I’d say that my least favorite was the episode that they ended with the whole family dancing to “Ghostbusters”. Every once in a while, they’ve always done the “end the episode with something that makes no sense” (i.e. “Surf’s up, dude!”), but in the past it always seemed like they did it as a parody. In this particular one it seemed like they did it because they were completely out of ideas.
Oddly, like “knifie-spoonie” I found Jasper John’s random theft strangely hilarious.
Then, you must’ve also liked the scene in the Lisa-becomes-student-body-president-and-parodies-Evita episode, where Homer goes on and on and on trying to imply that Nelson is gay. (“Where’d you get that tutu?”)
I nominate the whole Vincent Price egg subplot in the Superbowl episode. Even the “Springfield, Ohiiii Marge!” gag couldn’t save it.
That’s comedy GOLD!
Seriously, I thought it was hilarious.
Well, a few minutes after the initial bit with the dozens of rakes, Bob climbs aboard the Simpsons’ houseboat… and steps on another rake. After his angry mumbling, he knocks the rake overboard, cuts the rope holding the boat to the dock, and continues with his evil plan.
The rakes bit was brought back one more time, in Day of the Jackanapes:
[Bob uses a fake school announcement to lure Bart to an isolated workshed]
Bob: [menacingly] Hello, Bart.
Bart: [nonchalantly]Oh, it’s you, Bob. How you doin’?
Bob: No screams? Not even an “eep”?
Bart:Hey, I’m not afraid of you. Every time we tangle, you wind up in jail. I’m 6 and 0.
Bob: I admit that the record is a little one-sided, but this time, I cannot fail. [takes a step, and a rake handle comes up to whack him in the face] yaaarag… Rakes – my old arch-enemy.
Bart: I thought I was your arch-enemy.
Bob: I have a life outside of you, Bart.
It would have been great as a subplot in an episode (but c’mon, the pants things was great), though.
I’m going to be really embarrassed by this… but what’s knifie-spoonie joke about?
I also got a kick out of the Jasper Johns bit.
One gag that keeps coming to mind as being not very funny was Marge and Homer sitting at the table discussing extracurricular activities or clubs. Homer says something about 4-H and Marge says “they changed it to 5-H. They have to let in homosexuals now,” which is a good line, then we just see Homer nod his head but not say anything. That’s the bit I don’t get.
Crocodile Dundee. At one scene of the movie, our hero gets targeted by an attempted mugger. The mugger threatens the hero (and his romantic interest) with a small knife, and Dundee says “That’s not a knife, this is a knife” and brandishes a big knife.
One of the worst gags was at the beginning of an episode, and bart turns the kitchen faucets on and off to make Homer scream out a tune. It’s like, why even bother?
Or the tennis episode, which goes something like this:
Homer: Which one am I?
Lisa: You’re Serena
Bart: No, I’m Serena
Homer: oooh! Bart’s a girl!
To all of you who criticized the Simpsons:
“You will die a terrible terrible death…oh I’m sorry, that was the last [poster]… Ok, I’m getting a reading… you will die a terrible terrible death”
Note to Mods who may not watch the Simpsons: This is a Simpsons quote, I am not now, nor have I ever wished death on anyone
The episode that was on tonight (01/02/2004), the one where Homer is scared by the bear at the dump, has got to be one of the worst… episodes…ever. The premise was lame and the jokes were lamer. I think I laughed once and I can’t remember why.
Worst joke: Marge and the hunter guy are racing towards Homer’s campsite to save him from the bear.
Marge: I don’t want the last words I ever said to my husbad to be “Cut your toenails; they look like cheesy Fritos.”
This line could come from any of the multiude of indistinguishable sitcoms with a big slobbish husband and the wise-crackin’ wife. Just whole-heartedly lame.
An aside: I was trying to explain to my Japanese pen pal why there are so many CSI and Law and Order spin-offs and I said that telvision producers tended to remake what is popular instead of taking a risk on something different. As an example, I pointed to all the sitcoms this season with “a big slobbish husband and the wise-crackin’ wife.”
She replies “Oh, like the Symthons.” (meaning the Simpsons; she was guessing on the spelling) I didn’t take the time to explain to her that the Simpsons is different. Episodes like this one make me think it isn’t…
Yeah, I know, but what’s the Knifie-Spoonie line about?
That’s one of my all time FAVORITE Simpsons jokes.
I guess it just goes to show, but I’m not sure waht.
Since it’s a cartoon noted for being irreverant, I don’t think people took it as seriously as they would some other show. Even if someone had been outraged and started a boycott, it wouldn’t have helped much.
Pundit: I’m outraged that the Simpsons said the president has sex with pigs!
Huge number of people who were watching something else that Sunday: What? The president has sex with pigs?
Dude, read the OP.
I know that it does not seem to be relevant, but is it me or are the Simpsons running out of steam? Last year they began to show some wear with me, and this season seems to be worse. Coincedently, why has there been a HUGE outpouring of pop culture Simpsons products? No matter where I go in stores, there is everything from action figures to chess games that feature them. Are they now trying to make their money off merch over the show? I have also noticed that now they have many odes to classic shows…
Am I just growing against the humor?
I don’t think the Simpsons merchandise thing is a recent development but more or less a new cycle of the old Simpsons merchandise machine.
I remember back when the show first hit it’s stride (right around 91-92), the merchandise machine cranked out everything Simpsons. Shirts, toys, cassette tapes, dolls, skateboards, school supplies. But most of it was geared towards kids.
Incidentally, this phenomenon is parodied really well in the Futurama “Trashball” episode where Fry finds a mountain of Bart Simpson dolls on the trash asteroid.
This new wave of merchandise (which I got a ton of for Christmas), is more or less geared towards those kids who are now grown up with the chess sets, tons of other Simpsonized board games, the high dollar action figures, clocks, beer holders, and various other products.
The Circle… The Circle… of Profits!
The extended rake scene we all love so much was unplanned. The episode was running short so the producers extended the rake scene to fill in those extra few seconds.
I’ll nominate a scene from The Who episode, where Homer gets attacked by a badger and lifts his shirt to reveal THE ENTIRE FRONT OF HIS TORSO RIPPED OFF, with guts hanging out and everything. Gross and completely pointless.
Too often, especially in recent years, the show will ruin a good joke by driving it into the ground. Nelson’s “Ha-ha!” is something I’m getting particularly sick of.