The Big Picture: The Simpsons Is Still Funny, Part 2

[Phellix]

But Stalin really wasn't so bad as he portrayed.

 

[munglai]

I agree with your analysis and I was 100% with you, up until you said it's still one of the best things on TV.

Not even close.

 

[MasochisticAvenger]

Like a lot of people I began to like the Simpsons less and less. I don't remember exactly where I started to notice I wasn't enjoying it as much, but it was around Season 21 where I dropped off completely. It just wasn't as funny to me anymore, and it didn't help that new episodes were been aired randomly (meaning they expected people to have a vested interest in the showm which I did not).

Thanks to the internet, I have been able to go back and watch the series I have missed (side note: I do own all of the currently released seasons on DVD (aside from the early released Season 20 because I hope they do a better/fuller version to make up for the crummy version they already released), and I do plan to get any future seasons that are released), and while I am enjoying it again it still doesn't feel the same.

I wholeheartedly agree with what Bob said back in one of the junk drawer episodes: the simpsons is still funny, but not "laugh out loud, rewatch until you've completely memorized the entire episode" funny.

The problem, at least for me, is now the Simpsons are making references targetted at my, or close to my, generation. In the past, the show would parody some movie or event I was too young to really know about and that actually intrigued me more. I didn't know that Burn's speech when he runs for Governer was a reference to Citizen Kane or the statue head in Bart's bed was a reference to Godfather. It made it appear, at least to me, that the Simpsons was funny on its own merit.

However, now that the Simpsons is targetting things I'm aware of, I'm noticing the references more and more. It made what I used to believe was a show that could stand on its own merits into a show that was just filled with cliched references.

And because apparently you can't talk about the Simpsons without one:

5. Trash of the Titans
4. Bart Stops the Smell the Roosevelts
3. Homer's Enemy
2. Radioactive Man
1. Lisa the Simpson

With honorable mention going to "The Frying Game" because Homer taking the blame for the crime so that Marge would get to live is, in my opinion, one of the sweetest things anyone has done ever.

 

[Braedan]

Wow. What the fuck. Only 1/6 posts have ANYTHING to do with the Simpsons. The rest is spammy clutter about the merits of girl's cartoons.


Personally I stopped watching Simpsons, not because I thought it was declining in quality, but more because having to dedicate a time slot once a day every single week is a big ass hassle when you're not 15, and I don't have 100$ to pay for programming my house has already paid for. Also, I don't feel like stealing it from the interwebs.

I never watch TV and only have a TV for Netflix, and movies.

 

[Strain42]

I can't help but feel like this two part episode could have been summed up with "The show is still funny because the acting is still strong, the writers are still dedicated, and the series continues to evolve with the times while keeping the same appeal"

Don't get me wrong Bob, I'm glad you dedicated the time to this. But I understand why it was initially a junk drawer topic. The Simpsons is still awesome because the people making it still care.

 

[Keepitclean]

The video 404s on me, any ideas why?

 

[Coratto]

The video 404s on me, any ideas why?

At least now I know it's not just me.

 

[XShrike]

Video is 404 for me as well. Apparently it was up for some period as it got the ponies all riled up.

 

[gamepopper101]

Am I the only one getting 404 when trying to click the link?

 

[ShatterPalm]

Am I the only one getting 404 when trying to click the link?

Nope.

 

[Unesh52]

.>

Damn arrows in the file server...

Oh Bob, you so troll, we all know Ponies are better than Adventure Time

I may be a brony and all, but Adventure Time is at least 5 times more math. So much good times on that show. I just like the MLP fan base more, which is why I hang out with bronies all the time and why my avatar and stuff is ponies instead of Adventure Time stuff.

 

[IndianaJonny]

Everyone's favorite TV family is still funny.

But, as yet, unwatchable - getting the 404 pony here, Bob. Seems like I'm not the only one.

 

[tomservo4prezident]

This 404ing is extremely disappointing. I will likely continue refreshing until it works.

Also, despite my being a brony, Adventure Time is the objectively better show. Despite the fact that I've watched a lot more FiM and gotten more into it, it's definitely not as good as a lot of people set it up to be. Its main appeal is its characters, which makes it hard to get past some of its idiosyncrasies if you're not already sold on it. Adventure Time is just an all-around solid show, with an amazing art style and great writing.

 

[Saarai-fan]

I'm getting the 404 pony too. :S

 

[Swifteye]

I don't care what anyone says, Adventure Time, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and Regular Show all have a special place in my heart, along with some outliers like Phineas and Ferb and The Amazing World of Gumball. I just love them for how awesomely absurd and weird they are, it's a style I haven't seen in a long time. All of these have quality animation, quality writing, and quality everything else pretty much. They really are much better than they have any business being. The way I see it, I think there's been a revival to the cartoon genre thanks to these shows as they all bring me back to the days where I'd get up for Saturday morning cartoons. I think you'd be able to do an episode on that whole concept of the Saturday cartoon dieing off until this started, but then again this is probably nostalgia talking.

Speaking of nostalgia, that's really the only reason why I watch the Simpsons anymore. It still makes me laugh occasionally, and it's nice to keep up with it and have something stay consistent in our lives. I do agree that it's more everyone else changing rather than the show, but the characters have also changed either for better or worse. Flanders [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Flanderization] is an obvious example. Regardless, it will be a sad day in television history when The Simpsons is eventually canceled. Few shows will ever live up to it.

You sir just won the internet, what are you going to do now?

I'll be traveling to the land of OOO and drop by Equestria to see how things are doing, maybe research on what park Regular Show is based on and jump into the internet.

Though I do wonder, how many people really prefer Adventure Time because they watch both shows and prefer it, or just hate My Little Pony by default and automatically give Adventure Time the trophy?

If a commercial is to be believed adventure time got an emmy nomination. That's serious cred for a cartoon show.

 

[hexFrank202]

GAHD!

I always am sure to watch the video before bringing my eyes anywhere near the comments. Spoilers and stuff. But I decided to wander down to see if the 404 thing wasn't just me... 404's cause so much misery!

 

[McMarbles]

*edit*

Only three of his top five are in my top ten. ("Last Exit" is my #1, BTW.

And yes, Adventure Time ranks a couple of notches above the ponies for me.

 

[Wriggle Wyrm]

Interesting episode. While I can agree with some points, I still think The Simpsons have become stagnant and they just aren?t funny anymore.

The strange thing is that Bob?s explanation for why the show still isn?t in its golden age doubles as another strong indictment on why it should finally be cancelled. The Simpsons have effectively become irrelevant. The society they?re based off of doesn?t exist anymore and it has long since outlived the shows it was meant to parody. Leaving it with little more than cheap gags and the diminishing returns of parodying itself.

Far from uplifting the Simpsons, Bob?s segment makes their fate even more depressing. It?s like watching a loved one spiral further and further into dementia.

 

[ToastiestZombie]

This 404ing is extremely disappointing. I will likely continue refreshing until it works.

Also, despite my being a brony, Adventure Time is the objectively better show. Despite the fact that I've watched a lot more FiM and gotten more into it, it's definitely not as good as a lot of people set it up to be. Its main appeal is its characters, which makes it hard to get past some of its idiosyncrasies if you're not already sold on it. Adventure Time is just an all-around solid show, with an amazing art style and great writing.

I don't know if you could really say Adventure time has a better art style than MLP. Personally I love FiM's art style since it shows so much character expressions and it really gives scale to some of the bigger things in the show. I always loved that shot where there running from the Hydra and the Hill there on looks like it's rolling, and the Hydra is at the bottom of it. From what I have seen of Adventure Time, the characters don't look at expressive to me and they seem a bit, weird looking. But that is my opinion, there really isn't any way Adventure Time is objectively better than FiM, it all comes down to opinions. They are both great shows with great writing and a great art style, doesn't mean everyone should like one or that one of them is truly better. Basically I think that Adventure Time and FiM are equal, I just prefer FiM.