Except, as witnessed in this very thread, still people do not “get” the reference. So I guess you’re cooler than you thought, sjc. 
Well, as always, I say live and let die. Sorry. Live and let live. That’s it. If you don’t like the Simpsons anymore that’s your opinion, no matter how wrong I may think it is.
I’ll repeat something I said at a party a few months ago though, even a second rate Simpsons is better than 95 percent of the rest of TV.
And I don’t believe in Jebus either!
First and foremost, I once again reiterate my disdain of the cliche, “jumped the shark,” and my dismay at its continual and inexplicable popularity. Can we go back to “All your base are belong to me?” At the time, I hated that one, too. But now I sort of miss it. Sort of the way an amputee misses stubbing his toe, I guess. Moving on…
It doesn’t excuse it, it refutes it. You say the show sucks and is no longer funny. In response, The Simpsons mocks people like you by satirizing you in the show, through Shark-Jumping references and the character of the Comic Book Guy. This makes me laugh, therefore proving that your position is invalid: as much as the quality of the show has slipped over the last few seasons, the show is still head and shoulders above almost any other comedy on television. At least as far as I’m concerned. Since you don’t like it, by all means stop watching it. I do wonder why you feel compelled to post repeatedly in a thread about a show you don’t watch, but hey, whatever floats your boat.
Last season was a welcome improvement over the previous seasons. This episode itself was weaker at times, but held together enough that i don’t consider it bad. It did seem to rest to much on the weight of the guest stars and not get on its own. but the season is a long one, so we have many epsidoes to go before i can decide whether quality is still high.
But the Simpsons is still better than most shows on TV.
Dear Santa,
Please deliver that copy of that book to someone–anyone–besides Miller!
Thanks in advance for not ruining his Xmas,
Pantellerite.
P.S., I agree with Miller. Next thing you know, the nation’s self-appointed pop culture pundits will be claiming that you “jumped the shark” when you introduced the character of Rudolf.
the simpsons are definitely not as good as they once were. that’s a given, i don’t think anyone would dispute that. but the show is currently better than a whole hell of a lot on tv these days, and still has some hilarious schtick, although spread a little thinner than in the old days.
i thought last night’s episode was pretty good. you can’t go wrong with keef richards and mick. in real life those guys are unintentional comedy all-stars, the simpsons writers just tweaked it a little.
Alphagene - Look, take it from someone who’s actually seen that episode, it was hideous, and unquestionably Bart Simpson’s absolute lowest point. I’d go so far as to say that every claim about the “worst episode ever” should be compared to that one.
I will hear out arguments about just about any other episode, but not Lisa The Babysitter. I find it unconscionable that anyone can give it a favorable review.
And with the new CBG and similar gags, aren’t the writers just saying, in effect, that they’re not going anywhere and don’t give a damn about anyone anymore? Am I the only one to find this a little, well…unsettling?
While I’m at it, all the potshots at the Internet seem way out of line, since that’s exactly where one is sure to find glowing reviews about any episode imaginable…yes, including Lisa The Babysitter. In fact, a.t.s., the most frequent target of these riffs, has been overwhelmingly positive toward the show. It’s extremely rare for any episode to average less than a B-. Curious.
(Have I made it clear that I really, REALLY hated Lisa The Babysitter?)
It’s hard to argue that the quality of The Simpsons hasn’t slipped considderably (in fact I think everyone here has already said that 
). The writing lacks the zip of those classic shows, the fact that even the most incidental characters have been explored in detail, that all the common comedy plot lines have been used two or three times at this point. I don’t blame Groening and crew; after fourteen seasons it can’t be helped. In fact, I think they tried to deal with their slump quite a bit in the last season and it was a major improvement over seasons 11 and 12.
Now I don’t like that kind of CBG humor because instead of answering those who are displeased it says, “We don’t care what you think! We’re still great!” It’s one thing to ignore those who can’t be pleased (and there’s no way to please all Simpsons fans), it’s another thing to taunt people who are displeased with their work with what ammounts to arogance and “No, you suck!”
If the Simpsons can be saved then I think what needs to be done is injecting some fresh blood into the series. There’s little new being injected into The Simpsons; each week plays like a rehash of earlier jokes that were funny the first time but now that we’ve encountered them every other episode for six or seven seasons they’ve worn out their welcome. Getting some new writers with a fresh perspective may be able to help that. Of course, it could also hasten the final end (either by losing the spark that’s left or by setting up internal conflicts from the long time members of the writing staff and the new blood)…
As for last Sundays, I enjoyed the first act quite a bit but didn’t care about the last two. Since I don’t really know any of the guest stars and they’re the focus of the episode I couldn’t get into it.
Oh, and DKW, I’m with you on loathing Lisa the Babysitter. I think there are a handful of episodes that I hate more, but not many…
I’ve been watching the Simpsons season 1+2 DVDs, and I honestly think the aggregate quality of the show hasn’t changed much, only certain trends. Personally, I’m glad they’ve gotten away from family sitcom plots, but I don’t like the frequent celebrity appearances.
It may be that the writers need to consider the needs of their core audience – people who hate the show but insist on watching it anyway so that they can feel superior to people who enjoy it. But this can’t sustain the ratings forever – it is getting increasingly dubious to claim that every single episode represents a nadir. This audience will have to be won back so that they can then begin denouncing the show afresh.
I have a couple of suggestions:
-
Give everyone British accents. The average Joe-six-pack-of-Guinness would not be caught dead watching Three’s Company, but finds the same jokes wry and droll on Are You Being Served?
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Most passionate pilpuls lament a perceived deterioration of the show, always looking to a golden age which ended, by some conservative estimates, half-way through the second Tracy Ullman short. There is no need for this, because as our good friends the Canadians have soundly demonstrated in their perennial RedGreen, the secret to continued satisfaction of a hardcore fanbase is to tell the exact same jokes every week in the exact same order. The failure to do so seems to be at the root of so much of this anti-Simpsons hokery.
I was hoping for some Maggie focused episodes this year as a change from the totally Homer-centric ones. Her comic potential as a silent runnuing thread has been great, but isn’t it time for more words?
I thought “My Sister My Sitter” (NOT called Lisa the Babysitter) was really good. I mean Bart was horrible in that, even for him. But I loved the Smithers-gerbil joke, and Maggie on caffeine was hilarious.
As for the Rock N Roll Fantasy Camp episode, I liked it. Elvis Costello and the, “Who wants to be a bass player?” line was great. Also: “I’m telling Mr. Jagger!” And the paper work, and the cheaper otmeal…
It’s sort of annoying when they put the obligatory song reference in (“Cheer up, Homer, it’s only rock n’ roll fantasy camp” “But I liked, it I liked it.”)
I did like: “Now before I lock up, do you need to go to the bathroom?” “No, I’m fine.” It sort of got dumb when they made Homer into a roadie and then ended with the Satan mobile. It could have been better, I think.
Wow. You people are too generous. I thought the Simpsons jumped when Lisa became a vegetarian and Paul and Linda McCartney just happened to be hanging out on Apu’s roof. That was the first time I was truly annoyed by celebrities appearing as themselves. Also, Lisa went from merely being the smart and sensitive Simpson to the new-age enlightened Simpson. She’d been my hero, now she hangs out in sensory depravation boothes and Buddhist temples with Richard Gere. Oh, she’s skeptical about aliens and angels, which is all well and good, but then she starts quaffing wheatgrass juice when Dr. Hibbert can’t help her. Next thing you know, she’s going to be visiting accupuncturists and rearranging furniture.
Also, too much Homer, not enough Bart.
If you have to use phrases like “jumped the shark”, you deserve to be satirized by the show you are complaining about.
If anyone doubts that Mr. Jaws has been jumped, I have three simple words: Tom Brokaw puking.
I thought the idea of a secretly anorexic Tom Brokaw was funny, myself.
Thank you, I’m glad someone thinks so. However, that does not change the fact that I’ve seen several shark-jumping references on TV and several more in newspapers and magazines. Furthermore the references indicated that ‘to jump the shark’ has begun to infultrate pop culture pretty seriously even if some people still don’t know what’s up.
Having said that, I must confess that I enjoyed the latest Simpsons episode, though probably not as much as many earlier episodes.
It’s only a TV show after all. I think the real test is whether you want to watch it again next Sunday.
I missed the opening couch sequence but I thought the rest of the Rock and Roll Band Camp episode was hysterical. The Satan mobile gone awry was a perfect nod to Spina Tap’s disatrous Stonehenge prop. My hubby Thom worships Keith Richards and he absolutely loved it.
(OT did you see where Keith has agreed to play a corpse on HBO’s Six feet Under? Talk about typecasting!)
You mean bulimic;)
“Young man, you are not in this class, why are you here?”
“Laughing at dorks”
I understand Matt Groening has not been directly involved in the show’s production for quite some time, concentrating his efforts on * Futurama * instead. Now that Fox in its infinite wisdom has seen fit to pull the plug on * Futurama * (it’s gone after this season), perhaps Groening will come put more energy into * The Simpsons * and we’ll see some improvement.