# Tonight's Simpsons - Maybe the time HAS come... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 27, 2000, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-simpsons-maybe-the-time-has-come/42818 "2000-11-27T02:17:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2000, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-simpsons-maybe-the-time-has-come/42818/21 "2000-11-27T21:10:23Z")
Guinastasia wrote: > [@](#): > > WEll, I did see the part where Homer was raped by a giant panda. That was kinda funny! From _The Onion_, a sometimes (and in this case extremely) offensive joke newspaper: [Bear Attacks, Rapes Zookeeper](http://www.theonion.com/onion2920w/bearrape.html) ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2000, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-simpsons-maybe-the-time-has-come/42818/22 "2000-11-27T21:16:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Annie-Xmas \* > \*\*Being a comic book collector (and knowing a comic book store guy who could be the prototype), I love the Spiderman #1 bit. If Homer paid for it, it’s his to do what he wanted with it. > \*\* Homer: I’d like a Spiderman #1 in mint condition please. Comic Book Guy: And I would like 1 hour on the holodeck with 7of9. HAHAHA that was a funny bit. I also liked the old man Nelson kicking over Homer’s tombstone. But the Homer in a diaper was lame, and I didn’t laugh during the panda part either, or the fish guts. And the Mariachi band part was groaningly stupid. Overall, the episode was more lame than good. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2000, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-simpsons-maybe-the-time-has-come/42818/23 "2000-11-27T21:21:30Z")
Geesh, everbodies blind. I noticed several of you mentioned the comic book guy, am I the only one to notice that the Spiderman #1 had a DC not **Marvel** publishing stamp? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-simpsons-maybe-the-time-has-come/42818/24 "2000-11-28T05:53:03Z")
> [@](#): > > Geesh, everbodies blind. I noticed several of you mentioned the comic book guy, am I the only one to notice that the Spiderman #1 had a DC not Marvel publishing stamp? Congratulations, true believer. You get a No Prize. I thought the episode was pretty average. I’ve seen episodes a lot unfunnier. And it contained some gems. “I’m not supposed to get pudding in my eye!” But I think the panda rape scene was really pushing it, without enough joke to justify being so distasteful (Altough, “Reeking of panda love” was pretty amusing). It almost seems like they’re trying to be edgy for the sake of being edgy. And this has been going on a lot lately. But while I realize that the show has to come to an end, I find it almost shocking how fans seem to be jockeying to be the first and the loudest prophet of doom. It wasn’t that bad an episode. I too am a little worried that the frequent celebrity guest appearances are a sign that they’re jumping the shark. But let’s not try to call it so fast. There are a lot of ballots still out. ---
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-simpsons-maybe-the-time-has-come/42818/25 "2000-11-28T06:23:01Z")
The rash of celebrities does seem a bit worrisome, but it did lead to one of my favorite lines: “Shut up, Updike”. ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-simpsons-maybe-the-time-has-come/42818/26 "2000-11-28T07:12:42Z")
OK so this week’s _Simpsons_ episode maybe is a clunker. What TV show other than _Fawlty Towers_ **never** had a bad, unispiring episode during its run? Be glad that even a bad _Simpsons_ episode is better than 98% of the other shows out there, and stop being spoiled. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-simpsons-maybe-the-time-has-come/42818/27 "2000-11-28T08:20:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pepperlandgirl \* > \*\*Almost as good as “Thanks to Homer Simpson, we’re all taking golden showers!” > \*\* When was that? I must’ve been in the bathroom (how appropriate, huh?) during that part or something… Oh, and Zoggie, I did see (most of) Futurama. Did you miss the whole ending? If so, um, email me or something. (That or I can post spoilers. Everybody _loves_ spoilers.) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-simpsons-maybe-the-time-has-come/42818/28 "2000-11-28T12:26:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by capacitor \* > \*\*OK so this week’s _Simpsons_ episode maybe is a clunker. What TV show other than _Fawlty Towers_ **never** had a bad, unispiring episode during its run? Be glad that even a bad _Simpsons_ episode is better than 98% of the other shows out there, and stop being spoiled. \*\* Of coure, Fawlty Towers only ran for 12 episodes while the Simpsons have passed 250. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2000, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-simpsons-maybe-the-time-has-come/42818/29 "2000-11-28T19:24:02Z")
Bart’s explanation of why he passed the astronomy exam was actually pretty funny. ---
**Author:** ![Mofo\_Rising](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mofo\_Rising](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mofo_Rising)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-simpsons-maybe-the-time-has-come/42818/30 "2000-11-29T05:50:28Z")
Yes, everybody wants to trumpet the doom of the Simpsons. They’ve been doing it pretty steadily since at least Season Four. I thought Sunday’s episode was hilarious. “What are you doing, man? That’s Carl!” I must have laughed through the entire commercial break. But, different strokes for Gary Coleman, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-simpsons-maybe-the-time-has-come/42818/31 "2000-11-29T13:49:46Z")
I think it’s getting obvious that the Simpsons is losing its edge. The episodes haven’t been bad, but they haven’t been particularly inspired, either. It was inevitable. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-simpsons-maybe-the-time-has-come/42818/32 "2000-11-29T15:23:15Z")
> [@](#): > > _Posted by capacitor_ > What TV show other than Fawlty Towers never had a bad, unispiring episode during its run? **Yes Minister/ Yes Prime Minister**. Not a dud in the lot. I can’t think of a bad **Ripping Yarns** either. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-simpsons-maybe-the-time-has-come/42818/33 "2000-11-29T16:44:46Z")
Mofo just reminded me of another line that still has me giggling: “My eye! I’m not supposed to get pudding in it!” ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-simpsons-maybe-the-time-has-come/42818/34 "2000-11-29T19:04:13Z")
It’s not so much that the episode is bad, but that it lacked something that really good Simpsons episodes have. Let’s review. Homer needs money so he does humiliating things. Compare that to two episodes I can remember with the same plot: Homer borrows money from Patty and Selma and humiliates himself to be nice to them, and Homer gets a job at the Kwik e Mart so he can pay for a horse for Lisa. Not only were there better individual pieces of business in those episodes, but there was a sense that Homer loved his family so much that he’d do anything for them, and Marge loved Homer so much that she’d stop him from making an (even bigger) ass out of himself. There’s a certain warmth that really good Simpsons episodes have that makes up for the parts that fall flat. ---
**Author:** ![ThisYearsGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@ThisYearsGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisYearsGirl)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-simpsons-maybe-the-time-has-come/42818/35 "2000-11-29T19:15:26Z")
I thought it was pretty bad episode. Of course, I did miss the first part of the parade scene because I was laughing over “Look kids! It’s Funky Winkerbean!” I was also pretty stoned. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonights-simpsons-maybe-the-time-has-come/42818.md?page=1)