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[vypek]

Does this board find season 10 to be classic Simpsons, modern Simpsons, or transitional Simpsons? I find that it blurs the line between classic and modern.

Some episodes still have the "classic sheen" to them in my eyes, like 'The Wizard of evergreen terrace', 'Lisa Gets an A', Mark Hamill's excellent voice appearance in 'Mayored to the Mob', 'Viva Ned Flanders', 'Bart The Mother' (with the final Phil Hartman appearance), and the wonder of Max Powers and Chesty LeRoux in 'Homer To The Max'.

But others, such as the Super Bowl episode, the one with Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger (I know lots of people like this one, but it started a lot of stupid trends that the later episodes would often fall into), Homer abandoning his father to die, and the Jack Lalanne one with the springs and the boat, I associate more with the "newer era" and a sad omen of what was to come.

Season 10 is a transition season to me.

 

[UberTag]

Season 10 is prime Scully. That means it's NOT Classic era.

And if you consider the fact there is still some Classic era from other showrunners in Season 9 and Season 11 is a dumpster fire... then yes, Season 10 is a transition season.

Still boasts some great episodes, though... namely The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace (Swartzwelder hadn't started phoning it in yet), Lisa Gets an "A", Mayored to the Mob, Wild Barts Can't Be Broken, Mom and Pop Art and Thirty Minutes over Tokyo.

The Marge and Lisa subplots in Maximum Homerdrive and Sunday, Cruddy Sunday were just inane.
Characterizations were solid but I mean, what the hell were they thinking with those filler ideas?

 

[Professor Renegade]

I remember having to watch an episode of the early Simpsons in one of my uni classes, ironically we were discussing the concept of low/high brow art when it comes to cartoons. It's hard to believe how far the show has divorced itself from what the original writers intended it to be.

 

[crackhead_bob]

Would modern Simpsons era be considered satirical or mainstream family friendly prime time by many here at Neogaf? Watching new era compared to the classic seasons is a shock to the system. I'm always surprised at the hate that season one sometimes gets. All the rough edges were always endearing to me. Especially Homer's earnestness. I really wish the current Simpsons could be half as nuanced. Why all the cheap gags and slapstick? Has it ever been market proven to bring in viewers?

 

[Chairmanchuck]

The problem with modern Simpsons is (though I liked the last 2 seasons, but I heard they were using old season 8 scripts and changed them a bit) that the characters dont feel likeable anymore.

I said it in another Simpsons thread a few months ago but I watched the Fugu fish episode and that was really heartwrenching. Early seasons were able to put comedy and such stuff into the episodes and it never felt off. Homer accepting his death, his family caring for him and accepting his wishes.

And then you have an episode in the newer seasons where Bart and Milhouse dress up as "one person" but Milhouse nose looks like a penis underneath the costume...

 

[crackhead_bob]

How many seasons in Simpsons renewed for? Are they gunning for season 31 just for the sake of hitting the 3 decade milestone?

 

[Romars202129]

The day the Simpsons died for this fan. Threw in the towel at this scene.

Edit: I just remembered that this was the 300th episode. I was hyped as fuck to watch this, all the promos made it seem like the biggest thing to happen. Seeing this scene just completely deflated the balloon.

Crap, same here! The episode that made me start to hate The Simpsons.

 

[UberTag]

I'm always surprised at the hate that season one sometimes gets. All the rough edges were always endearing to me. Especially Homer's earnestness. I really wish the current Simpsons could be half as nuanced. Why all the cheap gags and slapstick? Has it ever been market proven to bring in viewers?

It's not so much that there's a market so much as it's a lazy crutch for the writers to fall into when they lack the ability to come up with something original.

That said, if you're looking for earnestness and nuance out of Homer's characterization, I can point to one recent example that delivers. Season 26's I Won't Be Home for Christmas. Watch it back-to-back with Season 1's There's No Disgrace Like Home (both episodes written by current showrunner Al Jean) and you might be surprised to see some similarities despite the 25 years between their release.

How many seasons in Simpsons renewed for? Are they gunning for season 31 just for the sake of hitting the 3 decade milestone?

It's officially renewed through Season 28. Holdover episodes that will continue into Season 29 are being worked on right now. The principal voice actors have made a commitment through to Season 30 and Al Jean is presently on record saying the show in its present incarnation will "probably" end at that point. They're presently shooting for the total episode record milestone for a scripted prime-time TV series which is held by Gunsmoke. It ran for a total of 635 episodes. Through 27 seasons, The Simpsons is up to 596 episodes.

As for the 3-decade milestone, they'll actually hit that next year. On April 19th, 2017, the Simpsons will have been on the air in some capacity for three decades. They made their first appearance as animated shorts on the Tracey Ullman show back on that date in 1987.

 

[Lord Frieza]

It's officially renewed through Season 28. Holdover episodes that will continue into Season 29 are being worked on right now. The principal voice actors have made a commitment through to Season 30 and Al Jean is presently on record saying the show in its present incarnation will "probably" end at that point. They're presently shooting for the total episode record milestone for a scripted prime-time TV series which is held by Gunsmoke. It ran for a total of 635 episodes. Through 27 seasons, The Simpsons is up to 596 episodes.

Wow, I'm surprised they haven't actually hit that yet.

 

[crackhead_bob]

It's not so much that there's a market so much as it's a lazy crutch for the writers to fall into when they lack the ability to come up with something original.

Could The Simpsons, and all other shows for that matter, benefit from much shorter seasons? Look at Bojack Horseman, for example. I know the show is relatively new, but the fact that the show spans 12 episodes a season instead of the bloated industry standard of 22+ has to account for something. I feel that longer seasons sap the writers of long term, meaningful creativity, instead of affording writers with the layover to conserve and stockpile their ideas so that they end up with a more thoughtful and polished idea.

Can you imagine if Bojack Horseman ran for 22 episodes per season, the amount of padded episodes there'd be?

 

[vypek]

Could The Simpsons, and all other shows for that matter, benefit from much shorter seasons? Look at Bojack Horseman, for example. I know the show is relatively new, but the fact that the show spans 12 episodes a season instead of the bloated industry standard of 22+ has to account for something. I feel that longer seasons sap the writers of long term, meaningful creativity, instead of affording writers with the layover to conserve and stockpile their ideas so that they end up with a more thoughtful and polished idea.

Can you imagine if Bojack Horseman ran for 22 episodes per season, the amount of padded episodes there'd be?

Maybe. But Bojack is different in the sense that the stories aren't really episodic. Things don't return to status quo at the end of each episode. And if they did extend to 22 episodes, we might not get padded episodes. It could be as if you combined season 1 and 2 together so its all the same. American Dad didn't really benefit from having seasons slightly shortened.

I'm not sure what would benefit The Simpsons. Maybe if they pretty much copy the style they used to have in the past.

 

[kess]

Simpsons Season 10 is definitely transitional, but it leans more towards the latter-day episodes.

 

[UberTag]

I'm not sure what would benefit The Simpsons. Maybe if they pretty much copy the style they used to have in the past.

Al Jean not showrunning any more would be the first place to start. Problem is he's entrenched so politically nobody wants him to leave and are fine with the complacency of the show's storytelling. Matt Selman has been excellent with the handful of episodes he runs each season but, truth be told, his track record might not be so sterling if he took on a Jean-like slate of 18-20 episodes.

We've all more or less come to terms with the fact that not much will change with the current format and the show's flame will likely sputter out in 3 years anyhow so we might as well just let the status quo run its course. If we wind up with more episodes like Halloween of Horror and Barthood, I'll happily wallow through the trash to experience them.

 

[Mechanized]

I mentally checked out after Homer got raped by a panda.

This was a thing that happened on my television set.

Whhhhaaaaaaaaaaaat

That's the episode where Mr. Burns pays Homer to be his joke monkey, the episode with "MERRY FISHMAS"? That episode was fantastic.

"Don't touch me! Nothing gives you that right!"

That episode was a goddamn classic!

 

[UberTag]

Whhhhaaaaaaaaaaaat

That's the episode where Mr. Burns pays Homer to be his joke monkey, the episode with "MERRY FISHMAS"? That episode was fantastic.

"Don't touch me! Nothing gives you that right!"

That episode was a goddamn classic!

 

[Regulus Tera]

That change is visible right in the opening.

They are afraid to get off-model. Or maybe don't know how to.

 

[PeakPointMatrix]

They are afraid to get off-model. Or maybe don't know how to.

There's no time or money to push the show visually anymore. Their production schedules are about a third of the time than in their heyday.