The Simpsons - discussion

[backontrack]

So, here it is - my post of the top 10 underrated classic episodes of The Simpsons. They're listed in chronological order.

1. Life on the Fast Lane (Season 1)
The original Homer and Marge relationship story. And truly one of the greats.

2. Lisa's Substitute/Bart Gets an F (Season 2)
I've given you two because I just wasn't sure which episode should fill this gap. I would without doubt put Lisa's Substitute among my top 5 episodes, but I'm not sure whether or not it's underrated enough. If you think not, then Bart Gets an F is a great episode (although it's nowhere near as good as Lisa's Substitute.

3. Bart's Friend Falls in Love (Season 3)
A brilliant episode, it was relatively close between this and the episode that followed it, namely Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?. But this beats it just because of how great it is.

4. Treehouse of Horror III (Season 4)
I personally think that this is the second-best of the Hallowe'en episodes (behind THoH V). It's full of great humour and iconic Simpsons scenes/lines ("Dad, you killed the zombie Flanders!" "He was a zombie?") but barely gets a look in.

5. New Kid on the Block (Season 4)
You've got to feel for this episode. It's in the absolute best season of the bunch, so naturally it gets forgotten a bit. But, I assure you, this is a brilliant episode. Like the third episode on the list, it's got a great subplot with Homer (both of these are about his eating problems, strangely) but let's not forget the main plot too. Great episode, and one with one of my favourite lines.

6. Marge on the Lam (Season 5)
The 'sequel' to the above episode, I recently watched Marge on the Lam and realised that I'd forgotten how funny it is. "Sunshine, lollipops and..." gets me every time.

7. 'Round Springfield (Season 6)
An emotional episode that gets forgotten, this needs to be watched. Now.
Although, once again, it nearly didn't get onto this list, thanks to The PTA Disbands (a hilarious episode).

8. The Springfield Connection (Season 6)
Marge becomes a police officer. Hilarity ensues.

9. Raging Abe Simpson and his Grumbling Grandson in 'The Curse of the Flying Hellfish' (Season 7)
A hidden gem of the show in its last truly 'great' season pitting Grampa and Bart against Mr Burns (who is characterised brilliantly). Also the 150th episode.

10. Grade School Confidential (Season 8)
The last 'great' episode. After that, the show is a lot more hit and miss, but still has the odd good outing (24 Minutes, Lisa's Sax and Poppa's Got a Brand New Badge for example).

So, what do you think of the list? Any good? Any big ones left off? Please reply to tell me your thoughts.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
No opinions?

 

[Yew]

Ye Gods, I remember playing that! It was a great game, even if all the missions could be boiled down to go here in X amount of time and collect Y amount of Z.

The last missions in the Treehouse of Horror-themed level were next to impossible!

I always remember simpsons taxi!

 

[SS4]

Well, sir, there's nothing on earth like a genuine, bona fide, electrified, six-car Monorail!

The early episodes where the best especially between season 4 and 8. The music is very memorable and often has better songs that actual singles! On a related topic the later episodes have a few gems still - The President Wore Pearls spring to mind.

I also learned that you should use oil based paint if you want to paint pine thanks to the Simpsons.

Paint your wagon
See My Vest
Monorail Song
Dr Zaius
We Put the Spring in Springfield
Trash of the Titans (medley)

 

[backontrack]

Well, sir, there's nothing on earth like a genuine, bona fide, electrified, six-car Monorail!

The ring came off my pudding can!

Take my penknife, my good man!

No opinions on those underrated episodes, however?

 

[Strathclyder]

7. 'Round Springfield (Season 6)
An emotional episode that gets forgotten, this needs to be watched. Now.
Although, once again, it nearly didn't get onto this list, thanks to The PTA Disbands (a hilarious episode).

8. The Springfield Connection (Season 6)
Marge becomes a police officer. Hilarity ensues.

9. Raging Abe Simpson and his Grumbling Grandson in 'The Curse of the Flying Hellfish (Season 7)
A hidden gem of the show in its last truly 'great' season pitting Grampa and Bart against Mr Burns (who is characterised brilliantly). Also the 150th episode.

Fully agreed on your entire Top 10, but these 3 stand out, Raging Abe Simpson in particular. Grampa is on top form in this one, as is Mr. Burns. The underwater animation is something to behold, too:

 

[SS4]

No opinions on those underrated episodes, however?

I don't recall that many from your list. I'm sure that if I saw them then I'd know immediately mind. Doesn't help that youtube has a habit of pulling episodes

I do like the episode where Homer is in court with the Sea Captain after all-you-can-eat was not the case

 

[GB]

The ring came off my pudding can!

Take my penknife, my good man!

No opinions on those underrated episodes, however?

...is there a chance the track could bend?....

 

[ralphchadkirk]

...is there a chance the track could bend?....

Not on your life, my Hindu friend

 

[backontrack]

I do like the episode where Homer is in court with the Sea Captain after all-you-can-eat was not the case

Yeah, my fourth on the list. New Kid on the Block.

 

[Strathclyder]

Not on your life, my Hindu friend

...What about us brain-dead slobs?...

 

[backontrack]

...What about us brain-dead slobs?...

You'll be given cushy jobs!

 

[Strathclyder]

You'll be given pushy jobs!

...Were you sent here by the devil?...

BTW, it's 'cushy', not 'pushy'...

 

[SS4]

...Were you sent here by the devil?...

BTW, it's 'cushy', not 'pushy...

no good sir, I'm on the level

 

[backontrack]

...Were you sent here by the devil?...

BTW, it's 'cushy', not 'pushy...

I knew that.

 

[Strathclyder]

[youtube]?v=HlwtgaQZYDI[/youtube]

From one of my faves of Season 7: Bart Sells His Soul.

 

[Tim R-T-C]

I know there is not much love in this thread for the newer episodes, but I've been watching a few of late while labelling train photos and aside from the usual 'celebs of the moment' they have secured some amazing guest stars in later episodes. My two favourites:

Max von Sydow

[youtube]?v=XxJ5Rel-VDw[/youtube]

Werner Herzog

[youtube]?v=TifRgLBU7PE[/youtube]

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Simpsons are on Sky1 tomorrow, the 8th November.

 

[backontrack]

A clip - a spoof of Love, Actually with allusions to the Hugh Grant and Bill Nighy plotlines - from an episode of The Simpsons a few years ago. But Grant and Nighy aren't the only ones featured. What about the background song?

[youtube]ZPrYtb6diu8[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPrYtb6diu8

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I know there is not much love in this thread for the newer episodes, but I've been watching a few of late while labelling train photos and aside from the usual 'celebs of the moment' they have secured some amazing guest stars in later episodes. My two favourites:

Max von Sydow

[youtube]?v=XxJ5Rel-VDw[/youtube]

Werner Herzog

[youtube]?v=TifRgLBU7PE[/youtube]

The current series suggests that the quality is on an upward curve once again. Recent guests include Ricky Gervais (again!) and Stephen Merchant, who has also guested on The Big Bang Theory in recent weeks.

 

[NY Yankee]

The Simpsons is one of the greatest comedy shows of all time. Seriously. Those first eight seasons were that good.

Personally, I love 'Classic' Simpsons. After season 8 the show began its long decline (mainly due to characterisation issues, bad comedy writing and cringe-inducing celebrity cameos), but there are still a few great episodes a year.

I would say that Season 4 is The Simpsons' single-greatest season. It is almost perfectly balanced with all the elements that made the show great. There's the down to earth plotlines and jokes, mixed in with more surreal episodes and political commentary/satire. There's the bittersweet mingling of humour and heart that works so effectively. I particularly enjoy the emotional stories - one of, if not 'the' core reason(s) that people don't like new Simpsons is that in 1989 they created characters that we quickly grew to love, and the writing has changed them horribly (I could elaborate, but not right now).

Anyway, I'm interested to know people's opinion/view of The Simpsons, and your favourite/least favourite episodes, seasons, characters, and which ones you feel are particularly overrated/underrated.

I used to watch the show all of the time when I was younger. I liked all of Bart's antics at his school as well as Homer and the nuclear power plant. Homer always tormented Ned Flanders. There was a lot of funny satire and parodies on the show. However, it jumped the shark around 2000. It relied too much on guests stars and it simply isn't funny anymore. Flanders went from Homer's naive neighbor to a religious zealot. The show focused less on Bart and more on Lisa. It basically tried too hard to be funny.

 

[backontrack]

I'd see that it didn't 'focus too much on Lisa', but that the characterisation was ruined.

-Homer becomes annoyingly stupid and uncaring
-Bart becomes his pathetic, moronic sidekick
-Lisa is focused on because they haven't ruined her yet
-Lisa becomes a self-righteous, annoying character
-Even Marge turns into an annoying wet blanket

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I'd see that it didn't 'focus too much on Lisa', but that the characterisation was ruined.

-Homer becomes annoyingly stupid and uncaring
-Bart becomes his pathetic, moronic sidekick
-Lisa is focused on because they haven't ruined her yet
-Lisa becomes a self-righteous, annoying character
-Even Marge turns into an annoying wet blanket

He has turned into an "imitation Peter Griffin" since the early 2000s, I agree. Part of his charm was that he was dumb as heck but had a good heart, but in an attempt to recapture ground lost to Family Guy the writers removed the heart.

 

[Strathclyder]

The Simpsons: Evolution of a Iconic Intro...

Season 1 (Bart The Genius to Some Enchanted Evening)
[youtube]?v=SR8WWFzrZAg[/youtube]

Season 2 (Bart Gets An 'F' to Blood Feud. The theme tune featured here is unique to Season 2, hence the reason I'm counting this one separately)
[youtube]?v=BTnot--8350[/youtube]

Seasons 3 to 20 (Stark Raving Dad to Lisa The Drama Queen)
[youtube]?v=XNzoJqzA6zM[/youtube]

Season 20-present (Take My Life, Please onwards)
[youtube]?v=5qClpdqmy-Q[/youtube]

 

[Gutfright]

It seems to me that The Simpsons began its decline at about the same time that Futurama started up.

 

[Strathclyder]

It seems to me that The Simpsons began its decline at about the same time that Futurama started up.

Futurama (another of my favorite shows of all time) premiered at around the halfway point of Season 10, the season which is regarded by many fans as the start of the so-called 'Dork Age' of The Simpsons. It was also the last season to feature any of the late Phil Hartman's characters in a speaking role (Troy McClure in Bart The Mother. Lionel Hutz's final speaking role was in the previous season's Reality Bites), his tragic death being another often-cited reason for the show's decline in quality.

While I'll admit that the show isn't nearly as good as it once was, the odd gem can still be found in the newer seasons (Behind The Laughter, I Am Furious (Yellow), There's Something About Marrying, Eternal Moonshine Of The Simpson Mind, The Bob Next Door, Brick Like Me & Halloween Of Horror, just to name a few).

 

[backontrack]

Futurama (another of my favorite shows of all time) premiered at around the halfway point of Season 10, the season which is regarded by many fans as the start of the so-called 'Dork Age' of The Simpsons. It was also the last season to feature any of the late Phil Hartman's characters in a speaking role (Troy McClure in Bart The Mother. Lionel Hutz's final speaking role was in the previous season's Reality Bites), his tragic death being another often-cited reason for the show's decline in quality.

While I'll admit that the show isn't nearly as good as it once was, the odd gem can still be found in the newer seasons (Behind The Laughter, I Am Furious (Yellow), There's Something About Marrying, Eternal Moonshine Of The Simpson Mind, The Bob Next Door, Brick Like Me & Halloween Of Horror, just to name a few).

I'd regard Season 8 as the last of the 'classic era', and Season 9 as the last good season. I haven't seen much of Season 10, however.

As you say, there are a few gems. I'd recommend 24 Minutes, for example.

 

[miami]

The last brand new episode of The Simpsons I watched in full was "That 90's Show", which is probably the single worst episode of the entire show, given that it tears apart the accepted canon of The Simpsons

Lisa's Wedding in season 6 was set in the future. In 2010. Future-Drama in season 16 was set in 2013.

Chronologies change when you have agesless characters that have lived though Bush I, Clinton, Bush II, Obama, and will shortly be on to their 5th president.

 

[Strathclyder]

Watched this countless times and it just never gets old. That scream at 1:34 just kills me....
[youtube]?v=S_DtkbHfTcM[/youtube]

From S6E2 Lisa's Rival.

 

[anme]

The celebrity guest stars are the ultimate sign of the show's decline.

 

[SS4]

I'd regard Season 8 as the last of the 'classic era', and Season 9 as the last good season. I haven't seen much of Season 10, however.

As you say, there are a few gems. I'd recommend 24 Minutes, for example.

I'd also recommend The President Wore Pearls (Evita? Never heard of it )

Regarding Futurama I get the impression that it was the one they wanted to work on but had to work on the Simpsons for reasons