This is now a Simpsons thread

[BigDaddy]

Homer at the Bat has always been one of my personal favorites as I love baseball. Mr. Plow and King-Size Homer are classics for sure.

I think Lisa the Greek and Duffless would be good entry points too.

I need to stop or I'm just going to name every episode.

 

[Mark]

For some reason… I keep having flashes of the episode where Homer was the mascot of a Japanese detergent powder. I don’t even know why, but the whole time I was reading the recents posts little snapshots of it kept coming to mind. Then, I think it was a Treehouse of Horrors episode, I’m not nearly as good at remembering seasons and episode numbers/names like y’all, but it was the one where Mr. Burns was thought to be an alien because his eyes got dilated and was glowing.

 

[VashTheStampede]

MISTAH SPAHKEL

I've seriously considered getting that floating head as a tattoo

 

[Mark]

MISTAH SPAHKEL

I've seriously considered getting that floating head as a tattoo

Do you realize how many Simpsons fans would just piss themselves laughing over it? God, was it obnoxious as hell… but it was also so hilarious to young me.

 

[Fire Queen]

Then, I think it was a Treehouse of Horrors episode, I’m not nearly as good at remembering seasons and episode numbers/names like y’all, but it was the one where Mr. Burns was thought to be an alien because his eyes got dilated and was glowing.

that was the x-files crossover episode actually. have never seen an episode of the x-files but that was always one of my favorite simpsons episodes

i don't have much to add that hasn't already been said but i will say that those early-season episodes are a gold mine of snappy writing and great throwaway gags. the BigDaddy Sampler Platter is a great starter set--i'd add A Fish Called Selma to it

 

[Mark]

Zuck is listening.

 

[Raine]

Thanks for the rundowns, everyone! Will make a note of those and see about doing the thing.

How can you avoid even 1 ep though? Like, not even who shot mr burns? I mean that was culturally significant!

I would probably need to know which channels and time slots it aired on/in while growing up, but like weekdays 3-5 was the anime block on Cartoon Network, 5-8 was homework/dinner/chores while the adults watched Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune (+the lotto), 8-10 was fun/bath/bed. Something like that.

Like I'm sure it was scrolled by and/or I've seen brief segments independent of the internet, but yeah.

I’ve never really watched Friends, but I’ve seen the odd episode here and there.

Hmm... this may be another thing where I've not seen a full episode. I've definitely seen segments of episodes on the TV, but I'm thinking they were on the channel we were on while browsing the menu to put something else on.

 

[TD]

Inquiring minds need to know.

Have any of the non-Simpson watchers deciced to give it a whirl yet?

 

[Mark]

Zuck’s still listening. More suggested merch.

 

[Raine]

I haven't started yet, but Soon™!

 

[shortkut]

I haven't started yet, but Soon™!

 

[Smacktard]

So many great episodes, but the Film Festival and the Clown College episodes are my two favorites.

Controversial take: the Armand Tanzarian episode is pretty good. Some people claim it's a character assassination, but it's a show where the characters never age and almost no changes are ever permanent (character deaths are the only major one I can think of, apart from Lisa going vegetarian). I thought the end was pretty genius in a playfully lazy, self-aware sort of way.

 

[Smacktard]

There are varying answers you will get as to when it all went downhill. Some say after Season 8, and some say later. I've seen all of the first 13 seasons (which isn't even half the entire run of the show, crazily enough), but I have only seen a handful of episodes after 14. I like just about everything in the first 9 or 10 seasons. Seasons 11-13 are bolstered by nostalgia, as I saw these episodes a lot in syndication when they were still relatively new, and while there is a lot of great stuff in there, they are noticeably worse than the golden age.

If I were being cynical, I would say the majority of everything after 13 is garbage in comparison to Seasons 3-8. If I were being fair, I would say I can't judge too much with how little I have seen of the later seasons. I think a happy medium would be to say it just became a different show that wasn't my cup of tea.

This opinion pretty much mirrors my own. Up to around Season 9, every episode is a banger. Seasons 9-10 still have that Simpsons charm. Seasons 11-13 still have some good episodes and decent gags, but you can tell the humor changes for the worse and the stories just become too silly at times. I've watched a couple of episodes from Season 14 onwards and I'm disappointed every single time.

The Simpsons Movie was pretty good too. More Season 11-13 vibes than anything else though.

 

[Quagmire]

Ok I'm gonna say it

Marge vs The Monorail is the most overrated episode of the Simpsons

Ok did that get your attention? GOOD.

it's a good episode but I honestly don't think it's one you show people to get them into the show. It's like showing someone Samoa Joe vs Kenta Kobashi to get them into pro wrestling. To people who are already invested, it's a masterpiece. But to the uninformed, it's okay I guess.

I agree with you somewhat. Its very good, but dont know if it would go in my top 10, but it is an easy one to point to

 

[TD]

I watched a few episodes last night.

The Frank Grimes one remains one of my favourites.

 

[BigDaddy]

Controversial take: the Armand Tanzarian episode is pretty good. Some people claim it's a character assassination, but it's a show where the characters never age and almost no changes are ever permanent (character deaths are the only major one I can think of, apart from Lisa going vegetarian). I thought the end was pretty genius in a playfully lazy, self-aware sort of way.

Agreed. My brother and I actually just had this conversation today (he had recently seen the episode on tv), and we made the exact same points as you.

 

[The Eye in the Sky!]

The actual episode is hilarious, I am currently in season 9 on a rewatch and just passed it. I've never taken things serious enough to worry about how it ruins the character. It's funny how they just brush it off and really never mention it again, outside of random jabs later on.

Up yours, children is one of my most uttered lines to my wife or any other parent when the kids are out of earshot.

And I agree with Vash about the Monorail episode, it's my favorite because I'm a Simpsons fan and a fan of the obnoxiously outlandish episodes or jokes in the series. Anything that would be an introduction episode would have to be something that is grounded with the Simpsons family first with secondary characters popping in to supplement.

I'd recommend Homer the Heretic, or Lisa the Greek, or even And Maggie Makes Three to go along with the other suggestions.

 

[A Slightly New Used Server]

I want to just say, every so often for no reason at all I get the "Dr. Zaius" song stuck in my head. What a great episode that was, and it was perfect to show off the amazing talent Phil Hartman was.

 

[VashTheStampede]

Every time I hear or read the word "chimpanzee" I go straight to "chimpan-A to chimpan-Z"

 

[shortkut]

I want to just say, every so often for no reason at all I get the "Dr. Zaius" song stuck in my head. What a great episode that was, and it was perfect to show off the amazing talent Phil Hartman was.

You’re also lazy

 

[Quagmire]

So many great episodes, but the Film Festival and the Clown College episodes are my two favorites.

Controversial take: the Armand Tanzarian episode is pretty good. Some people claim it's a character assassination, but it's a show where the characters never age and almost no changes are ever permanent (character deaths are the only major one I can think of, apart from Lisa going vegetarian). I thought the end was pretty genius in a playfully lazy, self-aware sort of way.

Agreed. My brother and I actually just had this conversation today (he had recently seen the episode on tv), and we made the exact same points as you.

I get why it gets it hate, and it had potential, but it feels really wasted as it is pretty much a one off. Instead of changing Skinner the town acts like it never happened. This seems too big a plot line to not make it permanent. Might have worked better as a treehouse episode

Im also shocked you remember the name of the character, I had to google it as I only know the episode from the title and not his old name. I also get why it gets hate as it is around the start of the slow decline even if it was better than 90% of what was on TV

This opinion pretty much mirrors my own. Up to around Season 9, every episode is a banger. Seasons 9-10 still have that Simpsons charm. Seasons 11-13 still have some good episodes and decent gags, but you can tell the humor changes for the worse and the stories just become too silly at times. I've watched a couple of episodes from Season 14 onwards and I'm disappointed every single time.

The Simpsons Movie was pretty good too. More Season 11-13 vibes than anything else though.

The movie is absolutely great

 

[Major Isoor]

Controversial take: the Armand Tanzarian episode is pretty good. Some people claim it's a character assassination, but it's a show where the characters never age and almost no changes are ever permanent (character deaths are the only major one I can think of, apart from Lisa going vegetarian). I thought the end was pretty genius in a playfully lazy, self-aware sort of way.

Agreed! To me it came across as a reasonably clever poke at the lazy format of the Simpsons, where barely anything persists between eps. (Which is, what, Lisa being a vegan, Apu being married and then having kids, plus Maude dying? I don't think I'm missing anything) So the Skinner ep was fine IMO. Since I mean, nobody ever mentioned it afterwards, because it was punishable by torture!

As for my favourite ep, that's a hard one... Probably You Only Move Twice, although Simpson Tide gets quoted a lot in my group - mostly the "quack quack quack"/"it's my first day!" quote and the "my Homer is not a communist! [...]" one

 

[Squall_Lionheart]

i love the simpsons. the older ones are absolute gold. some of the best tv i've ever seen

i haven't watched a "new" episode (anything past season 15 really) for many a year, but i've heard that the very recent episodes are actually pretty good

can anyone confirm?

 

[Nae'blis]

Homer at the Bat has always been one of my personal favorites as I love baseball.

You're talking Homer, Ozzie and the Straw?

 

[shortkut]

 

[The Eye in the Sky!]

But I've got 9 home runs today

 

[VashTheStampede]

Meanwhile I'm over here shaving my sideburns

 

[shortkut]

@Warp

 

[Nae'blis]

 

[BigDaddy]

But I've got 9 home runs today

I love how sad/shocked he is to be taken out of a beer league softball game. All of his moments (matter-of-factly telling Homer he's better than him, sucking up to Burns, shedding a tear at Bart and Lisa's taunts, etc.) are gold.

Meanwhile I'm over here shaving my sideburns

I still like him better than Steinbrenner...

 

[VashTheStampede]

 

[BigDaddy]

View attachment 2260

Does it have Vitamin R?

 

[Nae'blis]

Does it have Vitamin R?

I sure hope so, because I always drink plenty of malk!

 

[Raposuh]

 

[Raposuh]

Nurse, cancel my 1 o'clock.