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The Simpsons... what happened?

post #1 of 81
12/12/07 at 3:42am
Thread Starter 
It used to be the most brilliant show on TV with the best writing, I used to get excited every sunday night when they aired a new episode. There is no shortage of quotables from the good old days. It was edgy with tons of witty social commentary.

Even when I read the thread in current events about torture, the first thing I thought about was Reverend Lovejoy saying "once the government legalizes something, it's no longer a moral issue!"

But the new ones have degraded into a lame slapstick comedy that's just dumb for the sake of being dumb. The movie half-revived the classic simpsons, and half sealed the fate of the new simpsons.

What happened?
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post #2 of 81
12/12/07 at 3:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by FidelCashflow View Post
It used to be the most brilliant show on TV with the best writing, I used to get excited every sunday night when they aired a new episode. There is no shortage of quotables from the good old days. It was edgy with tons of witty social commentary.

Even when I read the thread in current events about torture, the first thing I thought about was Reverend Lovejoy saying "once the government legalizes something, it's no longer a moral issue!"

But the new ones have degraded into a lame slapstick comedy that's just dumb for the sake of being dumb. The movie half-revived the classic simpsons, and half sealed the fate of the new simpsons.

What happened?

Like anything else it peaked. Golden age was season 3 (or late season 2 maybe) up until season 8. Some people try to push it and claim 9 or even 10 as heyday territory, but I think it was already showing signs of serious decline.
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post #3 of 81
12/12/07 at 4:03am
I think they had to expand who it appeals to over the years to maintain its ratings. It could no longer go after the reasonably intelligent, socially aware viewer and had to attract those who simply enjoy Homer being an idiot and hating his family.
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post #4 of 81
12/12/07 at 5:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jpeirpont View Post
I think they had to expand who it appeals to over the years to maintain its ratings. It could no longer go after the reasonably intelligent, socially aware viewer and had to attract those who simply enjoy Homer being an idiot and hating his family.

Good point. It's also a matter of demographics. Back in the day, the Simpsons appealed to both kids and more mature, informed viewers who caught the satirical quality. In recent season, from the little Ive seen, they seem to have put all their eggs in the adolescent audience basket, a demographic which I sincerely believe is dumber than it was a decade ago.
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post #5 of 81
12/12/07 at 5:26am
Aww, c'mon. Even some of the low-brow stuff was absolutely hilarious. I was watching the "Bart the Carny" episode the other day: Bart: Mom, give us our allowance. Ding, Ding, Ding... Lisa: Yeah, Mom. Ding, ding, ding. Marge: I'm not giving you your allowances until you do your chores. Bart and Lisa: C'mon...ding, ding, ding, ding, ding... Homer (running through the room): ICE CREAM MAN!!
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post #6 of 81
12/12/07 at 12:35pm
The best recent episode for me was the one where Bart enters the Robot War with his robot, which was actually Homer inside operating a metal robot costume fighting real robots that had weapons of destruction. It hasnt been great in years but I still watch it.
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post #7 of 81
12/12/07 at 12:40pm
Even the animation looks corny now, like the difference between classic Charlie Brown Christmas and that new crap.
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post #8 of 81
12/12/07 at 4:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Get Smart View Post
The best recent episode for me was the one where Bart enters the Robot War with his robot, which was actually Homer inside operating a metal robot costume fighting real robots that had weapons of destruction. It hasnt been great in years but I still watch it.

Yeah, that was the best episode in a long time.

I especially liked Frink's ED-209 programmed according to Asimov's three laws of robotics, "with the sci-fi, and the SO many books, not too many good . . . "
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post #9 of 81
12/12/07 at 6:30pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jpeirpont View Post
I think they had to expand who it appeals to over the years to maintain its ratings. It could no longer go after the reasonably intelligent, socially aware viewer and had to attract those who simply enjoy Homer being an idiot and hating his family.

Well, it always had lots of clueless viewers. What made the old ones so great is that 4 year old could appreciate it and laugh at it, but someone a smarter more aware would appreciate it on so many more levels. They seem to have cut out the intelligent parts without making the rest of it any more entertaining.
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post #10 of 81
1/11/10 at 12:25pm
Last night, I almost vomited watching the 20th anniversary special. This show hasn't been funny in about 8 years, and, after seeing all the behind the scenes people, I'm shocked it ever was. Why don't they completely clean house and hire some new writers? At the very least, grab a couple writers from The Onion to try and recapture some of that sardonic wit that once made the show so unique.
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post #11 of 81
1/11/10 at 12:29pm
It's amazing how every show that is on for awhile gets the "what happened, it was funnier 10 years ago". Seinfeld was better in the beginning, Family Guy was better in the beginning, Styleforum was better in the beginning, eventually CYE will have been better in the beginning, if it is not already. One of the writers in that simpsons anniversary show said it best, "internet message boards were a lot better 10 years ago".
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post #12 of 81
1/11/10 at 12:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by edmorel View Post
It's amazing how every show that is on for awhile gets the "what happened, it was funnier 10 years ago".

Very few sitcoms last more than a few years for that reason. The Simpsons is riding on its reputation, not its current merit.
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post #13 of 81
1/11/10 at 12:34pm
I liked the comment by one of the writers on the special last night that the message boards were much more funny and edgy 10 years ago and as a consequence he no longer reads them.

rob
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post #14 of 81
1/11/10 at 12:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by edmorel View Post
One of the writers in that simpsons anniversary show said it best, "internet message boards were a lot better 10 years ago".

Quote:
Originally Posted by rob View Post
I liked the comment by one of the writers on the special last night that the message boards were much more funny and edgy 10 years ago and as a consequence he no longer reads them.

rob

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post #15 of 81
1/11/10 at 12:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by why View Post
Very few sitcoms last more than a few years for that reason. The Simpsons is riding on its reputation, not its current merit.



What if it's not them that has changed, what if it's you? What if YOU no longer have the sense of humor/wit you used to have and are simply riding on your reputation, not your current merit?
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