The Simpsons

ComfortKid · 26-06-2015 5:02pm #1

Having not watched the Simpsons in 5 or 6 years I decided to watch a few of the newer episodes recently. Don't think I lol'd at all through any of them where as I used to be in stiches. So, have the Simpsons gone really down hill or has my sense of humour just changed with age? Anyone still watch em?

darkpagandeath · 26-06-2015 5:02pm

"Simpsons Did it !"

cloud493 · 26-06-2015 5:04pm

No its gotten worse, this is a much discussed topic on the internet. I have watched every single episode of the simpsons, and the decline in quality is clear.

Earthhorse · 26-06-2015 5:06pm

Every so often I hear people defend new episodes and say they're actually really good and full of great gags but anytime I catch it the opposite is always true.

candy-gal1 · 26-06-2015 5:06pm

Id still watch it pretty regular tbh , and it depends on the episode/series but it can still crack you up methinks!

The really newer seriess, as with most things, wouldnt really do it as much anymore though imho, not the same kind of humour!

26-06-2015 5:07pm

I know you are but what am I?

ComfortKid · 26-06-2015 5:08pm

Yeah I thought as much, I found alot of it cringey. Was weird seeing them with iphones and that though. When did this decline begin? I probably stopped watching around 2007 and twas still hilarious back then.

26-06-2015 5:08pm

And as with any Simpsons thread I shall post this which sums up what happened beautifully. http://deadhomersociety.com/zombiesimpsons/

Vincent Vega · 26-06-2015 5:08pm

I started to slowly hate it as they began trying too hard to compete with and somewhat mimic the style of other shows, like the throwaway non sequitur style of humour milked by Family Guy.

Earlier on you have full seasons of classic episode after classic episode. Now it seems so forgettable.

ComfortKid · 26-06-2015 5:09pm

Did the emergence of the likes of Family Guy, American Dad have anything to do with decline I wonder

Earthhorse · 26-06-2015 5:11pm

ComfortKid wrote: »

Did the emergence of the likes of Family Guy, American Dad have anything to do with decline I wonder

The article Buttonftw posted really is great and probably the best explanation you'll ever get for its decline.

NachoBusiness · 26-06-2015 6:03pm

Always loved Season 4 and 5: the Conan years.

This is excellent viewing for anyone that hasn't seen it (and mediocre for anyone that has):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtJ28qOEG1g

SEPT 23 1989 · 26-06-2015 6:10pm

26-06-2015 6:13pm

ComfortKid wrote: »

Did the emergence of the likes of Family Guy, American Dad have anything to do with decline I wonder

No. The Simpsons should have ended on a high in 1999 when it was 10 years old. The dead horse they have been flogging since has well and truly turned to dust. Matt Groening himself is sick of it. Seasons 1 to 10 are still the best things to ever grace our televisions though.

Diabhal Beag · 26-06-2015 6:18pm

"Simspons should have ended 15 years ago" "Burn the bondholders"

NotYourYear20 · 26-06-2015 6:19pm

The Simpsons stopped being funny after the first decade. Never has the arse been ripped out of a show for so long.

whiteramekin · 26-06-2015 6:21pm

Deleted User wrote: »

And as with any Simpsons thread I shall post this which sums up what happened beautifully. http://deadhomersociety.com/zombiesimpsons/

this link is so depressing

Muckracker · 26-06-2015 6:21pm

It should have ended about 15 years ago. It's become the kind of drawn out cash cow they used to mock. Harry Shearer has quit so now would be a good time to finally end it, but no they'll find a soundalike and just keep dragging it out, updating the timeline as they go. Next thing you know Grandad will have served in the Vietnam war and Skinner will be a Gulf war vet.

Having said that seasons 2-8 are some of the finest tv ever made.

4zn76tysfajdxp · 26-06-2015 6:27pm

NachoBusiness wrote: »

Always loved Season 4 and 5: the Conan years.

It's weird how people keep crediting Conan with so much of The Simpsons' success, he was just one writer out of many.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 26-06-2015 6:38pm

Yeah they're certainly damaging it's legacy at this stage. I don't really get it, it's still going to make tonnes of money for years and years to come regardless of whether they continue making new episodes. It's the lottery ticket that will keep on winning.

Dirty Dingus McGee · 27-06-2015 8:51am

Julie Scarce Skeptic wrote: »

It's weird how people keep crediting Conan with so much of The Simpsons' success, he was just one writer out of many.

I've seen on other threads where some people bizzarely think that him leaving is what caused the decline of the show despite the show being great before he was there and great for a good while after he left.

27-06-2015 9:22am

Julie Scarce Skeptic wrote: »

It's weird how people keep crediting Conan with so much of The Simpsons' success, he was just one writer out of many.

MONORAIL!

He deresves all the credit he gets just for that.

Fudge You · 27-06-2015 11:02am

Snotaul Goodman wrote: »

Seasons 1 to 10 are still the best things to ever grace our televisions though.

Disagree, a lot of episodes are terrible. While it was a great show, it was over hyped at times.
It is awful now.

Dirty Dingus McGee · 27-06-2015 11:13am

Fudge You wrote: »

Disagree, a lot of episodes are terrible. While it was a great show, it was over hyped at times.
It is awful now.

Which episodes in that period were terrible.

I'd argue that in seasons 2-9 there were barely any episodes that could be even considered mediocre by general TV standards never mind terrible.

Season 1 was OK and had a few poor episodes but that is to be expected as the show was only finding it's feet.Season ten was the first season where the show was obviously in decline.

Dirty Dingus McGee · 27-06-2015 11:19am

CDXNAHYS24V2 wrote: »

I think the cracks could be seen in season 9 and possibly even season 8 but they were both very good seasons and a million times better than the crap we have now.

There are a couple of dicey episodes in Season 9 but having watched them again the episodes I sometimes am initially less impressed with get better with time.Season 8 is pure class I think its one of the shows strongest seasons in my opinion.

Hococop · 27-06-2015 11:20am

For me it was season 14 I think where it went bad and its best was season 3-9

Guy:Incognito · 27-06-2015 11:22am

Presumably all the things you watched as kids are equally as hilarious now as then? Or is the only difference that the Simpsons is still going?

callaway92 · 27-06-2015 11:23am

I'm getting more sick of these types of threads about The Simpsons than The Simpsons itself.

27-06-2015 11:26am

callaway92 wrote: »

I'm getting more sick of these types of threads about The Simpsons than The Simpsons itself.

Yet you still posted in one

Hococop · 27-06-2015 11:27am

CDXNAHYS24V2 wrote: »

Wow, what episodes did you find funny from season 10 to 13?

Still some good episodes in those seasons not classic Simpsons comedy but still good, you could see a massive change from season 14 onwards

NachoBusiness · 27-06-2015 11:55am

Julie Scarce Skeptic wrote: »

It's weird how people keep crediting Conan with so much of The Simpsons' success, he was just one writer out of many.

I'm not crediting Conan with anymore credit than he deserves. I referred to those two seasons as the 'Conan years' as they were the only seasons when he was there. Had I just said that on it's own I could somewhat understand your comment but I also included a video of a Simpson's 'writers' reunion where he and other writers on the show spoke about working together during those years. So I'm not sure why you felt the need to point out that there were other writers on the show at that time also as it's pretty damn obvious from my post that I am fully aware of that.. but sure thanks anyway

ComfortKid · 27-06-2015 12:11pm

callaway92 wrote:

I'm getting more sick of these types of threads about The Simpsons than The Simpsons itself.

Don't look at the threads then? It's really that simple!!

Earthhorse · 27-06-2015 12:47pm

NachoBusiness wrote: »

I'm not crediting Conan with anymore credit than he deserves. I referred to those two seasons as the 'Conan years' as they were the only seasons when he was there. Had I just said that on it's own I could somewhat understand your comment but I also included a video of a Simpson's 'writers' reunion where he and other writers on the show spoke about working together during those years. So I'm not sure why you felt the need to point out that there were other writers on the show at that time also as it's pretty damn obvious from my post that I am fully aware of that.. but sure thanks anyway

Because so many people make the mistake of thinking Conan was the reason for the decline when you call his time there "the Conan years" it's not unreasonable to assume you're making the same error.

I didn't read your post that way but I can see how someone would even with the video included.

JustTheOne · 27-06-2015 12:53pm

Must be a huge audience for the new episodes seems their still making them.

Where that audience is I haven't a clue .

JustTheOne · 27-06-2015 12:54pm

Must be a huge audience for the new episodes seems their still making them.

Where that audience is I haven't a clue .

DareGod · 27-06-2015 12:55pm

I think this thread gets started once a year.

The Simpsons hasn't been funny in 14 years. People be acting like it's something new.

DareGod · 27-06-2015 12:56pm

JustTheOne wrote: »

Must be a huge audience for the new episodes seems their still making them.

Where that audience is I haven't a clue .

The irony of your username!

jacksie66 · 27-06-2015 12:57pm

This post has been deleted.

ComfortKid · 27-06-2015 1:12pm

DareGod wrote:

The Simpsons hasn't been funny in 14 years. People be acting like it's something new.

I found it funny less than 10 years ago, everyone's different. And as I said, I havnt watched it at all in 8 years so it is news to me.

Turtyturd · 27-06-2015 1:19pm

Only said it in another thread recently but the all singing, all dancing episode killed it for me.

DareGod · 27-06-2015 1:28pm

Turtyturd wrote: »

Only said it in another thread recently but the all singing, all dancing episode killed it for me.

For me, the 300th episode was the nail in the coffin. It was the ep where Bart divorced his parents and went to live on his own in the same apartment block as Tony Hawk. There was such a build up to it at the time, and I don't think I laughed once.

Hococop · 27-06-2015 2:21pm

DareGod wrote: »

For me, the 300th episode was the nail in the coffin. It was the ep where Bart divorced his parents and went to live on his own in the same apartment block as Tony Hawk. There was such a build up to it at the time, and I don't think I laughed once.

Just checked that ep is in season 14 which is where I felt it went downhill

Santa Cruz · 27-06-2015 2:38pm

cloud493 wrote: »

No its gotten worse, this is a much discussed topic on the internet. I have watched every single episode of the simpsons, and the decline in quality is clear.

All the fun went out of it when they killed off Maud Flanders

DeanAustin · 27-06-2015 2:43pm

They killed The Simpsons with The Principal and the Pauper.

Up to that it was the best thing on TV.

TerrorFirmer · 27-06-2015 2:44pm

It was in decline big time by that 300th episode, but it was still very watchable all the same, which isn't bad considering it was at season 14 at that point. From season 16 or so onwards, I stopped finding any merit in it at all. Same thing with Family Guy for the last few seasons, just painful. South Park on the other hand remains fairly high quality (for the most part) which is quite an achievement considering it's almost on season 19 now.

mackeire · 27-06-2015 2:48pm

I was saying bu-urns

Omackeral · 27-06-2015 3:00pm

It used to be about simple and real issues that the common family could relate to like going camping, fighting with the neighbouring kids and visiting a theme park. Stuff you could relate to. When Lady Gaga starts showing up in episodes it's time to throw in the towel.

Turtyturd · 27-06-2015 3:24pm

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

It was in decline big time by that 300th episode, but it was still very watchable all the same, which isn't bad considering it was at season 14 at that point. From season 16 or so onwards, I stopped finding any merit in it at all. Same thing with Family Guy for the last few seasons, just painful. South Park on the other hand remains fairly high quality (for the most part) which is quite an achievement considering it's almost on season 19 now.

South Park for me is the opposite of The Simpsons with the early episodes being really bad now and the later ones being brilliant.

It kinda got a new lease of life when they were able to produce an episode a week and became parody show of whatever the big news story of the week was.

Dr. Zaius Dr. Zaius! · 27-06-2015 4:36pm

I find the newer episodes are just so boring. Theres nothing engaging about them at all. At the risk of sounding like a hipster...its gone too mainstream!

Somebody mentioned already about their use of Iphones in the newer episodes, I dont know why but that irks me so! As well as all the political shyte. Just give me Homer acting the oblivious buffoon a la the Frank Grimey Grimes episode. I dont give a crap what his views on the war in Afghanistan are!

There are no funny one liners from the likes of Moe or The Sea Captain anymore either. Moe, same is mentioned in that Dead Homers Society link, who was once a sleasy conman bar owner, is now just a depressed lonely sadcase. Its not funny. It drains the life out of the show. Its like everyone has feelings now, even the once evil, unforgiving Mr.Burns.

I want the Moe that smuggles pandas, not this new sh!t version of him. Same goes for most characters

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 27-06-2015 4:50pm

Flanders has gone from being annoyingly Christian but a good person who'll help anyone out, to an obnoxious unlikeable fundamentalist.

Cold War Kid · 27-06-2015 6:07pm

Earthhorse wrote: »

Every so often I hear people defend new episodes and say they're actually really good and full of great gags but anytime I catch it the opposite is always true.

I'm of the view that the decline has undoubtedly been massive, but there is the occasional pleasant surprise, e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Father,_the_Son,_and_the_Holy_Guest_Star

http://simpsons.wikia.com/wiki/Girls_Just_Want_to_Have_Sums

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_the_Earth_Stood_Cool

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

There are a couple of dicey episodes in Season 9 but having watched them again the episodes I sometimes am initially less impressed with get better with time.Season 8 is pure class I think its one of the shows strongest seasons in my opinion.

Yeah the bar was set so high that any tiny cracks were really noticeable at the time (e.g. in my opinion: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grade_School_Confidential and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bart_on_the_Road) whereas those episodes just seem brilliant now I think..

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Presumably all the things you watched as kids are equally as hilarious now as then? Or is the only difference that the Simpsons is still going?

It's very definite that The Simpsons has drastically declined in quality. Lisa On Ice from season six (1994) was just on TV, and it still has me absolutely blown away by its brilliance, whereas the vast majority of episodes since 1999 don't even start to match that kind of quality, and have kept on going downhill, with the very occasional exception.

The Simpsons

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