Was The Simpsons always horrendous?

Nope it was utterly fantastic for a long time.
It definitely isn't now, although it still has an occasional good episode.

It was brilliant for 177 episodes. The episode Homer's Enemy was peak Simpsons.

The 178th episode “The Secret War of Lisa Simpson” was a personal turning point. It marked an episode in which I was, in hindsight, merely watching instead of enjoying. Bart get’s sent to military school while Lisa, insufficiently challenged at Springfield Elementary, joins him there. The jokes (e.g. “Company L? But sir! They smell!”) were still there but were stretched and intermittent. That episode was the season 8 finale. Season 9 marked the beginning of the decline after a celebrated run of seasons that remain a benchmark for comedy writing, voice acting. The jokes were still funny but the plots became more and more outlandish and contrived. What’s interesting is that a celebrated episode preceding “The Secret War of Lisa Simpson”, the aforementioned “Homer’s Enemy” contained a veiled message from staff writer John Swartzwelder that the series had very much run it’s course and was becoming more and more reliant on the outlandish plots alluded to earlier.

That episode marked the Simpsons reaching it’s peak and a prescient scene is where Homer invites Frank Grimes to his home and is giving him a tour of the house where Grimes bears witness to some of Homer’s history. He won a Grammy, he toured with the Smashing Pumpkins, he’s friends with Gerald Ford, he’s been to Space. This is Swartzwelder forewarning the audience that the show is becoming stale and will be more outlandish and contrived going forward to try and maintain a semblance of quality. The Armin Tamzarian episode is frequently cited as the beginning of the end in terms of subjective quality I'm the show but for me, Schwartzwelder called it correctly in that coded scene but to suggest the preceding seasons were horrendous is wrong. The Simpsons was consistently excellent during the 1990's (season 4 is my personal favourite, the writers found their stride), it really should have ended two decades ago but it's a cash cow. It was a significant asset for 20th Century Fox but hopefully now that the rights lie with Disney they will simply cease producing it.

I remember watching it religiously every evening on Sky One, then waiting for the new episode at half 6 on a Sunday. The mid 90s were the absolute peak, I still kept watching it on and off as I got older but the movie was where I stopped, I can't remember the last time I watched a new episode.

I have watched a lot of the older ones on Disney plus recently and they're still great.

I think in my own case who has a pretty crude sense of humour when I started watching family guy and southpark my interest in the Simpsons wained straight away. When I went back I found it too vanilla for my taste. I suppose age probably has something to do with it. When I was 10 a cartoon character pulling down his pants was hilarious, not so much now.

Season 6 episode 24 lemon of Troy. For me the pinnacle of the simpsons.

AllForIt wrote: »

Noting worse than when Simpsons fans go on a roll recounting this scene, than scene, the other scene, laughing hysterically along the way, and just when you think his memory has failed him a quarter of an hour later, off he goes again not realizing your not following any of this until eventually you're forced to make an excuses and leave or he'll never stop otherwise.

When will it end though? I mean, it can't go on forever and many notable and popular characters have been retired.

It has now been bad for longer than it was good.

I watched one of the newer episodes recently. It was OK, I wasn't watching it thinking this is dreadful but I certainly didn't laugh at any of it.

The show gets old, but the actors never get older.
Ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching.

I never liked that Grimey episode. Homer was too much of an oaf in it, I think.

The one where Bart and Ralph become friends was on Channel 4 this morning. It has one of my favourite lines from any show. "What is your fascination with my forbidden closet of mystery?"

tom1ie wrote: »

Season 6 episode 24 lemon of Troy. For me the pinnacle of the simpsons.

valoren wrote: »

It was brilliant for 177 episodes. The episode Homer's Enemy was peak Simpsons.

The 178th episode “The Secret War of Lisa Simpson” was a personal turning point. It marked an episode in which I was, in hindsight, merely watching instead of enjoying. Bart get’s sent to military school while Lisa, insufficiently challenged at Springfield Elementary, joins him there. The jokes (e.g. “Company L? But sir! They smell!”) were still there but were stretched and intermittent. That episode was the season 8 finale. Season 9 marked the beginning of the decline after a celebrated run of seasons that remain a benchmark for comedy writing, voice acting. The jokes were still funny but the plots became more and more outlandish and contrived. What’s interesting is that a celebrated episode preceding “The Secret War of Lisa Simpson”, the aforementioned “Homer’s Enemy” contained a veiled message from staff writer John Swartzwelder that the series had very much run it’s course and was becoming more and more reliant on the outlandish plots alluded to earlier.

That episode marked the Simpson reaching it’s peak and a prescient scene is where Homer invites Frank Grimes to his home and is giving him a tour of the house and Grimes bears witness to some of Homer’s history. He won a Grammy, he toured with the Smashing Pumpkins, he’s friends with Gerald Ford, he’s been to Space. This is Swartzwelder forewarning the audience that the show is becoming stale and will be more outlandish and contrived going forward to try and maintain a semblance of quality. For me, he was correct but to suggest the preceding seasons were horrendous is wrong, The Simpsons was simply excellent during the 1990's (season 4 is my favourite), it should have ended two decades ago but it's a cash cow so it's still being made.

You sound like Patrick Bateman reciting his morning routine

It was amazing until around Season 11 or 12, and there are a few half decent seasons after that where it has plenty of the old charm about it.

It's only after about Season 16 or so that it becomes flat out weak, and a complete abomination with very few redeeming qualities by around Season 20.

Family Guy is on what, Season 20 or something as well? At this point I just pick the highest rated two episodes and find them easy enough to watch.

I've tried doing the same with the Simpsons a few times but even the apparent 'best' episodes are just awful.