I got a bit annoyed at Grampa when he listened to the radio because he always kills everything with his damn babbling but the scene worked out pretty well.
Beverly D'Angelo's voice was too different for me to fully enjoy it. She was too hoarse and her previous, strong voice was gone. Glad we got to see Lurleen again though, and I love all the references back to the first episode.
I love season 19 so far (and 18), except for "Husbands and Knives" which didn't have an ending. -__-
The writing isn't what is worst these days, it's the acting. Pretty much all voices have changed dramatically, ever since season 16 or something. Dan and Nancy's voices have changed the most. Homer is extremely hoarse and Bart has lost his character a bit. Julie's Marge voice is pretty emotionless as well.
My favorite episodes are "Joy of Sect" and "Das Bus" from season 9, btw.
Beverly D'Angelo's voice was too different for me to fully enjoy it. She was too hoarse and her previous, strong voice was gone. Glad we got to see Lurleen again though, and I love all the references back to the first episode.
I love season 19 so far (and 18), except for "Husbands and Knives" which didn't have an ending. -__-
The writing isn't what is worst these days, it's the acting. Pretty much all voices have changed dramatically, ever since season 16 or something. Dan and Nancy's voices have changed the most. Homer is extremely hoarse and Bart has lost his character a bit. Julie's Marge voice is pretty emotionless as well.
My favorite episodes are "Joy of Sect" and "Das Bus" from season 9, btw.
IronicallyTwisted
Banned
The last "new" episode I watched was when Homer was some sort of dancing coach for the superbowl. It was so horrifyingly awful I couldn't watch it for more than 5 minutes.
CajoleJuice
Member
I'd offer you Seasons 1-6 for pretty cheap, but I already made a deal with another gaffer.Himuro said:Man, I seriously need to someohow obtain Simpsons seasons 1-9. How much would it cost if I bought them all at once?
There are deals for them frequently at Amazon/Best Buy though. For like $15-20.
Back onto the original topic, was the opening this week a Sopranos take off? I didn't get it at the time and found it a bit disturbing, but I just thought about it again and remembered there was a very similar scene in the Sopranos, which makes it kinda funny. Though it might have worked better with Lenny or Carl driving.
It's really annoying how long-time fans of the Simpsons dog the modern day progression of the show. The Simpsons is still a very good show and the writing is ace.
If you really want to be an anal douche bag about it, the ONLY good season of the Simpsons was season 5. IOW, stop your fucking whining.
If you really want to be an anal douche bag about it, the ONLY good season of the Simpsons was season 5. IOW, stop your fucking whining.
lastendconductor
Put your snobby liquids into my mouth!
Fuck The Simpsons, seriously.
I count Seasons 2-9 as part of the golden age, with Seasons 1 and 10 acting as the bottoms of the bell curve. Season 1 was actually pretty good, and Season 10 had its moments (like turning Jasper Johns into a kleptomaniac for no reason at all).
Season 11 is what I consider the first season of The New Simpsons. It's also the one that houses my personal "The Day the Simpsons Died" episode in "Bart to the Future." The New Simpsons still has provided some good laughs, but the humor's not as sharp as it used to be, and it probably won't ever be at again.
I miss the fact that Bart doesn't do well in school, or that the Simpsons are a lower middle-class family. Or that they are a family at all. In "Separate Vocations," Bart takes the fall for Lisa stealing all the teacher's guides ("DOES ANYONE KNOW THE MULTIPLICATION TABLES?!"). Though he puts her through hell sometimes, he really does care about her. In "I Married Marge," you see Homer struggling with the responsibility of starting a family. He cares so much for Marge that he actually leaves her until he can become a better person for her. It's the sort of thing that made Homer such a great character in the first place, and his selflessness shows us again why Marge could fall in love with a guy as dense as he is.
...But I don't dog on the show like others do. These are just some of the things I missed, and Futurama has taken up the slack for it, and will continue to for at least three more movies. It's just disappointing to see the show become just another sitcom.
Season 11 is what I consider the first season of The New Simpsons. It's also the one that houses my personal "The Day the Simpsons Died" episode in "Bart to the Future." The New Simpsons still has provided some good laughs, but the humor's not as sharp as it used to be, and it probably won't ever be at again.
I miss the fact that Bart doesn't do well in school, or that the Simpsons are a lower middle-class family. Or that they are a family at all. In "Separate Vocations," Bart takes the fall for Lisa stealing all the teacher's guides ("DOES ANYONE KNOW THE MULTIPLICATION TABLES?!"). Though he puts her through hell sometimes, he really does care about her. In "I Married Marge," you see Homer struggling with the responsibility of starting a family. He cares so much for Marge that he actually leaves her until he can become a better person for her. It's the sort of thing that made Homer such a great character in the first place, and his selflessness shows us again why Marge could fall in love with a guy as dense as he is.
...But I don't dog on the show like others do. These are just some of the things I missed, and Futurama has taken up the slack for it, and will continue to for at least three more movies. It's just disappointing to see the show become just another sitcom.
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
AniHawk said:
Exactly. I always refer to 'I married Marge' as the perfect example of what made the Simpsons great. Also in Season 2 when Bart apologises to Lisa on the roof after ruining thankgiving. I hadn't watched that episode in years, then I watched it last year and it made me tear up.
While I don't mind violent humor at all, I still think it's this kind of stuff that has ruined The Simpsons. In the pursuit of more whacky/moronic hijinks for Homer to get into, they've transformed him into something very inhuman. What made the show work in the past was the fact that Homer really was just a struggling father who at times did the most stupid things. Now he's just a caricature, a two-dimensional clown who falls on his ass for shits and giggles.
HisshouBuraiKen
Member
Yes, we all know the Simpsons is long past its golden years, but this season has definitely produced some laughs - Especially the ones where they stopped doing two half-episode mini-plots and get right to the meat within the first 5 minutes.
The top moment for me was in "Eternal Moonshine" when Bart beat up 10-and-20-year-old Homer.
"He's superior to me in every way!" :lol
I hate how they try to shade them now, though.
The top moment for me was in "Eternal Moonshine" when Bart beat up 10-and-20-year-old Homer.
"He's superior to me in every way!" :lol
I hate how they try to shade them now, though.
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