The Simpsons

[Ben]

With running such low ratings and a confirmed return for two more seasons, there’s little chance of Simpsons now ending with dignity. Maybe if they’d gone out with the movie and just switched to a big screen outing every three years for a while, or made a really big thing about the twentieth anniversary and stopped then on a relative high, or at least a milestone. But now...? The show was basically over from season twelve (at the very least) and it lost its dignity a while back. The movie may have given it a shot in the arm, but it’s been a lazy show for far too long now. I haven’t really watched it since around when the movie came out, though there are others in my family that still see it. Such a shame that they’ve past enough milestone for it to end in any kind of high...they do need to let go eventually, though it’s around, at least, for another couple of years, dying a slow and painful death...

[ShyViolet]

Yeah...the insane thing is that The Simpsons (The Simpsons! ) basically became one of those unbelievably bland sitcoms it mercilessly parodied for so many years. And bad TV in general (Troy Mclure infomercials, silly TV movies, etc...). Very ironic...and almost, dare I say, heartbreaking.

From: “Rosebud,”. Season 5. (The one with Mr. Burns’ teddy bear Bobo.)

Burns: Smithers, I’m home! (Canned laughter)
Smithers: What, already? (Canned laughter again.)
Burns: Yes. (Canned laughter once more.)

Lisa: Is it my imagination, or is TV getting worse?
Homer: Nah, it’s about the same.

Modern Simpsons actually isn’t far off from this.

[ShyViolet]

Also, recently I did watch a couple of minutes here and there from a few episodes; and I was shocked...because Harry Shearer really doesn’t sound a thing like Mr. Burns anymore! I’m totally serious: it was like listening to a sound-alike VO actor (possibly even worse.). So disappointing.

[Daniel]

That's nothing, try doing that with Marge scenes. Julie's voice has deteriorated so much. Most of the time she sounds alright, other times it's cringey. She makes Marge sound too old and exhausted. Especially when she cries. She's getting on though, so I try to cut her some slack. Unlike Harry who doesn't care and just phones it in.

Even after I “abandoned” it, it was sort of a weird comfort to know that it was still on. (I know, that makes no sense lol.)

Kinda does. I'm like that with Pokémon. In my case it was for VERY different reasons. (well documented so I won't bore anyone again. ) With Simpsons, it really does need to end. I continue to watch new episodes because I do still enjoy it. Doesn't compare to the classics, and there are usually more dull episodes, but they still occasionally surprise. Will be weird when they officially end it. I've been watching it all my life, so it's hard imaging a world where there's no more new episodes. Of course you just know they'll be countless spin-offs so in that regard they'll never stop the Simpsons.

[ShyViolet]

That's nothing, try doing that with Marge scenes. Julie's voice has deteriorated so much. Most of the time she sounds alright, other times it's cringey. She makes Marge sound too old and exhausted. Especially when she cries. She's getting on though, so I try to cut her some slack. Unlike Harry who doesn't care and just phones it in.

Wow, I haven’t even been wanting to do that because I’m almost afraid to hear what she sounds like now. The last time I heard her perform as Marge was in The Simpsons Movie and I thought she sounded exhausted then! She did a great job as usual (especially during her “goodbye speech” to Homer in Alaska), but darn, her voice was just so weak and scratchy-sounding. . (I know it’s supposed to be, but still, she sounded even more hoarse than she did when she used to voice Marge’s mom.).

Of course you just know they'll be countless spin-offs so in that regard they'll never stop the Simpsons.

OMG spin-offs?? If they’re anything like Skinner and Wiggum fighting crime in New Orleans or Moe’s Love Tester machine haunted by Grampa’s ghost, I’d definitely watch’em. Seriously...those mini-eps are so much more interesting than anything we’ve seen in about the past 15 years. Lol.

[Daniel]

Says the person who hasn't seen a whole episode in "AGES". Not that you're that far off-base but still.

Sometimes when episodes run short they include mini cartoons at the end. Kinda like the classic "Everyone Loves Ned Flanders". Those usually never disappoint and sometimes are better than the actual episode itself! Here's one of my faves: starring a certain happy elf. (lots of little Simpson references!)

[ShyViolet]

LOL, yeah I know you’re right Dan. . I’ve thought about that too. (Actually I did start watching “That Nineties Show” a while ago...I’ll watch the rest soon lol! I was kinda curious on how they managed to change Homer and Marge’s very 1970s youth into the 1990s. Hmm. )

I also saw the FamGuy/Simps crossover ep. “Weird” doesn’t even begin to cover it. It’s worth seeing for that alone.

[Daniel]

Ugh, I loath "That '90s Show". Throws continuity out the window and it's easily the worst flashback episode. Shame since it was written by Matt Selman.

[ShyViolet]

Yeah, I don’t like whole idea...those eps chronicling the early years of Homer and Marge’s relationship are some of the series’ most touching stories, and have a special place in so many Simpsons fans’ hearts. It just feels like such a slap in the face. . (Also, from what I saw, there was just such a...cold feeling about it. Like trying to be aggressively clever, all the warmth of the those beautiful early eps thrown to the wind.)

Why not just make Maggie born in the 21st century and have Homer turn into a overprotective helicopter parent? (Not to stereotype those born in the last 20 years, just giving a “crazy” example. )

[Daniel]

Not as crazy as you might think.

[ShyViolet]

Season 31 premiers September 29th:


https://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/fox/281 ... ptember-29


And wow, that’s very interesting about D23. I guess the Simps really are part of the “Disney family” now. (Still not sure how I feel about that. )


Can’t help but remember how in “The PTA Disbands!” the school took a field trip to a historical theme park (a la Disney’s America, which was never built) which instead of free admission charged five dollars a child because of “new management.”

Diz-nee Historical Park: Sorry, but there’s profit to be had.


Simps had so many great Disney jokes: “I’m an original creation, like Ricky Rouse or Monald Muck.” Al Jean was such a good writer then (like in The Critic, he was great at making up nonsense words.)

[James]

I really wish they had stopped at 30 years. It's a nice round number! And the Fox/Disney transition was just the perfect opportunity to announce they were done. Not saying things won't be good under Disney. But it would have just been a good reason to move on and let Disney take care of the legacy rather than producing.

[EricJ]

Simps had so many great Disney jokes: “I’m an original creation, like Ricky Rouse or Monald Muck.” Al Jean was such a good writer then (like in The Critic, he was great at making up nonsense words.)

Reportedly, The Simpsons tried to sell a Sim-ride (NPI) to Disney, back during the heyday, and were turned down, before trying Universal Studios instead.
And in the fine, rational, mature tradition of how they dealt with every detractor in the late 90's/early 00's, we had a sudden flood of nasty Disney Parks jokes.

[ShyViolet]

I really wish they had stopped at 30 years. It's a nice round number!

Doc Brown: “I figure about thirty years, it’s a nice round number!”

I agree, at least there would be some kind of neat cut-off point to mark the end, the REAL end, so we can finally have some kind of closure on this indescribably unique historical phenomenon known as The Simpsons. (Maybe a theatrical sequel to TSM as a sort of final farewell??)

Actually, I recently re-watched two episodes from season 2 that I haven’t seen in many years: Bart gets an F and Bart vs. Thanksgiving. I know many fans tend to group seasons 1 and 2 together as the more “experimental” ones; season 3 is usually seen by many fans as the show was really beginning to hit its stride. But honestly, if you get a chance, DEFINITELY re-watch these as well as other season 2 eps, they are both not only HILARIOUS (especially Thanksgiving) but touching as all-heck. They really remind you what it was that made us CARE about these amazingly written characters as though we actually knew them. As crazy as this sounds, sometimes I almost feel like Bart and Lisa were kids I knew during my childhood. .

Oh, recently I came across this quote. It was from a review for The Simpsons Movie from The New York Times:

I have long been of the opinion that the entire history of American popular culture – maybe even of Western civilization – amounts to little more than a long prelude to “The Simpsons.”

AO Scott, The New York Times (2007)

A show like this deserved better than what it got.

[ShyViolet]

The Simpsons to parody “Stranger Things” plus “The Shape of Water” in Treehouse XXX.

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-a ... -of-horror

Crazily enough, it’s also episode 666!