My friends and I were talking about the Simpsons over dinner tonight, and I brought up the question: Has there ever been an episode of the Simpsons that sucked? The general consensus was that, besides the holdiay specials, i.e. Holloween or 125th Episode Anniversary, there has never been an episode that sucked. Not all of them were funny, but they all have been worth watching.
So what do you guys think? I do not know if everyone here gets the Simpsons on their cable, but I thought I would see if anyone here had an opinion on the subject. I know this is not a very thought provoking subject for my first posted topic, but I thought some of the answers might be worth reading. Anyway, hope at least a couple people respond. Thanks
-N
“Oh my God! Space aliens! Don’t eat me, I have a wife and kids! Eat them.”
Homer Simpson
I remember one which had Troy McClure presenting “Failed Spinoffs” featuring second string charactors (Chief Wiggum, Moe, and Grandpa Simpson as the Amazing Lovetastic Grandpa, etc.) and their failed series. Granted, the idead was that these were FAILED series so maybe they were ment to be wretched, but I recall it as pretty dreadfull.
I think right around “All singing, All Dancing” and “The Principal and the Pauper” they started going downhill at a fairly fast clip. Not that every episode since has sucked, but I’m at the point where I try to never miss the older syndicated episodes, and don’t give a rat’s ass if I catch the new ones or not.
One of the worst things was shown in the Bart gets the Racehorse episode a few weeks back with Comic Book Guy throwing out quips from previous episodes. There was a time when each episode was self-contained and didn’t affect the others. Now, in the last few seasons with them knocking down the Casino (“Why did we move the casino when we moved the town?”), Comic Book Guy throwing out “Worst Episode Ever” jokes at the racetrack, and other examples I can’t remember at the moment, it’s as if the show is trying desperately to live off of its glory days and can’t admit that it’s low on gas. It’s a pity, but I’d much rather see them end the show gracefully at this point than wait for it to be hauled off kicking and screaming.
“I guess one person can make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.”
Every Simpsons episode is an example of what family programming should try to emulate. The creators are obviously more than Human, for no mere mortal could possible come up with the witty and sometimes desturbing mis-adventures of the Simpson household week after week. I hope that when my great-great-great grandchildren sit down on Sunday night to watch their version of “T.V.” they will be able to enjoy the mind-numbing humor that is The Simpsons. Thank you and Good Night.
Thats the truth and anyone who has heard otherwise has been misinformed.
I am a huge Simpons fan, but sadly, I must say: The Simpsons have sucked for roughly 2 years now. Homer has become WAY too stupid. (Lame) site gags are flashed on the screen too quickly. Too many guest celebs. Celebs used to do regular character voices, but now, entire episodes are build around Homer living with the Baldwins, etc.
I think that Matt Groening has sunk much of his time/effort in Futurama (a good show), and therefore, the quality of the Simpsons has gone downhill. Unless they hire new writers, I (regretfully) think its time they end their run. Though I’ve seen nearly every episode 3+ times, and annoy my friends by quoting show lines, I can live on repeats.
Reminds me of the following exchange (CBG = Comic Book Guy):
CBG: Last night’s Itchy & Scratchy was, without a doubt, the worst episode ever. Rest assured I was on the internet within minutes registering my disgust throughout the world.
Bart: Hey, I know it wasn’t great, but what right do you have to complain?
CBG: As a loyal viewer, I feel they owe me.
Bart: What? They’re giving you thousands of hours of entertainment for free. What could they possibly owe you? I mean, if anything, you owe them.
CBG: Worst episode ever.
You’re making one mistake. You are comparing the show with itself. Take your own personal “worst episode ever”. Imagine seeing it alone with no other knowledge of the show. Even the worst Simpsons episode kills any other show. At all. Bar none.
I knew this would come up. However, I don’t feel that the show owes me anything. I’m just saying that recent episodes have gone down in quality. The writing has definitly suffered over the past several years. Its like watching an unfunny comedian on stage. It hurts. Maybe its time to finally bow out.
If you go over to alt.tv.simpsons, you’ll find that the hardcore fans think every episodes sucks. I know this seems like a paradox, but it’s true. I can’t figure out why these people watch the show if they despise it so much.
Um, isn’t the comic book guy satirizing threads just like this? For instance,
was not an attempt at reliving glory days, but a jab at some of us fans who are beginning to rival our Star Trek cousins for series obsession. In the same episode, Marge and Lisa have a small exchange over gambling, and the CBG pops in with ‘excuse me, but you already did that…” Lisa and Marge shoot him a dirty look, and go on with their business. They are not reliving their glory days, they are showing a mirror to those of us who take OFF a bit too seriously. Take a look at the depth of information on snnp and you’ll see what I mean. (Not that I could live without the invaluable resource it provides!)
As for episodes sucking? There is this weak joke about a couple of Deadheads talking. They are complaining about Jerry missing some of the lyrics, the sound being off at times, Phil being out of tune… the last thing they say is ‘yeah, and they only played for three hours! People… there are episodes that are not great, but has any one of them come close to a half hour of the Olsen twins? Has any episode been… well, you get the point. Good / bad is a subjective thing, but sucking?
While the new episodes aren’t as great as many of the older ones, they’re still the best thing around. (With the possible exceptions of The Family Guy and Futurama-but those are pretty much in the same genre/or are just blatant rip-offs)
And at least the new ones aren’t as bad as some of the really old ones, right?
Profanity is the crutch of the inarticulate mother-fucker.
I thought the Death of Maude Flanders episode was poorly conceived. Was it supposed to be a “very special episode” or a parody of other series’ “very special episodes”?
But overall, I still find The Simpsons hilarious. Yesterday’s episode of Bart as a faith healer and last week’s with Homer on the farm both made me laugh. Name another series that could make jokes about amputated legs or drug-crazed livestock.
Ah, but there was one gag in the ‘death of Maude Flanders’ episode that made it all worthwhile.
Homer surreptitiously tapes Ned Flanders in order to make a dating-service video. One of the clips that flashes by shows Flanders in the shower, with his naughty bits blurred by the ‘mosaic’ effect that they use all the time on Cops. But, the area of the mosaic effect hangs down past Ned’s knees! Ned is hung like a bull moose!
It’s like you’re saying the Bible is starting to get a little old. Religion isn’t as great as it used to be. If people can put blind faith in such things, then why not The Simpsons? We owe them. For years of laughing so hard we cry. For the feelings of emptiness when the episode ends. For the water cooler conversations.
We owe them. For better or worse.
“A Native American elder once described his own inner struggles in this manner: Inside of me there are two dogs. One of the dogs is mean and evil. The other dog is good. The mean dog fights the good dog all the time. When asked which dog wins, he reflected for a moment and replied, The one I feed the most.” – George Bernard Shaw
The difference being that the first time CBG said the ‘worst episode ever’ bit, it was funny. The second time, it was lame. We’d heard it, and at least it was a subtle jab at rabid fans rather than a face slap. Gee, I’m sorry that the Simpsons feels it’s so important that fans aren’t allowed to notice when it begins to suck, but well… it does suck these days. The guest appearances was another point - is it so hard to build an episode around the characters these days? Does every episode need constant guest appearances? Besides which, the plots these days are becoming increasingly lame. Hard as it is to say, I found it easier to believe (within the context of the show) that Homer had been an astronaut, the Beer Baron or in the employee of a supervillian than Homer with the Baldwins, the racehorse trainer or artisté.
Groening no longer has anything to do with the show except as a “creative consultant”. In fact, I believe most of the writers the show had during its heyday have left. As an aside, I remember hearing that Groening has pretty much left Futurama to fend for its own as well, but don’t quote me on that.
No, but lately they don’t come close to Futurama or Family Guy either. Hell, these days I’m more interested in watching King of the Hill than I am in catching the new Simpsons episodes.
“I guess one person can make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.”
I find it interesting that my first post is on a Simpsons’ thread. I’m a huge fan, and bore my friends with excerpts daily.
I miss Phil Hartman. When you lose a talent like that it’s difficult to come back. He did so many characters that it’s tough to be the same show without him. I think it started going downhill shortly after his death.
“What, No beating? Why that’s a hell of a thing!” Monte Burns
The show does seem to be running on empty, and the episode with Mel Gibson sucked, but I still look forward to each new episode. Which brings me to my gripe. WHERE ARE THE NEW EPISODES? Is it just me, or does Fox run fewer new episodes per season than the big 3?
I knew this would come up. However, I don’t feel that the show owes me anything. I’m just saying that recent episodes have gone down in quality. The writing has definitly suffered over the past several years. Its like watching an unfunny comedian on stage. It hurts. Maybe its time to finally bow out.