The Simpsons - General Discussion

[DoctorAtomic]

I said that I thought the ALF impression was spot on. 

[blackwing]

I got a kick out of all of the FBI trucks with the letters reading FBI vertically.  Flowers by Irene, Frozen Bars of Ice Cream, Falafels Baked Instantly, and two Fanny Brice Imitations, one for Julie Benko and one for Lea Michele.  Somebody on the Simpsons team must really like Beanie Feldstein.

[JTMacc99]

On 2/19/2023 at 9:27 PM, DoctorAtomic said:

Nice shot of the pork store from the Sopranos. 

I liked that they did that. The Sopranos started in 1999 so that pork store reference is something from 20 years ago.

Fat Tony first appeared on the Simpsons in 1991, and back then they were making random references to A Clockwork Orange, which would have been 20 years old in 1991. 

ETA: Bart the Murderer was a great early episode.

[Galileo908]

Season 34, ep 14: Carl Carlson Rides Again

Quote

When Carl is smitten by a beautiful black woman, he looks into the roots of his own identity by discovering the origins of a mysterious belt buckle.

Airs 2/26/23

[Galileo908]

Finally, an episode about Carl! I like that the show remembered he's Icelandic. And I liked that they explored that, until a few years ago, he was written (and voiced) by white guys, and the identity crisis he got from it. Huh, he was descended from black cowboys. Neat.

I liked that Bart was a regular at the black barbershop. Also liked that Marge's "Caucasian Brittleness" book was covered in bookmarks.

I liked the Meal Train scam. Totally a Homer thing to take advantage of.

It was good to see the Pin Pals again. Loved that they lost against "The Weaklings": Wendell, Old Jewish Man, Squeaky-Voiced Teen, and Hans Moleman.

[DoctorAtomic]

One of the 'looks' in the barbershop numbers looked like a black Disco Stu. 

Even I know who Huey P. Newton is. Kid N Play daycare!

 

 

[Galileo908]

8 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

Kid N Play daycare!

I think my favorite sign was "I Have a Dream Mattresses." 

[ottoDbusdriver]

Other signs/stores spotted on Carl's walk:

-- Diana Ross Dress for Less
-- Bee-Loved Organic Honey
-- Black Girl Magic Shop
-- Black Heroes Gyros
-- Invisible Man Blvd (street sign)
-- Spike Lee's Joints
-- Malcolm XXX Adult Toys
-- James Baldwin's Fire Pits Next Time

[Tachi Rocinante]

"Bitches!" from Hans was perfect.

[blackwing]

I loved the meals listed on the meal train chart.  I can't get the screenshot to embed but they are:

• Fat Tony's Cereal That Fell Off A Truck
• Lunch Lady Dora's Shredded Pork Po' Boy
• Sideshow Bob's Fingers Food
• Helen Lovejoy's Lord Is My Shepherd Pie
• Chief Wiggum's Chicken Fried "Steakout"
• Herman's Roast Chicken Missing A Wing
• Frink's Hyperintelligent Pigs in a Blanket
• Drederick Tatum's Black Eye Steak au Poivre
• Krusty's Whatever Mr. Teeny Doesn't Eat
• Luanne's Store-Bought Enchiladas
• Mrs. Muntz's Classy Girl's Buffer Breasts and Thighs
• Bernice's Better Version of Whatever Luanne Brings
• Mrs. Skinner's Bitter Greens With Sour Cream
• Moleman's Prune Stroganoff
• Comic Book Guy's Large Movie Theater Popcorn Free Refill
• Brandine's Roadkill TBD Sweetbreads
• Smither's Endangered Panda Express
• Sarah Wiggum's Bacon Wrapped Bacon
• Fat Tony's Everything But The Head of The Horse
• Cat Lady's Blanquette de Veau a la BRRFLMHAHAAM!!
• Grounds Keeper Willie's Gopher Goulash
• Patty & Selma's Home Smoked Fish
• Bumblebee Man's Peanut Butter And Royal Jelly Sandwiches
• Kumiko's Fried Pokemon
• Marge's I Know This Is A Scamcakes
• OId Jewish Man's Matzo Ball Soup with Extra-Large and Salty Balls
• Sideshow Mel's Bone Marrow Broth
• Mike Wegman's Homer's Favorite Donkey Steak

I loved that it was apparently Tuesday, Luanne brought her store bought enchiladas into the bar, and Bernice came in with her own homemade enchiladas and criticised Luanne's.  Hah.

 

 

[Galileo908]

Season 34, ep 15: Bartless

Quote

When Bart's latest prank leads to chaos at Springfield Elementary, Marge and Homer dream of a world in which their rambunctious son was never a Simpson.

airs 3/5/23

[Galileo908]

So what's the Simpson home life like if Bart didn't exist? Pretty stable, successful, and happy. It's almost like the show forced everyone to like Bart.

I did like the gag with Ralph and his purple crayon.

[Spartan Girl]

This was…good? Huh. It must have been the time where the writers decide to make an effort every blue moon.

Honestly, Homer and Marge shouldn’t beat themselves up for assuming the worst about Bart after these years of putting up with his crap. He really can be the worst sometimes. That being said, the way he won them over in the alternate reality was kind of sweet. But yeah, it’s like the show forced them to like him.

Having a better job really could make a difference in Homer’s life.

Edited March 6, 2023 by Spartan Girl

[Galileo908]

1 minute ago, Spartan Girl said:

Having a better job really could make a difference in Homer’s life.

Jumbotron operator seemed right up his alley. And then there's Marge living out Grey's Anatomy in an animal hospital. I wish we saw more of that.

[Spartan Girl]

20 minutes ago, Galileo908 said:

Jumbotron operator seemed right up his alley. And then there's Marge living out Grey's Anatomy in an animal hospital. I wish we saw more of that.

I know, I never thought a Marge subplot could be so entertaining!

[DoctorAtomic]

Great sight gag with Marge and Homer in the small seats at school.

I don't know if writing in books is a 'prank'. 

Is not liking your kids that big a deal? 

'Ten years of parenting him'. I was a virgin who couldn't drive when the show first aired, and now I have a retirement account. 

51 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

Having a better job really could make a difference in Homer’s life.

tbh, Homer's job irl does actually pay a lot. 

I did like that Bart and Lisa watched Itchy and Scratchy together. That's the one thing they always like. 

 

[Galileo908]

Just now, DoctorAtomic said:

tbh, Homer's job irl does actually pay a lot. 

That's the union job for you!

[Galileo908]

Also, Itchy & Scratchy came back, and oh my god the animation is so fluid! 

 

[Phishbulb]

That was the first thing that struck me, that the animation in the Itchy & Scratchy short was TOO good. It's supposed to be kind of janky, no? 😀

[Galileo908]

9 hours ago, Phishbulb said:

That was the first thing that struck me, that the animation in the Itchy & Scratchy short was TOO good. It's supposed to be kind of janky, no? 😀

It was so fluid! It just shows you that the show could go that far, it just sadly chooses not to.

[blackwing]

I loved this episode.  I liked Homer and Marge's alternate life, with the beautiful house and great jobs. 

I liked the parody of one of those Richard Scarry books, as well as "Harold and the Purple Crayon".  I didn't pause long enough to notice what books the kids were reading in the library, I only saw one that was a parody of "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie".

I loved the Itchy and Scratchy sendup of "The Great British Baking Show".  The  decor and look of the stations in the tent, the proving drawer, the decorating, the star baker award.

Lisa with lots of Malibu Stacys in different outfits and every single one still in the box.

Skinner getting hit with a dirty diaper and his girlfriend leaving him.

[DoctorAtomic]

Skinner lost all his cool when he got hit. 

[Galileo908]

Season 34, ep 16: Hostile Kirk Place

Quote

When Milhouse's dad, Kirk, takes exception to a school history lesson that paints one of his ancestors in a bad light, Kirk goes on a crusade to censor and control the school curriculum -- a crusade that Homer co-opts for fun and profit.

Airs 3/12/23

[Galileo908]

Couch Gag: Weird Al covering the theme song!

So not only did Ralph overload the school's electric grid, he did it by putting a pencil into an electric sharpener eraser first.

Shoulda known that Kirk was mad about "Critical Brace Theory,"  and goes all fascist when wanting to control history. And Homer creates a version of the Red Hats for every grievance. It all felt a bit too real (and that for once a topical plot on this show still happens to be topical). A certain Florida governor is definitely the Kirk Van Houten of Republicans.

"1986! I was two years old then! Or was I thirty?" Loved that. And the fact that Homer was watching 1986 baseball scores was the most obvious sign that Michael Price wrote this one.

Edited March 13, 2023 by Galileo908

[DoctorAtomic]

When Homer sprayed the spray music, Carl covered his beer mug with his hand. 

Reaching way back for a monorail reference. 

Calling Moleman a crisis actor was a great gag.

I liked the show, but I think they were trying to have it both ways. The gazebo accident actually happened, but Kirk even said 'why don't you teach good things about Springfield.' Who said they weren't? Well, problem solved. 

I take the point of the satire, and I did enjoy the episode. I liked the point of Homer capitalizing on everyone. 

Why was Frink at the first gazebo?

 

[cdnalor]

4 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

Why was Frink at the first gazebo?

All the present day characters had old-timey doppelgangers, why not him?

[DoctorAtomic]

He was the only one who wasn't 'olde timey-ed'. Everyone else had a fancy moustache!

[Galileo908]

40 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

Reaching way back for a monorail reference. 

and that Lady Gags visiting is one of Springfield's greatest disasters.

41 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

Calling Moleman a crisis actor was a great gag.

Being orphaned because of that Gazebo disaster was great, too.

And kudos to the show for finally getting a spoof of The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald into the show.

[DoctorAtomic]

"How come everything bad always seems to happen to him?"

[blackwing]

Springfield's Darkest Chapters: the monorail, Lady Gaga's Visit, the Gazebo Collapse.  Hah.

Is the Lady Gaga visit supposed to be controversial?  To this day, when "Poker Face" comes on the radio, I find myself singing "I like my Homer face yeah that's what I said.  Right where it should be on the front of my head.  Double muzzle overbite two eyes that really bug.  These are the components of my Homerific mug!  D'oh, d'oh, d'oh d'oh..."

[DoctorAtomic]

I don't remember Gaga's visit. 

[Galileo908]

Season 34, ep 17: Pin Gal

Quote

A mysterious figure from Marge's past returns to coach her for a bowling tournament.

Airs 3/19/23

Jacques returns in his first speaking role in 33 years, almost to the day!

[SoMuchTV]

52 minutes ago, Galileo908 said:

Season 34, ep 17: Pin Gal

Airs 3/19/23

Jacques returns in his first speaking role in 33 years, almost to the day!

So how much time has passed since the bowling lessons?  That was back when Bart and Lisa were 10 and 8, right?  My head hurts. 

[Spartan Girl]

I was really hoping that Homer would get to finally call Marge for her hypocrisy, how she always throws tantrums whenever he befriends a woman he has no interest in whatsoever (Lurleen, whoever Allison Janney played, just to name a few) while she feels entitled to emotional affairs whenever he’s disappointed her—hell, she was more than ready to jump in the sack with Jacques all those years ago before her conscience finally caught up to her. 

But alas, it’s the same old crap. Homer has to give Marge his full trust because she’s a perfect princess of a saint who’s always the victim. Except she’s not.

Edited March 20, 2023 by Spartan Girl

[Galileo908]

Title: Wiggum getting stuck on a zipline

Couch Gag: Family are dolls on the couch, a dog eats Homer's.

"Why do all the places no one goes anymore close?!" That's a mood.

Apparently, the 2nd clip show doesn't count, since Marge never told Homer about Jacques (don't worry, no one would really count that one, anyway). It was good to see him after 33 years. I loved that they let him improvise. And Fred Armisen's hipster character in, what, a decade at this point?

Loved the Flinstones bowling gags, and Lisa being worried about how Homer is in those dreams more than the real world.

[DoctorAtomic]

I don't remember Jacques, but the show's been on forever. I liked the Queen's Gambit gag. 

I liked the end with the single alley and three month waiting list.

[Galileo908]

1 hour ago, DoctorAtomic said:

I don't remember Jacques, but the show's been on forever.

He's from season 1, and only appeared a handful of times since then. This was the first time he's spoken since then.

[DoctorAtomic]

The flashback didn't look like season 1 animation. 

[Galileo908]

52 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

The flashback didn't look like season 1 animation. 

That was certainly not. They didn't even try to fake the style like in Lisa The Boy Scout. And yet, the montage of Homer's awful moments used the actual clips.

[ottoDbusdriver]

Watched with the captioning on and noticed a few things.

When Jacques is talking about waiting for Marge, he says "Unfortunately I forgot I had ordered takeout".  But the closed captioning indicated "Unfortunately I forgot I had ordered DoorDash."

Guess they couldn't get DoorDash's approval.

Also, when Homer was having a flashback of all the things he had done that upset Marge -- bachelor party with Princess Cashmere, getting married to the Vegas waitress, etc. -- some instrumental music plays but the closed captioning says playing "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" by Chicago.

And when Marge is bowling early on the episode there is a musical montage over her many strikes but the closed captioning says "Hells Bells" by AC/DC playing (but the music was certainly not AC/DC).

Some odd things seen in Jacques' apartment -- a statue of Marge as Marianne of France, Marge as Marilyn Monroe Warhol-style painting, a photo of Marge in place of the flag being raised over Iwo Jima, and Marge in Botticelli's Birth of Venus.

Marge has the 'Stalk My Spouse' app on her phone.

Edited March 21, 2023 by ottoDbusdriver

[Spartan Girl]

11 hours ago, Galileo908 said:

 

Apparently, the 2nd clip show doesn't count, since Marge never told Homer about Jacques (don't worry, no one would really count that one, anyway).

The show only use continuity when it suits them.

So I’m really the only one that’s annoyed because once again there’s no accountability for Marge? She never apologizes for letting things go as far with Jacques as they did, it’s just the “you disappointed me and I was upset” excuse and she’s off scot-free? 

Although I did like how everyone let out a big “YES!” when Marge asked if there was ever a doubt that she loved Homer. Yes, Marge, there was. Because you pull this crap all. The. Time!

[DoctorAtomic]

I think the YES is about as far as they're going to go. 

[Spartan Girl]

2 hours ago, DoctorAtomic said:

I think the YES is about as far as they're going to go. 

Yup. Because like I said, nobody ever calls Marge out on anything. It always has to be Homer’s fault somehow, even when he doesn’t even do anything wrong.

[Harvey]

I can really relate to the ambivalency about eggs. It's such a mysterious topics where both sides have strong arguments.

[mariah23]

1 hour ago, Spartan Girl said:

Yup. Because like I said, nobody ever calls Marge out on anything. It always has to be Homer’s fault somehow, even when he doesn’t even do anything wrong.

@Spartan Girl I love reading about your hatred of Marge.  Keep it up!

[Spartan Girl]

At this point, I find it unrealistic that anybody, let alone Artie Ziff or Jacques, would be so obsessed with Marge. But if there’s one thing You has taught me, it’s that stalkers tend to project all their fantasies on the most basic women.

[blackwing]

On 3/19/2023 at 11:10 PM, ottoDbusdriver said:

Some odd things seen in Jacques' apartment -- a statue of Marge as Marianne of France, Marge as Marilyn Monroe Warhol-style painting, a photo of Marge in place of the flag being raised over Iwo Jima, and Marge in Botticelli's Birth of Venus.

I thought those were great, especially the Marge as Marianne.  I also liked the painting where there were two additional framed paintings on top which were paintings of her hair.  For some reason the style reminded me of something I would have seen in one of the "Where's Waldo" books that was the Great Picture Hunt where a painting was an extension of the main painting to accomodate something that didn't fit.

On 3/19/2023 at 8:31 PM, DoctorAtomic said:

I liked the Queen's Gambit gag. 

I didn't watch it, what was the gag here?

[DoctorAtomic]

In the QG, the main character visualized chess moves on the ceiling, so they did the same with Marge and bowling and another silly one with Homer. 

[Lone Wolf]

On 4/7/2023 at 10:12 AM, Spartan Girl said:

At this point, I find it unrealistic that anybody, let alone Artie Ziff or Jacques, would be so obsessed with Marge. But if there’s one thing You has taught me, it’s that stalkers tend to project all their fantasies on the most basic women.

You has taught me that when you're out sneaking around, wear a baseball cap. Apparently it's better than a cloak of invisibility.

[Galileo908]

Season 34, ep 28: Fan-ily Feud

Quote

Homer publicly disparages a pop singer and faces the ire of her vindictive and highly organized fan army.

Airs 4/23/23