The Big Picture: The Simpsons Is Still Funny - Pt. 1

[ACman]

Horseshit.

There was a point that the Simpson started to rely on celebrity cameos and "wackiness" and the elements of society that it tried to parody became far more of the moment; as opposed to the classics and cultural touchstones anybody could relate to that were turned over for laughs and relatable situations n the earlier seasons.

Whereas Season 3, 4 and 5 do not have a single bad episode.

If anybody can name an episode that competes with the genius of 'Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk', 'Homer's Triple Bypass', 'Whacking Day', 'The Last Temptation of Homer' or the all time greatest episode 'Last Exit to Springfield' then I'd like to know about it.

All of those episodes from those 3 seasons were of that standard whereas when I watch a new episode I don't know whether I'm going to maybe give it a light chuckle, or throw shit at the television in teeth nashing disgust.

 

[Pinstar]

And people wonder why young adults like MLP:FIM. Pretty stuff for the kids, plenty of references for the older crowd.

 

[Aprilgold]

So your saying that humor is subjective however don't get why people don't find something funny. *GASP SOUNDS* THATS SHOCKING AND CONTROVERSIAL BOB!

Its a two part why though?

 

[scorptatious]

I can see what you're talking about Bob.

It's sort of like me with Calvin and Hobbes. As a child, I enjoyed the art style and Calvin's various antics. Now that I'm older though, I can appreciate some of the more subtle and grown up things the strip has to offer. Such as Calvin's talk with Hobbes about how animals love you unconditionally and never judge you. Or when Calvin tries to charge $15 for a glass of lemonade using supply and demand as an excuse. Those are just a few examples I can think of off the top of my head.

As for The Simpsons, I don't really watch it anymore in terms of new episodes, but if I do see some older ones on TV, I'd watch them.

 

[Metalrocks]

havent watched it for years now. maybe because the TV station (back in australia) was showing the same stuff over and over again that i got bored and dint pay attention to it anymore.
still like the simpsons and always will, but yes, they have change in a good and bad way at the same time. it is still funny and has some nice parody moments, but sure not as the first few seasons.

now im more in to futurama and cant wait to hold the new dvd in my hands.

 

[dthree]

Already in my 20s when the show started, the kiddie nostalgia argument doesn't wash with me. I can clearly see the difference between the first decade and the second. After that, each sucessive season had fewer and fewer episodes that really shone. About 5 or 6 years ago I gradually stopped watching it, except for the halloween episodes, which I tired of 2 or 3 years ago. I don't think its even possible for it to be really good any more. I'm not a writer, but isn't there a point where a character turns into a cliché because the viewer knows them too well? Where the weight of that character's prior existence crushes any narrative that might be unique and interesting otherwise?

 

[Double A]

Every time you end on a cliffhanger like that, I fell like I'm getting trolled.

 

[Wriggle Wyrm]

I?m not sure what season it was, but for me, it eventually got to the point were the new episodes were just terrible. Not just ?not as good as? the older ones but so bad they were hardly watchable. The jokes weren?t funny, the characters became caricatures of themselves and the episodes would always have the same tired structure of some random event starting the plot, then veering off on a tangent that becomes main storyline.

I?m not sure if it?s still that bad, since I haven?t watched the Simpsons in years but when I left, the quality of the show was pretty much in the gutter.

 

[DarkRyter]

I watch modern episodes and I'm like "lol".

I watch old episodes and I'm like "I don't get these references. Who's that asshole?"

 

[The Thinker]

CURSE YOU AND YOUR TWO-PARTERS, BOB! *Shakes fist* But, yeah, I don't watch the Simpsons, so I'll just assume you're right about this stuff.

 

[Callate]

I feel I shouldn't respond on the matter of The Simpsons itself until part II, but this much I do have to say:

Beyotch, I was watching The Simpsons when they were bits before the commercial break on The Tracey Ullman Show. Season One? Pfft. Latecomer. (Tongue firmly in cheek.)

 

[TheBrett]

About 2 years ago, I started buying up used Simpsons box sets, to the point where I now own Seasons 2-11. What I noticed is that out of all the really memorable episodes, the kind where you remember the jokes and the story, the vast majority came from Seasons 2-8. Season 4, in particular, is a gold mine in terms of memorable episodes.

I don't think the Simpsons went bad, so much as it went mediocre - the show rarely produces genuinely bad episodes. After Season 9, the ratio of great episodes to forgettable ones got worse over time, with only a few seasons with more than 2-3 memorable episodes (Seasons 12 and 14 come to mind). None of them had anything resembling the "Golden Age" seasons 3-8, where more than half of the episodes really stand out.

 

[endplanets]

yes it is true, the newer episodes are as good if not better than the older episodes. Like South Park.

 

[Unesh52]

Damn cliffhangers... To be honest, I've never really loved The Simpsons. It's always been, as he says, above average, but nothing to write home about in my opinion. Maybe it's because I don't have cable anymore and have therefore missed everything that's happened in the past decade on top of forgetting most of the stuff I was actually exposed to, but I just don't remember this show being that great. Actually, I kind of thought it got canceled.

The movie was a blast though.

 

[sporkaganza]

I have to admit I don't know if The Simpsons is funny anymore. I haven't watched anything past Season 10, since it got to be a bit pricey ordering all the DVDs all the time and I kept hearing that it wasn't as funny from then on. (I turned 18 recently and just finished my first semester at college, so I'm completely outside the demographic that was actually able to watch the early episodes as they aired.)

I will definitely agree that there are actually quite a few more lackluster episodes in the season four to nine era than people will lead you to believe, though.

I watch modern episodes and I'm like "lol".

I watch old episodes and I'm like "I don't get these references. Who's that asshole?"

Because there certainly aren't also loads of non-reference jokes that hold up well, right? Nope, definitely not.

 

[pearcinator]

I dont think there has ever been or ever will be a TV show that can be quoted in public with many people knowing it came from the Simpsons, which episode it came from and who said the quote.

e.g. 'You're out there somewhere beer baron, and I'll find you.'

Finish the quote, which episode is it from and who said it? Too easy.

 

[SiskoBlue]

The simpsons has always been a carefully balanced show. The only thing that drags them done is it's age leading to repetition. It must be hard to find new storylines after 20 seasons. Even the most beloved sitcoms only last about 8 seasons. And soap operas re-use the same storylines over and over existing in the magic bubble of acceptance they seem to get.

The only time I was turned off by the Simpsons is also one of the things I love about it most. There was a point where they started having a lot of non sequitor jokes. No purpose, or reason for them, just shoe-horned in there. Like Family Guy, there's a point where you just feel they're not earning the punchlines. But often the times I've laughed hardest is when they surprise me.

My Dad hated the Simpsons (not sure why? Because it was American, animated and had elements of dumb humour I guess). Which was a shame but it caught him out once. The meteor episode where they roll a military missle out and it has the sticker "Aim away from face" made him have a coughing fit of laughter. So you can't deny that the simpsons always tries to find a way to make everyone have a laugh.

 

[Mr Sparkle]

if you have to explain why something is funny, its not funny.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

Good move I think, rounding out the year with The Simpsons. I know I'm not the only one waiting for the Death and Return of Superman episodes but it sounded like those will take 2 episodes at the very least. Hell, Lantern and Ms. Marvel got 2 episodes each so Death and Return of Superman may be part X of another month-long thing based entirely on Superman.

As for The Simpsons: I started watching when I was a toddler so I caught almost every episode from way back. I still love the show even if I can't catch all of them but Fox has made that harder on me anyway since they've taken Simpson's all around the time slots, even off the air for a while.