[Deorum]

I agree with pretty much all of these comments, especially about the show simply lacking the bite and wit that used to come on the surface of the jokes, combined with the more layered aspects of them, and the show in general. Trying to have the show offer a nice message, or a happy ending, or some sap with Marge and Homer was just not entertaining and did not complement the humor. I do not have time to produce an essay explaining everything wrong with it, but Blarg's post does it justice pretty well.

However, I disagree that the show recycles the same material and it just isn't funny anymore. The jokes have changed. It lost the wit it once had, and now the jokes (or rather the jokes after about season 8 - I haven't really watched it since) are completely on the surface and simply don't make sense. They used to be funny because they caught you off guard and were subtle, but they flowed with the story line. Now they seemingly come out of nowhere and have nothing to do with what is going on. They do not have a basis within the motives of the characters, and the viewer is left with the feeling of "Wow, that came out of nowhere, has nothing to do with anything that is going on, and is simply not funny." They lack context. I think the writers are simply trying to mimic the comedic success that the earlier seasons had, but they simply don't get it. They don't understand why the humor it had in the beginning was funny. The jokes went from stupidly funny within the context of the characters involved in the joke (ie Homer was stupid and did stupid things) to simply random and out of character with respect to the characters involved. One might argue that the characters now lack character themselves. They are a compilation of random bits.

One thing that always bothered me was when the show began to go downhill, many fans refused to acknowledge it. Many still raved that it was 'the best show ever' despite the fact that it wasn't funny anymore. They wanted it to remain what it was so badly that they refused to admit that it was not what it once was. The example that sticks out most in my mind is when Homer went to do some missonary work and was saying "Jebus" instead of "Jesus". I cannot tell you how many times I looked at somebody with pity as they spouted on and on about "Jebus" at some social setting, pretending to laugh, trying to gain social acceptance from other Simpsons fans while desperately clinging to something they wanted to be funny so badly that simply wasn't.

Anyway, I'll leave you with my favorite Simpsons scene (not an exact transcript, but the gist of it is here):

Setting: Skinner's Mother's House, where Skinner has invited Super Nintendo Chalmers over for dinner. Super Nintendo Chalmers knocks on the door, and Skinner opens the door to greet him.

Super Nintendo Chalmers: SKINNER!

Skinner: Wha- what!?!

Super Nintendo Chalmers: Just keeping you on your toes (handing him a bottle of wine and smiling).

They enter the dining room, Super Nintendo Chalmers sits at the table, and Skinner opens the kitchen door to enter the kitchen, which is full of smoke as he realizes the meal he has prepared is burning. Skinner is distraught that the dinner will be ruined, but glances out the window to find a solution in the Krusty Burger across the street. He begins to climb out the window. Enter Super Nintendo Chalmers as Skinner has one leg out the window.

Super Nintendo Chalmers: Skinner, what in blazes are you doing?

Skinner: Uh, exercising, stretching out the old hamstrings (as he pretends to do leg stretches on the window)

Super Nintendo Chalmers: Oh. Good lord, there is smoke coming out of your oven!

Skinner: Uh, no, no, that's not smoke, it's steam! Steam from the, uh, steamed clams we're having!

Super Nintendo Chalmers: Oh, well then, I'll just go back in the dining room and sit down.

Skinner climbs out the window to go get Krusty Burgers, and returns. He enters the dining room with a tray full of hamburgers.

Skinner: Here we are, nice mouth watering hamburgers!

Super Nintendo Chalmers: Hamburgers? I thought you said we were having steamed clams?

Skinner: Uh, no, I said steamed hams! That's what I call steamed hamburgers.

Super Nintendo Chalmers: Oh, I thought you said steamed clams.

Skinner: No, no, I said steamed hams. It's a regional dialect.

Super Nintendo Chalmers: What region?

Skinner: Uh, upstate New York?

Super Nintendo Chalmers: Hmm, well I'm from Albandy and I've never heard the term steamed ham.

Skinner: Oh, not in Albandy, no. It's a Utica expression.

Super Nintendo Chalmers: I see. You know, Skinner, these steamed hams are not unlike the hamburgers they serve over at Krusty Burger.

Skinner: (chuckling) Oh, no, patented Skinner burgers! Secret family recipe.

Super Nintendo Chalmers: Mmm hmm. And you call them steamed hams, despite the fact that they are obviously grilled. (removes the bun and holds up the hamburger to show the grill marks on it).

Skinner: I, uh, um... hold on, I think I left something in the kitchen.

Super Nintendo Chalmers: Mmm, of course. (Chalmers goes back to eating his burger, and Skinner gets up and goes into the kitchen, coming right back into the dining room, door swinging back and forth, obviously only having had enough time to enter, turn around, and come back out again. As the door swings back and forth, it is apparent that the kitchen is on fire)

Skinner: (yawning) Well, what an evening, I'm pooped.

Super Nintendo Chalmers: (glancing at his watch) Yes, I suppose I ought to be getting back to... (glancing up from his watch, he sees the door swinging and the kitchen engulfed in flames)

Super Nintendo Chalmers: Good lord, Skinner, what is going on in there!?!

Skinner: Uh, Aurora Borealis?

Super Nintendo Chalmers: AURORA BOREALIS!?! AT THIS TIME OF DAY, AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY, LOCALIZED ENTIRELY INSIDE YOUR KITCHEN!?!

Skinner: ... Yes.

Super Nintendo Chalmers: May I see it?

Skinner: ... No.


Man, I love that scene [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]