Jump the Shark (serious discussion)

If the Simpsons "Jumped the Shark", I think they managed the rare of feat of jumping back.

Season 8: "Homer's Enemy" was a decent episode. I have no great objections to it, but it seems to me that it signalled that the writers were moving Homer over the top. It had happened sporadically before, but after this episode the writers continued on this trend of adding spontaneous and temporary rewrites to character backgrounds with consistent extreme behavior from the central character--usually Homer.

While some consider seaons 9 one of the better seasons, it nonetheless contains episodes which are jarring and stretch the standard characterizations to bounds not previously seen. For example:

The Principal and the Pauper totally rewrote a major recurring character and then subsequently abandoned it. One of the strengths of any long running show is the ability to slowly unfold hidden secrets of side characters. This particular secret came almost out of nowhere and disappeared just as quickly.

The Cartridge Family and Bart's Star are both acceptable episodes but they continue the trend of dropping subtleties for blatant and extreme characterizations.

All Singing, All Dancing is a clip show, but it starts an annual trend of clip shows and the like.

The rest of the season is extremely average with the exception of "Joy of Sect" and a couple of other good episodes. A couple of groaners for me would include "Simpson Tide" and "Trash of the Titans"--both centered on extreme and single-minded behavior from Homer. "Natural Born Kissers" most certainly had its moments, but it took its ideas way over the top in the final scenes.

Seasons 10 likewise contained some decent episodes but the tendency for the writers to go over the top was consistent. Unlike previous seasons, this one contained no outstanding episodes to redeem it.

The start of season 11 almost made me decide that maybe the Simpsons were no longer worth watching. "Missionary:Impossible" was the first episode that gave me hope that the Simpon's could continue their previously high quality episodes. Season 12, indeed, was one of the best seasons in their history.

Season 13, unfortunately, did not continue the trend. There were not too many terrible episodes, but there were few were close to being the gems that ususally show up. For me, the best ep of the season was "Papa has a Brand New Badge".

My serious thoughts on the Simpsons. But after all, it is only a TV show--even if it's something I've looked forward to for the last 8 years. . .

WHAT? You must be joking! Seasons 11 and 12 are the WORST in the show's history

IMO Season 13 was considerably BETTER than Season 12 (and for that matter, better than Season 11 as well).

In article , [email] (Miklos1124) wrote:

Season 12 was consistently mediocre. It had some very good episodes (Menace, Pokey Mom, WEE, Jackanapes, Trilogy of Error) that more than compensated for the dullness of most of the rest.

<Season 12 was consistently mediocre. It had some very good episodes (Menace, Pokey Mom, WEE, Jackanapes, Trilogy of Error) that more than compensated for the dullness of most of the rest.>

I thought Pokemom, and Jackanapes were two of the episodes that were at consistent mediocrity, but it had some good episodes;

Insane Clown Possey- As the legendary ChaiTheDog put it, a very fun episode. Filled with great one liners. Hungry, Hungry, Homer- Probably the best episode in Season 12, if not the Scully era. It was filled with great jokes, and pretty much was the antithesis to every Homer-The-Jerk episode. Tennis the Menace and ToE were two I agree with that were pretty good.

I HAVE to disagree. That episode is brilliant IMO.

In article , "Theodore G. Paulakis" wrote:

I don't think it has jumped the shark. But if it has, "Homer's Enemy" would be the episode that demarcated the event.

I couldn't find one single episode but "Homer's Enemy" was the first episode in an increasingly annoying Homer. Now HE was a good episode. I didn't like it much, but there is nothing there that isn't intolerable--especially compared to seasons 9-11. But in this episode, he acted WAY too stupid. In isolation it would not have meant anything. But worse was to follow.

Season 9 started with a string of mediocre episodes. Then three consecutive eps (The Cartridge Family, Bart Star, The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons) all had Homer acting incredibly stupid, boorish and showing no redeeming qualities until the last scene--if then.

After three more decent episodes that didn't center on Homer, we had All Singing, All Dancing (considered by many to be the worst episode ever). Of the next seven episodes, only Joy of Sect and This Little Wiggie were anything above mediocre. Homer acted like a jerk, but was not the center of the show.

At this point, you might think that the Simpsons were still going strong. But the writers again went on a losing streak (Simpson Tide, The Trouble With Trillions, Girly Edition, Trash of the Titans) where Homer's behavior was front and center and even more outrageous than before.

Season 9 was not a horrible season, but it was middling at best and then only because it ended with King of the Hill and Lost Our Lisa in the final four episodes.

Season Ten started off decent but not spectacular. But then we got When You Dish Upon a Star; D'oh In in the Wind; Homer Simpson in: "Kidney Trouble"; Mayored to the Mob; Viva Ned Flanders; Sunday, Cruddy Sunday and Homer to the Max--a series of 7 poor to terrible episodes featuring Stupid and Annoying Homer (Lisa Gets an A and Wild Barts Can't Be Broken were the only two good episodes to break up that chain). D'oh In the Wind was a good episode but still featured an irritating Homer.

The reason why I don't think the Simpson's have jumped the shark is because the rest of the season managed to pull up and deliver and series of decent to good episodes. Only at the end with Monty Can't Buy Me Love and They Saved Lisa's Brain did the show falter.

The shift in quality from seasons 4-8 and seasons 9-12 is small but noticeable.

<Season Ten started off decent but not spectacular. But then we got When You Dish Upon a Star; D'oh In in the Wind; Homer Simpson in: "Kidney Trouble"; Mayored to the Mob; Viva Ned Flanders; Sunday, Cruddy Sunday and Homer to the Max--a series of 7 poor to terrible episodes featuring Stupid and Annoying Homer (Lisa Gets an A and Wild Barts Can't Be Broken were the only two good episodes to break up that chain). D'oh In the Wind was a good episode but still featured an irritating Homer.

Definately. Season 10, I think was the worst because it featured "wacky Homer" to a most gimmicky degree.

<The start of season 11 almost made me decide that maybe the Simpsons were no longer worth watching. "Missionary:Impossible" was the first episode that gave me hope that the Simpon's could continue their previously high quality episodes. Season 12, indeed, was one of the best seasons in their history.

I don't know, 12 was very mediocre. Season 11 was sort of unqiue; It had some very good episodes, and bad ones.

<There were not too many terrible episodes, but there were few were close to being the gems that ususally show up. For me, the best ep of the season was "Papa has a Brand New Badge".>

I think Season 13 is a *vast* improvement. There have been tons of great episodes that can count as classics. Even the bad episodes have some good jokes in them.

I'll be damned. 1362 people can be wrong.

"Theodore G. Paulakis" wrote in message news:acmusv$nla$[email]...

it

Actually, I made an estimate, and only about 2/3 of the voters think the show never jumped.