# Network TV is not dead. The obligatory Simpsons post. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 8, 2001, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-tv-is-not-dead-the-obligatory-simpsons-post/48924 "2001-01-08T01:29:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2001, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-tv-is-not-dead-the-obligatory-simpsons-post/48924/21 "2001-01-08T16:21:15Z")
“I spend alot of time making graphs.” That WAS Fry. I nearly choked when I saw him. –Tim ---
**Author:** ![Althea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eada6e/32.png) [@Althea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Althea)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2001, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-tv-is-not-dead-the-obligatory-simpsons-post/48924/22 "2001-01-08T17:22:20Z")
I know there are a lot of Fox jokes, but the stock check via telephone cracked me up. Homer: “What is this crap?” Recording: “Fox Broadcasting down 8 points” ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2001, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-tv-is-not-dead-the-obligatory-simpsons-post/48924/23 "2001-01-08T18:35:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by fierra \* > **We’ll get this episode in about a month…** Why? Do they need to dub it into English or something? ---
**Author:** ![oldscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@oldscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldscratch)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2001, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-tv-is-not-dead-the-obligatory-simpsons-post/48924/24 "2001-01-08T21:54:25Z")
I thought it was a particularly funny episode. “I’ll let myself out now” “I was working on a flat tak proposal and I proved there is no god” and the Joan Collins joke was pretty funny too. “I’ve gone BLIND” and the codpiece part was hilarious too. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2001, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-tv-is-not-dead-the-obligatory-simpsons-post/48924/25 "2001-01-08T22:24:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Survey1215 \* > \*\*\ Why does a blackbird always screech when the power plant is first shown in an episode? \*\* Maybe the whole “raven = harbinger of doom” thing? ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2001, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-tv-is-not-dead-the-obligatory-simpsons-post/48924/26 "2001-01-08T23:26:45Z")
I thought last night’s episode was funny, but I was just hoping for one Flowers for Algernon joke in there somewhere. Just one. Was that too much to ask? ---
**Author:** ![Ruffian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@Ruffian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruffian)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2001, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-tv-is-not-dead-the-obligatory-simpsons-post/48924/27 "2001-01-08T23:58:05Z")
> [@](#): > > Homer: “What is this crap?” > Recording: “Fox Broadcasting down 8 points” That was beautiful. _Just_ beautiful. The David and Goliath rip-off was amazing. Bri and I sat slack-jawed, too stunned to laugh, for a good few seconds there before completely busting up. That’s the first time in quite a while that I’ve been completely stunned (and equally amused) by something on the boob tube. Personally, I liked the whole Homer-Nelson interaction that went something like this: Nelson: “A moron says what?” Homer: “Being that I’m not a moron, I cannot reply to that comment. However, \.” Nelson: “What?” Homer: “Precisely! The moron has spoken.” Whole audience, pointing at Nelson: “HA ha!” Last night’s episode beat the hell out of the majority of weaker shows that have bummed me out of late. Simpsons may be old, but they’re not dead! ---
**Author:** ![ThisYearsGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@ThisYearsGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisYearsGirl)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-tv-is-not-dead-the-obligatory-simpsons-post/48924/28 "2001-01-09T00:03:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Enderw24 \* > \*\*I thought last night’s episode was funny, but I was just hoping for one Flowers for Algernon joke in there somewhere. Just one. Was that too much to ask? > > \*\* I thought Homer challenging the mouse to the hitting-the-blinking-light-game was a Flower for Algernon reference. Of course, it’s been awhile since I’ve read the book, so I could have just seen the mouse and immediatly thought “Algernon!” Mmmmm. . . .hug. . . . ---
**Author:** ![oldscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@oldscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldscratch)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-tv-is-not-dead-the-obligatory-simpsons-post/48924/29 "2001-01-09T00:26:27Z")
Where’d the rat come from? I think he brought it in with him. And what really did it for me with the Whole Davey and golliath was the Flander’s kids cheering. That cracked my shit up. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-tv-is-not-dead-the-obligatory-simpsons-post/48924/30 "2001-01-09T03:25:26Z")
My personal favorite bit was “Julia Roberts in Love is Nice.” I almost never go to the movies because they’re all so trite and stupid - their spoof of a romantic comedy was perfect! Also liked the claymation fundies. ---
**Author:** ![andyman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8491ac/32.png) [@andyman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andyman)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-tv-is-not-dead-the-obligatory-simpsons-post/48924/31 "2001-01-09T03:58:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Homer \* > \*\*“I spend alot of time making graphs.” > > That WAS Fry. I nearly choked when I saw him. > > –Tim \*\* OK, Fox is really starting to annoying me. Is the west coast getting to see Futurama? Seeing Fry just reminded me of how annoyed am I about Futurama being pre-empted by football (especially since the Saints are out of the playoffs now). Did I mention that I’m getting very annoyed? P.S. Annoyed = P\*\*\*ed Off! ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-tv-is-not-dead-the-obligatory-simpsons-post/48924/32 "2001-01-09T15:15:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ThisYearsGirl \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Enderw24 \* > > \*\*I thought last night’s episode was funny, but I was just hoping for one Flowers for Algernon joke in there somewhere. Just one. Was that too much to ask? > > > > \*\* > > I thought Homer challenging the mouse to the hitting-the-blinking-light-game was a Flower for Algernon reference. Of course, it’s been awhile since I’ve read the book, so I could have just seen the mouse and immediatly thought “Algernon!” > \*\* The mouse itself was just a standard lab rat joke. IMO, having it there did not, in and of itself, reference Algernon. One joke I loved: when Homer asked what smart people did to occupy their time, Lisa answered “lots of things…Tai Chi, Chai Tea.” I don’t know why that was funny, but I laughed for a good ten seconds. ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-tv-is-not-dead-the-obligatory-simpsons-post/48924/33 "2001-01-09T16:04:53Z")
I can’t believe no one’s mentioned the bestest comment from the episode yet. Or maybe it’s just because I think parrots are the funniest things on God’s green earth (along with monkeys, pirates, and pants). “Awwwk! Polly shouldn’t be!” ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-tv-is-not-dead-the-obligatory-simpsons-post/48924/34 "2001-01-09T17:32:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Homer \* > \*\*How many times has: > > Homer gotten smart > Homer been a cartoon > Homer and Lisa bonded > the family gone to a convention > Homer lost all the family’s money > et cetera > > They’re just rehashing old plots! Putting chunks of other cartoon together! Argh! > > –Tim \*\* Meaning no direspect, Homer, but do you refuse to watch West Side Story because there was a play 400 years earlier called Romeo and Juliet? Do you never watch The Honeymooners because the plot “Ralph has a get rich scheme that blows up in his face but Alice forgives him” seems vaguely familiar? Sunday’s epsiode was one of (if not absolutely) the best of the season. One of the definitions of a sitcom is that the sit (the essential driving force behind the plots) doesn’t change. Lighten up. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-tv-is-not-dead-the-obligatory-simpsons-post/48924/35 "2001-01-09T18:30:48Z")
The quote of the night: “Awwwwww, I’m a Spalding Grey in a Rick Dees World.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jmullaney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@jmullaney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmullaney)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-tv-is-not-dead-the-obligatory-simpsons-post/48924/36 "2001-01-09T19:21:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by andyman \* > Did I mention that I’m getting very annoyed? East coast too, amigo. But, seriously, how can Futurama possible compare to the excitment of tuning into the last 8 minutes of a football game (which takes 45 minutes to play) and watching the team that is down 37 points valiantly struggling to touch the ball? ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-tv-is-not-dead-the-obligatory-simpsons-post/48924/37 "2001-01-09T19:35:01Z")
Remember guys, football season is almost over. As a matter of fact, according to various Futurama websites and my local TV listing, we’ll be getting a new episode this Sunday. And my local Fox station is showing a movie beforehand. Name of episode: “Amazon Women in the Mood.” ---
**Author:** ![oldscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@oldscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldscratch)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-tv-is-not-dead-the-obligatory-simpsons-post/48924/38 "2001-01-09T20:26:07Z")
I’m a west coaster. I saw Futurama. It was a repeat. It was an ok one. It was the one where Leela get’s almost married to the shape shifter. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-tv-is-not-dead-the-obligatory-simpsons-post/48924/39 "2001-01-09T20:37:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Enderw24 \* > **I thought last night’s episode was funny, but I was just hoping for one Flowers for Algernon joke in there somewhere. Just one. Was that too much to ask?** There was one: The title of the episode was “HOMR” (with a backwards R), a refrence to the film version, “CHARLY.” Based on the book, which was based on a short story by the same author. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/network-tv-is-not-dead-the-obligatory-simpsons-post/48924.md?page=1)