Television Retro Simpsons was so good

[BigDeadFreak]

To be honest though the main issue was just that it was SO successful it was able to carry on long after its time had passed, it just naturally ran out of stream losing writters and ideas ending up recycling previous ones increasingly badly.

Before that you could argue it was actually quite unique in that it really had two "primes", when it first appeared it had quite a different style(less joke heavy more drama) and more focus on Bart. Most shows I think would have been content with that, to be a fad which was hot for 2-3 years then dropped off but instead the show shifted its quite significantly and became even better.

That's a good point, I'd never considered before how it changed from being all about Bart. He was marketed as being a cool rebel when it started, almost like all the cliched mascots that dominated videogames in the wake of Sonic.

 

[Deleted member 110072]

That's a good point, I'd never considered before how it changed from being all about Bart. He was marketed as being a cool rebel when it started, almost like all the cliched mascots that dominated videogames in the wake of Sonic.

I'd guess a lot of people who grew up with the show in the mid 90's are probably less aware of the "Bartmania" era early on.

 

[gspieler]

Grimes is so fucking epic, I love that episode.

The Bushes moving in across the street was perfect. I still remember the commercials before that episode aired and the sound of the mud slapping up against the Simpsons house cracks me up every time!!

"Homer's Enemy" was great(highest rated episode of all time IIRC). But it was also a turning point; it was the birth of "Jerk Ass Homer", which would become a Hallmark of the show's decline, along with guest appearances where stars play themselves, and storylines that were increasingly non-sensical, even within the Simpsons universe.

"The Principal and the Pauper" is where they jumped the shark, though.

 

[gspieler]

For anyone interested. It's long, but a good watch.

 

[Deleted member 110072]

"The Principal and the Pauper" is where they jumped the shark, though.

I'v heard that so many times but I'v never agreed with it, it just seems like a dorky lore obsessed take focused on the show having some plot consistency when really its always been something were you need to suspend disbelief a little.

Indeed i think that's actually one of the best episodes of the 9th season which still feels like classic Simpsons to me having some real weight of character to it. I think you could pick out plenty of other episodes from the 9th and 10th season that highlight the weaknesses starting to creep into the show better.

Again though I think really the Simpsons declining by then isnt exactly surprising, I mean show many sitcoms have lasted 8-10 seasons at close to their best? Always Sunny perhaps that has half the episodes per season. The issue is really that the Simpsons was SO popular at its peak that it could carry on going for 20 years afterwards of diminishing returns were as most shows would have been cancelled years before.

 

[TrueBias]

Retarded Ralph was my favorite.

 

[gspieler]

I'v heard that so many times but I'v never agreed with it, it just seems like a dorky lore obsessed take focused on the show having some plot consistency when really its always been something were you need to suspend disbelief a little.

Indeed i think that's actually one of the best episodes of the 9th season which still feels like classic Simpsons to me having some real weight of character to it. I think you could pick out plenty of other episodes from the 9th and 10th season that highlight the weaknesses starting to creep into the show better.

Again though I think really the Simpsons declining by then isnt exactly surprising, I mean show many sitcoms have lasted 8-10 seasons at close to their best? Always Sunny perhaps that has half the episodes per season. The issue is really that the Simpsons was SO popular at its peak that it could carry on going for 20 years afterwards of diminishing returns were as most shows would have been cancelled years before.

OK, Arman.

 

[Bushpig]

 

[Sobek]

I rewatched it recently. I hadn't seen the classic episodes in a long time so I enjoyed it and laughed my butt off.

For me the cracks started to appear in season 6 and 7 but there were still majority good episodes. I dropped out halfway through season 10 though. It plummeted hard and was difficult to watch, almost sad. I know there are still good episodes after but it was getting painful to sit though so many failed parts to catch some good ones.
The writing format seemed to have changed. I got the impression the writing sessions had gone the way they parodied the useless Itchy and Scratchy writing sessions (if you remember those episodes).


Extremely not funny.

I remember hearing the early seasons (the good ones) were often written by Conan O'Brien and the likes, in someone's apartment, eating pizza and drinking beers.
I'd like to believe that anyway.

 

[ARW]

We regularly quote the Simpsons
When I let my dogs out I always say “release the hounds”
And anytime we eat cheese
“Hmmm 64 slices of American cheeeese”

 

[Zer]

 

[Monkadelic]

stickin' together's what good waffles do

I watched this episode for the first time in decades recently and was crying with laughter at this bit.

 

[Big Al's Texas BBQ]

 

[crabmeat]

 

[PurpleStorm]

When Homer starts a snow plow business.

Lionel Hutch suing the all you can eat seafood restaurant.

The Apu musical.

Lisa hanging with the blues sax player.

Krusty the Clown's shenanigans.

Poochie the dog branding hipster products.

Sideshow Bob and his evil twin Slidehow Bob.

Otto telling Bart 'Hey little man don't be upset. I flunked the third grade twice. Now look at me - I driiiive the school bus.'

Springfield vs. Shelbyville

The episode with George Harrison

The quack doctor's commercial where he said 'I didn't pay for a fancy degree. I pass the savings along to you.'

When the family visited Japan and wound up on a game show.

 

[Misfit23]

Seasons 2 to 9 are my favorite seasons of television.

This is my favorite bit:

 

[Deleted member 110072]

OK, Arman.

Again though I don't think the decline of the show was really about inconsistency in its canon, even during the peak years all sorts of wild and wonderful things(like Hank Scorpio "taking the east coast") happen which are mostly forgotten afterwards.

The decline really was just a dropoff in quality and especially in being able to make strong character based humour, that episode isnt really an example of that, its actually one of the stronger character based ones in the season.

I would say personally I always felt the most notable drop in quality on the show though was between seasons 10 and 11, even the random less character focused episodes in season 10 like the finale in Japan were still pretty well written but stuff like Blunderdrome or the Food Critic one in season 11 seemed like a big downgrade.

 

[Big Al's Texas BBQ]

Can't believe no one's mentioned the Halloween episodes yet:

 

[HHJ]

As a kid I thought Snake and Otto were the coolest guys ever.

 

[CrimsomSky]

Early simpsons was way better than the stuff coming out in the last 20 years even thought I need to rewatch it. Unpopular opinion, flint stones > simpsons.