the simpsons' peak period - can we have some consensus please ?

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THE DECISIVE MOMENT:

Bart the Mother (#5F22 / SI-922) 27 Sep 1998
Bart accidentally kills a mother bird with Nelson Muntz's bee-bee gun, and tries his best to raise the mother's eggs on his own. But when the hatchlings turn out to be a pair of destructive lizards that harvest nests for their own survival, the town's bird population is placed at great risk. Guest voice Phil Hartman, in his final speaking role on The Simpsons.

The fall of Troy (McClure) = the fall of the Simpsons

Curt1s St3ph3ns, Tuesday, 13 September 2005 21:29 (twenty years ago)

"Rubes"

Marxism Goes Better With Coke (Charles McCain), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 21:30 (twenty years ago)

is a bee-bee gun the same as a BB gun?

rainy (rainy), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 21:31 (twenty years ago)

I just found out what "So I says to Mabel, I says" was a reference to. I'd always wondered.

Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 21:32 (twenty years ago)

Oh my god, what is it? I've always wondered, And basically concluded that it's just a thing to be saying when you're interrupted.

Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 21:35 (twenty years ago)

Actually last night ch10 here showed a new one, where Homer's convinced Armageddon is nigh, and it wasnt too bad. I particularly liked how god himself boomed "DEUS EX MACHINA" and undid his own apocalypse. You cant argue it was a lazy out when they did it so blatantly =)

-- Trayce (spamspanke...), September 13th, 2005.]

that is incredibly stupid

, Tuesday, 13 September 2005 21:37 (twenty years ago)

Bart uses the line "So I says to Mabel, I says" in El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Homer. What is this in reference to?

Some a.t.s. readers have attributed this quote to George Burns and Gracie Allen, as some kind of old vaudeville routine. Others have speculated that it is the type of thing you would hear an old gossipy housewife use on a 1950s sitcom and that Bart's use of it is the joke, much like his use of Cockney phrases or those of an 1890s prospector. Consarnit.

One fan reports to have also heard the phrase on a 1995 Monty Python CD-ROM game.

But the mystery of the actual reference has been revealed at last - or at least it seems - by a reader named Funkychuck: "It's actually from [the book] The Great Gatsby. The main character meets these two women who are already deep in conversation and the one says 'so I says to Mabel, I says' as he walks in. They have a short, pointless back and forth, the main character leaves, and the lady resumes the conversation with the same line over again. I'm not 100% on this, but I had just read the book when that episode aired and I remember feeling quite smart at having caught such an obscure reference. Unless I'm completely wrong, in which case I can resume feeling stupid. Hope this helps!"

Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 21:39 (twenty years ago)

Basically, anytime they treat "The Simpson Family" as a character = dud.

Vacation episodes for cliche culture jokes = dud.

Overlooking nuances built into characters over 10 years = dud.

I'm done whining...sorry all, this subject is my lone sore spot, so I really should (and will) sign off now.

PappaWheelie B.C., Tuesday, 13 September 2005 21:42 (twenty years ago)

that is incredibly stupid

See this is why I hate these arguments. What is stupid? Why? Explain - and convince me.

Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 21:42 (twenty years ago)

Actually no, forget it, this has been done to death.

Trayce (trayce), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 21:43 (twenty years ago)

"You cant argue it was a lazy out when they did it so blatantly"

thats the stupid part. hope I cleared things up! :o)

, Tuesday, 13 September 2005 21:47 (twenty years ago)

why don't we skip to listing the classic episodes from season 10-present. Marxism got me with Pieman, that was ace.

classics from Season 11:

Brother's Little Helper (#AABF22 / SI-1022) 3 Oct 1999
When Bart is hastily diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, he becomes the latest victim of "Focusin," a new drug touted to boost academic attention spans. Guest starring Mark McGwire as himself.

E-I-E-I-(ANNOYED GRUNT) (#AABF19 / SI-1019) 7 Nov 1999
Homer and family move to an old farm where he and Bart conjure up "Tomacco," an incredibly addictive cross between Tobacco and Tomatoes. Guest starring The B-52's (end credits theme) and Frank Welker as the barnyard animals.

Missionary: Impossible (#BABF11 / SI-1111) 20 Feb 2000
Homer becomes a missionary on a remote, tropical island as part of his effort to evade the local PBS affiliate's pledge drive collection officials. Guest starring Betty White as herself.

Bart to the Future (#BABF13 / SI-1113) 19 Mar 2000
While visiting an Indian casino with his family, Bart encounters an Indian who foretells of his future. Bart learns that in the future he is a ne'er-do-well musician with Ralph Wiggum as a room mate. He goes to see Lisa to borrow money, but Lisa has her own problems, being the newly-elected President of the United States and facing a tax crisis.

quality does not equal quality (wetmink), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 21:47 (twenty years ago)

actually, curtis may be onto something about Hartman's death - that "Bart the Mother" episode is horrible... was that season 9?

Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 21:49 (twenty years ago)

"Bart the Mother" is season 10... yeah, it's not a high point.

quality does not equal quality (wetmink), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 21:54 (twenty years ago)

Three of those episodes I'm not bothered about, but Brother's Little Helper is great alright.

I suspect that SNPP is not exactly snopes.com on this subject, though Google certainly thinks it is.

Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 22:01 (twenty years ago)

Andrew OTM re: those four

Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 22:03 (twenty years ago)

"Missionary: Impossible" is one of my all-time favorites though, with the parody of PBS & British comedy, and Homer's introduction of gambling as the island's panacea. (Native: "The Lucky Savage"? Homer: It could be YOU!)

quality does not equal quality (wetmink), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 22:11 (twenty years ago)

I'll give it a pass on the basis of Betty White, who I love.

Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 22:12 (twenty years ago)

I really don't like Missionary Impossible but the other 3 are good

tremendoid (tremendoid), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 22:40 (twenty years ago)

"Missionary Impossible" coined the phrase, "Jeebus," did it not?

Chris L, Tuesday, 13 September 2005 23:12 (twenty years ago)

haha, yeah. "Help me, Jeebus!"

quality does not equal quality (wetmink), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 23:25 (twenty years ago)

Season 9 and beyond are the ones where it sounds like they worked out a gag for the title then built the rest around it (Simpson Tide, Das Bus, Realty Bites). Though this is probably very subjective, a lot of the classic years had groaners for titles as well.

Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 13 September 2005 23:34 (twenty years ago)

"the computer wore menace shoes" from season 12 is one of my favorite recent episodes. its the one with the parody of "the prisoner," and jabs at the drudge report. homer stumbles onto the secret that flu shots are used for mind control and is taken to a secret island and repeatedly drugged. he is replaced by a fake homer with a german accent.

quote:

Bart: There's something different about you, Dad.
Fake Homer: [german accent] I am a new tie wearing.


season two is still the best, and i'm not up on the new season, but i don't think it's time for them to quit yet.

viborgu, Tuesday, 13 September 2005 23:42 (twenty years ago)

Yes! I love the fake German Homer. "Aren't dere any evil movies on, like maybe somethink about an evil island?"

quality does not equal quality (wetmink), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 00:04 (twenty years ago)

Bart to the Future (#BABF13 / SI-1113) 19 Mar 2000
While visiting an Indian casino with his family, Bart encounters an Indian who foretells of his future. Bart learns that in the future he is a ne'er-do-well musician with Ralph Wiggum as a room mate. He goes to see Lisa to borrow money, but Lisa has her own problems, being the newly-elected President of the United States and facing a tax crisis.

No. It is a scientific fact that when Bart and/or Lisa see their future, the episode sucks.

Sasha (sgh), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 00:04 (twenty years ago)

Way late to the party, but I've always thought the best seasons were 4 & 5, with 3 and 6 (hockey one is a personal fave) right behind those. Season Two is somewhat dud-ish, they hadn't caught the groove yet, and I really tuned out around 8 or 9. People tell me "it's still good" all the time, but I know they are only lying to themselves, or haven't revisted the old episodes recently to see what a sorry sham the later ones are.

Exact moment the series jumped the shark: the episode when Principal Skinner explicitly announces "I'm a virgin." Well, no shit. There's nothing worse than having contempt for your audience.

Keith C (lync0), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 00:13 (twenty years ago)

Ah, but "Bart to the Future" has Bart weaseling out of the country's debts ("What happened to you, China? You used to be cool!"), Bill Clinton's porno stash, labeled "GIRLIES WHAT AIN'T GOT NO CLOTHES", and

Homer: [takes the Virtual Fudge wire out of his mouth, which
shocks him] Oh, what a bleak and horrible future we live
in!
Bart: Don't you mean, "present?"
Homer: Right, right, present.

and

Lisa: The country is broke? How can that be?
Milhouse: Well, remember when the last administration decided
to invest in our nation's children? Big mistake.

quality does not equal quality (wetmink), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 00:40 (twenty years ago)

That's what killed Dennis Day! (xpost)

It is a scientific fact that when Bart and/or Lisa see their future, the episode sucks.

Indeed.

The Correct answer to this question is "Seasons 2, 3, and 4."

The Yellow Kid, Wednesday, 14 September 2005 00:52 (twenty years ago)

what makes this whole enterprise problematic is that even the most godawful episodes have a few funny jokes.

latebloomer (latebloomer), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 00:55 (twenty years ago)

and even the most godawful jokes a few people think are funny.

W i l l (common_person), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 03:34 (twenty years ago)

BUT ITS SUBJECTIVE MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN

latebloomer (latebloomer), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 03:55 (twenty years ago)

It is a scientific fact that when Bart and/or Lisa see their future, the episode sucks.

Exactly. Except, they are usually classic.

LISA'S WEDDING

  • Ooh, and here, out of the mists of history, the legendary esquilax, a horse with the head of a rabbit and the body of a rabbit.

  • Lisa: I read at a 78th grade level.

  • Marge: Lisa! Hello. How are you doing in England? Remember, an elevator is called a "lift", a mile is called a "kilometer", and botulism is called "steak and kidney pie".

  • Homer: So, Hugh: have you heard all the latest American jokes? Uh... here's a good one: pull my finger!
    Hugh: [chuckles] Yes, we have that one in England, too, Mr. Simpson.
    Homer: [threatening] I said pull my finger.
  • BART TO THE FUTURE

  • Manager: If you want to see the future, throw a treasured personal item onto the fire.
    [Bart tosses a small object, which explodes with a bang]
    Not a firecracker!
    Bart: Hey, I bought it from a guy on your reservation.
    Manager: That's Crazy Talk.
    Bart: No, it's true.
    Manager: No, I know, that's my brother, Crazy Talk. We're all a little worried about him.

  • Ned: Bart, you're never going to grow up if I keep bailing you out.
    Bart: Then, please, help me help myself.
    Ned: Oh, all right, but only because you haven't outed Rod and Todd. [camera pulls back to reveal the boys, grown up and wearing hot pants. They polish an antique desk]

  • Milhouse: Well, if you just want to out-and-out lie ... [Lisa doesn't object] Okay, we could call it a, "temporary refund adjustment."
    Lisa: I love it.
    Milhouse: Really? What else do you love, Lisa?
    Lisa: Fiscal solvency.
    Milhouse: [disappointed] Oh. Yeah, me too.

  • Homer: [pounds the earth with his shovel] That lying, rail-splitting, theater-going freak!
  • It's comforting to know that after 2.5 years, ILX is still wrong.

    Leeeeeeeee (Leee), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 05:21 (twenty years ago)

    Oh, and OCTOPUSSY! I must have seen that movie... twice!

    Leeeeeeeee (Leee), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 05:24 (twenty years ago)

    It's comforting to know that after 2.5 years, ILX is still wrong.

    Leeee I love you pls have my kiddies that I dont even want anyway, thankyew.

    Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 10:31 (twenty years ago)

    Actually...

    I'd like to know what people thought of the Simpsons if they saw it the way we see it in Aus - every weeknight at 6pm is an episode repeated, and at least once a week theres also a new ep, or a newer one (which means one night has maybe 3 eps). So I've probably seen, btwn that and my DVDs, more Simpsons than a lot of people here. And while I agree earlier stuff was on the whole better, I still dont get the point of starting these arguments. Do people argue about the Flintstones jumping the shark?

    Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 10:56 (twenty years ago)

    The point is that it's the most popular, permutating show ever by some distance - it's incomparable to anything else out there. Why are you STILL complaining about the people STILL complaining about the supposed decline etc.

    I watched it pretty much every day on Sky for six years! The daily episodes were random and there would be a new one or two every Sunday usually, sometimes with gaps to allow them to stock up for new ones as they emerged. I'd watch the weekly BBC showing if it was a good one. I've not really watched it since it moved to Channel 4, but I'll still watch it on Sky now and then.

    Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 11:10 (twenty years ago)

    The answer to this terminally irritating question is NO, WE CANNOT GET A FREAKIN CONSENSUS ON THIS because people keep whining about how awful later shows are, but then contradicting each other as to why or when. I'm so tired of this argument. So they have done some really dud shows, so what? Why does this argument never get trotted out about any other show? (and dont say "because the simpsons is so huge/has been on so long").
    -- Trayce (spamspanke...), September 13th, 2005.

    umm, sorry trayce i asked it almost 3 years ago!

    so...can we have consensus now (ducks).

    piscesboy, Wednesday, 14 September 2005 11:14 (twenty years ago)

    years 3-8. season 2 had some great ones, like the Mr. Bergman, but 9 was in serious decline.

    AaronK (AaronK), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 11:52 (twenty years ago)

    You're not saddling any brats with me, Trayce. ;)

    Americans actually do get the chance to see Simpsons on a daily basis; thanks to the magic of syndication, any given market will air 1 to 3 episodes per night (currently, my area has 2 per night, I believe). The problem is that the pool of episodes from which stations choose seems to have narrowed a tonne: "Seymour's Sense of Snow," for instance, probably aired 3 times in 6 weeks. I suspect that the Simpsons poobahs were afraid of poaching DVD sales if they re-aired golden oldies.

    And I just had my third most brilliant idea ever (which also is my second worst idea ever): Pynchon should be hired as a writer on the show!

    Leeeeeeeee (Leee), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 17:00 (twenty years ago)

    I can't believe no one else besides me will stand up and defend "Brother's Little Helper", which is a good example of one of the last instances of that truly sincere sappiness that most Simpsons fans seem to refer to as "having heart".

    It does seem though that, throughout these nerdliest of arguments, nobody seems to really care to defend seasons 12-present, which, I do say my good man, is close to being "consensus".

    nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 17:13 (twenty years ago)

    Oh wait, wetmink included that one in his list, didn't he/she? D'oh!

    nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 17:14 (twenty years ago)

    Missionery Impossible has one of my favorite endings of any tv show/book/movie/etc. ever.

    nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 17:15 (twenty years ago)

    Is that the one where it just ends with Homer and the little Lisa-esque tribe girl about to be crushed by burning timbers?

    Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 17:25 (twenty years ago)

    xx-post yeah, Andrew Farrell also mentioned love for "Brother's Little Helper".

    many-x-post Leeeeee, those are great moments from those 2 episodes.

    In Missionary Impossible, they are about to be crushed by burning timbers, and then a Fox pledge drive cuts in, Bart calls in a huge pledge, and the ending lines are

    Rupert Murdoch: You saved my network!
    Bart: Wouldn't be the first time.

    quality does not equal quality (wetmink), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 18:06 (twenty years ago)

    Leeeeeeeeeee are you still in Chicago? Simpsons is on not once, not twice, but thrice.

    oops (Oops), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 21:51 (twenty years ago)

    I moved back to Springfield. Only twice a night here.

    Leeeeeeeee (Leee), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 21:56 (twenty years ago)

    Oh. Are you at least proud of what I did in that post?

    oops (Oops), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 22:13 (twenty years ago)

    Sure. I feel so full of...what's the opposite of shame?

    Leeeeeeeee (Leee), Wednesday, 14 September 2005 23:00 (twenty years ago)

    Does the recent one where Moe takes care of Maggie not have "heart"? It seemed like it did, but I am no expert.

    Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 15 September 2005 01:54 (twenty years ago)

    fifteen years pass...

    The best has yet to come.

    More promotional ‘Simpsons’ shorts will be coming to Disney+ throughout the year. All of them will pay homage to some of Disney’s top brands and Disney+’s most popular shows.

    Source: https://t.co/c3WQdQBBha pic.twitter.com/lPm8WSvj6x

    — Cartoon Crave (@thecartooncrave) May 3, 2021

    Joe Bombin (milo z), Monday, 3 May 2021 16:25 (five years ago)


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