The newer ones are so much funnier and zanier. The older ones had too much of a plot, and seemed to be family-oriented. The show was a lot worse when Bart was the center of the universe, unlike now, when Homer is the focus of the show.
Why does everyone seem to like the older episodes over the newer ones?
May 9, 2002, 1:57 PM ET18 posts by 14 posters
18 posts
The older shows always had a moral at the end; the newer ones just make me laugh. Which is all I want. Same thing goes for Seinfeld. People say the shark jumped on that one when Larry David left; hell, the shows got funnier. If you look at the very first episodes of Seinfeld, they are boring; the show got better as it went along. Same goes for The Simpsons.
"JS577" wrote in message news:[email]...
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Yes, I think the newer episodes are funnier too. I mean I have heard people say "The only people who like the newer episodes haven't seen the old ones" which just isn't true- I've seen every episode apart from a few in Season 13 and I still like them. I just find the pre 1994 episodes boring- maybe because they have been repeated to death, the colours have faded and the voices are wrong- Check out Ralph in 'Lisa's Pony'!
No, "7th Heaven" has a moral at the end. "The Simpsons" often touched on some issues, and some episodes had morals, but they were definitely not preachy. And "The Simpsons" is deliberately funny, unlike "7th Heaven."
I like to laugh, but not at the expense of plot and characters.
I'm not enough of a Seinfeld expert to know when Larry David left the show, but I like the episodes that Larry David was involved in.
Same goes for EVERY SHOW. ________________________________________________________________
If love of money is the root of all evil, why do churches want it so badly?
Remove "bination" to reply.
Well, the newer ones are funny...some of them...but what you see as a flaw (plot/family oriented) and a pro (zany) many see the other way around. I like most of the episodes, but each for different reasons. The earlier episodes and some of the later ones I like because they stand out - they're not what you'd expect a cartoon to be (zany, as you said, seems to belong more on looney tunes), or were they a standard sitcom of one-line jokes and stuff...I particularly like the episodes that make me feel strong non-laughing emotions, for example Lisa's Sub and Marge Be Not Proud. Other comedy shows don't really do that. I also like Seinfeld and Family Guy and others, but because of different things they offer me. Family Guy's jokes and references are more off-the-wall and randomly integrated, and there are minimal lessons or family moments...so I like it for that. Seinfeld never has to have a real resolution (the only episode that breaks that (which i can recall) is The Deal), there are no lessons to be learned, etc. I'm sort of breaking away from your point now, but this is something I'd been thinking about for a little while, both on the episode-to-episode scope of the Simpsons and the show-to-show scope of comedy shows in general: In general, a good Simpsons episode seems to stick with one or two areas and put the others in the background - for example, focusing on the plant, or home life, or school...if every character and every place in Springfield was in every episode, they'd all be the same. And if every show had the same format, so to speak, they'd all be the same. Then every episode of every comedy show could be represented by just one half hour (or a very special hour-long) episode. So there you have it. A tangent, yes, but I had to get it out.
JS577 wrote:
On 09 May 2002 17:57:56 GMT, [email] (JS577) wrote:
Perhaps some people prefer a show with a plot and a moral to a show of zany jokes. I know I do. I prefer it when there is a balance between a good plot and laughs. I can't wait for the series 2 DVD.
I like the older shows better, becuase, with very few exceptions, everything that happened in them were actually plausable. I think the show worked much better that way.
Brad
"JS577" wrote in message news:[email]...
much of
Bart
Well duh. Since when is having a plot wrong. Not that we see the new series here in Blighty cause the BBC is too poor to be able to buy them :-(
Malc
Different strokes for different folks (like that song, I think it was called "The things that people like") Some people prefer the old ones, some the new, I just wish now and then they could make a more emotional/serious episode, a la Mother Simpson or Homer's Sushi episode one thingy.
Bazilla
"Bazilla" wrote in message news:[email]...
called
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la
Bartender: And what will you be having? Guy: A long island iced tea for her, a bazilla for me. Bartender: Ok, you asked for it *slimes the guy with molding spaghetti water* Guy: What the bazilla are you doing? Bartender: Did you or did you not ask for a bazilla? Guy: I did. Bartender: Well? *guy farts on bartender* Guy: Now I have learned TRIUMPH!!
Zanier, yes. Funnier, well, that's up to the individual to decide. And I do not think they are funnier.
This is exactly why I like the older ones better. They balanced a strong plot and strong characterizations with enough humor (that was true to the characters) that the episodes were good.
Homer and Bart have traded the focus of the show. Remember the eps where Homer gets Dimoxinil or when he dances with Princess Kashmir? Those were good Homer-based episodes from the earlier seasons. ________________________________________________________________
If love of money is the root of all evil, why do churches want it so badly?
Remove "bination" to reply.
the golden age of the simpsons, those episodes that seemingly everyone loves, is ... 5th season? 6th season?
not that the other seasons suck ... quite the contrary. but, which episodes count as "old?" the beginning of the clinton adminstration seems kinda old to me (season 5).
"having too much of a plot" is hardly a vice ... a few of the newer episodes have too little of a plot, or, more likely, too unoriginal of a plot (the simpsons self-criticism of "the simpsons are going to delaware!" is great). the show's still family oriented ... there's much worse stuff on TV to sit around and watch with your family, and not just with the buds.
as for the bart / homer question, having homer "star" in the show is a good thing, that's for sure. the show was doomed to mediocrity if *that* shift wasn't made. but, bart had his moments, as well as homer B.S. (before stupidity).
peace. -stoops
"JS577" wrote in message news:[email]...
much of
Bart
JS577 wrote:
What a very strange argument (at least from my point of view.)
A strong plot is a necessity for a good show. Without a plotline, it�s just a cheap and (IMO) stupid row of jokes and there are too many simple cartoons in that way. The Simpsons was so unique because it had a strong plotline with a lot of hidden meaning and subtlety.
How can you have true satire or "real" and lifelike characters, if there�s no plot? How can you have deeper concepts and subversion and intelligent references and whatever if there�s no plot? All you have without a strong plot is a cheap and standardized mainstream cartoon (well, that�s what we have in modern seasons.)
Without a strong plot, everything is out of context. Satire and references seem forced, characterization is flat, emotion is artificial and cold, deeper concepts can�t exist etc etc etc. Is that good? Really?
The Simpsons were a brilliant show for everyone back then (by back then I usually mean seasons 1 - 3, but 4 - 9 also had many of such qualities, alas often to a lesser degree) the kids could have fun with the jokes and the adults could enjoy (for example) some social or political commentary with really subtle and thought-provoking morals.
But I�m rambling again...
Chris
P.S. More reasons why old episodes were much better on my website:
"Chris Pfeiler" wrote in message news:[email]...
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I've been mulling over how best to put my response to this question into words, but Chris articulated it better than I ever could (and I write for a living!)
Yours truly, Some bozo
living!)
Ha-Ha!
j/k of course
The Simpsons have gone from being pop culture to making fun of it.
"P. Piggly Hogswine" wrote in message news:TUUC8.10$[email]...
oh, and if i'm remembering correctly (and forgive me if i'm being wrongly presumptuous Chris), but english isn't even his first language! double Ha-Ha!
"P. Piggly Hogswine" wrote in message news:A_UC8.11$[email]...
a
Oh, you think this is funny, don't you? Well, let me tell you something that's NOT so funny... right now, Dr Music is in my office CRYING like a little girl!
Actually, I guess that is kind of funny.
Yours truly, Some bozo