I have seen every episode of The Simpsons except The Frying Game and the most recent one (Million Dollar Abie). That's 370 episodes, and I can say with all certainty that the show hasn't been consistent since 1997. There are plenty of diamonds in the rough, to be sure, but overall the show's last ten years have certainly been slower-paced, less funny, more awkward, and just not as well put-together as earlier episodes.
Now if you want to argue that the Simpsons has been getting better since 1997, that is arguable, and is something I'd probably agree with. But the recent episodes just can't compare to the old favorites.
I feel much more strongly about opposing these statements about Family Guy, though. That show has most certainly not been getting better. Family Guy has pretty much sucked since it came back on the air. It's a shell of the show it used to be pre-renewal; it's now a show obsessed with bringing back oft-quoted gags from its classic years; a show obsessed with jokes that go on for waaay too long; a show where Peter has become a cruel lunatic instead of the mischievous, lovable character he once was; a show where Meg no longer has any character traits beyond being hated and shunned by everyone in the family; a show full of awkward jokes and crudity for crudity's sake (yes, the crudity used to be acutally funny); a show where, for God's sake, Peter went blind from trying to set a world record for eating the most nickels. It's just so dumb I can't bear to watch it anymore, but I reminisce about the pre-renewal days, before the jokes became clumsy and lame, when almost every episode was a fast-paced, tightly-knit bundle of hilarity, with surprisingly high good joke:bad joke ratios.
I actually loved the 8th season of South Park, but the 9th tread too much familiar ground. When a show trying to be so controversial manages to be this boring, there is a problem. There were a few decent episodes in the first half (Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina and The Death of Eric Cartman come to mind), but I thought the second half was pretty bland. Nonetheless, South Park has never been too consistent in my opinion, so I think they can bounce back. I've always thought that a show which featured an alien anal probe, a homosexual dog voiced by George Clooney, and an elephant making love to a pig all in its first five episodes is above jumping the shark.
Have either of you actually watched The Simpsons in the last 10 years? As far as I'm concerned it's actually gotten better over time. I found The Family Guy to be incredibly annoying when it first premiered a few years back but it has gotten a little funnier. And South Park is still funny but I can't stand the bozo politics of Matt and Trey.
I certainly have seen The Simpsons within the last ten years; quite a bit of it. It's not funny anymore. It's just so...worn-out. All of the ideas are retreads, and the emotional ties to the characters that used to be so important are now basically useless.
I've always loved Family Guy, and have found it just keeps getting funnier and funnier. I love the politics of Matt Parker and Trey Stone...in their own, let's-lampoon-everything way, they manage to hit the nail precisely on the head. The show is brilliant, and one of the only animated series that still has a damn thing to say about the world.
I think they're all still quite funny, though not as good as they used to be (except Family Guy, which has generally improved with time). However, some of the messages being asserted by Matt and Trey are horrible and effective. One guy in my Drugs class refuses to see drug addiction from the disease model because South Park made fun of the disease model in the bloody Mary episode.
The series basically died ten years ago and was then inhabited by some sort of different, less funny alien clone that has kept its corpse reanimated ever since.
So the question is...
Will the real Simpsons be able to be resurrected in time for the film?
The good ol' days ain't what they used to be... and they never were.
"Will the real Simpsons be able to be resurrected in time for the film." If The Simpsons only had seven good seasons pre-shark then I doubt we'll all live to see a resurrection. Then the question is: Resurrect what?
South Park has been in decline since episode #86 as has Family Guy since it was literally resurrected. I don't personally believe any of that and even if I did I have no problem with enjoying something after the Zeitgeist has moved along. The worst Croissant is better than the best Wonder Bread... if only in aspiration.
Worst. Teaser. Ever.
I like political clowns... except for politicians.
Agreed. "The Simpsons" long ago turned into a pop culture joke fest ala "Family Guy." Speaking of "Family Guy," I can't wait to see it satirized on "South Park" tonight. (Of course, "South Park" itself jumped the shark a ways back as well.)
Now, see...I completely disagree about Family Guy and South Park. I think that they're both still absolutely hilarious. It's just The Simpsons that is a sad, sad shell of something that used to be so great.
I have seen every episode of The Simpsons except The Frying Game and the most recent one (Million Dollar Abie). That's 370 episodes, and I can say with all certainty that the show hasn't been consistent since 1997. There are plenty of diamonds in the rough, to be sure, but overall the show's last ten years have certainly been slower-paced, less funny, more awkward, and just not as well put-together as earlier episodes.
Now if you want to argue that the Simpsons has been getting better since 1997, that is arguable, and is something I'd probably agree with. But the recent episodes just can't compare to the old favorites.
I feel much more strongly about opposing these statements about Family Guy, though. That show has most certainly not been getting better. Family Guy has pretty much sucked since it came back on the air. It's a shell of the show it used to be pre-renewal; it's now a show obsessed with bringing back oft-quoted gags from its classic years; a show obsessed with jokes that go on for waaay too long; a show where Peter has become a cruel lunatic instead of the mischievous, lovable character he once was; a show where Meg no longer has any character traits beyond being hated and shunned by everyone in the family; a show full of awkward jokes and crudity for crudity's sake (yes, the crudity used to be acutally funny); a show where, for God's sake, Peter went blind from trying to set a world record for eating the most nickels. It's just so dumb I can't bear to watch it anymore, but I reminisce about the pre-renewal days, before the jokes became clumsy and lame, when almost every episode was a fast-paced, tightly-knit bundle of hilarity, with surprisingly high good joke:bad joke ratios.
I actually loved the 8th season of South Park, but the 9th tread too much familiar ground. When a show trying to be so controversial manages to be this boring, there is a problem. There were a few decent episodes in the first half (Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina and The Death of Eric Cartman come to mind), but I thought the second half was pretty bland. Nonetheless, South Park has never been too consistent in my opinion, so I think they can bounce back. I've always thought that a show which featured an alien anal probe, a homosexual dog voiced by George Clooney, and an elephant making love to a pig all in its first five episodes is above jumping the shark.
I guess I should clarify that I think Family Guy got progressively better through its original seasons. I haven't seen any of the new ones.
Oh, good. Well that I could possibly agree with.
Have either of you actually watched The Simpsons in the last 10 years? As far as I'm concerned it's actually gotten better over time. I found The Family Guy to be incredibly annoying when it first premiered a few years back but it has gotten a little funnier. And South Park is still funny but I can't stand the bozo politics of Matt and Trey.
I certainly have seen The Simpsons within the last ten years; quite a bit of it. It's not funny anymore. It's just so...worn-out. All of the ideas are retreads, and the emotional ties to the characters that used to be so important are now basically useless.
I've always loved Family Guy, and have found it just keeps getting funnier and funnier. I love the politics of Matt Parker and Trey Stone...in their own, let's-lampoon-everything way, they manage to hit the nail precisely on the head. The show is brilliant, and one of the only animated series that still has a damn thing to say about the world.
I think they're all still quite funny, though not as good as they used to be (except Family Guy, which has generally improved with time). However, some of the messages being asserted by Matt and Trey are horrible and effective. One guy in my Drugs class refuses to see drug addiction from the disease model because South Park made fun of the disease model in the bloody Mary episode.
The teaser really does not do anything for me.
The series basically died ten years ago and was then inhabited by some sort of different, less funny alien clone that has kept its corpse reanimated ever since.
So the question is...
Will the real Simpsons be able to be resurrected in time for the film?
The good ol' days ain't what they used to be... and they never were.
"Will the real Simpsons be able to be resurrected in time for the film." If The Simpsons only had seven good seasons pre-shark then I doubt we'll all live to see a resurrection. Then the question is: Resurrect what?
South Park has been in decline since episode #86 as has Family Guy since it was literally resurrected. I don't personally believe any of that and even if I did I have no problem with enjoying something after the Zeitgeist has moved along. The worst Croissant is better than the best Wonder Bread... if only in aspiration.
Worst. Teaser. Ever.
I like political clowns... except for politicians.
Agreed. "The Simpsons" long ago turned into a pop culture joke fest ala "Family Guy." Speaking of "Family Guy," I can't wait to see it satirized on "South Park" tonight. (Of course, "South Park" itself jumped the shark a ways back as well.)
Now, see...I completely disagree about Family Guy and South Park. I think that they're both still absolutely hilarious. It's just The Simpsons that is a sad, sad shell of something that used to be so great.