Favourite and Least Favourite Moments in the Simpsons
- Thread starter Zoofan15
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Favourite:
Itchy and Scratchy and Marge (Series 2, Episode 9): I like where Rodger Myers comes to Marge for advice on how they can end the cartoon, following by the screening of the new and improved Itchy and Scratchy, complete with nasal voices ("Lemonade?") and dilated pupils that make them look high, followed by a montage of the golden age of childhood to Beethoven's 6th Symphony.
Homer the Heretic (Series 4, Episode 3): I like where Ned prays for Homer to land on the mattress below the burning building square and true. His prayers are partially answered with Homer landing right in the centre of the mattress and being rebounded through the window into the burning house. Ned Flanders sighs and half heartedly dives onto the mattress, somersaulting perfectly through the window, after Homer.
Itchy and Scratchy and Marge (Series 2, Episode 9): I like where Rodger Myers comes to Marge for advice on how they can end the cartoon, following by the screening of the new and improved Itchy and Scratchy, complete with nasal voices ("Lemonade?") and dilated pupils that make them look high, followed by a montage of the golden age of childhood to Beethoven's 6th Symphony.
Homer the Heretic (Series 4, Episode 3): I like where Ned prays for Homer to land on the mattress below the burning building square and true. His prayers are partially answered with Homer landing right in the centre of the mattress and being rebounded through the window into the burning house. Ned Flanders sighs and half heartedly dives onto the mattress, somersaulting perfectly through the window, after Homer.
Regarding favourites: ah, there're too many to list them all, especially in the earlier seasons - like that old man spinning his yarn about a mystical heroic Homer at the very end of the "The War of the Simpons" (S2 E20).
It speaks volumes that I can't say the same about the newer seasons. But what I always appreciate is the ongoing positive depiction of snakes in The Simpsons, among others the final Babe reference in S18 E20. Actually, I should tell that my snakes when they behave well...^^
It speaks volumes that I can't say the same about the newer seasons. But what I always appreciate is the ongoing positive depiction of snakes in The Simpsons, among others the final Babe reference in S18 E20. Actually, I should tell that my snakes when they behave well...^^
I fully agree with regards to the early seasons (1-6) being the best. From Season 12/13 onwards, the show seriously deteriorated in my opinion. I was never a fan of the switching stories, where the three segments of an epsiode were essentially three totally different, barely even connected stories. This seemed to be a running theme throughout the middle seasons and to me, comes across as lazy story telling. It takes skill to tell a story for 22 minutes and I love nothing more when they master this. It also makes the episode far more memorable eg. Remember when Lisa had a substitute teacher who changed her life? Remember when Bart found a comet? Remember when Bart tried to pass his history test? Remember when Homer became an astronaut? Yes!!! Remember that episode where they went to that place, and then somebody did that thing and they all went to that other place and then that person became affected by something and they ended up helping them to do something with 50 lame gags along the way? No, not really.
I find I can watch the early episodes over and over again (with appropriate breaks of course) but the recent episodes, I can barely sit through once. It seems the humour of the early seasons was more intelligence based, whereas today they seem to rely on cheap laughs and predicatable gags. I actually laugh out loud at several moments in the early seasons, but I've gone an entire episode without so much as a smile when watching the later seasons.
Another thing I don't like is space filling. The only example that springs to mind is in Bart's Comet (Season 6, Episode 14), where Homer quite literally sits, twiddling his thumbs. Again, just space filling/lazy story telling. The only blemish in this otherwise all round excellent episode.
I find I can watch the early episodes over and over again (with appropriate breaks of course) but the recent episodes, I can barely sit through once. It seems the humour of the early seasons was more intelligence based, whereas today they seem to rely on cheap laughs and predicatable gags. I actually laugh out loud at several moments in the early seasons, but I've gone an entire episode without so much as a smile when watching the later seasons.
Another thing I don't like is space filling. The only example that springs to mind is in Bart's Comet (Season 6, Episode 14), where Homer quite literally sits, twiddling his thumbs. Again, just space filling/lazy story telling. The only blemish in this otherwise all round excellent episode.
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Something I liked recently was when Lisa was concerned about bees being displaced from the natural habitat and Grounds Keeper Willie offered his opinion. Lisa replied she didn't know Willie was an apiarist. Willie replied that he could tell from context that meant bee keeper and kept talking.
Given Willie's level of education, it's unlikely he'd have been familiar with the term, and indeed most viewers (including myself) weren't, but we too could tell from context what it meant and I given the credit for avoiding the tedium of Willie asking, "What does apiarist mean?" and then Lisa providing the definition we'd long since deciphered for ourselves! That to me, was good writing.
Given Willie's level of education, it's unlikely he'd have been familiar with the term, and indeed most viewers (including myself) weren't, but we too could tell from context what it meant and I given the credit for avoiding the tedium of Willie asking, "What does apiarist mean?" and then Lisa providing the definition we'd long since deciphered for ourselves! That to me, was good writing.
The Trouble with Trillions (Season 9)
This episode had some great bits. I especially liked Ned Flanders getting up in the first few minutes of January 1 (as fireworks were going) to do his taxes for the year (not due until April). It had some great quotes:
Maud: Neddie, it's 8:45. The post office is gonna be opening soon.
Ned: And here I am yappin away like it's 8:35! Ooh! Can't forget the mints!
[On Rolice Radio]: This is Agent Johnson from the F.B.I. Be on the lookout for a 1936 maroon Stutz Bearcat.
Chief Wiggum: Uh, that really was more of a burgundy.
This episode had some great bits. I especially liked Ned Flanders getting up in the first few minutes of January 1 (as fireworks were going) to do his taxes for the year (not due until April). It had some great quotes:
Maud: Neddie, it's 8:45. The post office is gonna be opening soon.
Ned: And here I am yappin away like it's 8:35! Ooh! Can't forget the mints!
[On Rolice Radio]: This is Agent Johnson from the F.B.I. Be on the lookout for a 1936 maroon Stutz Bearcat.
Chief Wiggum: Uh, that really was more of a burgundy.