This is a long post. I've been reading snpp.com's capsules for years now, but never before submitted info for one. I figured I'd start out by going big. =)
-christopher buecheler -cwb[at]shaithis.com -http://www.shaithis.com
--- capsule submission follows ---
Did You Notice ==================================================================== ... Bender's prominence in Bart's fantasy would indicate that, in the Simpsons' world, Futurama actually gets shown on a regular enough basis to leave an impression? ;) ... At the very end of the strangling scene, Bart's arms fall into his classic "I'm being strangled" pose?
Full Review ====================================================================
Remember back in the second season when a completely off-camera Wendel puking on the bus was so startlingly edgy that it was a laugh-out-loud moment?
You can't blame the Simpsons for having had to change their humor style, really. The revolution that the show started is now something it has to keep up with. So instead of a quick, well-placed joke (Wendel), we get to linger gratuitously on Tom Brokaw as he heaves into a bucket (with graphic sound effects). This, for me, sums up quite well the difference between "Old Simpsons" and "New Simpsons." I still like the show. For a sitcom that's existed for fourteen years, it's still remarkably fresh. But it's definitely different.
Tonight those differences were perhaps more readily apparent than they have been for me in the past, because the first act of the show felt very much like a rehash of several classic episodes. The "family gets satellite tv" sequence was heavily reminiscent of [7F13] Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment, including jokes about never leaving the couch, and forming human-shaped grooves. In this instance it was Bart molding into Homer's stomach, instead of Homer molding into the couch, but the joke is near identical, even down to the sound effects. We're then promptly treated to sequences similar to [7F03] Bart Gets an F, though in the earlier episode, Bart actually cared.
Vomiting not enough? We've also got the season's second diharrea joke, in a pretty out-of-character scene for Bart. At this point, I must admit, my expectations for the episode were pretty low. Fortunately, the second and third acts felt much better to me, over all.
I liked the new teacher. It's about time we get to see a bit more of Springfield Elementary's faculty. Also enjoyed Nelson's repeated appearances, particuarly "Laughing at jerks?" Bart's competence was refreshing, though it seems a bit out of line with what we know about him (wouldn't he be more likely to skate through the third grade and then promptly forget everything over the summer?) Marge's buying the matching fanny packs was nicely in character, as was both Bart and Lisa's general disgust with them. Also nice to see Mary Bailey return (and for some reason, the repeated sound bite of her groaning cracked me up).
The third act has some nice jokes in the conversations between Bart and Lisa while they're lost. I liked that the teacher was actually upset at the kids' disappearance. "The Wall" was a legit laugh-out-loud moment for me, but they *completely* missed the chance for an Uter joke when they drove to close-up. Liked the "say your prayers scene." Maggie's discarding the skateboard and saxaphone was cute. Over all, I think the third act had the best jokes, which is fine by me. I'd rather end on a high note.
I'm still extremely fond of the Simpsons, and what I've seen of Season 14 so far seems superior to the show's lowest point. Compared to the wacky adventures of seasons 12, I'll take an episode that stumbles a bit in the beginning and then grows progressively stronger any day.
Short Review ====================================================================
A weak and rather derivative ([7F13], [7F03]) first act with unnecessary vomiting AND diharrea jokes. Somewhat salvaged by the latter two acts. Bart and Lisa behave like siblings normally do, at odds with each other most of the time, but still willing to help each other when needed. On the plus side, we get to see a new teacher, new students (who could've been fleshed out a bit more), and a new "adventure" that's not quite so wacky as some we've seen in seasons past. For that, I'll be forgiving of the first act, and give it a... B-
Movie (and other) References ====================================================================
"Get Back Honky Cat" - The song "Honky Cat" was written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin in 1972. The song repeatedly features the full "Get back, Honky Cat" line.
"The Blair Witch Project" - See Comments Below
Animation, continuity, and other goofs ====================================================================
Flanders seems fairly envious of Homer's satellite setup, but we've seen in [1F14] Homer Loves Flanders that Ned already has satellite TV. "Over 230 channels locked out!"
Probably not even worth mentioning, at this point, but what is Homer doing watching TV in the middle of a weekday? Shouldn't he be at work?
I'm sure others will point this out, but the Capital City Goofball was colored incorrectly.
Why do Bart and Lisa wander into the forest instead of just going back to the capital building up the hill (or at least the road)?
Comments ====================================================================
Meta Reference Corner --------------------- Lisa says: "Networks love reality shows because they don't have to pay writers or actors." This is followed by a tirade from Homer. The meta ref? The Simpsons have a gigantic writing staff (particularly if you include previous writers), a plethora of actors who recently demanded more money, and are shown on Fox -- a network almost entirely devoted (it sometimes seems) to showing cheesy reality television shows.
Homer's Satellite Installation ------------------------------ Satellite and cable television companies are notorious for requesting large windows of time that a customer be home for installation. Typically the time blocks are in four hours (ie: 8am - 12pm), but it is not unheard of -- at least around here -- for the company to require an entire day. And, as the "September" subtitle indicates, the companies are *still* often late. This is particularly ridiculous since in a lot of instances, the installation takes less then twenty minutes.
The Remote Control ------------------ Back in the day, a TV remote was a simple thing. With the advent of digital television delivery, remotes have gotten more and more complex. You can now navigate on-screen guides, order pay-per-view movies, control several different A/V devices and, of course, change channels with a modern TV remote. Recent developments include PDA-like devices with color LCD screens and touch-sensitive pads. IMHO, they missed the possibility for a "Bart understands the remote and Homer doesn't" joke here. Then again, that was recently seen for real in an episode of Mtv's "The Osbournes."
Robo Trumble... I'm sorry, I mean "Robot Rumble." ------------------------------------------------- Robot Rumble is a spoof of the half-a-million or so shows that have shown up on cable television in the past year featuring robots battling each other in the center of an arena filled with traps (spikes that shoot up from the floor, sawblades spinning on the walls, and so forth). This sounds exciting, and yet somehow the shows manage to continually be some of the most boring teleivision available. The general secret to success is to build a robot that either a) Flips its opponents on to their backs, rendering them immobile, or b) corrals them and then pushes them into one of the traps. It helps if your robot is simultaneously built extremely low to the ground (difficult to flip), and heavy (difficult to push around).
Where is Springfield? --------------------- Not in the South, apparently...
The Blair Witch Project ----------------------- Perhaps the only thing larger than the hype surrounding this film was the amount of parodying it received. Made on a shoestring budget, the film tells the story of three "students" who wander into woods that are supposedly haunted, and are never heard from again. It is told entirely from the point of view of the cameras they brought in. Most of the dialog was improvised, most of the situations were unplanned, and the result is a chaotic, grainy, jerky experience that shook up audiences at Cannes, and drew a lot of advance publicity due to rumors that the footage was real. Go into the movie with the intention of making fun of it, and it's pretty easy to do so. Sit down with it at 3am, by yourself, in a dark room, and it ends up being one of the most legitimately terrifying movies released in the past decade.
Misc ---- What was the deal with the mocking teens in the 1930s-era car? A reference I missed?