ETA to explain: In this past Sunday’s Simpsons (5/22/11) the point of the episode was Flanders and Mrs. Krabapple dated. At the end of the episode it informed us viewers that we need to go online and vote as to whether or not they stay together or break up.
I don’t particularly care, but it would seem that Edna, divorcee (or is she a widow?) and haver of non-marital sex isn’t quite righteous enough a partner for Ned.
We’ve had a spot of severe weather here tonight, and our local Fox station broke into the show three different times to announce tornado warnings, taking up probably 15 minutes of the show’s total time. All I know at this point is that
A) Edna got suspended for slapping Bart.
B) Somehow Edna and Ned saw each other socially, and
C) Ned became aware that Edna had seen a lot of other men socially.
So I have no idea whether Nedna deserves my emotional investment.
Edna told Bart that by living next door, she’d be there on half-days of school, strike days, and all summer long. That could give the show an interesting twist.
Pro… They have a fun dynamic, and it’s something the show hasn’t done quite to death (though there are shades of Edna/Seymour and Ned/Whatsherfacethemoviestar).
Sadly, I’m also pretty indifferent – if they actually come together, then they can write some new dynamic. But what if they don’t? What if they came together, make one episode about Ned and Edna, make an episode that ignores it, then forget to reference it again?
I’m often bringing this up – the famous Star Trek: TNG episode, where they discover warp travel damages subspace. So they won’t travel at high warp, except for emergencies. The next episode is an emergency. The next episode is a bottle episode, so they don’t reference. They don’t mention it at all again. Why did they do it at all?
They can, anytime they want, do the Armin Tanzarian trick. Just decide not to mention it again, maybe making a joke about it.
Hey, I’d love a half a dozen episodes of Edna standing up to Homer on Ned’s behalf. It’s always fun when Edna (and Seymour) interact with Bart, as if they’re both people and not overload versus rebellious minion. But if the writers want to write that, they will. If they don’t or can’t, they shouldn’t mention it.
I am also in the camp where it is probably good for the show to do something a bit different, shake up the dynamic for a bit. If they play a little off of the stark lifestyle difference between the two (but make it funny and not annoying) then it could bring some funny one-liners here and there. Plus the “Edna is a slut” thing started to get on my nerves.
I think the TNG episode’s explanation was that warp travel damages subspace significantly only in that portion of space for some reason. My memory’s not good on what specifically caused it, but it had something to do with some naturally occuring thing in that area of space.
What I wish the Simpsons would start doing is to have longer story arcs. I know that’s kind of anathema to a half-hour cartoon sitcom, but after 20 years it would be a nice change of pace. Maybe not devote half the season to it, but like the next 4 episodes can be about something else, but we see Edna and Ned interacting in the background or have some “B storylines” within the main episode. Sadly, I think they will end up doing the one episode here and there and forget about it.
ned started the series out as just a “perfect guy” instead of the “church guy”. he had a rumpus room, beer on tap, and bumper pool. then he got super church-ified as time went on. aside from some odd nedisodes where he was a psychotic kid, or a beatle-maniac, he’s become a go-to for making fun of the religious right. maybe nedna would bring a little balance to the character. however i think after 20-some years of it, this may be too little too late.
I mean this in the most genuine, non-threadshitting way, but reading the summary in the OP left me rolling my eyes and thinking, “Jesus, just end it already”.
I know it is nothing new to lament the passing of the Simpsons glory days, but seriously, it has come to this?