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The Simpsons - Season 28 |OT| - Sundays at 8 on FOX | Pre-Show Marathons at 4 on FXX

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jstripes

Banned
What is this strange thread? The Simpsons ended years ago.

Is it from an alternate reality where the show still shambles on like a zombie?
 

Sanjuro

Member
The animation seems to have been evolving slowly from sterile early HD. It's been noticeable the last few seasons to sometimes small degrees.
 

UberTag

Member
The animation seems to have been evolving slowly from sterile early HD. It's been noticeable the last few seasons to sometimes small degrees.
The overall quality varies drastically by director and showrunner. Not to the extent it did post-classic era when Lauren MacMullan was clearly doing her own thing with her episodes so they drastically stood out but more of the directors are being encouraged to stretch themselves creatively and it's beginning to pay dividends. It's certainly a big improvement from the early HD era days which are rightly criticized.
 

Whogie

Member
Yeah, the animation really stood out. It felt like I was watching a special. I enjoyed that episode though. It didn't have that terrible pacing newer episodes tend to have where they rush from plot point to plot point. Not as bad at least.
 

UberTag

Member
Yeah, the animation really stood out. It felt like I was watching a special. I enjoyed that episode though. It didn't have that terrible pacing newer episodes tend to have where they rush from plot point to plot point. Not as bad at least.
One thing that stands out with Selman-showrun episodes is that they largely remain focused on a single central plot AND he gives that plot room to breathe by axing the couch gag and opening for the additional time.

There is a serious issue with episode pacing that you'll find in many HD-era episodes that juggle plots throughout a 4-act structure but Selman episodes seldom encounter them. This weekend's Treehouse of Horror is likely to be a mess given the expected Mad Max / Hunger Games / James Bond / Suicide Squad parodies. The Harry Shearer-penned episode that follows seems to be juggling a trio of plots as well.
 
I was rather tickled by the riot/no riot scene, that had a bit of a classic Simpsons feel to it. Didn't really enjoy the rest of the episodes though, and I'm particularly bothered by how off the voices are now. Dan and Nancy are the only ones who sound even remotely consistent these days.

My biggest fear is that someone important is going to die before they end the show.
 

UberTag

Member
This is indeed the place to chat about this weekend's landmark 600th episode of the Simpsons. It will feature hilarious send-ups of Suicide Squad, The Hunger Games, Mad Max, James Bond, the return of Frank Grimes, an extended virtual reality couch gag courtesy of Google Cardboard, numerous celebrity appearances from the likes of Drew Carey, Sarah Silverman and Mrs. Harry Shearer herself, Judith Owen, and... somewhere along the way there will be some semblance of an episode amidst all of those shenanigans. Enjoy!

TREEHOUSE OF HORROR XXVII - Sunday, October 16th | Episode Production Code = VABF16 (#600) / Writer = Joel H. Cohen

IT’S THE TREEHOUSE OF HORROR XXVII ON THE ALL-NEW, MILESTONE 600TH EPISODE OF “THE SIMPSONS”

600th Episode Promo
Clip #1 - Will Nobody Stop These People?
Clip #2 - Bart Simpson as Bond
Clip #3 - Homer's Imaginary Friend Sergeant Sausage Comes to Rescue Him

Treehouse_of_Horror_XXVII_promo_3.png
Treehouse_of_Horror_XXVII_promo_6.png

Treehouse_of_Horror_XXVII_promo_2.png
Treehouse_of_Horror_XXVII_promo_7.png


Drew Carey, Donald Fagen, Sarah Silverman and Judith Owen Make Guest-Voice Appearances; Kelsey Grammer Returns as Sideshow Bob

In the midst of a major drought, Mr. Burns introduces a Hunger Games-style contest in which Springfield’s children fight each other for a day in Burns’ personal reservoir. Meanwhile, Lisa’s imaginary best friend, Rachel, is jealous of Lisa’s real best friends and starts killing them. Moe tells Bart that the barflies are actually covert agents and that he wants Bart join their team in Homer’s place.

FXX Marathon Theme - Treehouse of Horror

4:00pm Treehouse of Horror (S2E3 / 7F04 / 1990)
4:30pm Treehouse of Horror IV (S5E5 / 1F04 / 1993)
5:00pm Treehouse of Horror V (S6E6 / 2F03 / 1994)
5:30pm Treehouse of Horror VI (S7E6 / 3F04 / 1995)
6:00pm Treehouse of Horror XIII (S14E1 / DABF19 / 2002)
6:30pm Treehouse of Horror XV (S16E1 / FABF23 / 2004)
7:00pm Treehouse of Horror XVI (S17E4 / GABF17 / 2005)
7:30pm The Man Who Came to Be Dinner (S26E10 / RABF15 / 2015)

Also, virtual reality throughout the years as foretold by The Simpsons...

image001.jpg


simpsons-vr-wired.png
 

Joni

Member
I'm a bit pessimistic that the 600th episode is a Treehouse. It is the area where they have messed up the hardest the latest years.
 

Dishwalla

Banned
I ordered that free cardboard thing they were giving away and I haven't gotten it yet, hoping I get it today in the mail. Otherwise their dumb promotion will have been a waste of time.
 

UberTag

Member
I ordered that free cardboard thing they were giving away and I haven't gotten it yet, hoping I get it today in the mail. Otherwise their dumb promotion will have been a waste of time.
Technically, it's to be used with the version of the couch gag you view independent of the episode via the Google Spotlight Stories and/or Google Cardboard app. It's not intended to be used while the episode itself is airing. So whether you have it in time for the episode airing or not is kind of irrelevant.
 

Joni

Member
The list of shows that they supported starts with Drexell's Class, which is great if you kept following the Treehouse of Horror recaps in the other topic.
 

UberTag

Member
Already finished watching tonight's episode thanks to the magic of earlier Canadian start times.

The crispness of the opening segment made me optimistic some effort was going to be put into tonight's episode but then we wound up with some paper-thin parodies that couldn't even be bothered with telling a memorable story.

Still an improvement over last year's slipshod effort... but just barely. Hope to see a different writer / director tandem in charge of next year's effort.
 

BatDan

Bane? Get them on board, I'll call it in.
Can't see the ToH until tomorrow. I live in Wisconsin and there was a Packers game today, so the local Fox affiliate played this "special" in place of it. We won't get the episode until like 11:05.
Stupid Packers...
 

UberTag

Member
I liked the opening segment and the couch gag, but the first story wasn't good.
It was probably the best of the three stories, too.
BFF R.I.P. and Moefinger aren't any better. I did enjoy hearing Sarah Silverman again but she's been much better in her previous Simpsons stints.
 

DogDude

Member
3rd segment was the funniest by far I thought. Light on the horror element though...


And the 600 Bond dedication was great.
 

UberTag

Member
They seem to enjoy using THOH segments to parody other non-horror movies they've enjoyed and justify their inclusion by incorporating a healthy helping of nonsensical violence so they can say, "See... it fits the theme."

It leads to a lot of trite directionless storytelling. Hell, they couldn't even make up their minds what to parody between The Hunger Games and Mad Max in the opening segment so they riffed on both of them.
 

mreddie

Member
Sad to hear THOH is another bust. I blame Mr. and Mrs. Simpson for being so well received that every THOH after 2004, it's been nothing but movie parodies with a layer of carnage because LOLFUNNY
 

mreddie

Member
Yeah this wasn't very good. This is why I don't usually watch the show anymore.

Last week was good and Halloween of Horror was amazing, it's just like Brett Farve. he'll throw a TD every now and then but dude needs to retire.

Fucking Al Jean.
 

UberTag

Member
Yeah this wasn't very good. This is why I don't usually watch the show anymore.
This reaction is why I encourage people not to watch episodes as they air and to wait for the consensus afterwards to determine whether it's worth seeking out or not. PVRs are your friend. Nothing will turn you against modern Simpsons quicker than a lame duck episode and you'll miss out on gems like Halloween of Horror and Barthood as a result.
 

Tapejara

Member
I was right to go in with really low expectations for THOH. I agree with others that they should cut down on parodying non-horror films.

This reaction is why I encourage people not to watch episodes as they air and to wait for the consensus afterwards to determine whether it's worth seeking out or not. PVRs are your friend. Nothing will turn you against modern Simpsons quicker than a lame duck episode and you'll miss out on gems like Halloween of Horror and Barthood as a result.

Which really bugs me because it turns every discussion about The Simpsons into how much people hate the modern era. No one's going to argue the show is as great as it was twenty years ago, but there are some enjoyable episodes still coming out. It becomes so tiring to wade through those comments* each time I want to talk about the show.

*This isn't in reference to you Dishwalla, just about discussion of the show in general.
 

Joni

Member
They could have gotten a decent episode off the hunger games if they sticked with it. They also missed a chance on Lisa not saying dad against homish. The kingsman parody had very little bond. The middle one was terrible.
 

Astral Dog

Member
what happened to the Treehouse of Horrors they used to be sooo original and cool :(
this year was not as bad as the last though i enjoyed Lisas imaginary episode and mr, Burns (!) on Hunger games,

But im mad they are not even Halloween focused anymore, was also expecting a segment focused on Grimes, the other thread made me believe he returning was a huge deal instead just a cameo with other villains like evil Maude
 

Dishwalla

Banned
I actually saw Halloween of Horror and Barthood, didn't think they were bad or anything but I also didn't think either was particularly great. Just serviceable episodes.
 

Astral Dog

Member
I actually saw Halloween of Horror and Barthood, didn't think they were bad or anything but I also didn't think either was particularly great. Just serviceable episodes.

i dont remember liking Barthood (or what was about anymore) but HoH was pretty good it made up for the lame Treehouse episode of last year, Lisa and Homer at their HD best
 

Joni

Member
But im mad they are not even Halloween focused anymore, was also expecting a segment focused on Grimes, the other thread made me believe he returning was a huge deal instead just a cameo with other villains like evil Maude

People just overreacted on that topic, even ignoring that they already used him in a similar role earlier.
 

Tapejara

Member
I actually saw Halloween of Horror and Barthood, didn't think they were bad or anything but I also didn't think either was particularly great. Just serviceable episodes.

i dont remember liking Barthood (or what was about anymore) but HoH was pretty good it made up for the lame Treehouse episode of last year, Lisa and Homer at their HD best

Yeah, I wasn't too big on Barthood. Halloween of Horror was great though. I also really enjoyed The Girl Code.
 

NOLA_Gaffer

Banned
Got my Google Cardboard in today. Couldn't get the spotlight app to work and I'm overall fairly underwhelmed by it. Glad I didn't pay for this thing.
 

UberTag

Member
Got my Google Cardboard in today. Couldn't get the spotlight app to work and I'm overall fairly underwhelmed by it. Glad I didn't pay for this thing.
What issue are you having with the Spotlight app? I had no trouble booting it up last night.
 
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