^I watched that show once or twice and absolutely hated it.
What an obvious rip off of Family Guy, which is way overrated in it’s own right.
They just made Stewy a goldfish and made Brian an alien, and called it a new show. ugh.
^^^^I still catch every new episode. I still laugh my ass off. I don’t think the comedy is as original as it once was, but its still funny. I’ve never missed a new episode of The Simpsons, from episode 1 to now. I think they’re almost finished so I don’t see any reason to stop. Some day I’ll be able to say “I saw every episode of the Simpsons on its premier day including all 5 series finales and the movie.”
^Simpsons just called that show out for being a plagerism of a plagerism.
Calling the new Simpsons episodes awfull is not just a trend, its a reality. I have been watching the show since the premier of Simpsons roasting…, the first ep. I have always been a Simpsons nut and for a few years it was the only show I watched and for several hours every day. The new episodes have tarnished my favorite show’s reputation as the finest ever made. What used to be smart satire and unstoppable zanyness has become mundane, juvinile, and just plain not funny. I personally think that the first season (that has that family sitcom feel) is actually better then 75% of the episodes produced past season 10.
The Simpsons is produced by teams. There are about four teams that each work on their own episodes independently of the other active teams. There seems to be one team that is outperforming the rest and every once in a while I see an episode that has some merit. Unfortunatly, this is usually followed up with 2-3 terrible episodes. Anyway, try to watch 2 or 3 eps in a row from the most current season. I guarantee that you will be disappointed with most of them. I usually follow up a viewing with: worst.episode.ever.
Seasons 2-8 of South Park >>>>>>> the entire Simpsons body of work
edit: sorry, I know that was random. Just wanted to see some reaction. I watched the first 5 or 6 seasons of the Simpsons and I think South Park is a funnier show.
it’s been a long time since i’ve seen the Simpsons. trying to remember maybe my favorite scene of all time…
bart and lisa standing by the doghouse with concerned/frightened looks on their faces. homer approaches…
homer: “what’s wrong with you two”?
lisa: “we think there’s a wolverine in (dog’s name’s) house”.
homer: “whaaaat? don’t be silly, it’s probably just Maggie. here, let me get her.” homer climbs into the doghouse, “oh maaaaggie…maaaaggie…”
some sort of horrible beast noise is heard from inside the doghouse, along with homer’s shrieking. homer quickly climbs out from the dog house and stands there with a serene smile.
bart: “dad! are you okay???”
homer: “oh yeah, just fine. i might want to have this looked at though.” homer lifts his shirt and his heart and intestines are visible due to his chest being scratched off. a wolvering runs out of the dog house and away.
it might be one of those things you have to see to appreciate, but man it’s funny!
It’s a rip off because it’s what the creators intended to work on once Family Guy was taken off the air. It happened to premiere when Family Guy came back, which was just plain silly because of the obvious similarities.
This is also the reason for the movie, that was released on DVD rather than in theatres. They at first thought, oh crap, now what are we gonna do, I know, let’s make a movie to make a few bucks. Then Fox called and said, okay, you’re right there is a market for this show (see- DVD sales), go ahead and do more seasons.
Sorry about this I had to add my two cents, season 6 episode 2 in MY top 5 Simpsons ever. This is a must see episode, plus it has Poe references and cameo by Winona Ryder.
It’s cows heart!! They’re tryin’ to make a monkey outta you!
Bart: Dad, isn’t this stealing?
Homer: Read your town charter, boy. “If foodstuff should touch the ground, said foodstuff shall be turned over to the village idiot.” Since I don’t see him around…start shoveling!
Marge: Homer, when are you going to give up this crazy sugar scheme?
Homer: Never, Marge! Never. I can’t live the button-down life like
you. I want it all: the terrifying lows, the dizzying highs, the
creamy middles. Sure, I might offend a few of the bluenoses with
my cocky stride and musky odors – oh, I’ll never be the darling
of the so-called “City Fathers” who cluck their tongues, stroke
their beards, and talk about “What’s to be done with this Homer
Simpson?”
Beekeeper 1: Well, sure is quiet in here today.
Beekeeper 2: Yes, a little too quiet, if you know what I mean.
Beekeeper 1: Hmm…I’m afraid I don’t.
Beekeeper 2: You see, bees usually make a lot of noise. No noise – suggests no bees!
Beekeeper 1: Oh, I understand now. Oh look, there goes one now.
Beekeeper 2: To the Beemobile!
Beekeeper 1: You mean your Chevy?
Beekeeper 2: Yes.
The old Batman reference.
By the way I’m sure the movie will be hilarious. I can’t wait.
first you get the sugar
then you get the power
then you get the women!
I catch a new episode every once in a while, but they really drive me nuts because it seems like in every episode they do some kind of montage set to a classic rock song. It just annoys me.
^^ yes yes you nailed it…the sugar, the power and the women. I love that episode.
^me too! Of course, I LOVE almost all the eps before season 10.
^Yeah, I get all the DVD’s. Seasons 4 and 5 five are classic. The cat burglar episode ('next time, clean off the applicator"), Whacking Day and Mr. Plow are favorites (“remember the Bat-usi?”). 7 and 8 are also favorites. Li’l Lisa Animal Slurry, The Frank Grimes episode, the one with John Waters, 300 lb. Homer. The Radioactive Man episode has potentially my favorite line ever. “The goggles do nothing!” Seven is a real peak.
I keep thinking I’m reaching a cutoff point for quality, but there are still a lot of great ones. I’m still waiting for the “Save Me Jeebus!” episode. I always thought the “Behind the Laughter” one was great, too.
The missionary episode is fucking awesome. “but I don’t even believe in Jeebus!”
“I’m not NOT licking toads…”
I don’t think it gets better than Lemon of Troy.
Who controls the British crown?
Who keeps the metric system down?
We do! We do!
Who leaves Atlantis off the maps?
Who keeps the martians under wraps?
We do! We do!
Who holds back the electric car?
Who makes Steve Guttenberg a star?
We do! We do!
Who robs the cave fish of their sight?
Who rigs every Oscars night?
We do! We do!
My favorite Simpsons starts with Treehouse of Horror II in Season 3 and goes through Season 10. There are so many great episodes. It’s so hard to pick just one season. It’s a toss-up between 6 and 7…with the cliffhanger Who Shot Mr. Burns? connecting the two. There is still lots of good Simpsons after Season 10 and up until now, but it’s just not the same for me. I really don’t know exactly what makes it different for me. The other day I saw Burns’ Heir from Season 5 and I laughed out loud twice.
This part when Burns kicks Smithers:
(It’s not up in English. What is this? German?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrJEvNxvLRg
And the part where Homer yells at the deprogrammer guy:
Deprogrammer: Mr. and Mrs. Simpson, your son has clearly been brainwashed by the evil and charismatic Mr. Burns.
Marge: Are you sure you can get him back for us?
Deprogrammer: Absolutely. I’m the one who successfully deprogrammed Jane Fonda, you know.
Marge: What about Peter Fonda?
Deprogrammer: Oh, that was a heartbreaker. But I did get Paul McCartney out of Wings.
Homer: You idiot! He was the most talented one.
Im really excited about this movie, Im a Simpsons Fanatic! I have been waiting for something like this for years.
EDIT: I found a better article.
Marriage of Convenience: 7-Eleven, ‘Simpsons’
Real-Life Chain Takes on Kwik-E-Mart Persona for Film Promo
CHICAGO – Can “The Simpsons” make 7-Eleven cool?
After months of speculation, the convenience chain has revealed details of its “most massive and complex” monthlong promotion for the July 27 release of “The Simpsons Movie.” Starting today, the marketer will remodel overnight a dozen stores in the U.S. and Canada into the Kwik-E-Marts of the cartoon family’s fictional Springfield, USA hometown.
If it sounds like a risky move to dress up 7-Eleven as the animated store that is frequently held up, sells expired hot dogs and once displayed a senior citizen in its freezer section, it is. But management is betting that by showing it gets the joke made in nearly every episode in the past 20 years, “Simpsons” and Kwik-E-Mart fans will become 7-Eleven fans much the way Subservient Chicken and the King gave social currency to Burger King.
“When you’re the industry leader, others may want to stereotype or poke fun at you,” Doug Foster, 7-Eleven’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement. “We get the joke and want to have a little fun with our customers and fans of ‘The Simpsons.’”
Detail-oriented
The retail chain and FreshWorks, an Omnicom Group virtual-agency network led by Tracy Locke, Dallas, created more than 1,000 customized in-store displays and signs to bring the cartoon world to life. With the kind of detail reserved for Hollywood back lots, the transformation is all-encompassing – from exterior walls and signs to store fixtures and employee uniforms and name tags. Even donation canisters and ATMs will be made over with Krusty’s Kids and First Bank of Springfield logos. Stores will be made over by 6 a.m. July 1 in the U.S. and July 3 in Canada.
Completing the environment, nine life-size characters from the show will be placed in and out of each store, including Homer, Marge, Lisa, Maggie, store owner Apu, Chief Wiggum and Comic Book Guy. In addition, senior citizen Jasper will be hiding in the bagged ice freezer, and Bart and Milhouse will hang out on each stores’ roof.
Blurring the line
To further blur reality and fiction, the team also collaborated with private-label manufacturers to create products from the show that will go on sale exclusively in all 6,400 domestic stores. 7-Eleven partnered with the Malt-O-Meal Co. to create the KrustyO’s frosted cereal and Cott Corp. to create Buzz Cola. The store’s frozen Slurpee beverage will be reinvented as the Kwik-E-Mart Squishee. The WooHoo! Blue Vanilla Squishees will come in 22-ounce paper cups with the fictional logo. Another surprise is that Simpsons’ creator Matt Groening’s Bongo Entertainment Group created a real comic book of Bart Simpson’s favorite superhero, Radioactive Man, for sale during the promotion. The 32-page comic, numbered 711, will be wrapped in plastic and sell exclusively at the chain for $3.99.
The company, of course, didn’t rush into this lightly. It’s been two years in the making. And, acknowledging that not everyone in America is a fan of the show or would get the joke, the team conducted extensive consumer polling and discussions with employees and franchisees. On average, 93% of respondents responded positively to the experience. Some ideas, though, were killed in the process. Wannabe Homers won’t find their beloved Duff Beer, because it doesn’t fit with the expected PG-13 rating for the film. Nor will the store see Snake, one of Springfield’s most-wanted criminals, despite the planned extra security for each store.
And then there are those heat-lamp hot dogs.
No bad dogs
Production company Gracie Films’ 20th Century Fox was “dead set” on naming the real wieners for their sitcom counterpart, but the 7-Eleven team drew the line at having hairy, months-old hot dogs associated with the brand. The “negative fresh-food connotation” would negate the chain’s “high standards of fresh foods,” said Matt Rand, associate creative director at Tracy Locke FreshWorks.
But other than that, “you won’t find anything out of character” from the movie, assured a 7-Eleven spokeswoman. The team spent hours deciding what to include in the experience and how to stay true to “The Simpsons’” gestalt.
“We did go through quite a few copy lines in terms of being funny and not being too far over the edge,” said Sandi Means, FreshWorks chief operating officer.
Springfield comes to Seattle
Set in Chicago; Dallas, Denver; Burbank, Calif.; Los Angeles; Las Vegas; New York; Lake Buena Vista, Fla.; Seattle; Mountain View, Calif.; Bladensburg, Md.; and Coquitlam, B.C., Canada (on July 3), the stores will remain in drag through the July 27 movie premiere. The stores will switch back to 7-Elevens at the end of the month.
“We’ve taken a global organization and convinced them to change the name of their organization for a month,” said Ms. Means. “That in itself is entirely unique.”
While the reverse-product-placement concept of bringing to reality fictional products has been around since Willy Wonka and Bubba Gump Shrimp, executives see the promotion as a way to redefine the shopping experience at 7-Eleven, which has been on a marketing tear under Mr. Foster. Of course, those other reverse placements didn’t involve a real-world store embracing a joke originally made at its own expense.
And what of “The Simpsons” franchise?
“‘The Simpsons’ franchise has made fun of itself in the past for being so commercialized, which may actually make it an even better candidate for reverse product placement,” said David Edery, a research affiliate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s comparative-media-studies program, in an e-mail. “After all, consumers might expect this sort of thing from the show.” He and other experts agree that the risks come down to execution.
Get it?
“It’s pop culture commenting on pop culture commenting on itself,” said Tim Stock, managing partner of Scenario DNA. He does see one risk, though: “The question is getting the payoff on the joke,” he said, “that it’s intelligent enough, smart enough, interesting enough where consumers go, ‘Have I entered into “The Simpsons” or have I entered into advertising hell?’”
“There’s always the [hopefully small] possibility that initiatives like this will backfire, but I think it’s very likely that consumers will be thrilled by the opportunity to experience products that they’ve enjoyed virtually for so many years,” said Mr. Edery. “You may not be curious to try a Slurpee, but a Squishee [even if it’s technically the same thing] may very well capture your imagination. The big question is: When the promotion ends, will consumers come back for more Slurpees? That depends, in part, on the quality of their initial experience.”
So what are the chances that KrustyOs and Buzz Cola will become major sellers? Considering the variety of “Simpsons” memorabilia on eBay, pretty good.
‘Icing on the cake’
“It may well be that one or two of them survive into continuous shelf placement, but that would probably be icing on the cake rather than a core component of the promotion evaluation,” said John Quelch, professor of marketing at Harvard Business School. But if the products don’t sell, “it would be a sad commentary” he said on the promotion.
“We expect to sell out very quickly,” said Mr. Hayman. We have contingency plans to start up production again if we have to."
As for the props not for sale, the marketer is identifying local charities for each market to which they’ll donate the props.
If they make it that far. What self-respecting Simpsons fan wouldn’t want their own Kwik-E-Mart uniform?
“I’ve already been offered $100 for one,” said FreshWorks’ Ms. Means.
The Simpsons is depressing to watch anymore. It needs to be repeated again and again. I am cautiously optimistic about the movie, but since for the last 5 or 6 seasons it’s like watching your favorite show turn into self referential dogshit, I have no good reason to expect anything great.