Well, it looks like they’re recycling the episode where Homer joined the Navy. :rolleyes: At least we get to see the movie trailer.
Kiefer sounded weird.
The trailer was underwhelming, but the episode was better than usual. The helicopter scene was a little out of place, but funny.
I loved the extended Road Runner homage. An unusual episode, but entertaining. I don’t know about the movie. The trailer was interesting, but I don’t expect The Simpsons to resort to bad puns like the one seen in the trailer. Although I did like the thing with Moe’s ugly looks killing the CGI Cute Little Bunny Rabbit™.
Marge: Homer, with all the things you’ve done- go to space, attend clown college, join the navy,- I’d never thought you’d join the army!
Homer: Moe! Moe! You’ve gotta hide us from the army!
Moe: The Salvation Army? You got it. [cocks gun]
Homer: Not that army- the one from Stripes!
Moe: Okay.
[Leads the men to a bunker underneath the bar]
Homer: Thanks, Moe. How can I ever repay you?
Moe: Hey, some things mean more to me than money.
[cut to Colonel handing Moe a stack of money]
Moe: …like a whole lotta money!
Colonel: Why’d you just say that sentence fragment?
Moe: I, uh…[mutters] Long story.
Homer: OK. These are war games and I’m head of my team. I have to think like a great military leader.
[Homer imagines Cap’n Crunch]
Cap’n: Stay crunchy in milk!
Homer: I will. Stay crunchy, men. [threateningly] Stay crunchy…
You really thought so? Wow, I really thought that had to be the most unfunny, unentertaining episode of all time. I’m usually against the whole thing where people come in here to critize the latest episode and complain how the Simpsons is going down hill and all that… But really, this one just sucked ass. And is it me, or did Simpsons never used to do stupid asides like the thing with Krusty and Lisa. It seems so Family Guy.
American Dad is pretty funny tonight, though. Greatest line ever: “[She] doesn’t think things she doesn’t say. She’s not a dog!” ha ha ha ha
The Simpsons producers pointed out on some of their DVD commentaries that they used to do cut-aways a lot, but they don’t do it that much anymore since it’s become a Family Guy hallmark and they don’t want people to think they’re ripping off Family Guy.
I thought it was terrible, the only thing that almost saved it for me was the helicopter chase scene. The first ten minutes of American Dad have been funnier than the whole Simpsons episode.
Marge: Homer, Bart just joined the army!
Homer: Don’t worry- by the time he’s 18, we’ll control the world. We’re China, right?
Only funny line in the episode.
You guys really liked the helicopter seen?? It was at that point that I knew I’d be logging on tonight to talk about how bad the episode was.
There wouldn’t be a Family Guy if The Simpsons hadn’t done those jokes 15 years ago.
The helicopter thing went on for too long. When you do a straight-up homage like that and it becomes a major plot point or a big chunk of the episode, it feels like the writers are saying they don’t have any ideas. It was a weird episode, but a few of the individual lines were really, above-par funny. I’d post them if I could think of them now. 
I thought it was the best episode in awhile. The opening act with the recruiters was right on target and I haven’t laughed out loud more at a Simpson’s episode in years.
Whereas American Dad was pathetic, as usual. I turned it off about five minutes in.
In Two Dozen & One Greyhounds, Homer’s old sergeant says:
“Simpson! This evening has gone so flawlessly, I’m going to forget that you were mistakenly let out of the army a month early.” (etc.)
I liked the Looney Tunes homage. You can’t do a short one! I also liked the trailer quite a bit.
But overall, this episode is one of those “How can they aim at such easy targets and miss?” types.
I’m still not sure how I feel about that episode.
But it did have the funniest Ralph Wiggum in a long time.
I am strongly in the pro-helicopter-scene camp. I laughed out loud at lenght, as did my roommates.
That scene was hilarious; I could pretty much see Bugs Bunny.
I thought there were a bunch of funny moments but I had trouble with the episode as a whole for some reason.
The only really good bit in the episode was Cletus’s Christmas card (Brandine pointing at the pile of naked prisoners). The line about “we’re China, right?” as OK, too. The rest was very ‘meh’.
Could you say “side effects may include nausea and loss of appetite?”
Is Kiefer Sutherland the first Simpsons guest star to provide a voice in two different episodes in the same season (not counting recurring regular guests such as Phil Hartman? Besides playing the colonel in this episode, he’ll be playing his 24 character Jack Bauer in an episode which will air before that show’s season premiere in January.
I didn’t get that. But yeah, he seemed to be very definitely doing a character that was brand new, and I really didn’t recognize him.
Maybe we’ll get the perfect Jack Bauer voice in the next one. 
I thought this episode was really good, and I’ve been pretty “meh” about new Simpsons episodes for years. I liked the helicopter scene on one hand, but on the other hand the Simpsons has been there done that A LOT.
Re: Cut-away jokes. One of my favorites was:
Homer: Marge, can I play devil’s advocate?
Marge: Sure
(Cut to scene of Homer playing a pinball machine called “Devil’s Advocate”)
I’m pretty sure that was from before Family Guy ever saw the airwaves. They were funny when they happened once every few episodes - and they were even what intially drew me and my friends to Family Guy - but they are decidedly NOT funny when you try to construct entire seasons out of them.