Frink Spider = Jump The Shark

How is that jumping the shark? Frink has had weird inventions throughout the years - his first appearance was the death ray in season 2, then he had the baby airplane in season 3...the robotic bear to replace Bobo in Rosebud (season 5).

BIG Summer Plans wrote:

Its not like the show can't make fun of how crappy the Wild Wild West movie was.

"Matt Garvey" wrote in message news:[email]...

i was thinking the same thing but wasn't going to dignify that post with a response. i might add, however, that IMHO the giant spider (even though it wasn't completely original) was hilarious! how on earth could that have been a "jump" moment? frink rules! let's not forget the frog exaggerator (one of my personal favs), the hamburger earmuffs, the flying motorcycle, mood pants, flipper finder, etc. etc.

"P. Piggly Hogswine" wrote in message news:gbmC8.1345$[email]...

it

Homer: Damn you, Pickle Matrix! *throws burgermuff prototype to the ground*

Fuck you "Piggly". I wasn't going to dignify your post with a response however I implore you to go to http://www.jumptheshark.com and vote now!!!!!!!!!!!! Seems you don't understand.

===SUMMER OF LOVE===SUMMER OF LOVE===SUMMER OF LOVE===

"BIG Summer Plans" wrote in message news:[email]...

throughout

a

it

however

now!!!!!!!!!!!!

a) take a joke - the not "dignifying that post with a response" is a reference to a simpsons quote from Who Shot Mr. Burns (right after Burns gets shot) and was meant mostly sarcastically.

b) i've been to jumptheshark.com more than enough times to know what it means. but you don't even have to go there to know. just because i don't agree with you doesn't mean i don't understand. IMO it's not a jump the shark moment. for me the spider doesn't even qualify as a candidate - it's an instance of a regular, well-established wacky character doing his wacky thing. that's the point and what makes it funny to me.

c) manners don't cost anything they're free.

Just when I was about to break out the credit card. Sarcasm appreciated and loved ;-)

===SUMMER OF LOVE===SUMMER OF LOVE===SUMMER OF LOVE===

i like the house that gets up and runs from cat burglars(then falls down and burns up)

"Matt Garvey" wrote in message news:[email]...

natewalkner wrote:

The real humans won't, uh... won't burn quite so fast... BUAH-HEY!!

It was stupid seeing him join a battle commanding a spider that doesn't exist now, nor never will exist in any war ever, much less the 1861 Civil War. Frink is wacky, yes, that's why we love him, but if you don't understand the concept of "Jump The Shark" I implore you to go to http://www.jumptheshark.com and vote now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

===SUMMER OF LOVE===SUMMER OF LOVE===SUMMER OF LOVE===

BIG Summer Plans wrote:

That's the stupidest reasoning I've heard. What about Frink's debigulator or matter transfer device? See any flying motorcycles on the streets lately? Did you wear your hamburger earmuffs this past winter?

Let's not forget that P. Piggly is right, Jumping the Shark is about *main* characters doing ridiculously out of character stuff or about dedicating whole episodes to silly background characters who normally add a line or two to the show.

Frink making the giant spider, and thus mocking a movie which took place during the mid to late 1800's (same time as the Civil War) is EXACTLY what we expect from Frink.

You're attempt to get people to vote for such a non-jump-the-shark moment is boring and unfunny.

A concept so ridiculous is makes me want to laugh out loud and chortle, and... uh... but not at you, O holiest of gods, with the wrathfulness and the vengeance and the blood reign and the hey-hey-hey-it-hurts-me.

Hmmmm........ 2 bucks........... only transfers matter.........

wrathfulness and the

I just had to fix this moron's post.

Carry on.

If you want to be an asshole, might I suggest you go post at news:alt.asshole.reinhold.aman because your attempt to show wit and an opinion is worth about as much as a one-legged man in a you kicking contest. Then again, opinions are like you, everybody has one. Vote now or switch groups, might I suggest the one above. http://www.jumptheshark.com

===SUMMER OF LOVE===SUMMER OF LOVE===SUMMER OF LOVE===

"BIG Summer Plans" wrote in message news:[email]...

War.

and

opinion

groups,

Oh, thanks for the ultimatum. That'll go over BIG in THIS NG.

Yours truly, Some bozo

"Dr Music" wrote in message news:ExfD8.62314$[email]...

doesn't

the

http://www.jumptheshark.com

the

place

Then

KABLAMO!

[monsterometer functioning properly, though]

BIG Summer Plans wrote:

Pardon me, but your personal definition of wit may be a bit off. At no time was I attempting to be funny. Your reasoning for the show jumping the shark is poor at best on many different levels and unfortunately for you, that's not an opinion.

As for your completely unprovoked personal attack for no apparent reason whatsoever, might *I* suggest you take that crap to alt.tv.southpark where someone will definitely take you up in a post-for-post war of immature name-calling...

No doubt was there any attempt to be funny or rational, might I suggest you visit news:alt.test because you seem to be testing the waters when it comes to knowing and not knowing that simpsons JUMPED THE SHARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! when Our Favorite Professor came out of nowhere (possibly Shelbyville) with some kind of stupid spider.

There's still a chance to vote, Vote Now!!! http://www.jumptheshark.com

===SUMMER OF LOVE===SUMMER OF LOVE===SUMMER OF LOVE===

"BIG Summer Plans" wrote in message news:[email]...

Then

groups,

you

comes to

Do you... WORK for jumptheshark.com?

Yours truly, Some bozo

No but I'd love to see you vote with your mind and not your heart. wups, wrong post board.

===SUMMER OF LOVE===SUMMER OF LOVE===SUMMER OF LOVE===

jumping the shark's gotta be a major plot of the show, not just a one-time gag in the beginning segment. obviously, the major plot of that particular episode was apu's affair, so if you wanted to make a case for this episode jumping the shark, it would have to be based around that.

the day an episode airs that features 20+ minutes of devotion to professor frink's giant robotic spider, i dare you to vote before i do. until that happens, however, the simpsons have yet to jump any shark.

peace. -stoops

Well spoken!

While I think saying it was a "jumping the shark" moment for the series is a bit of an exaggeration, it certainly was the moment for me where that episode jumped the shark.

I was really enjoying the episode and was thinking it might be one of the few episodes from recent seasons that might not make me cringe -- then, along comes the mechanical spider and POW! Episode down the drain.

It was like the appearance of Kang and Kodos at Homer's roast -- the episode wasn't too bad (relatively speaking) until POW! From there it went downhill fast.

Rant mode now on:

For me, the series jumped the shark way back in "Bart's Inner Child" when the big ferris wheel broke loose and rolled away. I remember watching that episode and thinking to myself how the show had crossed a line and decided that some level of realism could give way for cheap sight gags and unbelievable situations. They had flirted with the line before, but they had crossed it and I knew they couldn't go back.

While most of Season Five and Six weren't too bad (some episodes were even quite good), they did bring out such episodes as 'Bart Gets An Elephant", "Itchy & Scratchy Land", "Fear of Flying" and "Who Shot Mr. Burns?". I mean, come on! Killer robots, a sun blocking machine? This was the best they had to offer us?

I still love The Simpsons, but I find myself watching each new episode with a more critical eye now. I keep hoping that just one more time before the series ends that I can sit at the end of an episode and say "Now, that's a classic! That is the sort of episode I would show someone who had never heard of The Simpsons if I wanted to make them a fan." Sadly, that hasn't happened for a long time.

Okay, rant mode is now off.

I may have an explanantion for the spider. I think it was an homage to the guy who directed the Wild Wild West movie. Whatever his name - he was supposed to work on the Superman project, and wanted to have him battle a giant robot spider. But since that project died, he went ahead and used the concept in the Will Smith movie. It may have been the screenwriter who reused the premise. It doesn't exactly explain Frink's invention, but that may have been the inspiration. [email]