The Simpsons

[nesplayer2299]

"Deadpan voice" Well, the new Simpsons Movie just came out and I thought maybe I should do a post about it. The Simpsons first came on screen 20 years ago on the Tracey Ullman show as crude but hillarious cartoon bumpers. Sure they looked weird but I would take them over the new seasons any day. Well not to get ahead of myself, from what I can remember from my early childhood the Simpsons were everywhere in the early 90's, there were thousands of Simpsons shirts, toys, and of course, video games. Most of these games were average at best but I really enjoyed the Simpsons arcade game. My mom never let me watch the show but I would occasionaly watch the show when I had the chance. The first episode I saw was "Bart the Daredevil" and it still is my favorite episode. Well, skip to 2007 where the movie comes out. I haven't seen it yet so I'm asking those who've seen it some questions. The newer seasons don't have the same feel and I'm worried that the movie won't have the quality of the older ones. So, should I go see it?

[Dudebro]

I was worried the movie would suck to be honest. I saw it and I was laughing quite a bit.
Highly doubt you're gonna like it if your comparing it to the first tracy ulman skits. We all know the first simpsons is alot different than nowdays. Hopefully you're not one of those people who feels like the show isn't funny anymore. The show has evolved from the early concepts and is what it is. If you don't think the newer seasons are funny you probably won't like the movie. Either way, go see it, make the decision for yourself.

[BRODYMAN]

The only thing that gives me hope is the PG-13 rating it earned (LIKE US!) It just tells me that there was no attempt to dumb it down to kiddies.

I don't plan on seeing it in the theater...but I've already added it to my Netflix list.

[madgit360]

put it this way m8 if u do not see it u will regret it for the REST of your life

[nesplayer2299]

Okay, I'll watch it. I think the newer episodes are funny but just don't feel the same as the first four seasons but I still love the show. I'll try to convince my parents to take me because my mom still hates the Simpsons, she just doesn't get the humor but I haven't had a good laugh at a movie theater for a while especially after seeing Ratatouille,that movie just wasn't as good as I heard. For me, all animated movies should be handrawn like the Simpsons, Ren and Stimpy, Looney Tunes, etc. Getting back to hand drawn animation is way better then this CG stuff coming out.

[BRODYMAN]

• Originally Posted by madgit360

  put it this way m8 if u do not see it u will regret it for the REST of your life

  I'm not quite sure I comprehend the intent here...is this a glowing endorsement, or a threat?
  
  I said I'd see it, just not on the big silver screen.
  
  Have you seen it madgit? What's your take on it?
  
  I've always viewed the life cycle of the simpsons (as a show) in 4 stages:
  • Simpsons circa Tracey Ullman - I never really watched Tracey but what I've seen of the show from that time period, it was very simplistic, and grainy, but for what it was (like a toned down SNL cartoon bumper) it was top notch. I also include the first few episodes of season one in this category because of the introductory nature of the content.
  • Simpsons circa bartmania - this timeframe covers roughly most of the first season, through probably season 4 or 5. During this time period most, if not all the plots seemed to be centralized strictly around Bart. If "eat my shorts", and "don't have a cow man" are your most prominent memories of the show, this was your time period. I was 11, 12, 13 during this and I thought it was great. I was totally one of those little brats running around with a "I'm Bart Simpson, who the hell are you?" button pinned to my neon green windbreaker in middle school. Everything was simple, and I liked it that way. Little did I realize that they were underusing their greatest asset at that time, and although it was funny, I wouldn't describe it as having been as clever and witty as later years.
  • Simpsons circa Golden years - World growing tired of Bartman? Yes. Time to close up shop after a good run? Hell no Remember the unused asset I mentioned a little earlier? Well this is where it comes into play. HOMER. When homer's antics reached their pinacle, the show was in it's heyday. Who could forget the "B-sharps" or Homer and his brood of vigilantes whose stupidity is only outweighted by its ineptitude and need to bully the public. Homer is in top form when he moves his family to work for Hank Scorpio, where his motivational techniquest is to promise "donuts, with the possibility of more donuts. Seasons 5 to around 9 are the Simpsons Sweet spot. If you haven't seen many from this time frame, I highly recommend putting these seasons on your netflix list.
  • Simpson circa resting on laurels - I can't really speak all that much to the last four or five seasons of the show, as they bore me...but in my opinion, barring a few episodes here and there (I've always loved the Treehouse of Terror episodes) the show and cast have been coasting for almost a decade. I'm surprised they're still on the air
  
  With that all said, madgit which category would you put the movie in?
  
  
  (* disclosure - I resisted the temptation to research any info while writing this, so some seasons and references may be a little off)

[TNTisKING]

I agree that the show has been in decline over the last few years, although i think the 18th season was much better than the 17th, which was terrible. These newer seasons kind of have a feel to them, sometimes like the writers are trying to hard, but i didn't think that the movie really had that. It wasn't as good as many of the episodes from "the golden years" or "bartmania", but was definitely a lot better than the last few seasons. I would put this movie somewhere between the golden years and resting on laurels (what does that mean anyway?). Most fans of the show probably won't be disappointed. I'm a huge fan, and i thought the movie was great. I'm interested to hear other fans' opinions though.

[nesplayer2299]

Perfect analysis BRODYMAN I grew up during the late Bartmania era and the golden years era. Those truly were the best episodes

[Dudebro]

Wow, somehow I thought Brodyman was much older than me.
So how old are you? I'm almost 29 now so i remember all the simpsons eras. In my opinion the show is going out while it's still doing good. Smart move.

resting on laurels (what does that mean anyway?).

If you were serious;
"RESTS ON HIS LAURELS - "Is satisfied with what he (or she) has achieved, so that he stops striving for success or decides that further effort isn't needed. The Greeks awarded wreaths of laurel leaves to the winners of the Pythian Games, and the Romans gave similar awards to distinguished citizens. For some winners, as with winners of gold medals in modern Olympic games, the award is enough; they have reached the pinnacle. Emanuel Deutch's 'Literary Remains' (1874) carries the suggestion: 'Let them rest on their laurels for a while.'" From "Dictionary of Cliches" by James Rogers (Ballantine Books, New York, 1985)."

Yeah it's copy and paste but it should clear it up.

[BRODYMAN]

Dude bro, contrary to the assertion of others (Tenser) I am not 83, but only 28.

And that is exactly what I meant by resting on laurels.

Wiki Laurels

[Dudebro]

[quote=BRODYMAN ]
Dude bro, contrary to the assertion of others (Tenser) I am not 83, but only 28.

It's Dudebro NO SPACE!
And, it's a good to know this site has some people my age.

[darkshines]

SPIDER PIG!

I don't follow The Simpsons much, but the movie was pretty good.

(This post is so late the author of the thread has probably already seen the movie.)

[ZedIsDead]

I'm really necroposting here, but since we already have a topic for this, I'm not going to start a new one.

For once they show the new "Treehouse of Horror" before Halloween. I missed it, so I'm most likely going to watch it online. To those who saw it: Was it good? The last truly good one was at least five years ago, so I'm not expecting greatness.

The show itself, in my opinion, has devolved from awesome to merely ok. Honestly, I'd rather see it wrap up soon than see it turn to crap.(Which is what happened to Family Guy lately. Yuk.)

@Brody: Your two year old post is spot on. +1.

[Dudebro]

Yeah that was an epic brodyman post. We need more of that around here.

I didn't see the treehouse of horror episode but I'll be sure to check it out. I'm another person who really liked those and looked forward to them. Any chance to have Flanders as a bad guy is worth tuning in.

I have to disagree with you about Family Guy. It's also changed from it's earlier seasons but I think that it's just taking another page out The Simpsons playbook and running with it. The early episodes of FG are good but they lack that manic, insanity that I'm used to with the newer seasons. Peter is one of the few things in this world that makes me literally laugh out loud, that's gotta count for something. Also the bird is the word is brilliant.

[Skayde]

I caught the last two segments of the episode. Not a big fan anymore. The Cleveland show on the otherhand, is pure comedic genius. If only The Simpsons would try a tad bit harder to NOT be so much like Family Guy these days.