# When the Simpsons were great. . .

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-simpsons-were-great/143236>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [December 17, 2002, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-simpsons-were-great/143236 "2002-12-17T03:17:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\
**Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-simpsons-were-great/143236/21 "2002-12-17T22:13:34Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Muad’Dib \*  
> \*\*The third, fourth and fith seasons were near perfect. \*\*

Amen, and I’ll add the [second season](http://www.snpp.com/episodeguide/season2.html). Even the first season, seemingly crude, showed incredible promise. And now, (what is it, eleven, twelve seasons?) I can’t watch it anymore. It’s horrible.

My favourite episode is from the second season - “Itchy & Scratchy & Marge” where Marge takes on Roger Meyers, CEO of Itchy & Scratchy, Intl.

Eventually, she gets them to produce non-violent I&S cartoons. The kids stop watching television and, rubbing their eyes like awakening from a bad dream, go outside to do wholesome, kid-like things like racing soap-box racers, hopscotch, etc. All this to music from Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony. Magical.

The preaching tone is neatly sidestepped with an ambiguous message at the end. Matt Groening said that this was his favourite episode.

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**Author:** ![BabaBooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@BabaBooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BabaBooey)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-simpsons-were-great/143236/22 "2002-12-18T00:19:21Z")

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Although it was just a mediocre episode, the first section of the Marge being afraid to fly episode was incredible. Guy Incognito and “Enjoy your deathtrap ladies” back to back! Can’t leave out “If word of this gets out, Krazy Klown Airlines will be the laughing stock of the industry.”

As for the best episode, gotta go with $pringfield.  
Burns:“Into the Sproose Goose.”  
Smithers:“But sir, it’s just a tiny model.”  
Burns:“I said get in” (cocks gun)

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**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-the-simpsons-were-great/143236/23 "2002-12-18T01:43:15Z")

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The “Lord of the Flies” one.

“It . . . tastes like . . . _burning!_”

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