Please Stop Making Me Hate The Simpsons

[Wicky_42]

Yeah, caught an episode of Simpsons last year and was horrified by how flat it fell, compared to what I was watching whilst at school. Nothing really amusing, characters that were two dimensional and seemed to just be delivering on a cliched script - I guess that's what happens when you go nowhere after so many seasons :/

PS. Bring back Firefly !m!(-.-)!m!

 

[josephmatthew10]

I still think the Simpsons has had some good recent episodes; for me the quality is pretty unpredictable. I'm glad they brought Futurama back, though; it IS more consistently funny.

 

[Blind Sight]

Everyone, start watching Community. AWESOME show.
Here's a couple examples, these are just from short skits they do at the end of the episodes, usually completely unrelated to anything.
(yes, that's Chevy Chase )

Some of the characters on that show are just the weirdest mix of funny and pure annoying though. Most of them have really weak singing voices, and a lot of the jokes fall flat. It's largely made up for by some really good deliveries once and awhile though. And Chevy Chase is hilarious in it with his subconscious racism and homophobia.

 

[Lexxi64]

Wow, pal, seems like you know you won't ever like it, why ask anyone to try and explain the good points?! If you don't like it, tough, really. Don't watch it.

 

[Tempest13]

The rage is strong in this one.

 

[viranimus]

Spoiler'd to avoid my "Wall of text" syndrome.

Spoiler

Ok. I will say this about the simpsons. It has evolved as its demographic has matured. Its moved through stages through the years, Such as starting off as the brash upstart when it began to the snarky punk about halfway through, to a more heartwarming sitcom in recent years. Following along with the age of the demographic that started it. Its perhaps the most logical progession of a TV series I have ever seen. Sure, its days of being leader of the pack or cutting edge are long gone, but it has its place and it fills the role it has now carved out for itself. So I firmly feel that the show is just fine as it is for right now, and it not being canceled is completely justified.

What I dont feel is justified will likely start a lynch mob. Please keep in mind this is only the opinion of one wingnut, I respect that there are an abundance of people who dont agree with it, I dont expect anyone to accept my opinion as truth.

What I dont feel as justified is the complete and utter reverence Arrested Development and Firefly have. Ill grant you Firefly was a decent show, one which at least merited the Film Serenity to at least try to properly end the series, and it is arguable it was ended prematurely. But it really wasnt the revelation that people have made it out to be. Its ok, it wasnt great. It was cancelled simply due to lack of support in ratings. Its a harsh beast, but until there is a better system, its the only one weve got.

Arrested Development however completely and utterly deserved its fate. The shows initial ratings were deplorable. It doesnt matter how much the critics and the cult adored it. In the greater scheme of things people didnt watch it. Now usually I have no faith in humanity, but this is one of the very few instances I can recall where the mob got it right. This whole notion of Anti humor is exactly that. Its the opposite of humor. A comedy that isnt funny really has no point to exist. Much like Curb your Enthusiasm, Seinfeld to a lesser extent, Or the more Recent Louie, these "comedys" make little or no jokes. The humor is derived from failure in communication and akwardness. Its not some high brow expectation that the mob doesnt get, its more that the average person has a little more class than to laugh at the mentally handicapped kid, which honestly from everything I saw in both seasons of Arrested development is what the humor invariably always devolved into.

I say, leave the simpsons alone. Honestly, in the scheme of things compared to the remainder of Fox' line up, At least its something with tangible narrative, instead of 7/12 hours of programming being devoted to reality in some form or another. I would put the Simpsons up against practically anything available on the 4 major networks and find it more enjoyable and I suspect Im not the only one, Just perhaps the only one who happens to post here.

I do also second the notion of Community being one of the funniest shows ive seen in a while.That and Alison Bries char is cute enough to make ones head spontaneously explode.

 

[Bobbovski]

I don't mind that The simpsons are still being aired... but I'm sad and angry that Firefly didn't get the chance it deserved to get.

 

[The Real Sandman]

If Fox actually comes out and apologizes for axing a hilariously brilliant and original show like The Tick, I might sum up the strength to forgive them for ruining The Simpsons.

However, nothing will save ABC from my wrath for the two episode airing and subsequent cancellation of one the greatest shows of all time.

Spoiler: Never forgive...Never forget.

Seriously.

All six episodes of Clerks: The Animated Series MURDER pretty much everything The Simpsons, Family Guy, and American Dad have to offer.

 

[Ohlookit'sMatty]

Ah it's about time someone said it! Note to the TV producers out there. Don't go to fox to make your shows

-M

 

[Kinokohatake]

I have to disagree. The Simpsons has been rather fantastic lately. And I fear that when the Simpsons is finally cancelled or just goes off tv, Fox sundays will turn into the Seth Macfarlane night. And I generally find his stuff to be just awful. Except Roger on American Dad. Roger is amazing. But I can't deal with anymore of Brian's bullshit grand standing, the complicate political issues being shown as a simple problem with liberalism ALWAYS being the best answer and anything questioning that to be evil and stupid. And the Cleveland Show is just sooooo bad.

 

[Artina89]

To be honest, I haven't seen "The Simpsons" in years, as I got fed up of the constant reruns. I did go over to a friends and caught a newer episode and all I thought was "meh". I have never really that big of a fan of "The Simpsons" either. I prefer "Aqua teen hunger force", "Harvey Birdman: Attorney at law" and "Robot chicken".

I never really liked "Firefly" either. I watched the box set as a friend of mine had it on when I came over to visit and I couldn't really get into it, which my friend found funny as I can happily watch both seasons of "Twin peaks" back to back with no complaints. It's my second favourite show of all time after "Law & Order: Criminal intent"

 

[PunkRex]

After page 2 I realised how many pages there were and said "so when is FireFly *click* oh there we go" Im not a big fan, unlike my sis (yes I know you love Fillion now stop telling me how you would, errrrrggggg), but what little ive seen has been really good, gotta love Jeyne.

Futurama on the other hand, I own every episode/movie and can watch for hours on end, that show my friends IS EPIC.

"Jurrassic Bark" and "The Sting" were unbelievably heart wrenching and the scene where Bender gives his first born to the Robot Devil in "The Beast with a Billion Backs" is in my top 5 hardest laughs on TV.

 

[malestrithe]

Simpsons is not going to go away until the show stops making Fox money. The show has generated close to 3 billion dollars in the last 20 years.

As for Firefly, I'm glad its gone. I've seen all the episodes in supposedly the correct viewing order and I do not see the big fucking deal behind it. The plot suffers the same problems that all of Whedon's series have: He does not know where he wants to go in the series until episode 7 or 8. He spends that long fumbling around in the dark exploring different tangents until then. After that, the plot progression is rushed. He does not know how to pace his shows in an even manner.

Also, the dialog is not clever. It is basically what Tom Servo, Cambot, Crow, and Joel Hodgson would say to the movie on MST3K. Interesting, yeah. Funny, Not really. Clever, Absolutely not.

 

[Reaper195]

Ironically, I'm watching The Simpsons now, and when I saw the thread.

Personally, I like the Simpsons. Luckily, due to not having watched TV properly for years and prefer to download most of the shows I watch, I have yet to actually see any Simpsons beyond season 10, until my flatmate started buying the DVDs.

 

[wildcard9]

You know, I liked The Simpsons. I find that a good lithmist test to gage it against is the Treehouse of Terror episodes. With V being the best, I feel season six was the best season: A Star is Burns, 'Round Springfield, Sideshow Bob Roberts; pure gold. It started to decline at about 12, and then it hit rock bottom around 13.

I utterly despise the current seasons. Why? Season 21: "To Surveil with Love". The intro is De$ha's "Tick Tok". Any other season would've made fun of Ke$ha: how she's a vapid, talentless fake artist. How the music industry is churning out crap like this for a quick buck. But no: today's Simpsons would rather play it straight in order to make a quick buck and hopefully prove that they're still "with it" and relevant with the kids. I haven't seen a new episode since.

What's worse is that this has set precedence for the rest of the crap that Seth Rogen hath spawned: all we need is a dysfunctional family with a dumb dad, a longsuffering daughter, a dumb son, a sane but horny wife, and a talking animal. Repeat as necessary, and take up Sunday primetime in favor of other more original shows. To be honest, this is Fox's MO: from this to stealing Watchmen from Warner Bros. to the utter travesty that is Fox "News". As far as I'm concerned, Rupert Murdoch allready has a spot in the 9th circle reserved for him.

 

[KEM10]

I am actually not upset about The Tick being canceled. As those 8 episodes went on, they were already becoming less entertaining. I am actually speaking from relatively recent memory since they are on Netflix, and the further they got into the series the less they focused on (and even showed) Tick. Besides, fish out of water stories never seem to last.

 

[Quiet Stranger]

I agree, (i didn't read all of it, only up to the part where its first mentioned about season 10) this is just another person bitching and whining that "it was only good till a certain season". That just really pisses me off, what would you rather have? Less Simpsons and more Family Guy? No thank you!!!

Considering the article's author very specifically listed shows she'd rather have, I find your 'Family Guy' comment a little odd. And considering how you will find 'Family Guy', 'The Cleveland Show', and 'American Dad' all following the Simpsons, we already have far more 'Family Guy' than we need, really.

Or are we going to argue those three shows are distinct and unique entities?

That said, good article, and I enjoyed it. My one thought on it? While The Simpsons are cerrtainly past their prime Fox is guilty of far worse shows that continue to air. I'd cancel anything Reality before the Simspons.

I just feel that without The Simpsons, there'd probably be more air time for much worse shows like Family Guy

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Reminds me of the opening joke of season 4 of Family Guy

Dammit, Ninja'd.

Far too many good shows get cancelled willy nilly, even over here.

Good Vs. Evil, The Dresden Files, Profit (That was SO good), Space Above and Beyond, Jericho, Eerie Indiana, Being Human, Dead Like Me, Police Squad! (RIP Drebin), Father Ted (RIP Dermot), MAsquerade (RIP again), Tough Gig, Knightmare, Carnivale, Tru Calling, Birds of Prey, Daybreak, American Gothic, The fantastic remake of Randall and Hopkirkeceased, The Prisoner (RIP), Mutant X, Jake 2.0, Sledge Hammer...

All gone like tears in the rain. Time to buy...on Amazon.

 

[Harbinger_]

Arrested Development was horrible in my opinion. The Critic didn't really seem much better either. Firefly was quoted to being 'horrible, thats why its good.' Unless it's opposite day that just doesn't fly. Futurama was nothing more than The Simpsons... In the future. I've never seen The Tick so I can't really comment on it. Oh and by the way I really dislike The Simpsons. In my opinion there aren't really that many good shows on that aren't re-runs such as MASH, 8 Simple Rules, Stargate Atlantis, Emily of New Moon, etc.

 

[praetor_alpha]

Since Fox still has three seasons to apologize for, I give you the show that someone should be smacked in the head for cancelling:

Titus.

YES!

Everyone I've ever shown it to as absolutely adored it. My ex-roomie still spouts quotes every now and then. Sometimes I like to use the "W" word, wussy.