After a recent spate of good episodes, it’s disappointing that America’s newest postal icons finish their 20th season with a rather mediocre episode. The whole illegal immigration/Minutemen thing is still a hot-button issue in America, but I can’t help but think that the series has done the various topics commented on in this episode better in previous ones: illegal immigration in “Much Apu About Nothing,” vigilantism in “Homer the Vigilante,” building a divisive wall in “A Tale of Two Springfields” (although that one may have been based more on the Berlin Wall than the proposed U.S./Mexico border fence). I did like the fact that the hated immigants were friendly Norweigians looking for work rather than Mexicans- that’s a very Simpsony thing. But other than the opening with the Mother Nature burger, Homer getting drunk on Norwegian liqueur, the Mr. Largo joke (the writers seem to be reveling in his obscurity lately), and the billboard gag in the opening credits (which manages to reference The Simpson Movie, U2’s Spider-Man musical, and get an in-joke as well in its short time on screen), this episode fell a little short. Let’s hope the Simpsons are able to build up a new batch of good ones for Season 21- with or without the help of Odgenvillian labor.
(I am an unaplogetic Simpsons fan. I’m sorry, but that’s just how I am.)
I liked it. Yeah, there was the “Oh I’ve seen this before” but you’ll get that with every episode now. did they do funny things with their premise? The answer is “Yup.”
My question is, why did they have the Ogdenvillians be Norwegian? Yes, they got some amusing characterization jokes from it, but where did it come from?
I thought it was a six-pack when I first saw it, but it is indeed a house. In that case, I’m guessing it’s meant as a shout-out to the Simpsoners who work at Pixar, whose latest film Up is about an old man and his flying house.
I thought it was a pretty good episode. I liked the Open sign at the Closed Signs store. In previous episodes, wasn’t Ogdenville many miles away from Springfield? That’s where Marge found that Chanel suit at the bargain store.
I found the problem with this episode is the Simpsons used to be so good at doing a satire and parody. This was just a disjointed effort to mock people who have legitimate grips against immigration. South Park and the Family Guy did it and did it much better.
It would’ve been more intersting to see some legitimate anti arguments.
Also the episode started with “immigrants take our jobs,” and rapidly developed into a xenophobia. As if to say the real problem is not that you take our jobs but rather, we just don’t like “your kind.”
The fact they used Norwegians (the WHITEST of white people) to play the immigrants is supposed to be <sarcasm>so funny</sarcasm>? As if to say, "Hey you know what, instead of using Mexicans, let’s take the total opposite and make them the minority. Which has become a sad trend now, where only white males can be portrayed as stupid.
Why not be brave and use real immigrant populations like Latinos or Asians or Indians or even the Irish. (Little known fact Irish in America are estimated to have the fourth largest number of illegals in America)
It was just so disjointed it made little sense. It was like they had 20 writers each write one joke and hired a 21st writer to come up with a weak plot to string the 20 jokes together.
You mean, other than the riotious, frequent humor and copious gags, this one wasn’t funny? Maybe a half-hour isn’t long enough for you?
I thought it was one of the best ever and barely had time to react to one gag before the next one came along. The opening sequence alone parodied about four films.
It’s the same tactic used in Blazing Saddles, reversing prejudice. Remember where all the people were recruited to help build the fake town, and the mayor said, “The niggers and chinks are OK, but no Irish.”
Great line. I also liked Krusty’s shameless talk with his business manager at the beginning, twice cutting to the unamused glower of the chimp with the cigar.
I guess Jodie Foster has started demanding more lines for Maggie after all these years. I hope it doesn’t turn into a problem in season 21.
Not the best episode of the year, mostly because the ending got soft. But I thought this one was pretty good. I think my favorite moment was the sepia-toned parade of proud Dust Bowl-esque Ogdenvillians loading their grandmothers onto jalopies, recalling The Grapes of Wrath and The Beverly Hillbillies at the same time.
Did you notice that all the Ogdenvillians were driving Volvos, and the Granny’s were sitting in Ikea chairs? I think the Simpsons could pick any culture, mock it for thirty minutes, and still have a good show, even neglecting to include a plot.
The Norweigian press has apparently covered the Norse invasion of Springfield. I can’t read their sloopy-loopy language, so I have no idea what they say. (And how come Al Jean gets an umlaut and no one else does?)
A middling to very good ep, with some peaks and valleys. Favorite line was the skeletons/xylophones line already mentioned. I was a little creeped out by Maggie’s “ja!” – sounded way too old for her. (It wasn’t Foster again, right? Didn’t see JF in the credits.) In the past I think Yeardley Smith has done some tiny vocalizations for Maggie, and I wish they’d utilized her again.
What was the music playing during the sepia-toned montage of dying Ogdenville? It was lovely. Sounded vaguely John Williamsy (i.e. Schindler’s List-esque Williams, not Star Wars-esque Williams).
