Current Events > so im doing my yearly tortur- i mean rewatch - Simpsons, all of it

(+) Yeah! (+)

so, i try to do this every year because i invariably end up running into a lot of people who, often smugly and condescendingly, will say that simpsons is merely different, not bad or unfunny

i just finished the Sideshow Bob face/off episode

here's my boildown of the simpsons seasons:

1 - old, not my style, very real, not the same kind of hyperactive wit in the golden stuff

2 - still sappy, still a bit real, getting snappier in terms of wit and bite

3 thru 6 - the single greatest stretch of television in existence

7 thru 8 - vibe change, deeper into pop culture flavors and references, zany, some good episodes still but getting rarer

9 - vibe change solidified, absolute crazy plots, emerging new characterizations and flanderizations (especially homer), not bad but it is definitively a different show by now imo

10 - the last season that has any good episodes (2 by my count)

11 and on - desperate, slow, can be funny on occasion but almost always ruins it by keeping the joke going or explaining it, no confidence in itself or its audience

also poor harry shearer man. im not in the "julie kavner is dying" seasons yet but harry shearer starts to go at like, season 17

I would disagree that Season 10 is the last season with any good episodes. Season 12 has "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes" (S12E06), "HOMR" (S12E09) , "New Kids on the Blecch" (S12E14) and "Trilogy of Error" (S12E18). My cuttoff is Season 14 "How I Spent My Strummer Vacation" (S14E02). It's all downhill after that.

i am aware of the episodes following season 10

I rewatched season 1 not too long ago because I had not seen most of it since I was a kid. It was rough a bit since it was a show early in its run, but charming in its own way.

Seasons 9,10,11, and 12 have some good episodes. They're few and far between though and I don't think I could watch all of those seasons.

Do you have any episodes in the later seasons that you would consider great? I saw that some of the recent seasons have an occasional diamond in the rough but haven't checked any myself.

I tried to watch it all a year or two ago and had to tap out in season 13.

I would suggest not doing that, not every year.

I agree with most of your takes but disagree with lumping everything after S11 in the same category. The show took a noticeable turn for the better around S20 but for the most part it's still not entertaining imo.

MC_BatCommander posted...

Do you have any episodes in the later seasons that you would consider great? I saw that some of the recent seasons have an occasional diamond in the rough but haven't checked any myself.

Holidays of Future Passed in S23 is actually one of the best episodes in the series but only because it was intended to be a series finale.

There are 791 episodes of The Simpsons. Let's say without commercials they're 20 minutes long. It would take over 260 hours to watch them all. How do you do this every year?

CRON posted...

The show took a noticeable turn for the better around S20

People say this and I'll tune into a random episode and it will literally be unwatchable.

MC_BatCommander posted...

Do you have any episodes in the later seasons that you would consider great? I saw that some of the recent seasons have an occasional diamond in the rough but haven't checked any myself.

I tried to watch it all a year or two ago and had to tap out in season 13.

I'll let you know. as per my last 3 watches, i do not. but im changin all the time!

SwayM posted...

People say this and I'll tune into a random episode and it will literally be unwatchable.

It's still not good but it's not as bad as that long ass jerkass Homer/zombie Simpsons era.

SwayM posted...

People say this and I'll tune into a random episode and it will literally be unwatchable.

yea ive expressed your sentiment more or less verbatim. people have been saying what CRON said for years and years, and its just literally never been true for me

bluezero posted...

There are 791 episodes of The Simpsons. Let's say without commercials they're 20 minutes long. It would take over 260 hours to watch them all. How do you do this every year?

that doesnt seem like a lot of time. it just replaces video games for a couple weeks for me. i cook and clean a lot and easy for me to pay attention during that as well

Maybe if you actually have been watching the show all the way through you may notice a slight upturn but for people who have written it off completely it's impossible to find anything nice to say about it.

Dungeater posted...

yea ive expressed your sentiment more or less verbatim. people have been saying what CRON said for years and years, and its just literally never been true for me

It's a slight improvement from the show at its absolute worst. I still have so many problems with it. None of the jokes land and too many episodes follow the same gimmicks.

I imagine there is also some level of burnout by the time you hit the later seasons. Even if they are maybe mid I can imagine my rating scale would be very harsh after watching like, 11 seasons of a single show in a row lol.

Error1355 posted...

I imagine there is also some level of burnout by the time you hit the later seasons. Even if they are maybe mid I can imagine my rating scale would be very harsh after watching like, 11 seasons of a single show in a row lol.

if there is, im not cognizant of it. i feel ive got a pretty good head on my shoulders in terms of media analysis

The episode with Frank Grimes Jr. was what sealed the show as officially having jumped the shark for me. Especially the police chase on stilts. I could feel part of my soul dying.

You have, multiple times, watched 20+ seasons that you would describe as:

Dungeater posted...

desperate, slow, can be funny on occasion but almost always ruins it by keeping the joke going or explaining it, no confidence in itself or its audience

Why do you keep re-watching every episode if you know you aren't going to like them?

Kami_no_Kami posted...

Surprised you dont like Season 11. Dumbbell Indemnity is one of my favorites.

Mmm, meeee

i think i sour on simpsons more sensitively than most simpsons fans. i consider season 7 the first bad season and the sign of the end times, it just has enough good thats it not a big deal to me. i never see anyone call 7 the beginning of the end

I've been on my complete watch through for about two years now. Been on a break the last couple months but need to get back to it.

I was watching in order for the first several seasons then started jumping around everywhere so I wasn't just watching a long stretch of doodoo. Last couple seasons have been enjoyable. Nothing will come close to that golden age stretch of course but it's interesting seeing how newer writers are handling these characters. Real strange seeing Bart run around with an iPhone.

googs19 posted...

Why do you keep re-watching every episode if you know you aren't going to like them?

i regularly reevaluate my taste. each time i rewatch, im rewatching with all the character and taste-informing experience of the past year. so anythings possible

Damn, you caught me. I didnt realize that was a season 9 episode.

Anyway, Behind the Laughter is the last good episode.

I feel like by the time you finished one yearly watchthrough, it would be time to start the next...

googs19 posted...

Why do you keep re-watching every episode if you know you aren't going to like them?

As someone who is compelled to always do something from the start of a series, even if the early entries are garbage and I actively hate it and almost prevents me from making it to the actually good stuff? I absolutely understand having 'your own ways' with things like this. =P

Dungeater posted...

if there is, im not cognizant of it. i feel ive got a pretty good head on my shoulders in terms of media analysis

Fair enough. Things like this is something I always want to do with show series but I always lose steam VERY early on. :(

sure

Could someone just start at season 3?

MuscleRobo posted...

Could someone just start at season 3?

sure, but you miss out on some good heart

Dungeater posted...

sure, but you miss out on some good heart

I know there's not nearly as much but I adore Mission Hill and I've been told the creators of that are responsible for a lot of what people consider "Golden Era" Simpsons.

i havent heard of that

Not a popular opinion, but I actually really like season 1. The animation is unpolished but super interesting to look at and the writing has this this fun cheesy sitcom vibe.

I think 7 is my personal favorite though.

Dungeater posted...

i havent heard of that

I think Weinstein and Oakley were showrunners for season 6 to 8? I'd have to double check.

Edit: 7 and 8, but they also wrote a bunch before that.

RasterGraphic posted...

I think Weinstein and Oakley were showrunners for season 6 to 8? I'd have to double check.

i meant i havent heard of mission hill

is that even possible to do within a year at this point?

Dungeater posted...

i meant i havent heard of mission hill

Mission Hill is awesome. It was short-lived but reran on Cartoon Network for years. Unique "urban" art style and tone, very funny writing. I recommend it.

You rewatch 800 episodes of the simpsons...every year?

My fav is the future Christmas episode

pinky0926 posted...

You rewatch 800 episodes of the simpsons...every year?

something like that yea

and the movie (which i don't tend to enjoy)

My dude. I shall remember this the next time you mention my unhealthy hyperfixation personality issue.

pinky0926 posted...

My dude. I shall remember this the next time you mention my unhealthy hyperfixation personality issue.

if u recall each time i brought it up i said i might be seeing it because i can relate. i think i used tone indicators too cuz it was never not genuine and i didn't mean it as judgmental, just as a suggestion or possible context

Makes sense. I respect the grind. I have rewatched one piece twice, but not sure I couls do it again.

Simpsons was a brilliant show at one point, I have a friend who puts it on as background noise and it makes me laugh still.

I check in on new episodes once in a while but mostly just the Treehouse of Horror episodes. The one a few years back with Death Note and Westworld was funny. The one this year was awful. I realize it's the 50th and 30th anniversaries respectively this year but doing Jaws and Waterworld parodies? (especially the Waterworld one). At least the middle story was a movie out more recently even if the Late Night With the Devil parody was wasted.

Jfc, why? I've joked about maybe doing this if I was ever bedridden for a few months, but watching all of the simpsons annually is crazier than the voices in my head.

PeteyParker posted...

I check in on new episodes once in a while but mostly just the Treehouse of Horror episodes. The one a few years back with Death Note and Westworld was funny. The one this year was awful. I realize it's the 50th and 30th anniversaries respectively this year but doing Jaws and Waterworld parodies? (especially the Waterworld one). At least the middle story was a movie out more recently even if the Late Night With the Devil parody was wasted.

Omg they did a dn parody???

K181 posted...

Jfc, why? I've joked about maybe doing this if I was ever bedridden for a few months, but watching all of the simpsons annually is crazier than the voices in my head.

cuz lots of people online say theres merit in the post classic stuff. i hear it often, and so i revisit the show often to see if that holds tru for me

Dungeater posted...

cuz lots of people online say theres merit in the post classic stuff. i hear it often, and so i revisit the show often to see if that holds tru for me

but there is so much more stuff that you can never rate if you rewatch too much things.

well same with people replaying games imo.

Rai_Jin posted...

but there is so much more stuff that you can never rate if you rewatch too much things.

well same with people replaying games imo.

thats ok, i dont gotta see it all

Aside from Treehouse of Horror every year Ive been out of the loop for about 5 years now

Ive wanted to do the same since Ive always loved The Simpsons, but it seems like such a daunting task lol

It took me two or three months to watch Malcom in the Middle