The Simpsons

I love that Homer and Agnes hate each other. Agnes IS the worst.

The kids don't even know their mother's full name. The reason they feel such shame is because they should.

The idea that Petey was a nightmare bird was a good twist. I guess it wasn't super unpredictable (although it DID surprise me) but it definitely fit.

The effectiveness of the lock pick is a red flag over the Gummi cyanide.

Megan Mullally back as Sarah Wiggum and Dawnn Lewis back as Bernice Hibbert. Good to hear both.

Good week. 4 1/2 stars.

Something about me: I HATE Future Simpsons episodes. But I didn't turn against them after Bart The Future. I freaking hated Lisa's Wedding! At the time of broadcast! I'm not making that up! I believed TV Guide declared that the second best episode ever (or maybe that was Entertainment Weekly) and I think it sucked.

The future stuff is always cynical and depressing, and boxes the show in. Al Jean can chortle about negative continuity, and how episodes never effect one another all he wants, but I will never apologize for taking the show more seriously than the creators do. I don't think ANY fan should apologize for that. And because I take it seriously, I hate the different futures shown.

Basically, the only future Simpsons bit I ever liked was in the Itchy and Scratchy Movie episode where a flashforward reveals Bart is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. As far as I'm concerned, that's the only future thing we've ever seen that's actually canon. Everything else is nonsense, even if The Simpsons Predict The Future. I don't care if they were real-world accurate. They suck.

And if you want to credit the show for predicting the future you have to admit the Elon Musk slam here is too little, too late. Hey, Simpsons! You built that!

Whenever Marge and Homer get into a fight in recent seasons I am always shocked how angry I always personally get at Marge. Her not believing Homer in his time of trial is bad enough. But I'm trying to think of major previous examples of Homer lying to her about something so huge. Homer simply is NOT that character, or a particularly good or notable liar. How dare Marge accuse him of such? I'm tired of the fact that in order to endanger the marriage the writers have to make Marge the worst person ever. It's better than running Jerkass Homer into the ground, granted, but here's a crazy thought, how about showing that they love each other, their marriage works, and they are there for each other when it matters? The show has actually done that on occasion, and each time the result was great. Every time they create false conflict due to crap like this, the episode sucks. What does that tell you, and how is it the writers haven't gotten that message yet themselves?

I admit to laughing at Bart declaring the town's villain Luigi. I'm wondering why he thinks that. What's great about the joke is Luigi is pretty fringe character. We only know his name because he always repeats it himself. He's not actually funny or even well-known. And you'd figure Bart of all people would think Sideshow Bob was the town villain, or at least Fat Tony. It's a random dumb joke that makes no sense, that I like because I'm trying to make sense of it and I can't.

Mr. Burns being held to account by being forced to pay a fine he could easily afford enrages rather than amuses me because it is real-world accurate. The joke is too painful and true to be remotely funny. Sometimes the show's truthful satire really makes the you think. But that level of cynicism is something I really only tolerate in good episodes. If an episode is already crappy I'm not going to thank it for bumming me out too.

Like Julie Kavner, Harry Shearer has completely lost his singing voice. Unlike Kavner, he actually made the attempt here, as embarrassing as it sounds. It's not just that his performance was bad. I felt the song itself was all over the map in tone, melody, and intention, and it was already halfway over before I got ANY idea of what the gist was supposed to be. Honestly, I'm still not 100% sure. If it was a parody or reference to something, I don't know what it was talking about.

Just no. Bad Simpsons. Naughty Simpsons. Stop this crap. Please. 1 star.

David Tennant and Karen Gillan are what I call a couple of Great Scots.

Is "Wetting the Mogwai" gonna take off as a catchphrase the way "Jump the Shark" and "Nuke the Fridge" did? Because it totally deserves to.

I love the runner of Skinner accusing Bart of showing his colonoscopy to the entire second grade, Bart saying that Ralph spotted a polyp, and Skinner being all dismissive because it was benign. Some sort of comedy of social errors was taking place here, but for the life of me I couldn't tell who was actually mistreating who.

I actually would have enjoyed an actual episode where Bart became friends with Willie and they were the team-up from Hell against Skinner. But they went WAY too fast and far here with the notion that Bart would do anything for him. Just, no. Brushing away Bart hating the guy for 30 years for a 30 second montage simply will not do.

The selling point of Ticket Booth: The Play is that it's clever but not actually good.

I loved Homer's destination wedding rant. Those two eyeballs floating in the dark are the deepest the network has ever allowed us to see Homer and Marge in coitus. Also love that they wound up at the nightmare wedding after all. And Chalmers asking about a potential Lunchgentleman Doris is exactly as creepy as Homer predicted it would be. It's not often Homer is right. He was down to the letter. Which is why the following thing bugged me so much.

This is my major complaint and major concern too. The complaint is Marge's appalling behavior at the wedding. I like these recent seasons more than the Wilderness Years too. But while Jerkass Homer isn't much of a problem anymore, Jerkass Marge IS. And the thing that I don't think the show understands is that they can't easily make Marge the bad guy in the fight and have the audience forgive her. Homer is clueless but usually well-meaning. Marge actually knows better and has better social graces than to do this. Worse (much worse) is her inexplicably being angry at HOMER the next day, and HOMER being the one having to repair things and convince HER they belong together. The show has so pounded into the ground the message that Marge is always right, Homer has to learn a lesson in humility even when she's visibly and maddeningly wrong, and even cruel.

The other concern is something you can tell me to shut the hell up about. I think The Simpsons won't last another two seasons. I think Julie Kavner sounds extremely sick. She's already elderly and she's clearly struggling in every line she says week in and week out. I predict Kavner will pass away within a couple of years, and the show will quietly end. Morbid? Maybe. But something like this happening was GONNA happen to a show that's been on the air for over 30 years. I sincerely hope The Simpsons had some sort of game plan (maybe the cast all recorded a secret last episode a few years ago for when one of them died?) but it would really annoy me if they did not. 30 years is enough of a head start to have those kinds of longterm plans in mind.

Quite a few good individual jokes, especially at the beginning. But Julie Kavner is worrying me, as are the show's producers being dumb enough to believe the show could EVER last as long as SNL. This is why it never could and why the show as an "Evergreen Franchise" was a pipe dream. And I will never thank the show for Jerkass Marge. It's weird the show thinks I would. 3 stars.

The mystery solve explanations were solid and meant the mystery was well-constructed. The culprit however was not. It was CLEARLY Taika Waititi and there really was no other person it could be.

I love that Homer is mad he isn't playing Uncle Fester. He's bald. You know what? As far as gripes go, that's legit.

It's possible this was Sideshow Mel's biggest role ever. It's not a brag considering how underutilized the character always is but I noticed.

I'll tell you the thing that bugs me. It makes me hate an episode I previously hated even more than I already did. The was an episode a few seasons back where Bart trapped everyone on a cruise ship because he believed he would never get to go on another one ever again. And it's like EVERYONE is on this one and it's no big deal, which again makes me hate Bart more than I already did for that episode.

Mixed feelings about the episode. 2 1/2 stars.

But then Bart looks at Homer with dismay and says, "Dad, we BROKE Mom!" and I was like, "Oh, I get it now! Nice!' Great moment.

My second favorite bit was Brandine (of all characters) reluctantly agreeing to kill Homer and Bart, but they'll probably need to sign a waiver first. So remind me why she and Cletus are supposed to be the trashy characters again?

Those fishing puns at the beginning were off the hook. No that pun doesn't stink. You do. They who smelt is dealt it. Better?

Famous cheaters at the end getting called out. Love it.

If you ever take a class where the teacher tells you to look to your left and then to your right, you are looking a person who started their brother's wedding toast with "Webster's Dictionary Defines". Bart has no way of knowing this, but he is already an utter failure as a person, and is destined for a life of mediocrity. And the cheating has nothing to do with it.

They Broke Mom! I get it now. Nice! 4 stars.

I love Carl referring to Homer covering the town in a dome in The Simpsons Movie as "A Tuesday".

The show doesn't do enough Life In Hell references anymore. "Life In Hell-sinki" helps a little.

This is an episode that isn't remotely good, but it's not offensive either. It's like the show has been around for 35 seasons, and it's just an episode that's there. I'll totally forget it soon enough. By the way, Season 49 is a wee bit optimistic on the show's end. I will be shocked if it lasts another five. 3 stars.

Also the Mario Kart parody was beyond lazy. Reall,y, REALLY bottom-tier effort there.

Homer is a crazy driver? That just makes me like him a LOT less.

Not feeling this episode. Lots of problems. 2 1/2 stars.

I HATE Luanne Van Houten. But when she basically threw in Bart's face what a lost cause and bad person he was, I liked her a little more than I did before that. Ironically, the thing that sets off the conflict, the unforgivable thing that causes Marge Simpson to lose her famous rationality, resonated with me for being true. And it was refreshing to me an adult said it to him. That friend of Homer's played by Michael Rappaport who HATES him is somebody else I dig, but his hatred is a bit irrational, so as awesome and funny as it is, I don't take it seriously.

That awful and TRUE thing Luanne said? She meant every word. Which I appreciated the hell out of.

Great character moments for Skinner and Agnes, and Nelson and Milhouse too. It's just solid all the way around there. And I like that Ms. Peyton IS still a semi-regular despite voiced by Kerry Washington. I like that the show is serious about having her become a part of the main cast.

Now the Primal stuff. The stuff people are raving about.

I hate Primal. I've ALWAYS hated Primal. Even episodes I gave a decent review to, I hated on some level. I saw the Pilot, hated it, and said to myself, "Come on, it's Genndy Tartakovsky. You can trust him." That level of naivete and idiocy is totally on-brand for Matt Zimmer, and probably the real reason I watch as much crap as I do. Did you hear Primal is coming back for a third season? I won't be watching it. I'm sick of watching TV that punishes me for having the gall and audacity to watch it. That pisses me off, believe it or not. I'm done with that crap.

Do I sound a little rage-filled to you? I assure you my anger is rational, and done after being repeatedly punched in the face by that show. It's not rage if you come by your anger honestly.

And that's the thing about Marge. Is it possible she got so mad because she knows deep down, Luanne is right? If so, she's mad at the wrong person. I wouldn't even be taking the blame for Bart about that. But if I were her, I'd give serious weight and concern over the fact that despite her love, despite the fact that Homer treats Bart like a real person and is a good father, that Bart is an amoral sociopath who enjoys causing and pain and suffering because it amuses him. I would not be mad at Luanne in that scenario. I'd be like, "Oh, my God, other people can see that too? Homer, I think we need to talk about Bart."

I liked the drama at school. But the Primal allegory during it left me a bit cold. Which is appropriate because Primal does too. 4 stars.

Apu and Sanjay cameoed. The show would have been better off just dropping them entirely.

I think Homer and the kids ordering food is unforgivable enough. Him turning in a shill against the union is even worse.

I felt the resolution was too pat and stupid, but at least the show put in the barest legwork to give Homer the stupid idea. It's also nice for Marge to fondly tell him nobody makes bigger mess than he does.

The electromagnetic fried MMMM from Homer was funny, but the real gut-buster was Lisa being her father's daughter and MMMM-ing the Tofu dish (I can't spell it).

If that chicken had actually died at the beginning, the episode would have lost me. That was TOO dark.

I laughed at the ending Wiseguy narration that Marge always brought up Homer's betrayal in every fight afterwards. But did he have to say "for the rest of their marriage"? That frame puts it into question. Even after episodes like tonight, it never should be.

I like that it's the expense of the cartoon that is the last straw for the workers. They are pissed off for the right reasons.

The politics of the episode are hamfisted, and too easily worked through. It's ALWAYS been a problem for this show, even in the early years, and that weakness has never improved. 3 stars.

The animation in the musical sequence reminded me of a Ralph Bakshi cartoon.

Marge thinks Lenny is sensitive? Okay, Marge. Go over to the new mall. There's an uncovered angel skeleton there for you to fall for.

I do have to acknowledge the animation did some great facial expressions on Moe while he was plotting with Homer. But I kind of resent that whenever I half-forget Moe is the single worst person who ever lived the show always feels the need to remind me of it. Ugh.

Or more accurately, Meh. 3 stars.

I have to say I did not like that the thing Marge splurged on was a ring. It's not a thing she could actually enjoy. As far as luxuries go, it felt trite, and as if the male writer (Jean) doesn't understand a woman's real wants and desires. Which is sadly on-brand for the show.

I am glad the Springies weren't real, and were a dream sequence. Although I love that the theme song to The Adventures Of Ned Flanders played when Ned got on stage. Literally been DECADES since we last hear that specific ditty.

The 3 second return policy is the show exploring the true idea that jewelry is nothing but a scam. South Park has dealt with this idea before too, and it's true. And while it is, it really shouldn't have been Marge's chosen luxury and splurge.

The Grinch song was awful, but the jeans songs was not.

I think both Julie Kavner AND Harry Shearer have lost a few steps in their performances. Smithers and Burns sound like they are performed by a different, weaker-voiced actor, and Kavner literally cannot do the same whispery voice for Marge's mother anymore.

You knew the show was gonna have to do its take on Barbieheimer, but yeah, it's late. In fairness, I still haven't seen Oppenheimer yet either.

The ending was nice. I'll give it that and choose to think of the episode positively. 4 stars.

I think the bit with Stewie Griffin at the end REALLY helped. The "9:30" show slam was funny, as was Homer calling the bleeps "Cheap laughs, kid." Seth MacFarlane is a good sport.

The rest of the short was not that great. But none of the Disney+ shorts are, so I'll take a great ending and like it. 3 1/2 stars.

The problem is the moral is about how annoying tipping is. Yes, they eventually talked about service workers making a living wage, but most of the episode is about how annoying tipping and its expectations are. A savvier show than The Simpsons would make the ENTIRE episode a political statement about fair wages, but a show written by old cranks who have been in the TV business too long mainly focus on how this affects THEM. And that's a big reason whenever the show does a take on a modern problem it doesn't work. They always focus on the wrong things, and the fogey writers mostly miss the forest for the trees.

I will say this additional thing for the "We need a new bar" scene. I am still going to watch the show next week. Even after that scene. Which pretty much telegraphs I'm never gonna stop watching. Normally, that's the kind of thing that would swear me off something entirely. The fact that it did not says this show will never lose me, no matter what.

That episode sucked ass. 1 stars.

I think the reason I'm mostly pissed is it's a good premise. Trying to attach too much meaning to it, and making Bart attached to the brain is making a fun idea less fun, with MUCH less comedy to go with the lack of hijinks. It's a funny premise that the show stupidly decided to take seriously. Are they high? Or stupid? I can't tell. This misfire is annoying because a competent show never would have made it so. In fact if the show were better it would have made the episode about something else entirely and turned this into the B plot. Bart buying a factory for a buck works because the entire episode is not about it. Also because Homer's Enemy is the best episode of the series, but I sort of want to stay on-point here.

Marge thinks Lisa is going to Hell? No. Mistake.

Marge tells Bart she no longer loves him? No. Mistake.

Bart gets a serious and weird attachment to the brain? No. Mistake.

Bart making fun of Ms. Peyton for not having kids? No mistake.

It's not like the episode has NO value. I continue to love Miss Peyton and how her homework punishment is far more brutal for Bart initially than detention. Another thing I really responded to (because I HATE Bart) was when Bart was bragging about this prank being his pinnacle, and they could kill him, and that wouldn't detract from it, I love Chalmers is just all, "Shut up." Shit like that is why Chalmers is awesome. He's the only character on the show (besides Homer) who will tell Bart to shut up when he needs to. I wish every character did it all day long. That kid sucks.

I also laughed at Carl's "They grow up so fast." I love it because I don't think he was being stupid. I think he was being snarky. The secondary cast RARELY gets a chance to do that, so I like Carl being hipper and funnier than usual.

Current Simpsons still has the ability to make good episodes. But this has been a poor recent season, and there were enough flaws present to make me even wonder what the point of the show is anymore. Because from what Al Jean has said, the point of The Simpsons CURRENTLY is to make 1000 episodes. And you know what? That doesn't actually sound like any kind of point at ALL. It's weird Jean thinks it is, and sees it as some sort of goal instead of an arbitrary number than means nothing to how good or bad the show is. The producers are not currently valuing the right things, and if the show is only still on the air so the producers can coast for 200 additional episodes? That's bullshit.

The show has lasted 36 seasons and counting. I want there to be actual reasons for the show to still be around. Not every episode needs to be A Serious Flanders. But there should be MORE episodes attempting bold things than there are. And weirdly this episode's premise is relatively bold and could have remained so as a B plot. Turning it into an emotional arc for Bart shows the show not only doesn't currently understand good comedy. It doesn't understand good drama either. And I could live with the show sucking at one or the other. BOTH means the next 200 episodes are gonna be a slog. 1 1/2 stars.

What a weird reality we live in.

That was phenomenal. I guess my main complaint is it WOULD have made a perfect series finale. What many people who have been demanding the show end don't understand is that the concept of the show is entirely open-ended. There are some series finales (like that for Everybody Loves Raymond) that don't upend the status quo at all because it's unnecessary. Bart ultimately refusing to do that would be a perfect message for the actual series finale. That's my one regret.

Okay, second regret. The idea that the producers are suggesting this is what the series finale actually NEEDS to be for real makes me a little nervous. I THINK they're jiving, but if they're not, that's troubling.

I love Ralph as Bran Stark in the end credits. WHO the fuck won the Game of Thrones?!?! Are you freaking kidding me?!?!?

For the record, Lost's finale was phenomenal. Lost's finale was dragged on by fans who actually didn't understand the point of the series. If they'd answered all the questions, the series would lose all its appeal in hindsight. The show choosing to pay off the character arcs instead, shows great insight by the producers into how the show should have ended.

Lost's "fans" do nothing but annoy me. They bemoan the selling point of their entire fandom. I hope those assholes never watch Twin Peaks. They would absolutely shit their pants. I would have KILLED for Twin Peaks to end like Lost did (either time). Lost fans are a buncha genre lightweights and spoiled rotten. David Lynch would eat them for lunch.

Professor Farnsworth once opined upon reality turning stupid, "I don't want to live on this planet anymore." But a world where The Simpsons is better than Futurama? I kind of want to see what happens next.

Also, Go Kamala! 5 stars.