The Simpsons renewed for season 23...

[RandyS]

The one and only reason I call it better than anything else on TV is because with the sole exception of Smallville, I hate everything else on TV. And even with that, I watch Smallville and The Simpsons exclusively on DVD, which is why I wish the DVD sets would come out more than once a year.

TV nowdays consists of nothing but extrodinuarly BAD new shows, to mediocre remakes, and I was comparing The Simpsons to that.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I don't watch either, but it makes me sad that this show is out there stinking up the airwaves after how wonderful the early seasons were. I'm sentimental that way. I check in on it once in awhile and within 5 minutes, I get depressed and regret that I even bothered.

Let this be a lesson ... never try.

As Homer would say, "Trying is the first step toward failure."

Was that a different Homer quote or the same one as me?

The full quote was, Don't worry, you tried and you failed. Let this be a lesson, never try.

TheGodBen, it isn't that I think the people who want to end it aren't fans. I'd actually argue the opposite - that they're taking it too seriously. It was an entertaining show and you can still watch the old episodes. Having the show on now only means that something else isn't on during that time slot Sunday nights. It doesn't diminish their older material.

 

[Listener4]

This show used to be funny. Stopped watching a few years ago. But it's probably still better than most of what's on tv now.

 

[TheGodBen]

The one and only reason I call it better than anything else on TV is because with the sole exception of Smallville, I hate everything else on TV. And even with that, I watch Smallville and The Simpsons exclusively on DVD, which is why I wish the DVD sets would come out more than once a year.

TV nowdays consists of nothing but extrodinuarly BAD new shows, to mediocre remakes, and I was comparing The Simpsons to that.

That is most definitely not the case. There's plenty of good shows on today if you know where to look, just because you don't like them doesn't mean they're bad. In my opinion, The Simpsons is currently around the 50% of scripted television. That's below the acceptable threshold of 75% that I stick to.

TheGodBen, it isn't that I think the people who want to end it aren't fans. I'd actually argue the opposite - that they're taking it too seriously. It was an entertaining show and you can still watch the old episodes. Having the show on now only means that something else isn't on during that time slot Sunday nights. It doesn't diminish their older material.

Imagine if Muhammad Ali was still boxing. He's old now and has Parkinson's, he's in no condition to fight, and he repeatedly gets the crap knocked out of him in the ring. For most people, it's a sad state of affairs, but life goes on. For his fans, it is a painful experience to watch it happening.

I'm not a sports fan, so I wouldn't much care if some idiot willingly let other people beat him up, but I am a big comedy fan, and The Simpsons is, arguably, the greatest comedy series ever made. As a fan of The Simpsons, it's not just boring to watch most of the new episodes, it's downright painful. That's one of the reasons why I stopped.

The show has to right to continue, and those that still enjoy watching it have a right to do so, but as a fan of the show almost my entire life, I have a right to say that it should end.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Still, I don't think it's the same thing to compare a person and fiction. For one thing, in fiction, each element stands on its own. While it can in sports, it often doesn't. People look at their statistics and judge them based on other people. Those who far outstay their prime will be judged worse by those long after those who currently have seen them have died. With the Simpsons, if someone wants to watch the show after it finally ends, they can start at the beginning, watch as it gets better and then slowly worse and worse and they'll probably stop watching. They'll conclude the same thing. Great show at first, but you only need to watch the truly funny seasons.

Besides, even if the Ali comparisons were apt, the Simpsons stopped being worthwhile many, many years ago. Any damage to reputation already happened, it's not going to get worse.

 

[Kegg]

Besides, even if the Ali comparisons were apt, the Simpsons stopped being worthwhile many, many years ago. Any damage to reputation already happened, it's not going to get worse.

It's going to be more quantitative, though. We've gone from 'the most recent seasons of the Simpsons is subpar' to 'around half of the Simpsons is subpar'.

By the time the show eventually ends I would not be surprised if we could say 'only the first third is worth watching.'

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Still, if you say the first 9 years are good, that's pretty damn good.

 

[Gaith]

Frankly, I haven't found The Simpsons relevant or entertaining in years.

Bingo - a key issue, I think. The show makes topical references, but refuses to evolve. I once read an article complaining that The Simpsons may have helped keep people scared of nuclear power after all these years... the same article rather intriguingly suggested that Homer transfer his mischief-making prowess to, say, the subprime-mortgage loan sector, or Big Finance in general.

But no, it's same ol', same ol', with new voice cameos. Hoo-rah.

 

[Peach Wookiee]

I'd much rather watch "The Simpsons" than Seth MacFarlane's crap. Cleveland has become black Peter Griffin... MacFarlane is cookie cutter.

 

[Too Much Fun]

One positive thing I can say about "The Simpsons" is it's the lesser of three evils looking at the Sunday night Fox line-up. I feel sort of the same way about "Family Guy" as I do about "The Simpsons", because I really loved it for awhile and now I think it's become unwatchable junk, but I only liked "Family Guy" for three seasons. Also, most of the time the biggest sin of "The Simpsons" is that it's boring, whereas "Family Guy" has become so unbelievably disgusting, lazy, and stupid, that it's insulting to one's intelligence.

It also commits character assassination repeatedly. The stuff Brian has done and said in recent seasons is appalling. The original concept of the character - a snobby talking dog who tries to just act like a normal person, was clever. Now he just does whatever crazy shit the writers can come up with and and/or acts as a surrogate for MacFarlane's political views.

 

[The Wormhole]

I'd much rather watch "The Simpsons" than Seth MacFarlane's crap. Cleveland has become black Peter Griffin... MacFarlane is cookie cutter.

The worse part is that even the writers realize how similar the shows are. A character on The Cleveland Show actually referred to Cleveland's step-son as "black Stewie."

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I watch it occasionally and laugh. That's what it's for.

 

[DeafPoet]

I maybe only watch 2 or 3 new episodes a year anymore and no, it's not as good as it used to be. But hey, it's 20+ years old. It'd be a bigger shock if it was as cutting edge as it used to be.

It's far from being as offensively bad as some other sitcoms on TV so I say let them keep going. I'll catch some of these in reruns eventually and there's bound to be a gem or two among the rest of it which will be perfectly serviceable comedy.

 

[Amaris]

The recent "Lisa Simpson, this isn't your life" episode was decent. I got a couple of really good laughs out of Homer and the wedding cake incident.

 

[MichaelDornFan]

Has anyone else noticed how the show's ratings have surged this season?

 

[Derishton]

The recent "Lisa Simpson, this isn't your life" episode was decent. I got a couple of really good laughs out of Homer and the wedding cake incident.

I thought that was a pretty good episode, too.

Of the four Fox Sunday cartoons, American Dad is probably the most consistent in quality; Family Guy is generally terrible. The Cleveland Show has its moments, but is usally pretty forgettable.

 

[darkshadow0001]

You know what would be kind of neat is to see the kids actually grow up for a change, maybe that could make the show better? I've seen some of the newer episodes recently and they seemed to be a bit better then a number of years ago. Maybe they've finally wised up and got better writers.

 

[Mr Light]

I've thought for awhile they need to jump forward a few years in the timeline so that Bart and Lisa are in high school and Maggie can talk.

 

[Derishton]

I've thought for awhile they need to jump forward a few years in the timeline so that Bart and Lisa are in high school and Maggie can talk.

Groenig's always said he wouldn't do that, largely because Bart's future is (he says) so bleak. But I agree it would open up a lot of new territory for the show, which might be what the show needs. I still think there's some gems, but too many lacklustre episodes before you get to those gems.

 

[LitmusDragon]

I stopped watching for about 5 seasons, and now I'm watching again. I think the switch to HD has energized the show to a certain extent. Not that it's great as it used to be but it's certainly watchable.

I did like the movie a lot too.

If I were to pick the absolute worst season (when I was paying attention) I think it would probably probably be 10 or 11. Some awful episodes there. Then the show kind of hit a stride of mediocrity where it's been ever since.

I think that I sound like the comic book guy when I discuss the show in such minute detail. "Here, when they made Barney sober, this is the absolute nadir point of the Simpsons!"