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

[Palademon]

Even when I was 11, people a few years older than me said it wasn't as good anymore.

I'm 17 now, and I still like it.
The only reason I came up with for being bad is because it's limited.
I enjoy Futurama more because it's scifi, and has a naturally unlimited scope. It's fiction, they can bring in new concepts whenever they think of them, whereas The Simpsons is grounded in reality.

 

[Rect Pola]

I don't think it's simply because we grew up. In a vauge generalization it's combined with the fact that material-wise it grew younger. While always kooky in varying ways, the older material was overall more grounded as a satirical sit-com and avoided going over the top as a cartoon.

A point that stands out for me was when Homer was literally weilding his motorcycle against the leader of a biker gang. It wasn't my "this not the beginning of the end, this is THE END" moment (a-la the Thundercat's belt of not being evil); it was just one of many "oh brother - you are trying too hard" moments.

 

[coolkirb]

The audience changed, obviously, but so did the formula. I think it was Groening that talked about how as his personal life changed, as well as that of the staff and writers, the formula changed from being about the comedic antics of Bart Simpson to the sill adventures of Homer Simpson. Watch early seasons and you will see exactly what he's talking about. There is a palpable but subtle transition from things being largely Bart-centric to lots of plots that made Homer essentially the star of the show.

As we grew up, so did the Simpsons, as Bob mentions in the perceptual sense, but in many ways the writing did this pretty literally as well. We all matured together, and I still love the show.

I allways saw it as Bart and Homer were co-stars in the begining but then its seemed they started to expand to other cast members a bit to much with Marge and Lisa getting at least two episodes each a season and then like 6 more minor cast featured episodes.

 

[Xman490]

Speaking of old cartoons, I went to my aunt's house for a while a couple of hours ago, and her grandson's kids (yeah, she's that old) were watching cartoons. I eventually joined them when Looney Tunes went on with Bugs Bunny messing around with Yosemite Sam. That gave me two thoughts:

1. Kids of any generation can easily enjoy that silly slapstick comedy.
2. Classic cartoons tend to show on weekday afternoons, probably because most people who watch them are adults (among other people without school or work).

 

[Smokescreen]

I don't think you can have it both ways; either the older episodes are better or they are not.

This whole episode essentially said: The Simpsons is to my generation what Bugs Bunny was to previous generations. Nothing wrong with that: Bugs Bunny cartoons are brilliant in a way rarely touched in humor and the music used all but established an entire comedic language for us as tv and movie viewers. It appeals to kids even now because it's funny and it appeals to adults because now there are whole new jokes to get. To be in that class (and I think the Simpsons have earned it) is no small feat.

BUT: humor needs certain things. It needs new places to explore, and it needs a protagonist and an antagonist. In the early years, there were characters to explore and through them, situations to examine. Now we know all the characters and what they have to say. The Simpsons really only becomes awesome again when it has something to say (see also George Carlin's career arc)--and what we need said to us is now being said just as well (if not better) by The Daily Show, Colbert Report and South Park.

It's not that the Simpsons can't be great sometimes or even good frequently but there has been a shift and there's really no getting around that. The jokes aren't for the viewers, they're for America.

And, once you start having guest stars for the sake of using guest stars, that's lame-a sign of weak writing and exhausted ideas. Meryl Streep and Dustin Hoffman played characters on the show, Johnny Cash played a role probably written for him and the results speak for themselves--when compared to a guest spot by, say, The Who.

 

[RJ Dalton]

No, Bob, if there's anything I refuse to believe, it's that I grew up.
Neverland for life!!!
*weeps*

Okay, but seriously, I never got into the Simpsons. I lived in a house with extremely prudish parents who took it into their heads to decry The Simpsons as an abomination against . . . you know, I still don't know. It was never clearly explained to me. I, being one of those few "good kids" who actually listened to his parents (yeah, I don't know what was wrong with me) never actually watched the show. I did watch Futurama when it came out and I thought it was brilliant and I keep thinking I should check out The Simpsons, but I just don't watch TV anymore, so I never remember to do so.
So, what I'm saying in a long, rambling way is that I have no opinion on the matter.

 

[GeorgW]

I still watch every week, and will continue to do so as long as it runs (1 year? :'( )
I don't really know why I watch it, or if I think it's improved or not. I can say that I've never really gotten why everybody always says that it went downhill after a certain season, I haven't noticed a significant difference, but I guess I'll know next week.
Though I must say, I much prefer Futurama, it's pure brilliance, while Simpsons is always just fun.

 

[scott91575]

Sorry Bob, but you are way off on this one. First of all, your references to older episodes were all from season 1. That is a poor choice. Those do not hold up well. The golden years are season 2 through 7, 8, 9 or 10 (depending on personal choice). The reason for the greatness of those seasons, especially 2 through about 7, was the writers and producers. Conan O'Brien in season 4 and part of 5 (who of course left for his own show). Al Jean and Mike Reiss left for the Critic (although Jean did return). David X. Cohen left for Futurama. Plus many, many more (often leaving to work with the people I mentioned). Then some really poor show runners, and the Simpsons did go downhill. I still watch those episodes and laugh out loud. I also am amazed at how clever they were. That is no longer true, and it has nothing to do with nostalgia.

The only correlation in tv I can make is MASH. The first 5 seasons were great. Yet Larry Gelbart left after season 4 (he did still consult but was no longer involved in day to day stuff) and Gene Reynolds after season 5. From that point on the show went down hill, just like the Simpsons. The brand is still there, but the people that truly made it great had moved on.

Of course turnover is not always bad. In fact, the Simpsons lost a ton of people after season 3. Yet the group that replaced them brought about what I consider the best season, season 4. 4-6 are simply genius, and there are only a handful of mediocre episodes. Yet the majority of those guys are gone from the show.

 

[Jennacide]

I glad you bothered to touch on the concept that tastes change. Five or six years ago, I thought Family Guy was great. I can't stand it now, and not just because it changed into a parody of itself, but upon viewing the older "good" episodes again, I realized I don't really enjoy them anymore either. There are a few laughs to be had here and there, but I've just grown out of it's sense of humor into something totally different.

Or for an older example, I picked up the complete series of Tiny Toon Adventures on the cheap because I remembered loving the show when I was younger. Having rewatched a good chunk of it, I still enjoy it, but for entirely different reasons now. What was funny to me then isn't anymore, but there is tons and TONS of buried jokes and references for adults that I couldn't of gotten. In the first 4 episodes alone they reference: Psycho, The Shining, Eraserhead, Citizen Kane, and The Usual Suspects. That's just....nuts.

 

[Aureliano]

Okay Bob, here's a simple test to see if you're right that the Simpsons has stayed pretty consistently funny: watch a good chunk of whatever recent season you like (anywhere from 14-23, let's say). Then watch a good chunk of the episodes from season 8.

Do you notice a difference? That difference is that one season is from an amazing show, and one season is from a tolerably funny show. It's not bad right now, but you're not missing out on anything important if you've skipped it for about the last decade either.

 

[Elijah Newton]

South Park has followed more or less the same arc as this Simpsons has for me, from dismissal to grudging respect to honest enjoyment to fading laughs to a realization that, at some point, I'd stopped watching.

 

[MasochisticAvenger]

One problem the show has today compared to in the past, which the guys working on the Simpsons have themselves admitted, is the fact the airing time given to television shows has been cut down from year to year. This means less content per episode and can quite often there isn't enough room for a B story, which often had the funniest jokes.

 

[Darks63]

I watched the Simpsons until I discovered family guy and jumped ship to the show promptly.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Oddly, I wasn't allowed to watch this show as a kid. When I did start watching it and paying attention it was because it was funny. Then I didn't watch it much and started watching again and didn't find the joke very funny so I stopped watching it. That's all I know, that's all I care about.

 

[chaosyoshimage]

Still dosen't explain why "That 90's Show" is the biggest spit in the face for longtime viewers. I HATE that episode, same with "Kill the Gator and Run" and "Sattlesore Galactica".

I think we can all agree though, "Marge vs the Monorail" is one of, if not THE best episodes of the series.

I actually kinda like "That 90's Show", people take it way too seriously. I just thought it was a fun parody of the 90's, not the continuity destroying abomination the fanbase thinks it is. I do agree that Marge vs. the Monorail is the best episode.

As for the video, I don't think this really holds up. I watched The Simpsons for years before I quit and while the older ones definitely have a few downs (The first two seasons are really bad), the new ones only have a few gems and way too many missed opportunities. I don't think the whole, "you liked it better because you were a kid and it was edgy" defense holds up. I haven't seen Akira, but I find it hard to believe that that's a good reasoning for it's critical acclaim either. Although, I would apply that dichotomy to Ninja Scroll...

 

[TwikTwok]

For fuck sakes Bob. Why is it every time I start to like you again you release another "Big Picture" that seems to exists for the sole purpose of stirring up a flame war in your thread?

You are already popular, do you really need do pull these antics to inflate your views and comment numbers?

 

[daxterx2005]

review about simpsons still being good?
Simpsons did it!

 

[Faerillis]

While I can definitely follow your thread of logic, I think it only applies to your age group (grew up in the 80s not). No I don't think the first 10 seasons were the best, yes they always had clunkers, but in truth they still managed to maintain their series as possibly the greatest and funniest show on TV for until around the Simpsons Movie (which was still fairly good) then the writing changed. Now make no mistake, there are some new episodes that still hold up, but as things go the writing really isn't as good as it once was. While the writers used to make insightful jokes about things, they now seem to think mentioning the topic is the same as joking about it.

And also, it does come to the simple fact that no matter what the Simpsons do:
Simpsons did it!

 

[TownTattle]

Last 3 Seasons of the simpsons have been stellar. Just wanted to put that out there.

Agree completely with Moviebob on this one. The episode 'A Streetcar named Marge' I now see as one of the best single cartoon episodes of all time.
Also, the latest episode is excellent. I've grown up with Simpsons over the years, and just like LOTR, Star Wars and Halo it will remain with me forever.