I think the Simpsons has begun to suffer because they are trying too hard to be relevant. Try being funny!
The show, at its peak, WAS relevant but it carefully masked such moments in a funny script.
I thought the gag before (in the casino ep) was that Burns built a model plane (the “Spruce Moose”) and acted like it was real, to the point of trying to force Smithers into the model plane at gunpoint. Was there another gag with an actual plane?
I’ve been a devoted Simpsons fan since the very beginning, and I thought that this was a pretty weak episode in most respects. Flanders meeting his Canadian counterpart was the only part that made me laugh out loud.
I loved the part where Homer and Abe cross the border. Homer’s wearing a sombero, and he’s speaking bad Spanish–to the Canadian border guard.
The best line was “Former US astronaut Homer Simpson was taken into custody”.
The vanishing beer bottle was funny too.
My favorite bit was the museum informational film about the history of museum informational films.
Yes, it had a political message, but it was funny. My favorite was this exchange:
Homer: We really appreciate your help, Johnny. Is there any way we can repay you?
Johnny: Well I always wanted to see a man with the IQ of a child executed by the state. We don’t get that up here.
Homer: Really? In America we do it four times a week. You come on down and I’ll get us front row seats.
Johnny: I’d like that.
What a great story! Thanks for the link!
Thanks to Guy Maddin, Gimli may arguably be better known for the 19th century smallpox epidemic. 
Close.
“They said the Spruce Caboose was too big to stay on the tracks. And they were right!”
You’re the one who’s only “close.” The Spruce Caboose Restaurant was in a different episode. The model-sized “Spruce Moose” was indeed featured in the casino episode, “$pringfield,” and there was an incident with it such as Otto describes.
Apu: Shiva save us!
Flanders: Oh why don’t you just call for hawkman.
This had me laughing for quite a bit
They’re just taking material from a popular subject (like in the medical pot episode), not trying to influence the national discourse.
I loved Apu and Ned bickering in the backseat on the way to Canada. The rest was pretty tepid, especially when followed by Arrested Development.
I think Simpsons of late has devolved more into a series of sketch comedy than any meaningful attempt at storytelling. Fortunately for tonight, most of the sketches happened to work.
I agree on the medical MJ episode, but this one and the Flag Burning one seemed to be WAY preachy.
Another example of a ripped from the headlines episode that WAS NOT over the top was the Enron/Artie Ziff episode. It was just two to three years late…
Well, duh. “Close” in the sense that it was yet another Simpsons reference to the Spruce Goose.
I don’t get it.
I laughed heartily at “Why don’t you just call for Hawkman?”
–Cliffy
I thought Hank Azaria really hadn’t heard of that cleaning product, just read the line in character, and ad-libbed so funnily it made the show.
What did that line mean?