What I miss about the Simpsons....

I was reading through some posts and I got to thinking about what I consider are the funniest moments on the Simpsons. The type of humor that really cuts through me and makes me laugh till I hurt is the totally unexpected stuff. For example, I remember in one earlier episode Homer was getting mad at Patty and Selma and threw them out of the house. Marge came running after them and said something like "Dont judge Homer, he's just... very complex" and you see Homer pop out of the upstairs window slamming a plate against his head yelling "WRONG!" .... thats some great stuff!!!! Its so unexpected and plays so well into Homer's character

Also, in the episode where Bart get's paired up with Ralph Wiggum as friends. When Bart is explaining to Marge why he doesent want to play with Ralph. He says 'Mom, you dont know what its like being paired with a doofus' ... and then we see homer cut a hole in the floor pop his head up and say "uh oh".... that is SOOOO funny! I think is what I miss most, I never really feel surprised anymore.

Or like the time when Homer goes chasing after Lisa when she's going to the Isis exhibit. Homer needs to get up higher to see above the crowd. So he says 'I hope this works' and buys a big bunch of balloons. Then they quickly pan over to a street worker and he says 'I'll give you this bunch of baloons if I can use your cherry picker' .... FUNNY!!!!

What do you think?

Greg

On 2 May 2002, DiscoStu wrote:

Those scenes make me giggle ("Aha! These wieners will give me the extra energy I need to escape!") the first time I see them, or if I've not seen the episode for a long time and forgotten a particular scene - like the other day when I was watching the classic "three urns" scene - but rarely anything more. Those kind of jokes can make a good episode better, but they cannot make an episode already lacking in plot development and characterization good.

I can fully understand if you like those jokes best, though, because they ARE cleverly set up (often based on what we expect to happen, or what we do *not* expect to happen).

There are different tastes; I know some people who laugh most at clever references (signs, newspaper ads, book titles, Restaurant names, dialogue etc), and some who find social satire bits the funniest (in 2F09 "Homer the Great" we see Homer arriving at work on a vast parking lot, seemingly miles from the SNPP. We then find out he's parked right next to his house! So in conclusion, he's got into his car and driven a long way to work with traffic jams, when he could've saved time, money (for gas) and the environment if he'd just jumped the fence! Of course, one of the points of this scene is that the "American way" is to drive to work (i.e. get to work without resorting to public transportation - thanks, Mr. Plow!) and Homer, as an average American stereotype does just that, no matter how pointless the behaviour is. A classic Homer study and a classic comedy scene!).

The older episodes often contained a lot of different types of jokes, which I guess is why it could appeal to a 10-year old as well as a 50-year old, whereas the newer episodes tend to go for more silliness. Which is fine, if you like silliness.

Greg writes:

Yeah, I agree. That's why I like Ralph. Everything that comes out of his mouth is unexpected! Apu is also good for that kind of silliness: "Now get out of my store - and come again!"

What I think I'd miss most if it disappeared forever (I don't *think* it has yet...) is the occasional reminder that the characters have lives, or at least a humorous lack thereof. Principal Skinner sharpening pencils after hours, Maude Flanders eating ice cream out of the carton, Moe reading to sick kids, Smithers' apparently stormy relationship with John...it's not the same kind of belly laugh that comes from the unexpected, but it's always good for a chuckle.

--Anna

<Yeah, I agree. That's why I like Ralph. Everything that comes out of his mouth is unexpected! Apu is also good for that kind of silliness: "Now get out of my store - and come again!">

I loved Apu's Jurassic Park thing.

"Marquesas16" wrote in message news:[email]...

Yeah, Ralph is good, but I think one of his funniest quotes was the one you didn't actually hear him say from 'Jaws Wired Shut'. Lisa's imitation of him cracks me up!

On the topic of unexpected things, I really like the 'How to Tunnel Out Of Prison' book thing and also the quote "I'm not usually a praying man but if you're up there please save me Superman".

And that's exactly why I dont like him anymore. The writers have used him as a crutch and it's getting tiring.

Legion1979 wrote:

My sentiments exarctly...

I hear you on that. One of my faves is when Homer and Marge are in bed and Marge asks Homer if thats how he'd expect married life and he responds with

"Yeah, except we'd live in a van traveling around solving mysteries" (However it goes).

In my opinion thats one of the funniest moments in the show. Just because he was so serious in saying it.

Oh, and anyone remember the fake glasses Homer wears when on Jury Duty? I cried thinking about that scene.... Al F 729th ACS HAFB, Utah I used to be with it, but then they changed what "it" was. Now, what I'm with isn't it, and what's "it" seems weird and scary to me.-Abe

I actually liked that scene in "Another Simpsons Clipshow" when Marge asks Homer if he thinks the romance has gone out of their relationship. Homer, laying in bed with his back to the camera, loudly burps.