simpsons RULE!!!

[LordHart]

The show has become boring in most episodes. They also disappointed me with how they handled the Frank Grimes Jr episode... that sucked, considering that Homer's Enemy is a classic.

But to mention the guest stars, the greatest guest spot ever has to be Leonard Nimoy on the Marge Vs The Monorail episode, written by Conan O'Brien.

Classic...

[Chrille]

The last seasons of Futurama were shit as well, it's probably contagious.

[Trapezoid]

Y'know, back in humanity's golden age people complained a lot less, and they enjoyed their TV shows from start to finish. We, the viewers, have jumped the shark by latching on to the "everything jumps the shark" mentality.
I think it's sort of ridiculous. I've seen people trying to figure out at what point Strong Bad emails started declining in quality..... WTF?

[Gonzo]

Hmm, I would say Futurama was going very strong when it was cut off prematurely, I think it had at least a few more series in it.

The Internet fanbase seems to dislike episodes like 'That's Lobstertainment!' from the third series but I think that's a great one, there's very few episodes I don't find very funny, and even then they're better than recent Simpsons episodes. Seems clear to me which series would ideally have been axed.

The legacy of The Simpsons is only going to be tainted if they keep doing patchy series relying on all these guest stars. A few years ago, everyone I talked to loved The Simpsons, but now a lot of people, even casual fans, say that it's lost it and they probably wouldn't be sad to see it go.

[DGMacphee]

Notice this:

The show was originally written by Harvard graduates and it was highly praised for its social commentary and satire.

But in later years, they hired a guy who used to write for Saturday Night Live to be the head of scripting.

I wonder if that had anything to do with the show's decline?

Spoiler

YES IT FUCKING DID!!!

[close]

[Nacho]

The last seasons of Futurama were shit as well, it's probably contagious.

I´ve just seen the first two... Well... It is a relief to see that they´ve cancelled a "not so good" show.  

[LordHart]

Apparently they've recently brought back one of the head writers from the first few seasons to help bring the show back to it's old self... but I doubt it will happen.

[MillsJROSS]

Speaking of shows being axed, I was informed from several friends that they're going to make more Family Guy episodes.

-MillsJROSS

[Pumaman]

Blimey, looks like you might be right:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2003-11-18-family-guy_x.htm

Keep buying the DVD's, people

[Privateer Puddin']

yeh, with a possible to tv/dvd movie and seth, the creator, is also doing another cartoon called American Dad

[Privateer Puddin']

hmm CJ, i remember you saying don't buy the DVDs as that was supporting FOX

[veryweirdguy]

Y'know, back in humanity's golden age people complained a lot less, and they enjoyed their TV shows from start to finish. We, the viewers, have jumped the shark by latching on to the "everything jumps the shark" mentality.
I think it's sort of ridiculous. I've seen people trying to figure out at what point Strong Bad emails started declining in quality..... WTF?

I do agree with you there, Trap. A lot of people think "This is popular and cool with everyone, so I can't like it anymore." Anyone who thinks the Strong Bad emails are declining in quality must be kinda.................strange if they prefer the earlier ones.

But everyone I know says that yeah, the Simpsons is going downhill. It still makes me laugh from time to time, but nowhere near as much as it used to. And the plots today are a load of crap. "Hmm, what shall we do this time?" "How about give Homer an unusual job?" "Perfect!"

Also:

NEW FAMLIY GUY COULD R0X0RZ SiMPSON0RZ A55!1!1!11!!!!!!1111!1!!1!!1!!1etc.etc

[MrColossal]

trapezoid speaks the truth

this is why i'm so super happy there isn't a forum on homestarrunner.com and why i stay away from any other forum that has to do with anything i like [present company excluded]. There's only so many times I can hear some retarded 13 year old scream about "HOW'DARE YOU STOP PLAYIN' BIGO ON SUNDAES!!!"

i think the internet has helped bring this mentality about. if you have a forum devoted to simpsons that plays new episodes once a week on sundays... what do you do the other 6 days of the week? Complain!

[or you're part of a community that tries to honour adventure games that haven't been played in going on 10 years... what do you do in those 10 years? Complain!]

which brings up a question, has anyone ever sent you an email saying how they think your animutations suck lately and you should go back to making fun of pokemon? i think that would be more crazy than people debating strong bad emails

[Domino]

How i miss Family Guy!! I really enjoyed watching that show whenever i could find it on. It had a regular time slot, and then seemed to move all over the place, so i never knew when it was on. But if it makes a comeback, i will be sure to watch every episode.

Go Family Guy!!

BG

[DGMacphee]

The genesis of a new genre usually brings about great interest because innovation i.e. it's something people have never seen before.

Trap spoke of the humanity's golden age, which was a time when television was new.

People were glue to their sets, even if there was nothing but crap rigged quiz shows on TV.

Bringing this theory to the Simpsons, when it first started it was something different -- What began as a bunch of shorts on Tracey Ullman turned into a primetime animated show, which is very rare thing.

How many other animated shows were on at primetime before The Simpsons started? -- I can't think of any, so can anyone else?

Not only that, the Simpsons reflected a lot of social ideology, which was also rare for cartoons of the early ninties (Side note: they even analyse these things at universities; I once did a marxist analysis of the episode where Homer becomes union president of the Power Plant).

So, the genesis of primetime animated shows (The Simpsons) has now rendered the genre a little passe, which includes not only the Simpsons but South Park, Futurama, Family Guy, etc, etc.

It's very rare to come up with new concepts these days -- we seem to be going through a huge reality TV show phase (which was a new concept, but the popularity is starting to dwindle -- Hopefully, reality TV will become passe in a year or two.)

The only TV show that seems to be actually innovative these days, in my mind, is 24.

There's not any other shows that manage to capture the same second-by-second pace.

Having said that, most TV is pretty crap, which is probably why I'm spending more time on the net and watching DVDs than in front of the tube.

[quintaros (at work)]

I believe The Flintstones was the first animated series to air in prime time. (It was also the first show to show a married couple sharing a bed.)

But that does nothing to diminish The Simpsons.

[Trapezoid]

The Simpsons is certainly not the same as it was when it first aired. It's sort of Post-Simpsons now, it's closer to Family Guy than the original first season, which was almost a little too innocent and dramatic. There's such large difference that it upsets a lot of people who expect the show to have remained consistant in its style of writing.
But... I stand by my belief that if the show had progressed backwards, stylistically, then people would still be complaining: "What happened? The show used to be edgy and irreverent, now it's a sappy family show with Bart spouting constant catchphrases like a moron. I want to shoot the writers!"

[DGMacphee]

I believe The Flintstones was the first animated series to air in prime time. (It was also the first show to show a married couple sharing a bed.)

But that does nothing to diminish The Simpsons.

I wasn't too sure about the Flintstone when I posted, but I checked and you are right.

However, keep in mind the Flintstones was just an animated version of the Honeymooners -- not really an original concept.


Trap:
Actually, it's Homer's retarded catchphrases that bother me these days.

They aren't as funny as they used to be -- I think it's cause Homer is too damn oafish and tries to act like a selfish teenager, whereas he just used to be naive.

For example, from the union leader episode:

Mr. Burns: We don't have to be adversaries, Homer. We both want a fair union contract.
Homer: [thinking] Why is Mr. Burns being so nice to me?
Mr. Burns: And if you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.
Homer:[thinking] Wait a minute. Is he coming onto me?
Mr. Burns: I mean, if I should slip something into your pocket, what's the harm?
Homer: [thinking] My God! He *is* coming onto me!
Mr. Burns: After all, negotiations make strange bedfellows.
[chuckle]
Mr. Burns: [wink]
Homer: [thinking] Aaaaaagh!
[aloud]
Homer: Sorry, Mr. Burns, but I don't go in for these backdoor shenanigans. Sure, I'm flattered, maybe even a little curious, but the answer is no!

[remixor]

I do agree with you there, Trap. A lot of people think "This is popular and cool with everyone, so I can't like it anymore." Anyone who thinks the Strong Bad emails are declining in quality must be kinda.................strange if they prefer the earlier ones.

I prefer the early ones, but I still think the later ones are great.  It's not so much "declining" for me as changing, which doesn't bother me at all, because the Brothers Chaps still put out top-notch stuff.  I don't think this makes me strange.  I'm strange for entirely different reasons.


EDIT: On-topic: I think the Simpsons, on the other hand, has DEFINITELY declined.  I stopped watching it some time ago because I derive no enjoyment from it any more.

[Trapezoid]

I agree that Homer's character is not as tactfully funny as it used to be, but to the writers' credit they have been trying to tone down the "stupid jerk stupidity" that he's been accused of exhibiting. In Sunday's episode he didn't do anything too stupid for the sake of a joke. He did some stupid stuff, but it was part of the plot and he resolved his own mistakes.