Classic Simpsons Thread

[Himu]

Earlier this year I bought seasons 1-9 from amazon for like 140 bucks.

I hadn't seen these seasons in full in a long time. Probably since I was a kid and they were syndicated. Back when the dvd sets were expensive I didn’t get past season 3  but watched the random classic episode.

I always loved these seasons of course but this is my first time watching as an adult and my appreciation has only gotten fonder. The sheer quality increase that happens going from season 3 to 4 is insane. I had forgotten just how damn great seasons 4 and 5 are and forgot entire episodes and gags I found hilarious like that song Homer sings when he gives up beer for a month.

When I was seventeen,
I drank some very good beer,
I drank some very good beer
I purchased with a fake ID.
My name was Brian McGee,
I stayed up listenin' to Queen
When I was seventeen.



Which, by itself isn’t funny or charming. But the visuals and Dan Castelanetta’s expert voice work just oozes charm and humor. And it’s only 30 seconds.

I find myself liking Homer and Marge more than the kids as I’ve aged because I relate to them more I guess. I’m halfway through season 4 and it just keeps getting better.

[jakefromstatefarm]

[Himu]

[Mr. Gundam]

I like when Homer was a well-meaning idiot who cared about his family, and not just a stupid jerk.

[Himu]

In that ep Homer decides to go on a bike ride with Marge rather than drink at Moe’s. I know they have him back to his old ways after the fact because they to have a status quo but I feel so proud of Homer in that episode.

As someone who has tried to curb their drinking I feel for Homer.

[TVC15]

I put on Simpsons on FXX last night and I saw Flanders and Krabaple making out. What the fuck happened to this show?

[Himu]

Well they put them together because they’re both lonely and loveless apparently

[hampster]

Talking Simpsons is a great podcast. They're in season 8 now.

I put on Simpsons on FXX last night and I saw Flanders and Krabaple making out. What the fuck happened to this show?

 

[bork]

Bart's middle name is Jojo!? 

[thisismyusername]

I put on Simpsons on FXX last night and I saw Flanders and Krabaple making out. What the fuck happened to this show?

Then Krabapple "dies" (was retired because voice actor died) and Ned will always love her.

Shame, because Krabapple is my spirit animal.

[zomgee]

Has the conversation with my brother just yesterday about the best newspaper headline on the Simpsons.

I gave the options of

Big Fat Man Has Big Fat Heart
Dead Beat Dad Beat Dead

Eventually I settled on

[Himu]

Local family attends gay pride will always be number one

[hampster]

Love Bart's face

[Himu]

(Image removed from quote.)

Love Bart's face

GOAT

[BisMarckie]

Shame, because Krabapple is my spirit animal.

Wait a minute. Bart's teacher is named Krabappel? I've been calling her Crandall! Why didn't someone tell me? Oh, I've been making an idiot out of myself!

[thisismyusername]

Shame, because Krabapple is my spirit animal.

Wait a minute. Bart's teacher is named Krabappel? I've been calling her Crandall! Why didn't someone tell me? Oh, I've been making an idiot out of myself!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edna_Krabappel

[Boredfrom]

So what is considered Classic Simpsons?  I still consistently enjoyed the show until the boy band episode, but everyone seems to start to hate it way before.

[Himu]

So what is considered Classic Simpsons?  I still consistently enjoyed the show until the boy band episode, but everyone seems to start to hate it way before.

Seasons 1-8

But specifically seasons 3-6 are considered the golden age by Simpsons nerds on the internet

[benjipwns]

Shame, because Krabapple is my spirit animal.

Wait a minute. Bart's teacher is named Krabappel? I've been calling her Crandall! Why didn't someone tell me? Oh, I've been making an idiot out of myself!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edna_Krabappel

Sex Cauldron? I thought they closed that place down.

[benjipwns]

Just to briefly go in the opposite direction, I watched the show long after its decline and into its second decade of decline because I watched the whole FOX animated lineup for a while mainly for King of the Hill and American Dad (later adding Bob's Burgers and just left it on inbetween for garbage like Simpsons and Family Guy. (The latter sometimes having a decent one-off episode or two.) And there's a Season Ninteen episode that I do quite like: "Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind"

And it has a good number of rave reviews and not just of the usual "good for modern Simpsons" type. Won an Emmy. Al Jean picked it as one of the five best episodes ever, also a potential series finale type:

showrunner Al Jean discusses what episodes that have previously aired might serve well as a series finale. He regards "Behind the Laughter" and "Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind" as the strongest candidates

Of course, he also wrote The Movie, which was atrocious. One day I will go back and find all the people on forums who said "Spider-Pig is legitimately laugh out loud funny" and bring the reckoning to them.

[skullstorm]

One day I will go back and find all the people on forums who said "Spider-Pig is legitimately laugh out loud funny" and bring the reckoning to them.

Amen brother

[Himu]

Holy shit I don’t remember the episode Rosebud. That was amazing.

[Himu]

Homer is full on distinguished mentally-challenged starting in season 5. It’s a rather abrupt shift. I mean he was dumb before but now he’s mentally challenged.

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

If I recall, a bunch of writers left at the end of the fourth season.

Edit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Simpsons_(season_4)#Development

Interesting, looks like a lot of stuff happened:

The season was executive produced by Al Jean and Mike Reiss, who had also run the previous season. Several of the show's original writers who had been with the show since the first season left following the completion of the season's production run. "Cape Feare", which was the final episode to be produced by the "original team",[2] aired during season five as a holdover.[2] Jay Kogen, Wallace Wolodarsky and Jeff Martin wrote their final episodes for the season four production run. David M. Stern and Jon Vitti also left but returned to write episodes for later seasons. Reiss and Jean left to produce their own series, The Critic, but later returned to produce several more The Simpsons episodes, and Jean again became the showrunner starting with season thirteen.[3] Rich Moore, one of the show's original directors, also left to work on The Critic,[3] but returned years later to assist with animation on The Simpsons Movie.[4] George Meyer and John Swartzwelder stayed on, while Conan O'Brien, Frank Mula and future show runners Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein received their first writing credits. One-time writers for the season include Adam I. Lapidus and the team of Gary Apple and Michael Carrington, although Carrington later returned to voice characters in "Simpson Tide" and "Million Dollar Abie".[5]

Sam Simon, who had been showrunner for the show's first two seasons, had assembled the original writing team, had been the series' creative supervisor from its inception, and has been credited as "developing [the show's] sensibility",[6] departed at the end of season four. Simon was involved in a series of creative disputes with the show's creator Matt Groening, producer James L. Brooks and production company Gracie Films.[7][8][9][10] Simon commented that he "wasn't enjoying it anymore," and "that any show I've ever worked on, it turns me into a monster. I go crazy. I hate myself."[10] Before leaving, he negotiated a deal that saw him receive a share of the show's profits every year and an executive producer credit despite not having worked on the show since then until his death.[6][8]

This season's production run (9F) was the first to be animated by Film Roman, after Gracie Films opted to switch domestic production of the series from Klasky Csupo.[11][12] Sharon Bernstein of the Los Angeles Times wrote that "Gracie executives had been unhappy with the producer Csupo had assigned to The Simpsons and said the company also hoped to obtain better wages and working conditions for animators at Film Roman."[12] Klasky Csupo co-founder Gábor Csupó had been "asked [by Gracie Films] if they could bring in their own producer [to oversee the animation production]," but declined, stating "they wanted to tell me how to run my business."[12] Simon commented that: "There won't be any change in the quality or look of the show. We're not going to compromise the quality of the show, and key creative personnel will continue on the show."[12]

"A Streetcar Named Marge" and "Kamp Krusty" were holdovers from the previous season and so were the last of the Klasky Csupo produced episodes to air.[11] Brooks suggested that the script for "Kamp Krusty" be expanded and produced as a feature-length theatrically released film. However, the episode ran very short, barely reaching the minimum length allowed, with the episode's musical number having to be lengthened by a number of verses. The episode had also been selected to be the season's premiere. As Jean told Brooks, "First of all, if we make it into the movie then we don't have a premiere, and second if we can't make 18 minutes out of this episode how are we supposed to make 80?"[13]

[Himu]

Yeah, you can see the cracks in 5 already. I mean, it’s still great obviously but the change in personality of the characters happens surprisingly earlier than I expected. Homer in particular suffers a lot. In Marge Goes on the Lam, Homer legitimately comes off as a distinguished mentally-challenged fellow and not just an idiot. It’s like you can tell there’s a major writers room shakeup.

Tbh Homer is beyond distinguished mentally-challenged in this episode and even goes full asshole which is exactly what fans complain his character is reduced to in later seasons and this is season 5.

[zomgee]

Shame, because Krabapple is my spirit animal.

Wait a minute. Bart's teacher is named Krabappel? I've been calling her Crandall! Why didn't someone tell me? Oh, I've been making an idiot out of myself!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edna_Krabappel

Sex Cauldron? I thought they closed that place down.

... this is not as hot a party as I had anticipated.

[Himu]

Last Temptation of Homer might be the funniest Simpsons ep I’ve ever seen. Holy fuck. I mean, it was funny growing up now as an adult I’m literally crying from laughter.

[hampster]

Whenever I need a pick me up (or my hair is getting me down) I think of Karl



Peak Simpsons

[Himu]

Karl makes me believe in myself

[shosta]

[El Babua]

Seasons 5, 6 and 7 are my favorite from the classic era. And Lemon of Troy is my favorite episode



I recall many fans hating on the show back when those seasons aired due the reasons Cindi mentioned on their respective message boards.

Dave Mirkin took over the reigns during 5 and 6 and he used the show as a vehicle for the sole purpose of shutting on sitcom tropes. Oakley and Weinstein tried to bring back some of the humanity in 7, before going all wacky and meta in 8.

[TVC15]

Man, I’m telling you, these post-season-11 eps are so terrible that they retroactively sodomize the good seasons’ quality so much that there’s no friction to possibly be had anymore. Friction equals funny here.

[Himu]

I’ve come to the conclusion that the Simpsons got the way it did because of comedy. In many articles and retrospectives on the shows golden years they describe the writers room as a fun place where jokes just pour fourth and that if it was funny, it was worth putting into the show. The problem I think, comes from the fact that later seasons chased that comedic high at the expense of characters histories and development. The characters, which were the forefront of the show, became background to tell jokes, basically. Season 5 for instance is a damning critique on sitcom tropes and structure and this takes precedence over the characters which makes them act in overly exaggerated ways. It’s became a show that used the characters as jokes when in earlier seasons it the characters to expand upon jokes. These two things may seem similar but it’s no surprise the characters eventually turned into the caricatures they became.

Essentially “laugh per minute” became a lumbering anchor that eventually forced the writers to focus on jokes rather than characters, when what makes earlier Simpsons work as a show is knowing the characters which made the jokes funny. It’s the difference between When Flanders Failed and Homer Loves Flanders. One is an episode where the characters are conscious to their excesses, the other is when Homer interrupts the Flanders’ while they’re praying for dinner, climbs through their window, and eats their food off their plate without asking while claiming to be a friend.

That’s my review of Simpsons season 5.

Here’s hoping 6 is better.

[Himu]

probably the funniest moment in the series for me so far

[Himu]

Season 6 is as good as I remember it.

[Himu]

Has anyone come to a conclusion how Homer got kicked out of Riverdale?

[Himu]

Season 6 is the best season FIGHT ME

[Mandark]

Season 6 is the best season FIGHT ME

Just looked at the episode list and

[Mupepe]

Season 4 and Season 6 are the Thriller and Bad seasons of the simpsons respectively. Season 4 has incredible individual episodes that are absolute classics and filled with so much heart that the season will live forever. Season 6 is filled with consistent crowd pleasing hits that never quite hit the same high but the quantity and overall quality still push it into top tier status that many can understandably prefer.

[Himu]

Sounds about right.

I’m starting to see season 5 as a transition period. Not a bad season, but can’t have the highs of 4 with the staff leaving and all. It’s the new team getting their bearings straight for 6. It’s the transition from sitcom to all American satire.

Also, I had never seen that Sideshow Bob Roberts episode before. I don’t think it was played much during syndication? They played Cape Feare, the brothers episode, and other Sideshow Bob eps far more. I don’t recall them EVER playing Sideshow Bob Roberts in syndication on Fox 26 and given it’s a red state I don’t blame them but The Simpsons is equal opportunity in its satire. Do you remember fox 26 ever showing that ep Mupepe?

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

I’m sure everyone’s opinion on this is different but to me this was the episode where it felt like the beginning of the end of the classic era: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bart_on_the_Road

There were good episodes after this one for sure but even back when it premiered it felt like it was well below the quality I was used to seeing.  Little did I know how bad it would get.

[Himu]

I liked that one because of the character dynamics of having Bart, Milhouse, Martin, and Nelson on the road but the premise is beyond distinguished mentally-challenged. I’m a sucker for them as a group though. Three Men and a Comic Book is a classic.

For me it fell off when Maude died. I didn’t come back for season 12 and haven’t watched regularly since. I remember kids were saying Simpsons wasn’t funny anymore way back in 1999 (season 10) and I sort of agreed but stuck with it until the end of season 11. I was all about Futurama and King of the Hill by that point. And...sigh, Family Guy.

[Himu]

I haven’t even seen season 12 because I stopped watching.

But I mean, I remember the stuff in the newspapers about Maude’s voice actress’ struggles with the show. So to see them treat a character like that made no sense to me since Simpsons was all about the characters. Like even as a teenager I could just tell how objectively bad the show had become.

I read this and it summarized everything I felt about that episode.

https://deadhomersociety.com/2014/07/21/the-day-the-laughter-died/ 

I remember my history teacher in sophomore year would talk about the Simpsons and the value it had and I was in shock this dude actually still watched the show. Lmao And this was during season 12.

[Himu]

So what will the legacy of the Simpsons be when it when it’s all over? I just don’t get why they didn’t end it at season 9.

Now the legacy has been tainted utterly and thoroughly and there’s no getting around that. Of the 30 Simpsons only 8-9 are good. There’s now more bad than good. I don’t think it will have a lasting legacy like MASH or shows like Seinfeld or Wonder Years. Sure, the good seasons still exist, but I just don’t think it’ll be something shared or covered as much in the future because of they went and fucked it for no reason other than greed.

It feels like the bad consumes the good. And because of the bad The Simpsons won’t be seen as good as it should be.

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

For me it fell off when Maude died. I didn’t come back for season 12 and haven’t watched regularly since. I remember kids were saying Simpsons wasn’t funny anymore way back in 1999 (season 10) and I sort of agreed but stuck with it until the end of season 11. I was all about Futurama and King of the Hill by that point. And...sigh, Family Guy.

I stopped watching when I saw this episode: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_I_Spent_My_Strummer_Vacation

[Mupepe]

Also, I had never seen that Sideshow Bob Roberts episode before. I don’t think it was played much during syndication? They played Cape Feare, the brothers episode, and other Sideshow Bob eps far more. I don’t recall them EVER playing Sideshow Bob Roberts in syndication on Fox 26 and given it’s a red state I don’t blame them but The Simpsons is equal opportunity in its satire. Do you remember fox 26 ever showing that ep Mupepe?

Yeah I don’t recall seeing it. But there are a few that I don’t remember seeing. They just may not have been as popular. Fox 26 never seemed to go in order.

I stopped watching with the boy band episode. It was the first truly garbage episode I can remember and it’s still about as far as I get when I tell myself “I’m going to watch every episode” every few years.

[Himu]

Every time I watch Simpsons after the classic years I try my hardest to like it. It’s so weird how it’s the same characters I grew up with that I *should* (in theory) like but it’s not the same show. Like my brain is still kind of wired to think Simpsons = happy times. So I give the new eps a shot to be open minded maybe once a year annnnnddd....nope.

[Mupepe]

For me it fell off when Maude died. I didn’t come back for season 12 and haven’t watched regularly since. I remember kids were saying Simpsons wasn’t funny anymore way back in 1999 (season 10) and I sort of agreed but stuck with it until the end of season 11. I was all about Futurama and King of the Hill by that point. And...sigh, Family Guy.

I stopped watching when I saw this episode: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_I_Spent_My_Strummer_Vacation

Jesus Christ. I’m so glad I have never seen this. Wow.

[Himu]

I don’t remember the boy band episode, but I looked up clips holy fuck

[Himu]

For me it fell off when Maude died. I didn’t come back for season 12 and haven’t watched regularly since. I remember kids were saying Simpsons wasn’t funny anymore way back in 1999 (season 10) and I sort of agreed but stuck with it until the end of season 11. I was all about Futurama and King of the Hill by that point. And...sigh, Family Guy.

I stopped watching when I saw this episode: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_I_Spent_My_Strummer_Vacation

Jesus Christ. I’m so glad I have never seen this. Wow.

In 2003, Annie Alleman of The Herald News named the episode her all-time favorite Simpsons episode.[3] The same year, writers of Entertainment Weekly listed it as the twenty-second best Simpsons episode of all time. They elaborated that "You've gotta admire a show that lands the greatest names in rock and then gives them as much respect as a brown M&M.

[Himu]

Bart vs Australia was my favorite episode growing up and it didn’t disappoint. *wipes tear*