My thoughts on recent Simpsons

"the simpsons have been on the air for 13 years, of course theyve done everything" - Southpark "simpsons did it" episode

Im not sure how many of you feel the same latley or even care what i think but most people must have noticed that Simpsons heading in a more off the wall, less care on plot and whackier episodes in mainly S13-14 and I wondered whether people thought it was good or bad. I personally feel its the only way the show could possibly not get into a too forumuliac manner and end up fading away. The simpsons is the only program on TV at which Id be happy to see the last episode of, but at the same time are quite happy to see it carry on for years and years and years. Its a show that will last for along time. I like to ponder how the future generations will see the simpsons. Its a pretty original cartoon series and its difficult to find anything in the past to compare it to (the flinstones?). The only thing I can possibly do is look at the 13 year old Season 1 eps and look at how different the charactors have grown and the difference in direction (it felt like S1 and S2 deliberatly wanted to have a moral to each episode) and how its mooved with the time (I cant see the 1990's simpsons having quite the same effect as the rest). Its the funny things like how far they have developed not even the regular charactors such as "disco stu" because Im sure some of the charactors we now see as classics were originally one gag wonders that just happened to be right for the next episode and gradually became overdeveloped. The main thing I love about the simpsons (and for the same reason futurama) is rather than focus on one-type of humour, I like to think that hit tries to apeal to a mass audience by imputting lots of different jokes. Other cartoons (King of the Hill, South park, Family Guy) all focus mainly on one type of humour . Anyway Im not quite a Simpsons-Geek (id love to be) being able to quote episode numbers etc from memory but Ive seen most of the episodes out there and Id like to think Ive offered some valid opinions, if not post away, id love to know what everyone things of the mainly the latest and first episodes and comparisons.

Thanx BigBadBaz

Topical references will be lost on future audiences. They will not care about all the celebrity guest appearances, as many of those celebrities will have fallen into obscurity. A lot of the "edginess" will have been worn away, and some people will wonder what all the fuss was about. The show will even be seen someday as being wholesome, a product made in a more innocent time.

The show will probably be rerun for a long time in syndication in the early afternoons. Because of this, most adults in the future will think The Simpsons was once a children's cartoon show. This will have the effect of making many of the episodes seem inappropriate for young children (violence, offensive stereotypes) and they will be cut or censored. It will become increasingly difficult to find the uncut versions of these episodes in the future. (The DVDs will be out of print, and a new format will take oveer.)

Because the show was mastered on three quarter videotape, it will be hard to preserve the earlier, funnier shows and the picture quality will begin to deteriorate over the years. (The newer shows can be saved digitally much easier.)

The characters and the show will continue to be popular throughout the decades, (somewhere between Looney Tunes and Rocky and Bullwinkle) and still sell plenty of merchandising. This will have the sorry effect of luring an elderly Groening out of retirement to produce a few Simpsons tv specials. But the ancient voice-over crew will not be up to the challenge, and the young and callow writers will not make lightening strike twice. These "comebacks" will be embarrassing spectacles to watch. Also, Groening will break his promise about retiring Troy McClure and Lionel Hutz. Since the tragedy of Phil Hartman's death will be so far in the past, his characters will be used for the new tv specials using a younger vioce-over artist who can't quite mimic the original voice. Only those in the 60-90 year old range will have remembered the original network run of the series.

Also, the writers and other creators responsible for The Simpsons will never create anything quite as popular and will always be haunted by the show's immense success. Their other works will simply become arcana or trivia for die-hard Simpsons fanatics, such as The Critic, The Oblongs, Mission Hill, The PJs, and Futurama.

Heh, you know the funny thing about your answer is that it all sounds like it could very well be true. Good post, only time will tell.

Thats true, but that kinda stuff makes it more funny than the generic jokes would.

"Chris Jones" wrote in message news:2jvE9.8972$dz2.1204566@stones...

Here are MY thoughts on recent Simpsons episodes:

I never thought I'd see the day when newsgroup posters were actually too easy on episodes of a show. All I hear about is how they're going back to their old glory, that there is more emphasis on plot and character. While it may be true that these episodes are closer to the STYLE of the show in its peak, they just lack the quality, the heart, the soul, the originality. It seems like Al Jean and the current group of writer's are TRYING to bring the show back to its pre-Scully glory, but it's a misguided effort. It seems as though many of these episodes recycle a lot of elements from previous ones, and there's just no jokes, lines, or visuals that make you laugh like before. There may be more emphasis on plot but there is nothing special about these plots, they just seem contrived and just lacking something. The show is now, more than ever, an imitation of itself. I think, if anything, they're trying TOO hard to bring back old-fashioned Simpsons. Then again, some of the bad elements that Scully brought into the show won't go away: fart and sex jokes are still common, and although overall Homer's character has improved he still reverts to jerkass mode sometimes.

Overall, I think some of you are just getting too excited about reverting back to the older style without taking time to think about the quality of the episodes. While these may be an improvement from seasons 11-12 they're still a long way from seasons 2-8. The writers and producers need to stop putting style over substance and give us some true quality shows, or just cancel the damn thing.

[email] (Cromulant84) wrote in message news:...

I dont think im being deliberatly easy on The Simpsons because im just simply enjoying the episodes. I dont think there is not one episode of the simpsons where I have come away having not enjoyed myself and if It were any other way then I wouldn't spend time posting about it on Newsgroups. I just feel about 200+ episodes ago they would have found it alot easier to come up with new and inventive ways without repeating themselves. I give them a break because although the episodes have more and more outraqeous plots and the whole episode seems to twist and turn more times than monaco they are making me smile more than ever. In the episode "How I Spent My Strummer Vacation" at the begining with homer in the Car when he goes "so long jerks"...........that has to be one of the funniest things ive ever seen and I think for It I can forgive them for whatever they want to do for the rest of the episode. Also a personal favourate of my friend (i know your reading this) "Tales from the Public Domain" with the English fighting with tea cups.........classic and it goes down well with the subtler jokes about the Car and Bart.

Markc65 im glad you have a good clear opinion of how the future will be like. I agree with you on some of it but maybe your views are a litle too clear and precise to ever be 100% accurate. Im not sure what nationality you are but Im english so about 30% of the guest apearences and some of the jokes I miss the point. Even the ones I do understand and the people I do know I dont see the point in. I dont think there are many episodes where the special guests dont feel "written in" and they dont get me too excited. I prefer the charactors of the show. Alot of the jokes are timeless but I am fail to see how the simpsons could be taken any other way than a family show. My mum is begining to find the simpsons funny and my dad gets some of the jokes and thats without sitting them down and forcing them to watch it. If they like it then Im sure I will se more jokes maybe if I become a parent someday. Then maybe my kids will see the simpsons from the same view as me...........if they do then there is already enough episodes to keep them happy if you ask me. Aslong as we dont get a "The Simpsons: College Years" then Im fine with any plans they got for the show.

As for the comment about the simpsons creators not having another show to the same standard. Id like to think that there will be more futurama episodes made. Im not saying it will ever be the same or that if your a simpsons fan that its a straight conversion to the simpsons but it has the same potential in my eyes and its not had the same chance because of the simpsons things.

BigBadBaz

Barry: My views were based on the history of other tv shows and cartoons. All films, tv shows, etc., become dated with the passage of time (especially comedies). This doesn't mean audiences will no longer enjoy them. If most of the humor doesn't rely on topical jokes then there will be plenty for modern audiences to enjoy.

Don't give the producers any ideas.

I see Groening's shows as analogous to those of Hanna-Barbera. The Simpsons is Matt's version of H&B's The Flinstones, which was the first primetime animated sitcom and was very popular in it's day. Both were ink and paint versions of live action sitcoms, starring loutish blue collar family men. Futurama is Matt's futuristic sci-fi follow up to his first success, just as The Jetsons was a futuristic sci-fi follow up to The Flintstones. The Jetsons wasn't quite as popular as The Flintstones and didn't last as long. Futurama wasn't as popular as The Simpsons and didn't last as long. H&B followed The Jetsons with Roman Holiday, a show that is nearly forgotten. Will Matt come up with a third animated sitcom that will have the same fate befall it?

[email] (Markc65) wrote in message news:...

Very Interesting Comparisations but thats all they are. I dont think Matt Groening is trying to copy HB and so although interesting they are really irrelivent. Id like to think that there is alot more potential in futurama and thats all I care about. I think futurama is more of a continuation (sideways rather than forwards) of the Simpsons and it allows the writers to continue what they do best without horribly reinventing the simpsons directly. So yes I want to see more simpsons but I think no more futurama episodes is a horrible injustice to the world.

I also really miss Phil Hartman's characters, Lionel Hutz and Troy McClure.

"I've argued in front of every judge in this state. Often as a lawyer."

"Barry Christie" wrote in message news:[email]...