What exactly has changed?

Ok, whenever someone comes on here and says that the latest episodes are crap, someone else always retorts with "if you don't like it, don't watch it" and so on.

But the other day, I was watching a couple of old eps ("The PTA disbands" and "Lisa the Vegeterian") that happened to be on TV, and the new ep "Weekend at Burnsies".

Now these old season 6 episodes had me in fits of laughter almost all the way through, whereas the new ep, as is true of most of season 13, only had a couple of occasional laugh-out-loud moments.

So what, exactly, has changed in the Simpsons since its prime years? I really can't put my finger on it - broadly speaking I guess they're just not as funny. Maybe it's a lack of the little background things, such as the battered bus at the start of the PTA ep ("God bless permission slips"), or "Smithers, I think I'll donate a million dollars to the local orphange... when pigs fly". And the complete reverse of what you expect happening, such as Paul McCartny: "Lisa, would you like to hear a song?"... "Yes please"... Apu starts playing his drums.

Also, the recent episodes seem to lack the knowing satire approach of the old eps, and have resorted to sexual humour - like Grampa's viagra in the Old Man and the Key, or "The doctor said not to let him get a boner" in another S13 ep.

I really think they should have stopped at the end of season 12, at least that was still broadly funny despite having lost its cutting satirical approach.

Any opinions?

<Now these old season 6 episodes had me in fits of laughter almost all the way through, whereas the new ep, as is true of most of season 13, only had a couple of occasional laugh-out-loud moments.>

Sorry, you're 4 years late.

I still laugh. I'm just not as satisfied as I used to be. Some of the lisa and homer bonding episodes were poignant. "Marquesas16" wrote in message news:[email]...

a

the old episodes had humour and jokes all the way through. the new ones have most of the characters, esp Homer, just doing "funny" (read: dumb) stuff with occasional jokes.

"Frink" wrote in message news:RbGs8.3116$[email]...

have

Good Point. As well as that I think it's the addition of at least one dirty joke every episode. I still do enjoy the simpsons and watch it when I can but I hope that it doesn't end it's last days with all episodes getting a TV-MA rating, like South Park.

Billy Hicks wrote in message news:a8vfl5$ati$[email]...

dirty

I think that comedy has to change or it dies. If they were still doing the same style of show they were years ago even with the same timing and format it'd seem stale. On the bright side if you don't like the current style it'll probably change in a year or two.

Ian Boothby

"Chris Jones" wrote in message news:kxEs8.836$LN2.11154@NewsReader...

a

not

bus

fly".

watch it") but I do believe seasons 6-8 are probably the funniest.

in article kxEs8.836$LN2.11154@NewsReader, Chris Jones at [email] wrote on 4/9/02 9:21 AM:

I stumbled upon this group when a friend sent me an article about criticism of The Simpsons and have no idea if my comments will even go through. Nevertheless, not only have my laughs been reduced to an occasional grin during most of the past two seasons, and most profoundly during this recent run, but I find that I can't connect any recent episodes to what we do in our high school classroom. For years I have connected themes in our plays, novels, and short stories to such classics as the deportation of Apu, Lisa's sabatoge of the pig roast, the Lord of the Flies takeoff, Lisa's crush on Nelson, and every seasonal Xmas/Halloween/school closing show. Our religion department has even borrowed a few, like the Movementarians or the Bible Stories dream episode from a couple years back. Of course, I am disappointed with all the crotch references orecently, as shown in last week's drug dogs biting Homer between the legs. Christ, is that really that funny? I chuckled when they slammed him back and forth, but otherwise, references to Homer's 'weiner' are hardly a parody of anything. It's actually falling in line with about every other lame sitcom. Well, I hope this goes through. And I'm always looking for other connections to the classroom. Jeff Keating

I think they have handed the show over to a bunch of hired hands building a resume. The show has no central writer. The stories blow. Centralize!!!! Give creative control over to someone talanted and let them knock out something inspired. Not, a roomful of hacks. Spitting out one liners. The show is too willing to sacrifice a story for a gag. jim me thinks

"Chris Jones" wrote in message news:kxEs8.836$LN2.11154@NewsReader...

a

not

bus

fly".

"jim" wrote in news:acLs8.3104$[email]:

The Simpsons have now officially jumped the shark.