Have 'The Simpsons' PRIME become underrated and forgotten?
I just bought season 4 and 5 of the Simpsons and felt like making this thread because I was shocked at how much better some of it is than what I remembered.
I'm sure you guys have probably had a whole bunch of 'new Simpsons' bashing-type threads over and over again throughout the past ten years, but it hasn't really hit me until now that nobody seems to fully appreciate the brilliance that was The Simpsons in its prime anymore. It seems the most you get from people nowadays are 'it used to be funny but it isn't anymore', and that's really only a small part of it.
The show's become so diluted now and have SO many different episodes of drastically varying qualities that you might even think that an average episode was one of the good ones simply because it seems that way when put next to the crap we have now. The show's gone through so many changes that I don't think enough of us really remember just how much better the best episodes were even compared to other 'prime years' episodes during it's initial 'good' 8 year run. It's not as simple as it being really good and then suddenly being really bad. It basically went
Season 1 - pretty bad
Season 2/3 - very well made but half of it was boring and the other half was untouchably brilliant
Season 4/5 - exponentially funnier at the expense of some heart
Season 6 - considerable dropoff, still great
Season 7/8 - even bigger dropoff compared to 6, still good
Season 9-12 - massive dropoff, borderline bad
Season 13-now - absolute crap that isn't commendable even compared to childish kids shows.
It pissed me off even more when people treated the movie like it didn't s*** all over the original.
If you watch back episodes like Last Exit to Springfield, Deep Space Homer, And Maggie Makes Three, Flaming Moe's, Three Men and a Comic Book, and Lisa's Substitute, you could argue that the Simpsons were a borderline work of art and a masterpiece that blends political/social commentary, effective emotional drama, gut-busting hilarity, creative artistic vision, tremendous presentation/storytelling, intelligent subtle humor, pitch-perfect film referencing/parodying, and just plain random childish fun unlike any other show in existance. Even shows like Seinfeld or Arrested Development didn't come close to this level of quality, IMO, and that's not a jab at those shows.
Anyways, I don't know what the point of this thread is, other than to point out how unfortunate and outrageous it is that it looks like pretty soon the Simpsons will either be forgotten entirely or remembered for all the wrong reasons. Hopefully some people will agree with me.
Last edited by Shareefruck: 08-30-2008 at 04:30 AM.
Anyways, I don't know what the point of this thread is, other than to point out how unfortunate and outrageous it is that it looks like pretty soon the Simpsons will either be forgotten entirely or remembered for all the wrong reasons. Hopefully some people will agree with me.
There' no one to blame but the creators of the show themselves. You can tell they don't even care about comedy any more and are just cranking out the show to keep the records going or whatever (although I don't even know if there's any left to break?). Or maybe to keep the paycheques coming.
There's a reason why shows like Seinfeld and Arrested Development (and others) are still so revered - because they went off the air before their audiences were ready to let them go, either by choice (Seinfeld) or by circumstance (AD). Now whenever anybody talks about the Simpsons it's always with an asterisk, like "...but too bad the new episodes suck". If the Simpsons called it quits tomorrow, would anyone really be disappointed, aside from the fact that it would be end of an era in television?
I still like it, better than most of the shows on TV. The writing is still good, but like all sitcoms, eventually it gets to be a bit thin and not every episode is a gem.
I wouldn't describe seasons 6-8 as anywhere near a decline in quality, season 9 is when things got wonky. Even still there's a bevy of excellent episodes like Homer vs. New York, Realty Bites, Das Bus, Lisa the Simpson, The Joy of Sect and Trash of the Titans.
I would agree though that many have probably forgotten about their peak and just how influential it was not only on my generation but Gen-Xers and Generation Jones as well. It seemed like the Comedy Network had been airing reruns of seasons 12+ for a loooong time until recently they started from the beginning and they're about halfway through season 2 now. Should serve as a pleasant reminder to those who casually watch it at 10 pm(or 9 wherever you may be) that it was basically the best thing that ever happened to network television.
Who really gives a **** what other people think. If you like the show, great, if not don't watch it. I have been a diehard simpsons fan, I can remember seeing it on the Tracy Ulman show when I was a kid (although I don't remeber caring all that much about it) I have most of the seasons on dvd, although I've got some catching up to do.
Imo it was easily one of the best shows I've ever seen, I still watch it now, most of the time it's not as good as it used to be but so what. The Simpsons have given me countless hours of entertainment and I will continue to watch them long after they are off the air.
Although I always wished they would have done a spin-off show based on Ralph cause he rules!
Season 1 - pretty bad
Season 2/3 - very well made but half of it was boring and the other half was untouchably brilliant
Season 4/5 - exponentially funnier at the expense of some heart
Season 6 - considerable dropoff
Season 7/8 - even bigger dropoff compared to 6
Season 9-12 - massive dropoff, borderline bad
Season 13-now - absolute crap that isn't commendable even compared to childish kids shows.
I'd argue that you're underrating the show in your own thread about it being underrated. Up until about season 9, The Simpsons has to be one of the funniest shows of all time. I used to think things started to fade after season 7, but lo and behold, I happened to catch The Canine Mutiny (Laddie) episode from season 8 the other day, and laughed my ass off:
Homer: Well, crying isn't gonna bring him back ... unless your tears smell like dog food. So you can either sit there crying and eating can after can of dog food until your tears smell enough like dog food to make your dog come back, or you can go out there and find your dog.
I've caught a couple of the older episodes on TV lately, and it truly was a GREAT show. It's just a parody of itself now, and Homer is the best example of this. The writing just went down the tubes. It's actually kind of sad to think that there's been more bad Simpsons than good Simpsons.
Are they ever planning to end the show? Or is the plan to just keep making them until nobody wants to watch anymore?
I've caught a couple of the older episodes on TV lately, and it truly was a GREAT show. It's just a parody of itself now, and Homer is the best example of this. The writing just went down the tubes. It's actually kind of sad to think that there's been more bad Simpsons than good Simpsons.
Are they ever planning to end the show? Or is the plan to just keep making them until nobody wants to watch anymore?
Ha, this **** is hysterical.
And they still get great ratings for a show thats been on forever.
I wouldn't describe seasons 6-8 as anywhere near a decline in quality, season 9 is when things got wonky. Even still there's a bevy of excellent episodes like Homer vs. New York, Realty Bites, Das Bus, Lisa the Simpson, The Joy of Sect and Trash of the Titans.
One of my all time favorite episodes.
Pleasant Female Voice: Thank you for calling the parking violations bureau. To plead not guilty, press one now.
[Homer dials `one']
Pleasant Female Voice: Thank you. Your plea has been...
Angry Male voice: ...Rejected.
Pleasant Female Voice: You will be assessed the full fine plus a small...
Angry Male voice: ...Large lateness fee.
Pleasant Female Voice: Please wait by your vehicle between 9 AM and 5 PM for parking officer Steve...
Angry Male Voice: ...Grabowski.
They definitely aren't underrated. I watched a re-run of a new one a couple weeks ago, and man it's complete garbage. It really just isn't funny anymore. Especially compared to all the classic episodes that are on TV all the time.
They definitely aren't underrated. I watched a re-run of a new one a couple weeks ago, and man it's complete garbage. It really just isn't funny anymore. Especially compared to all the classic episodes that are on TV all the time.
Maybe this is the problem....everyone sees the classic epi's so much they think the newer ones are total garbage. Total garbage? Come on now....
Who really gives a **** what other people think. If you like the show, great, if not don't watch it. I have been a diehard simpsons fan, I can remember seeing it on the Tracy Ulman show when I was a kid (although I don't remeber caring all that much about it) I have most of the seasons on dvd, although I've got some catching up to do.
Imo it was easily one of the best shows I've ever seen, I still watch it now, most of the time it's not as good as it used to be but so what. The Simpsons have given me countless hours of entertainment and I will continue to watch them long after they are off the air.
Agreed. At its peak, it was one of television's greatest achievements.
I'm sure many people will have forgotten how good this show was, by remembering it by the more recent episodes, but, people who's memories are that short are not the people whose opinion I'd value much anyways.
Much like a hockey player who continues playing well after his prime, it doesn't change what they did during their peak years. Any episode the Simpsons put out now, has no impact on what they put out 10-15 years ago. Those episodes stand on their own.
Maybe this is the problem....everyone sees the classic epi's so much they think the newer ones are total garbage. Total garbage? Come on now....
The problem is the new ones don't make me and many others laugh because they aren't funny anymore. That's a problem for a comedy show, especially one with such a rich history they can play off of.
Maybe this is the problem....everyone sees the classic epi's so much they think the newer ones are total garbage. Total garbage? Come on now....
It's like when the Beatles released their Anthology set and made new songs that weren't the absolute worst things that had ever been written, but they were well, well below the standard that had been set, and consequently I don't go out of my way to listen to them.
But with the Simpsons, instead of a few songs, the basically did an whole new discography of bland, uninspired music. It taints the legacy, but it doesn't take away how great it was in its heyday.
TV goes like this - new show is created, most talented available writers come on board - shows a hit, writers leave for more lucrative deals(Their own shows, movies, etc). Then come the 'replacement' writers, who try to mimick the shows former writers.
Thats pretty much how it goes, Simpsons is no different. Some epi's hit, some miss, but like I said, its still better than most shows out there, and I prefer it to retreads of 'The Family Guy' which is a show that really stretches it thin nowadays.
Thats pretty much how it goes, Simpsons is no different. Some epi's hit, some miss, but like I said, its still better than most shows out there, and I prefer it to retreads of 'The Family Guy' which is a show that really stretches it thin nowadays.
We understand that's how you feel but considering there is nothing appealing on network television anymore, sitcoms anyway, it doesn't say much.
I think the Simpsons are still good, at their golden age they were almost alone, and I never liked Friends and stuff (too corny humour and abit carebear), nowadays I think Family Guy has sort of taken Simpsons spot abit, Simpsons used to be abit far out, but they've gone abit more mainstream now (who could blame them) and I honestly haven't watched any episodes at all since the movie came out, and before that I was a hardcore Simpsons-fan who would always make sure I watched it the 2-3 times a day it was aired here.
Homer: Well, crying isn't gonna bring him back ... unless your tears smell like dog food. So you can either sit there crying and eating can after can of dog food until your tears smell enough like dog food to make your dog come back, or you can go out there and find your dog.
Bart: You're right, I'll do it!
Homer: Rats, I almost had him eating dog food.
I'm laughing my ass off right now, reading that. Completely forgot about that episode. So many good times...
I pretty much agree with the original poster, except that I think the dropoff really began around Season 9, which is at least half good. Season 10 was a real disappointment - I thought so at the time and after getting the Season 10 DVD for Xmas 2 years ago, it was confirmed (I resolved to stop buying them for myself after Season 9).
Anything after about Season 12, I have almost no recollection of, even though I've seen every episode. TiVo will record some episodes - from the last 2-3 years especially - that take me 10 minutes to realize I've seen, and that weren't funny on first or second viewing.
Even with 8+ years of ******* episodes, it's still my favorite show of all time. Seasons 4 and 5 are the gold standard of comedy to me. They're that good.
Having said that, the movie was awesome. Best movie I saw last year, to be totally honest. It gives me hope that the show could someday be good again, but I'm not holding my breath.
Whenever I discuss The Simpsons I like to take a moment to pat myself on the back for deciding the show was turning a bad corner, when I was 12/13, devoid of any internet influence at the time. It's just comforting to know I was a snob well before my days of patrolling forums.
Ever since Family guy came back on the air it's as if it secured the Simpsons' legacy as being one of the funniest shows of all time. When Family guy failed to live up to the hype in the 3rd/4th season just about everyone started appreciating the Simpsons again.
There are episodes I refuse to watch, and many I still have yet to see from about 1995->on because I thought the show should have been ended. That doesn't take away from how much I love seasons 3-6.
I haven't watched a new simpsons episode in years, and I don't watch reruns much anymore either because they're all the newer episodes. I honestly don't think it's better or funnier than "most shows" I seriously think it's terrible TV. Even the newer Family Guy, which has gone way downhill, beats it. I'd rather watch all those random little cartoons on teletoon. I hear people often say "it's not that bad" or "it's still funnier than a lot of TV" or "there was a good one just a while ago!" in an apologetic way. I can't help but feel that these people are mistaking their comfort with and fondness for the characters for quality TV. I think that if the Simpsons came on today in it's present condition as a brand new show, it wouldn't even get renewed.
I still like The Simpsons. It just isn't as great as it can be anymore. For instance, they make too many blatant references to current events. It's hard for a show that does that to remain timeless, unlike older episodes that had joke more derived on plot.
People say that it's no good anymore because they've done everything. I disagree, saying that it's just that the writers suck and that Al Jean cannot run a show. An episode that I can use to back up my theory is the monorail episode. That episode is so insanely strange concerning plot. That kind of plot is what you do when you're out of ideas. Yet, it is still one of the best simply because of the writing.
