I hadn’t quite realised how bad The Simpsons has become...

Watched Treehouse of Horror 30 a few days ago. God it was bloody awful. Back in the golden era of this show, these episodes were the gold bar in each season. ‘The Raven’ narrated mostly by James Earl Jones in T of H 1 is an absolute classic of its type. It really does illustrate how much TS has fallen. Please Fox, put this abomination to sleep. Thank you.

Akabusi

Like most things,it had its day and that was a long time ago. Still enjoy coming across the old episodes

Akabusi

Akabusi wrote: »

Like most things,it had its day and that was a long time ago. Still enjoy coming across the old episodes

Yep, they are great to watch. Amazing how its holds its ratings still (which is the reason they wont cancel it of course).

Homelander

It's worse than bad now. I mean something like Family Guy is also quite terrible at this stage, but it still has some individual moments or themes that are amusing still, the odd time I'll search for the best episode of a recent season and somewhat enjoy it. Simpsons though....is just horrible. I've tried watching the better rated episodes of newer seasons but always end up turning it off after 10 minutes.

GreeBo

Homelander wrote: »

It's worse than bad now. I mean something like Family Guy is also quite terrible at this stage, but it still has some individual moments or themes that are amusing still, the odd time I'll search for the best episode of a recent season and somewhat enjoy it. Simpsons though....is just horrible. I've tried watching the better rated episodes of newer seasons but always end up turning it off after 10 minutes.

It’s too in your face and dumbed down now, like reading a poor book where the author feels the need to explain every obvious detail and subtlety is gone
Haven’t watched it in years

Oafley Jones

I was Bart’s age when the show started. Now I’m older than Homer. That’s just not right.

kippy

Is it bad or have we just gotten older?

Oafley Jones

kippy wrote: »

Is it bad or have we just gotten older?

Both.

Tired Gardener

https://youtu.be/I-TS-92KVDA

The day The Simpsons died.

Morgans

kippy wrote: »

Is it bad or have we just gotten older?

No. Had it stopped around series 7 it would be in the argument for one of the best comedies ever. Intelligent, sharp writing, funny and emotional (when it wanted to be). Respect for the audience of all ages. Harder and harder to remember it in a good light now. This thread could have been started 15 years ago.

HalloweenJack

It's just bad. Its been horrifically dumbed down. Everything is too obvious and forced. I think the target audience continues to get younger. While originally it was probably aimed at young adults and teens, it now seems to be aimed at pre-teens with the odd throwaya joke for adults.

All the characters overplay the main characteristics they are associated with. It's a caricature of what it once was. While charcters occassionally had stories that went against their established traits (e.g. Bart robbing the computer game), I don't see that anymore.

The guest stars are just walk-ons where they say "Hi, I'm so-and-so, here's.me doing something silly". Remember when they used to play actual characters with stories?

I haven't religiously watched the latest episodes in about fifteen years so I can't give a definitve take but I've seen enough in that time to see the marked decline. The stuff from 2000 now looks less bad and I remember at the time beig aware of the decline in quality. The stuff from the 90s has little to do with it anymore.

Colliewollie

I downloaded seasons 4 - 10 and regularly watch them on my laptop, to cheer me up when I'm tired or feeling down or for a bit of nostalgia.. Unfortunately, because of the change of direction and the change of the writers you cannot compare the older episodes to the newer ones.. After season 8 things started to change and the quality declined.. My own opinion btw.

Say Your Number

With all the mad sh1t going on in America at the minute, the mid-nineties writing staff would have a f*cking field day if they were there now.

Tired Gardener

Say Your Number wrote: »

With all the mad sh1t going on in America at the minute, the mid-nineties writing staff would have a f*cking field day if they were there now.

It would be some of the best comedy we'll never see.

Tom Mann Centuria

In reply to OP, It's definitely gone down the toilet but I don't think tree house of horror episodes are a good barometer. They were often sh*t even in the golden age.

The treehouse of horror are the only ones I’m a cert to turn off regardless of the era.

I like the youtube theory of Homer turning into an arsehole correlating with the drop in quality, and think it ties in pretty well.


https://youtu.be/KqFNbCcyFkk



.

dodderangler

I just stick with South Park now. It touches on all subjects and how ridiculous they all are. It’s hilarious lately.

Akabusi

Akabusi wrote: »

Still enjoy coming across the old episodes

Less than 5% of all episodes sadly these days.
Most genuinely good episodes were made before 2000.

whisky_galore

It's only there to keep voice actors and a production team in jobs and keep the merchandise going.

Necro

Say Your Number wrote:

With all the mad sh1t going on in America at the minute, the mid-nineties writing staff would have a f*cking field day if they were there now.

Like someone else said just watch South Park for that which somehow keeps improving as they're much more current in their subject matter.

Haven't watched Simpsons in years and all good will towards the show has been lost with me as it's absolute trash nowadays. Needs to be taken out back like the proverbial sick horse that the show is and put out of its misery, but while the money train keeps rolling that ain't ever happening.

Guy:Incognito

[Deleted User] wrote: »

. Please Fox, put this abomination to sleep. Thank you.

Or just choose not to watch it?

Hangdogroad

I watched it from when Sky started showing it circa 1990/91, it was superb in its heyday but there was a noticable drop in quality around 97/98 and its been a downward spiral since. Only check in the very odd time now and any recent episodes I've seen are scutter.

Johnny Sausage

I miss the golden years, some great episodes

Frank Grimes
Hank Scorpio

dodderangler

Johnny Sausage wrote: »

I miss the golden years, some great episodes

Frank Grimes
Hank Scorpio

Max power

antodeco

I actually think a massive turning point was when it was announced they were doing the movie. The episodes up to that point weren't too bad (not as good as the historical episodes). But once the movie was created, it hit a low point and has been declining since. Even the movie wasn't that great, bar a few memorable pieces (eh spiderpig).

Rothko

antodeco wrote: »

I actually think a massive turning point was when it was announced they were doing the movie. The episodes up to that point weren't too bad (not as good as the historical episodes). But once the movie was created, it hit a low point and has been declining since. Even the movie wasn't that great, bar a few memorable pieces (eh spiderpig).

The movie was terrible. Never understood the whole thing with spiderpig either.

Mezzotint

The problem is that because it's animated you don't see how jaded it's become because the characters never age and the animation is kept very consistent and familiar looking.

It was a fantastic show in its hay day and those episodes are still there and always will be.

When you think about it they've made 600+ episodes Vs say Fawlty Towers' 13.

The simple reality of it the show should have been ended but, it's still a cash cow, so they'll keep churning them out, with all the cynicism and commercial drive of the producers of Itchy and Scratchy.

Dog Murphy

Season 8 was the last Season where you could make an argument it was still improving , Season 9 was the last season of high quality but there were signs it was heading downhill at that stage.

Season 14 was the last time I was a regular watcher and it had declined a lot from Season 9 to then.The new episodes I have watched since then have been sh1te.

Tammy!

They should have aged them.

Mezzotint

They've basically become Krusty the Clown.

Simi

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Less than 5% of all episodes sadly these days.
Most genuinely good episodes were made before 2000.

That's a really depressing thought.

If they'd even ended at season 15 you'd forgive the horrible down turn, because there was still more good episodes than bad. Now it's far too late for that

HalloweenJack

Using the Spiderpig joke as an example, it was something silly and it was somewhat funny. They've done silly stuff like that for years. However, it now feels like they rely too much on that kind of humour.

I rarely see jokes as funny as the cult episode where Lovejoy says "These cults are nothing but a bunch of repetitive chant designdd to ake your money. We will now say the Lord's prayer 40 times but first let's pass the collection plate." It's not subtle but hilarious and is it overdone. Nowadays when they do some kind of biting joke of that standard, they really hammer it home and dumb it down, to the point that they are explaining the whole joke.

Say Your Number

Say Your Number wrote: »

With all the mad sh1t going on in America at the minute, the mid-nineties writing staff would have a f*cking field day if they were there now.

Whatever about the George Bush episode, you couldn’t even start to imagine how one dedicated to The Donald would be like written by those guys.

Loafing Oaf

Has Groening given any indication of when he intends to call it a day or are they just going to keep ploughing on until one of the main voice actors dies or something?

sirmanga

It's been on the air for 30 years. It was only great for 9 of those years. And it's been God awful for at least the last 18 years.

goose2005

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

Has Groening given any indication of when he intends to call it a day or are they just going to keep ploughing on until one of the main voice actors dies or something?

i doubt he's worked a single day on the Simpsons in about 20 years. Some minor voices have already died, i wouldn't be surprised if it limps on to season 40.

https://www.ratingraph.com/tv_shows/the_simpsons-52128/ gives an idea of the decline. It also pinpoints the handful of decent episodes in recent years (Gone Boy, Barthood, Halloween of Horror)

Loafing Oaf

goose2005 wrote: »

i doubt he's worked a single day on the Simpsons in about 20 years.

Would it not still ultimately be his call if the show was to bow out though?

L1011

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

Would it not still ultimately be his call if the show was to bow out though?

Suspect that decision lies entirely with Fox

This is the show that joked about it going on diminished until unprofitable - they're just living that out

Dog Murphy

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

Would it not still ultimately be his call if the show was to bow out though?

I doubt he cares about the shows legacy to be honest.

He's just milking the money from it, in reality Groening has had very little to do with the brilliance of the Simpsons so why would he be bothered with it's massive decline in standards.

dominatinMC

The Simpsons kind of reminds me of the archetypal "cool guy" in secondary school/college. Someone who made all the jokes, cracked wise remarks, had a big circle of friends and, for a period of time, was the center of attention. Now he is a bit of a loser who spends his time between the bookies and the boozer, still making jokes (albeit not as funny) to a diminished audience and different demographic.

ziedth

I often thought that if the show had finished at season 11 it would have just tied off nicely. There were a few poor episodes that season but also some very good ones and "behind the laughter" could pass off as a series finale.

Few few episodes to write home about in season 12 and I think 13 on is when the dip really started.

s7ryf3925pivug

South Park has started to decline too imo.
The last season of Archer is good though, for anyone who gave up during Adventure Island or the season set in the forties.
Big Mouth is great.
I liked the first season of Final Space a lot and the first season of Disenchantment was good too I thought. Haven't watched the second season of either. Obviously Rick and Morty is brilliant.

Mr.Nice Guy

I think it's been rubbish throughout the 21st century. Season ten imo is when it really went to the dogs. Some might say it was on a decline before that and that's probably right, but it really was almost a different show from season ten on. Homer went from a foolish but endearing, good man to an utter maniac, who was willing to run off and let his sick father die out of fear. Other characters went on ridiculous arcs too.

I still think the classic seasons hold up well. I watched the bowling episode earlier on Channel 4 where Mr Burns joins the team. I got several laughs out of it despite having seen it dozens of times. I'd watch a new episode and not even crack a smile.

Should have been put down mercifully two decades ago.

GeneralC

I want to watch The Simpsons now and see how bad it is. I grew up loving this show (32 years of age). Where do I start watching it from? ��

tim3000

I think it has the new episodes have retroactively ruined the old. If one takes the 30 seasons as a whole you're getting maybe 30% quality in that i.e. seasons 1-8. Scandalous cynical cash grabbing churning that dross out for 20 years

Like most posters here I would have religiously watched it on sky one at 6 in the late 90s. Even though we didn't have the variety of entertainment options we have now it was always something of high quality. So it isnt nostalgia rose tinting its quality it was just quality.

Best episode was the x files one.

dominatinMC

tim3000 wrote: »

I think it has the new episodes have retroactively ruined the old. If one takes the 30 seasons as a whole you're getting maybe 30% quality in that i.e. seasons 1-8. Scandalous cynical cash grabbing churning that dross out for 20 years

Like most posters here I would have religiously watched it on sky one at 6 in the late 90s. Even though we didn't have the variety of entertainment options we have now it was always something of high quality. So it isnt nostalgia rose tinting its quality it was just quality.

Best episode was the x files one.

Now this is a topic more befitting of the show (rather than lament its decline). For me, it's Marge vs. the Monorail. Ah, the halcyon days...:cool:

jack presley

dominatinMC wrote: »

Now this is a topic more befitting of the show (rather than lament its decline). For me, it's Marge vs. the Monorail. Ah, the halcyon days...:cool:

Frank Grimes for me.

Say Your Number

I love most episodes with Sideshow Bob, after the one with Cecil they went downhill, as a child I loved the one where he became mayor, it's better as an adult when the political satire doesn't go over your head, looks like George Hook took his cues from Birch Barlow

Loafing Oaf

dominatinMC wrote: »

Now this is a topic more befitting of the show (rather than lament its decline). For me, it's Marge vs. the Monorail. Ah, the halcyon days...:cool:

Tales from the public domain, especially the Hamlet segment:D

ziedth

Hank Scorpio for me......... I didn't even give you my coat

Dog Murphy

Homers Phobia is probably my favourite episode (although this changes every week), the gay steel mill part may well be the greatest set piece in the show's history.