New Simpsons

Foggy.nelson

Anyone watching the new season of the Simpsons currently broadcasting in America. Personally I think the standard is improving after a few ****e years. Anyone else think so

I_smell_fear

I can't bring myself to watch it, actually hurts compared to the golden seasons. Having said that, I have seen it mentioned in a few places that the writing has picked up.

BOHtox

Lisa needs braces

B.A._Baracus

I have to admit the last two episodes of the simpsons were actually alright.

Foggy.nelson

Ya it's miles behind the first few series, but hopefully a steady increase in quality

Mr.Nice Guy

I think it's broken beyond repair at this point. I used to love the show in the nineties and I can still watch and enjoy episodes from that time but the magic of that period doesn't exist any more. You might see funny moments here and there but it is well past its sell-by date and should have been put to bed around a decade ago imo.

What particularly saddens me is when I read people talking about the show's best moments or best episodes etc. and I see people mentioning moments and episodes from the shit years.

I_smell_fear

One thing that seems to hinder me from checking out some new episodes is when I read the episode synopsis or summary beforehand. Many of the new episodes seem to be based on referencing some modern trend/celebrity etc. I think I saw a recent episode (or maybe an upcoming one) based on Marge unknowingly joining a website for setting up marital affairs. I'm not even quite sure why it's so off putting to me. It's not like real life occurrences of the time (1990's) were never referenced in the classic Simpsons episodes, but it was just all soo cleverly done.

Maybe I'm just too pernickety and accustomed to the Simspsons of the past. The idea that the family never aged was so the series could move with the times. Maybe they have exhausted all reasonable paths with the characters, I know that inconsistency with previous storylines is problematic for the show. I think that the poor writing and exaggerated plots from around the 9th series onwards is what harmed the series the most. If the writing is decent once again I guess I shouldn't have a problem with the modern storylines.

If anyone could recommend a good new episode or a list where good new episodes has been compiled, It'd be mucho appreciated!

AnonoBoy

Stopped watching the Simpsons regularly about 11 years ago.

It used to be that no matter how crazy the situation it always made sense in some sort of warped logic of the world of Springfield. Then they just started throwing anything into the mix and it felt odd. Didn't help that the jokes got weak too.

Perhaps the writing has picked up but I prefer to stick with the classic series (2-8) and will happily rewatch those ones when they come on.

razorblunt

Yep, definitely noticed an increase in proper laughs, I thought the Halloween Episode where Homer gets bitten and paralyzed by a spider bite, the "must get Lisa's attention" part almost killed me.

Here Come The Pretzels

Apart from the poor writing of the season 10ish on, I also found when the show stopped being hand drawn it lost alot of its charm.
The show got too "bright" and clean cut and you can usually spot the brutal episodes a mile off by looks alone...

Technocentral

Here Come The Pretzels wrote: »

Apart from the poor writing of the season 10ish on, I also found when the show stopped being hand drawn it lost alot of its charm.
The show got too "bright" and clean cut and you can usually spot the brutal episodes a mile off by looks alone...

Am sure its still hand drawn, maybe the fact that's its now hd and widescreen accounts for the "clean cut" look? Have only seen a few new Eps recently but most were really funny.

Here Come The Pretzels

Technocentral wrote: »

Am sure its still hand drawn, maybe the fact that's its now hd and widescreen accounts for the "clean cut" look? Have only seen a few new Eps recently but most were really funny.

My mistake - yeah they are still hand drawn but I think they are coloured and what not with a computer. What ever the reason, the absence of the "traditional" look has hurt the show imo...

spank_inferno

Yep, I've thought the last couple of seasons have been pretty good for the most part.

Duggy747

I loath the newer seasons, they're dreadful. Especially when put alongside it's golden seasons.

This season, though, does actually have some genuinely good bits in it. While waiting for a new episode I decided to go back one season and watched the one with Lady Ga Ga in it..................dear Jesus, it was horrific viewing.

cena

I'm not liking the newer seasons. I just don't the funny at all

lisaj

BOHtox wrote: »

Lisa needs braces

Can't sleep, clown'll eat me....

Hellooooo Joe...


That's where the baby sleeps...


*gets coat and stops quoting*

al28283

BOHtox wrote: »

Lisa needs braces

Lisa needs braces was funny. In the most recent episode I watched Lisa needed supplements becasuse she had an Iron deficiency as a result of being vegetarian. Not so funny.

I_smell_fear

al28283 wrote: »

Lisa needs braces was funny. In the most recent episode I watched Lisa needed supplements becasuse she had an Iron deficiency as a result of being vegetarian. Not so funny.

Medical Care

Lisa needs Iron deficiency supplements

phasers

wtf kind of jokes can you make about Iron Supplements?

Tommay

I_smell_fear wrote: »

Medical Care

Lisa needs Iron deficiency supplements

Just doesn't have the same ring to it.


One thing I hate the most about the newer episodes is Homer's character has completely changed. It's hard to describe. Whenever I see a new episode come on I'll change the channel immediately. I never get tired of the older seasons though.

Zillah

"Joy is but the shadow pain casts".

Technocentral

Here Come The Pretzels wrote: »

My mistake - yeah they are still hand drawn but I think they are coloured and what not with a computer. What ever the reason, the absence of the "traditional" look has hurt the show imo...

Apparently the cels are hand drawn but computer painted since 2002 which allows it to look the same as it always was, I don't mind as it doesn't have that computer animation look and movement which I hate, as regards the quality of recent shows the one where Moe becomes a Judge of talent and other contests is up there with the best ever.

Moe (judging this ugliest dog show):



"I don't want to say its ugly but P.E.T.A called and said we should kill this one".

764dak

I_smell_fear wrote: »

Medical Care

Lisa needs Iron deficiency supplements

phasers wrote: »

wtf kind of jokes can you make about Iron Supplements?

That wasn't even the main plot.

I_smell_fear

Technocentral wrote: »

as regards the quality of recent shows the one where Moe becomes a Judge of talent and other contests is up there with the best ever.

I just watched nearly 15 minutes of this, dear god no. The jokes were soo forced it was painful. I really don't know how you could call it one of the "best ever".
That episode is at least 2 years old though and if I'm to believe what I've read and been told, it's the more recent episodes where the standard has picked up which I'm curious about.

764dak

I don't think the later episodes are bad. You guys are just used to old Simpsons. It's similar to how people prefer old Pokemon episodes but those episodes weren't actually better.

AnonoBoy

764dak wrote: »

I don't think the later episodes are bad. You guys are just used to old Simpsons. It's similar to how people prefer old Pokemon episodes but those episodes weren't actually better.

I don't think so. I distinctly remember the first time I turned off a new episode of the Simpsons - this was back in 2002 or thereabouts. I had watched it religiously for years and I had never turned it off before but the quality was just really poor so I had to do it.

764dak

AnonoBoy wrote: »

I don't think so. I distinctly remember the first time I turned off a new episode of the Simpsons - this was back in 2002 or thereabouts. I had watched it religiously for years and I had never turned it off before but the quality was just really poor so I had to do it.

I liked a 2002 episode when Bart got demoted to 3rd grade and Lisa got promoted to the 3rd grade. Lisa couldn't handle the fact that Bart was getting better grades than her. A lot of episodes from 2006-2008 were good.

Here are some good episodes:

"Holidays of Future Passed" - S23E9 - Dec. 11, 2011
"The Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind" - S19E9
"24 Minutes" - S18E21
"The Haw-Hawed Couple" - S18E8
"The Seemingly Never-Ending Story" - S17E13

Hurricane Carter

I think some people just need to get off their f*cking high horse when it comes to the Simpsons.

It's just a TV show! Yes, it was once brilliant and now it's not.

The whole thing of 'I can't bring myself to watch it'...do shut up.

I_smell_fear

I Am Kong! wrote: »

I think some people just need to get off their f*cking high horse when it comes to the Simpsons.

It's just a TV show! Yes, it was once brilliant and now it's not.

The whole thing of 'I can't bring myself to watch it'...do shut up.

You really don't make much of a point here other than telling people to "shut up" because they annoy you?

Following TV shows is like a hobby to some people. It's like if you're following a football team, when the team starts to perform badly, you are dissappointed.

AnonoBoy

764dak wrote: »

I liked a 2002 episode when Bart got demoted to 3rd grade and Lisa got promoted to the 3rd grade. Lisa couldn't handle the fact that Bart was getting better grades than her. A lot of episodes from 2006-2008 were good.

Here are some good episodes:

"Holidays of Future Passed" - S23E9 - Dec. 11, 2011
"The Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind" - S19E9
"24 Minutes" - S18E21
"The Haw-Hawed Couple" - S18E8
"The Seemingly Never-Ending Story" - S17E13

I must check some of those out.

I'm sure there's a few solid ones in the past ten years - there has to be!

I just felt the standard went down from every episode nearly being a stonecold classic to it being just one or two decent gags per half hour show.

I_smell_fear

AnonoBoy wrote: »

I must check some of those out.

I'm sure there's a few solid ones in the past ten years - there has to be!

I just felt the standard went down from every episode nearly being a stonecold classic to it being just one or two decent gags per half hour show.

That's exactly how I feel about it also. You can't say the show became absolutely terrible after a certain point (eg season 10 etc) and I'm sure there are episodes in recent series of good quality, certainly in comparison to TV programs in general. However, it's just wasn't up to the standard that I would regard as watchable.

That's why I'm intrigued to hear people say that the very recent seasons (23, 24) seem to have improved in the quality of writing.

Sinfonia

This 46 second clip (and to be honest, the last 15 seconds of it will do) shows the absolute brilliance of the comic writing The Simpsons used to have; this tiny clip is better than the last 10 seasons:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r84d-msuyp0

krudler

It really sucks that there are more terrible episodes than great ones now. there 3-midway through season 9 which are the golden era then everything since has varied from meh to godawful. There's more funny jokes in one of the classic episodes than an entire season of the new ones.

Mr.Nice Guy

I Am Kong! wrote: »

I think some people just need to get off their f*cking high horse when it comes to the Simpsons.

It's just a TV show! Yes, it was once brilliant and now it's not.

The whole thing of 'I can't bring myself to watch it'...do shut up.

At its peak it was regarded as one of the greatest TV shows ever and many people like myself have very fond childhood memories from the classic years. To see it spawn into a mere shell of its former glories is extremely sad which is why people criticise the recent efforts.

I personally wouldn't be able to speak of it as one of the greatest shows ever now because the crappy efforts of the last decade has brought the overall impact of the show down. It should have ended when it was on top

I would also say the loss of Phil Hartman was a big blow to the show and I can see a noticeable decline in episodes that came after his death.

krudler

I Am Kong! wrote: »

I think some people just need to get off their f*cking high horse when it comes to the Simpsons.

It's just a TV show! Yes, it was once brilliant and now it's not.

The whole thing of 'I can't bring myself to watch it'...do shut up.

coming from someone with a Simpsons avatar that makes me a sad panda.

764dak

I_smell_fear wrote: »

You really don't make much of a point here other than telling people to "shut up" because they annoy you?

Following TV shows is like a hobby to some people. It's like if you're following a football team, when the team starts to perform badly, you are dissappointed.

Yeah, but football fans don't stop watching their team for 5-10 year periods.

I_smell_fear

764dak wrote: »

Yeah, but football fans don't stop watching their team for 5-10 year periods.

It was a simple analogy off the top of my head, there's no point in being pedantic. You obviously have a bit more choice and liberty in following TV shows compared to a football team. The fact is that the shows standard dipped pretty dramatically, which is why people lost faith in it.

This thread is about the recent new episodes and how they have supposedly improved.

JohnK

No, I dont think its gotten any better to be honest. I just watched the most recent episode and I dont think I so much as smiled once during the entire thing. I also distinctly remember turning off some episodes mid-way in the last while so clearly its not appealing to me anymore. Hell that 47 second clip that Sinfonia posted above got more of a reaction from than an entire episode did tonight.

AnonoBoy

Here's something interesting from the Simpsons Archive site.

Talking about the Homie The Clown episode which I love myself but it looks like at the time a lot of folks were unimpressed and this was the sixth season.

http://www.snpp.com/episodes/2F12.html

Man oh man, I tell you, this season has just been
miserable!! Bart's Comet episode was lame, the Stonecutters episode
was worse (poor Jean-Luc Picard!), but this Homie the Clown just
capped it off!! The entire premise was horrible.

Another Swartzwelder disappointment. Fat Tony's return
seemed so promising, but the plot was contrived. Homer becomes a
clown? Come off it. I guess fresh ideas are hard to come up with
after a while. Grade: D.

Or discussing the Flaming Moe episode:

http://www.snpp.com/episodes/8F08.html

Dora Kilburn {dk3}: I thought it was just another episode. There was
really nothing that was very memorable for me. My biggest laugh was
the couch scene.

So even though I watched these episodes when the first aired and love them (still do), there were still people giving out about them online at the time.


So basically. You can't please all the people all the time (especially on the interwebs).

764dak

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Here's something interesting from the Simpsons Archive site.

Talking about the Homie The Clown episode which I love myself but it looks like at the time a lot of folks were unimpressed and this was the sixth season.

http://www.snpp.com/episodes/2F12.html





Or discussing the Flaming Moe episode:

http://www.snpp.com/episodes/8F08.html


So even though I watched these episodes when the first aired and love them (still do), there were still people giving out about them online at the time.


So basically. You can't please all the people all the time (especially on the interwebs).

A lot of people have nostalgia filter.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NostalgiaFilter

bodhrandude

Last episode I remember tuning into was when Homer became the Grim Reaper, I cannot remember what year that is from but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Tommay

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Here's something interesting from the Simpsons Archive site.

Talking about the Homie The Clown episode which I love myself but it looks like at the time a lot of folks were unimpressed and this was the sixth season.

http://www.snpp.com/episodes/2F12.html





Or discussing the Flaming Moe episode:

http://www.snpp.com/episodes/8F08.html


So even though I watched these episodes when the first aired and love them (still do), there were still people giving out about them online at the time.


So basically. You can't please all the people all the time (especially on the interwebs).

I read those comments in Comic Book Guys voice

goose2005

Also "24 Minutes" (24 parody - season 18) was good.
And
The DeBarted (s19)
Trilogy of Error

roanoke

I think the show started showing cracks / stopped being good probably around 1997.

To answer OP's question : No I don't think the show is any good these days or that the standard is improving.

I still watch the new episodes out of habit and it seems every year I'll read some opinions of people saying "this is a good season" or "the show is getting better". It's not imho and even if it was improving it's still no notable achievement to just be better than the rubbish that immediately preceded it..

Simi

It's really hard to believe that it's been 14 years since the end of the what I call the 'good' series. I was 11/12 at the time and used to watch the new episodes on Sky religiously, every Sunday at 18:30. Sometime during series 9 I stopped watching.

If 'Lisa's Sax' weren't the very next episode, you would have an actual line in the sand where the show changed forever, in 'The Principal and the Pauper'. Series 9 had some very funny episodes mind you, as did series 10 (not so much after that).

But it's clear that from that point on the show changed to a new, zany, nothing you just saw actually matters because at the end we're going to hit a big reset button - format that had previously been reserved for 'Treehouse of Horror' episodes.

To sum up my rant, whenever a 'classic' episode comes on TV, I smile, put down the remote and no matter how many hundreds of times I've seen it, I laugh and enjoy. Whenever I see a new style intro or worse a widescreen intro, I sigh flick over and curse Mike Skully for the thousandth time. (It's not really his fault, but I need somewhere to direct my hate.)

Sindri

I'll put it this way.

Every joke in every other television show was conceived at some point or is influenced by The Simpsons during it's golden years.

Just not as well.

Everything that came after it. Was changed.

It was genius and you ruined it! Damn you all to hell!

It actually was absolute complete genius and in it's prime absolutely touching. It was also something you actually took in. The episode where Homer and Marge hold a dinner party and then go on a marriage retreat and Homer attempts to catch a fish is hilarious, touching and you take it in. It also is really intelligent, it's obviously partly based the novel by Hemingway called 'The Old Man And The Sea' and at the end where Homer throws the fish back in is actually touching and is executed sublimely well.

Everything is executed sublimely well from the animation to the voice acting. And at the end where the bait shop owner describes Homer as being, '7 foot tall and hair, red, like the fires of hell', isn't particularly funny but how many people do you know that if you were to take the same fanciful idealizating tone and say something similar would not know that you were referencing The Simpsons? They just would because the quality of it you just take it all in, it made you think about it.

Or Flanders basically sacrificing himself to save the whole town in 'Bart's Comet' and how they start playing that game about barnyard animals and then Homer, of all people gets angry at them for sending Flanders out to die when it was him in the first place and going on to Todd about how is dad would survive and then marching up the hill singing 'Que Sera'. That is absolute quality tears in the eyes stuff and then the next second you're laughing uncontrollably again! Hollywood has not yet created or produced anything as good except for maybe 'Casablanca' and that's a huge compliment to Casablanca, what is to many Hollywood's' greatest ever film. It was sublime in it's glory days, I spent a childhood wasted watching it and even talking about it everyday FFS! We're still talking about it like someone's died. That's how good it was.

Hank Scorpio

Havent watched it in a long time, sometimes a new episode comes on and I try to give it a chance but its just so dull and humorless. Celebrity is in town, lets make up some stupid storyline about Homer having to help them in a totally unfunny manner whilst making zaney, hollow jokes which are about 100 times below the standard of the classic episodes.

You could tell the old tree house of horror episodes were just that, because weird unexplained stuff happens. The normal episodes flowed so well and were all somewhat in the realms of possibility, no magic, people appearing from thin air etc. I can't make that distinction with newer episodes.

So yes, the new simpsons still suck!

764dak

Simi wrote: »

It's really hard to believe that it's been 14 years since the end of the what I call the 'good' series. I was 11/12 at the time and used to watch the new episodes on Sky religiously, every Sunday at 18:30. Sometime during series 9 I stopped watching.

If 'Lisa's Sax' weren't the very next episode, you would have an actual line in the sand where the show changed forever, in 'The Principal and the Pauper'. Series 9 had some very funny episodes mind you, as did series 10 (not so much after that).

But it's clear that from that point on the show changed to a new, zany, nothing you just saw actually matters because at the end we're going to hit a big reset button - format that had previously been reserved for 'Treehouse of Horror' episodes.

To sum up my rant, whenever a 'classic' episode comes on TV, I smile, put down the remote and no matter how many hundreds of times I've seen it, I laugh and enjoy. Whenever I see a new style intro or worse a widescreen intro, I sigh flick over and curse Mike Skully for the thousandth time. (It's not really his fault, but I need somewhere to direct my hate.)

Reset button? You should tell that to Maude Flanders and Mona Simpson.

briany

764dak wrote: »

Reset button? You should tell that to Maude Flanders and Mona Simpson.

Mona Simpson is dead, eh?

Maude, eh?

fatto

Shudder...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp4-4SnL8U4

EdenHazard

Simpsons problem is its so obvious now, and also the rise of shows like Family Guy and South Park.

I watched an episode just there about Norwegian immigrants coming into Springfield. Homer's character in it was like Peter Griffin lite. Homer was always ignorant but at his core was a nice guy who just couldn't do things right.

Everytime I watch it there's some joke about creationism or something. Its just not funny. Its funny when Family Guy do it.