America's Favorite Non-prehistoric Cartoon Family - The Simpsons Thread

[Johnny Unusual]

Carnival
The Commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
Yeah. Not a best moment but I feel it here for sure. The "manly poodle" line feels like a more forgettable gag from the show.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
Sure, yeah.
Overall
A man? In a dress? Be this the end times? Anyway, it's a pretty dumb gag that feels of it's time but I will say it is well-paced and unhurried, so on a technical level, it isn't wowing but it's solid.

Here's a Comment

Bart takes a butterfinger

He doesn't though. He has one. That's not taking.

 

[Ghost from Spelunker]

Maggie's Party
The Commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
This one feels like it is not trying too hard to be the Simpsons. Who are these other babies? Clearly they didn't have that Milhouse rizz that skyrocketed him to popularity.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
They look OK, I guess.
Overall
This is a pretty forgettable one.

We didn't invite the other babies. Maggie doesn't get along with the other babies.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Aliens
The Commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
Hey, they actually remembered that Kang is the sister. Not even the show does that consistently, only when the writers think it's funny to bring it up. This is definitely trying to lean into the really wacky elements of the show quite hard, making it feel of the 98 era.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
EVEN SPACE WANTS IT!
Overall
It's really going for a high joke content in the ad but none of them are that great, many of them echoes of better jokes. Also, weirdly, the ad acknowledges this happened to Homer before so I guess it's a sequel to the first Treehouse of Horror story.

Here's a Comment

Spaceship's in the sky.

This is how desperate humans are to reach out to each other. This is the message in a bottle we are sending to others.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Smell Your Breath
The Commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
Yes but for a 1999 commercial, the establishing shot feels like one of the ones in the second season era. In most episodes, after a certain point, we just start with a classic exterior opening shot but there are definitely establishing shots early on that start with an interesting perspective. This feels like one.

Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
It looks good but I don't like "Bite My Butterfinger" as the new slogan.
Overall
This isn't a particularly funny one and the animation pails compared to some surprisingly good looking ads, like the contest winning one. But I really do like the playful opening shot that draws you in. You know it's Bart because his hair is iconic and I think using the end of the bar's packaging to mirror Bart's head is clever.

Here's a Comment

The butter finger looks like Bart’s hair

This is like when a child says something, points and just says what it is. And whoever this poster is probably isn't 3.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

A to Z
The Commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
Bart and Lisa do sometimes like to team up to tease their dad when they aren't solving crimes. Surprisingly, Bart is actually sharing his treats now. This is now less about keeping his food away from Homer and more about taunting Homer, which feels pretty true to the character.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
I feel like the BBs looks less like completely smooth balls, which helps a bit for me in making it feel more edible.
Overall
This one is pretty forgettable. The escalation is not very strong. I guess I like that this is one of those longer ones dedicated to a small bit but it doesn't get funnier or more ridiculous as it goes on.

Here's a Comment

Aww now that’s so cute (I bet she enjoyed it)

Don't like the way this one is phrased.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Itchy & Scratchy in "500 Easy Pieces"
The Commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
To a point and an understandable one. The stethoscope gag has actually been done before, albeit on a more epic scale.

Anyway, the structure is pure Itchy & Scratchy, including the title that's a film reference. However, Itchy & Scratchy works going too far; either it is a parody of the excesses of cartoon violence or it is just milking a joke way too far. There's not enough time to do the latter and the former is only somewhat doable in ads. Scratchy cannot be bloodily murdered but at least they try to make his teeth and eyeball look freaky.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
Sure. Finally, the bar can kill people. Yum yum.
Overall
I like the idea of bringing Itchy and Scratchy is but considering that the gag is recycled and it feels less violent than your average Willkins and Wontkins ads makes it clear that this is just an echo of the duos antics.

Here's a Comment

Itchy is a doctor

Moe is their leader

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Broken Bones
The Commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
Yes but more than that, this is not Bart. In fact, this is the only non-Bart ad. The gag is a classic joke about Abe being physically fragile (though not to a Mr. Burns degree) and his body making disturbing noises.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
The bar that sounds like the deterioration of the human body!
Overall
The joke is old but it's not a bad ad and I think taking Bart out of the equation and focusing on Lisa and Grandpa of all characters is a good choice. The thing about the Simpsons is post-Bartmania, it's really an ensemble show and by then the show was already mocking this previous era so Butterfinger trying to keep Bart in the Bartmania era always seems kind of weird. This and the Itchy and Scratchy ad just make more sense.

BTW, this isn't the only version of the ad. The original had a much funnier punchline which is similar but the specificity helps.

I feel like they changed it because not enough people were getting it.
Someone else claims there was another one about plastic underwear. I believe that but I can't verify it.
Here's a Comment

lisa pls stop stealing bart

Now we need a two part Butterfinger commercial where the candy needs your help figure out who took his Bart.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Butterfingeritis
The Commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
This one would have stuck the landing if Hibbert's assurance there is no cure was a line delivered with solemn honesty. Like, with the graveness of a death sentence. Otherwise, this feel just like a regular ad.
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
EVEN THE BRAIN LIKES!
Overall
I pretty much covered it but it's a pretty straightforward ad that could have changed to much better with a slightly different line read.

 

[Alex]

Darn it, I want a Butterfinger now.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Bart's Nightmare
The Commercial:

Is it... The Simpsons?
Weirdly this is the last ad (the Simpsons wiki claim there are some after this but everything about it looks suspect and I can't find them). but it feels like it could have been easily been among the first, with Nelson in the villain bully role with a cornball line. Also, they've done a "Bart has a nightmare" ad already!
Did it Make the Product/Brand Look Good?
I guess.
Overall
The last ad is definitely among the less memorable.
Here's a Comment

Ya.. o here! a CommenT!

This is probably the best way to end this. Like sundowning AI.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Overview
Having watched maybe every extant Simpsons ad, what can I say of the Simpsons as an advertising entity? I mean, I'm not going to complain to much because despite the series recurring anti-authoritarian themes, the show has ALWAYS been about selling out. It has it's feet in wanting to make the money to keep going and, while the primary goal is simply being funny and heartwarming, does have people involved who created a show about life today and in that respects contends with the greater evil powers, including capitalism.

It is a reminder that a piece of media can have a anti-corporate and anti-capitalist messaging yet the overlords usually don't care. Because it is rare that it actually hurts their bottom line in any way. It might instill those ideas in the audience but will the audience act on it? In most cases no. I must admit, I can't think of a lot I do in that respect except choosing not to buy from sources I know are extra awful.

But the big thing is how does the show transform when it goes into shill mode? It varies a lot. In most cases it is a very watered down version of itself. I don't even mean the more trenchant insights but even the gag building is far weaker. I think this is in part the nature of trying to make sure the joke doesn't get in the way of the sell but also there's only 15-30 second to set up and pay off a gag AND sell you something. It's not that it can't be done but that kind of joke telling has to be extra economical.

The other thing is I think that it wants to sell not just through a gag but through loveable characters. Homer gets to be mostly the same because he is a big broad dummy in so many incarnations but the ads stick with that "cool" Bart because he's popular with the kids. Bart, even in the early days, had many modes, often more vulnerable and tapping into the problems of being a kid. But cool Bart sells so Bart is the winner 90% of the time and it's sometimes... not quite cringey (mostly) but rings a little silly.

But I will say, sometimes they are trying for something. It can be a surprisingly effective gag but usually it's some really good animation, especially in the early 90s when the animation of the show is looking better but before it hits a wall where it seems to wants to look so consistent in look that it stops being adventurous. That's not to say the show or the adds aren't trying stuff but specifically the animation feels like there's less wild faces and motion, replaced instead by interesting directorial and tonal choices. It's a trade off but I really do miss animation that looks as impressive as Krusty trying to escape the police.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Thrifty Ways to Thieve You Mother

I've never been a fashionable guy. Just jeans and a shirt, mostly or shorts in the hot weather. I even keep clothes far longer than I should until they are tatters. I certainly think about maybe trying some things but in all honesty while I like the idea of it, I just don't know how to be fashionable in a way that feels like me. I am also kind of ashamed of my body and I know I should be above that but it's hard. Because fashion is cool and there are a myriad of ways to express it.

In this episode, Lisa and Marge bond over a 2000s era teen drama. When looking for more episodes, they find old clothes from when Marge was trying to emulate the show. Lisa tries it on and the retro-ness makes it a big hit. Lisa becomes popular and friends with the fashionistas of the school. When spending time with them distracts Lisa from joining Marge on an outing to meet the actors of the show they bonded over, Marge gets upset and moreso when Lisa is just giving Marge those old clothes. Meanwhile her new friends glean from Lisa that moms over town must have old clothes like this so they develop a heist plan to take them. Lisa learns of this and reluctantly goes along with it. Lisa and her friends manage to pilfer unused child clothes from all over town but when they are nearly caught at Martin's house, Lisa feels like a thief. Marge rescues her and gets her and her friends to return the clothes.

This one is not a strong starter to the season and I think it is because of two factors. One is I find there's something wonky about how the rift between Marge and Lisa develops. I actually think Lisa giving away Marge's old clothes is a great idea to develop that but somehow the part where she gets distracted from attending a TV convention feels off to me. I feel like it's too strong a level of anger for Marge when it should be more like something that grows later. The other is I don't think the rationalization Lisa develops to become a thief is strong enough either. Lisa is a very moral person and though she can be lead astray and make big mistakes, I feel like it works better to follow a series of smaller bad decisions. Here she seems really quick to get on board. I know the rational is that it's a victimless crime but I think the writing doesn't convince me that this is the turning point for Lisa.

I think that writer Jessica Conrad thought a lot about how the plan would work. On paper, I like a lot of the specifics; it's all clothes that will likely no be worn again due to the circumstances (all the victims are moms of boys, so no hand-me-downs, though that's surprisingly presumptive for Lisa in a gender-normative way), using a dad show to distract dads (that is somehow not a Yellowstone parody). And I like that there's a rift between Marge and Lisa that extends to her journey where she starts to assume possession of something because they won't be used by the owner. The last thing is a very kid-based rationalization that could feel "real".

But mostly, it just isn't funny and I feel like though the ideas are strong, in the end, the heart isn't there. And I also don't know if this is a story of Lisa learning her mom is pretty cool or trying to justify selfishness in the way kids do or the cyclical nature of art and fashion. Maybe all I suppose but it feels rather superficial, sadly. And the jokes just don't land in this one. It comes close when Marge meets her childhood TV fave and he's a sad loser but it's never done in a way that makes me laugh. Hopefully, they just got a clunker out of the way but I wish we had a better Marge and Lisa episode because both are great for emotional stories and also Marge is unrivaled when the writers know how to make her so bland it is funny.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Keep Chalm and Gary On

Though I tend to work with smaller children now, I spent a lot of time with the after school kids. It is a different world and I guess I'm old enough that children talking about their favourite youtuber is weird to me. Also weird because I know some of the ones the kids are into have questionable politics. And some of the kids are REALLY into Prime (or were 3 years ago), the drink from Logan Paul. Kids are really vulnerable and kind of aren't ready to understand dealing with your Mr Beasts and really getting behind the problem and it is up to educators to keep up with this sort of stuff to give them the tools to analyze them a little more critically and protect them when needed.

In this episode, the school is struggling to deal with AI plagiarism, eventually prompting Superintendent Chalmers to ban cell phones in schools. The kids get revenge by uncovering small technical plagiarism in his master's thesis that gets him fired. With nowhere to turn, Gary takes a job as a janitor at the power plant and discovers the waste has created giant snails... and that the mucin of the snails have rejuvenating properties. He soon turns the opportunity into a successful and influential business targeting men, getting a lot of online cache. Eventually he returns to talk to the school and is horrified to discover not only are the children using the product, it is making them insecure. He decides to use his earnings to buy the school to protect the children from his own product. Meanwhile Homer inadvertently kills the snails by feeding them potato chips.

I'm mixed on this one. My biggest issue is structure; the parts are there but to connect the plot points there's a section where Chalmers is the janitor that feels like it's trying to give Homer more time but doesn't tie into the main plot well. Like, I thought this was going to be about Chalmers learning skills to avoid responsibility or seeing even as a grown up, tech addiction remains invasive. But it then has to introduce giant snails and that's certainly not one of the weirder plotlines in this series but it is weird to introduce the fantastical snails and not really be about that.

What I did like as an educator was the fear that as someone who protects kids, it could be easy for you to be the person who preys on them. Kids are susceptible to this stuff and the shit you do to the grown ups often trickles to the kids. Seeing Gary scared by what he wrought is a good climax. But I feel like it wasn't earn. A lot NEEDS to happen to get to this point and I think the problem is there isn't enough time to sit with it, to make what is happening to these kids not just wacky sad but actually sad and maybe a bit scary. We need a bit more time, maybe some intimate time with the damage. Shauna is well used in this episode and it could have come back to her or Jimbo. As it is, it's a quick laundry list of unfortunate side effects but I would have liked a bit of pathos in this episode about giant snail slime.

There are some good bits, though, and even some of the callbacks are strong. I think Christine Nangle is a smart writer who is really interested in the deeper side of what all this means but there's somehow too much fat but also not enough time. I actually think this could have been a wild two-parter, with the first being a wacky battle against AI in schools (and more time to deal with the meaning and consequences), then the second about snails and male influencers. It doesn't even really have time for the bigger discussion on the culture it creates around male self-imaging. It's such an odd episode as is, it feels like even the title is giving up. "I dunno, it's a Chalmers episode, maybe this pun will work." If I'm making it sound awful. it isn't. But the strength don't come together to be a strong whole.

Other Great Jokes:

Nelson beating characters up for exposition is a dumb little gag I liked.

"You know, I used to like Chalmers because he yelled at Seymour. It's because of him I know what impotent means."

"Can you get me a new pony? This one pooped." "Dappled? *sigh* Fine."

"Even as a janitor I made more money than as a superintendent" "Are you saying there's a janitor opening?"

Other Notes:
Huh, they are really trying to make Devin, one of the fashion kids from the last episode, part of the extended Springfield Elementary cast.

Chalmers first name in full is Garibaldi

I kind of wish they dug into the manosphere business space more. It brough to mind Gorilla Flow, one of the most insane informercials ever for a product that promises to increase your urine spray power.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Treehouse of Horror XXXVI

It's the spooky season and as I grow older, I don't become more cynical but I do feel the desire to despair pressing on. These are hard, dark times and it's easy to feel that way but often, I also see signs of hope, not in institutions or systems but in people and communities coming together. There's no certainty of when things will swing around but I see the irrepressible hunger for it. To quote Leonard Cohen "Democracy is comin'". But until then, sometimes the thing to help with our existential fear is funny cartoons.

In this episode three more tales of terror. After a short cartoon by Kelly, we begin with a parody of Jaws, as Springfield is attacked by a fat-eating fatberg born of the town's reckless habits regarding fat disposal. Only Lou and Moe can stop it but both are halted when Simpson and Son Grease bribe Mayor to allow the town to keep it's fried food fair. During the fair, the fatberg attacks, killing Simpson's Son. Lou, Moe and Homer team up to fight it. Eventually it is killed when it eats Homer, who was so fatty that the beast dies of a heart attack. In the second tale, a parody of Late Night With the Devil. Krusty is hosting a Halloween special where strange, supernatural horror begin to arise. Initially Krusty suspects his producer but it is revealed to be Bart, who sold Krusty's soul to keep the show going and eliminate better kids shows. The Devil comes to collect but Bart, Krusty fan that he is, can't bare and trades his soul to save Krusty. In the final tale, a parody of Waterworld, the earth is covered in plastic garbage and Lisa tries to survive by finding actual soil after losing her family. She is about to war with a warlord, revealed to be her long-lost brother Bart when both are met with a bigger surprise; Homer and Marge are alive. However, they've been converted into plastic creatures and intend to turn other humans into plastic creatures like them. Bart and Lisa stop the plastic menace but at the cost of every other human dying. Meanwhile, in death, Homer and Marge birth a plastic Maggie and Bart and Lisa decide to raise it as the new inheritor of the Earth, eventually leading to a planet rules by benevolent plastic Maggies.

Overall, this wasn't an amazing special, but that's only because Treehouse of Horror XXXIII raised the bar shockingly high for a story THIS late in the show's run. However, I think it fairs much better than the last two. The trick is always trying to take a third of an episode's length and make it a full story. The first but Broti Gupta, one of the show's stronger current writers, does a great job doing a Jaws parody, on of the most tread concepts, and make it feel complete, even when having to do a fair bit of set up. I like making Lou the lead, a character who mostly gets play as a straightman, and the Simpsons the initial antagonists. And it has a few good lines. I also think that despite some 70s gags (this one is a period piece), it neither feels too trapped in having to do era gags or follow the Jaws plot strongly and does it's own very silly thing. It didn't make me laugh out loud but I respect the gag that Southern Homer makes a giant catapault to whomp the monster with his hat like a Boss Hogg would do.

The second one is probably the strongest. Ironically I had this pegged as the weakest on first watch but when skimming for gags, this one played stronger to me. Writer Michael Price saves the big reveal of Bart's involvement until the end but even though he barely appears beforehand or does much until the end, it's something Bart would do, as would sacrificing himself for Krusty (I also like his eternal damnation is education). It's also got two surprisingly big guest stars with Idris Elba and Michael Keaton. Parodying Late Night With the Devil is an interesting choice to spoof. It's a great movie but while I wouldn't call it obscure, I feel like it's more in the mind of film fans than the general audience. And it's quite recent. At the same time, it doesn't marry itself to much to the source material but I think the one problem is that film is a slow burn and there's just no time so the devil pops up almost immediately.

The last one is a parody of Waterworld but even more than the other ones, it's a loose parody, more of the world than characters and events. The gags are weaker but I liked the story OK and the way the segment looks. I kind of like the use of 3D for the plastic, as it helps give it an unearthly quality (that probably wouldn't have been so obvious in the show's regular style). It's also one that feels like it's trying to do a lot in a short amount of time but I think Dan Greaney does a solid script. But it really is more of a visual showcase than anything. We've certainly seen the show go 3D many times before so this shouldn't be unique but I think mixing the two animation styles together works.

So basically, this is a really solid Halloween special. More like this please.

Other Great Jokes:

"Good God, it's rakish!"

"Downstairs God is inside my body"

"I did always wonder about the success of my unfunny schlockfest."

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Men Behaving Manly

What does it mean to be a man? There is no shortage of grifters and weirdoes who will tell you the right way to be one. The man-o-sphere is a creepy toxic place that is targeting the male loneliness epidemic and weaponizing it to make money at the cost of making men feel they need to be concerned about how they are perceived in terms of body and charisma. Masculinity can be a beautiful thing but the grifters want to make it a narrow, exploitable one that promotes tribalism. So what should manliness look like going forward if we want to both break free of old ideas and the manosphere? Well... John Frink has an idea.

In this episode, summer starts and Bart decides to spend all of it playing video games. Homer soon joins in after he's sent to try to get Bart out of his room. Marge is concerned and she signs Homer and Bart up for a therapeutic masculinity camp that focuses on empathy and being able to work together. In fact, every man and boy ends in town ends up joining the camp. Bart overcomes his phone addiction and Homer starts caring for others to the point where when he and the men are given a final challenge, kill a duck for dinner, Homer refuses. The therapist running the camp calls that a victory for men and tells them they are ready to re-enter society. Meanwhile in town, the women take over and make Springfield a utopia. But when they hear the men are returning, they decide to confront them, fearing if they don't stand up for themselves, they'll just go back to the way things were. Homer uses his teachings to listen to Marge and show he understands society is better, which the men agree with.

This is SUCH a strange episode. A bad episode? Not... exactly. But very weird. For a few reasons. It's an episode that seems to have red flags that don't fit the actual structure of the story. All the men go to the camp because Alexa told the women about it. And there's a guy who looks like the Q-Shaman. And maybe he's just suppose to look like the weirdo hippie-dippie therapist type but the horn hat with blue/red make up feels like it can only remind modern audiences of that (though I might simply be too online and over-estimating public familiarity with that). But... the camp is mostly great. Albert Brooks plays the counselor and because he is playing this character, and because the show needs actual conflict. I kept expecting a turn. And it didn't happen. It's very weird.

More than that, it's an episode that constantly removes conflict. Most of the episode is the men doing something wacky at the camp to become more manly in a positive way, like listening, thinking of others and being constructive. Though the lessons themselves aren't wacky the way characters meet their tests is. It's not a three act structure and things move relatively smoothly for everyone. There's kind of a moment of truth but even that goes VERY easily. The episode feels less like a story and more like a treatise. This feels like Frink wants to make his own version of Sir Thomas More's Utopia, a little essay to show how men can be better, including being able to relinquish power. In some ways, that's a unique approach to doing an episode and I respect it. But it doesn't make for a particularly engaging 20 minutes.

I think it also helps that while I agree with Frink in broad strokes, his half-hour cartoon thesis about what it REALLY means to be a man feels like it missing relevant touches like the idea that there are a multitude of ways to be manly in a positive way. Also, it's very binary-normative in that respect. I think Frink wants to come at this with love and thoughtfulness but it also feels like an old-school "women be different than men". I suspect that if we talked, we'd pretty much agree on a lot of this stuff but when you turn a sitcom into an essay, it does risk leaving stuff out and in doing so, feels incomplete to the human experience. It's not a bad episode but as well intentioned as it is, it's not quite a good episode either. It's weird. And I'm glad the show is being more weird in it's Autumn years, experimenting and really trying to take the opportunity to say something positive. And also, I'm usually pretty hard on John Frink episodes, so I appreciate him doing something unique, even if it feels a little confused (really, why is that Q-Shaman-looking guy in there?).

Other great jokes:

It goes on a little long but Albert Brooks' characters' conversation with his mom has some fun stuff in there.

Other notes:
The Alexa jokes are so old and hacky it feels like they were written 10 years ago and I don't even think Alexa is 10 years old yet.

There's something about Albert Brooks' current voice that has a tinge of Winnie the Pooh.

Really? Participation trophy slams again? See I don't disagree with a lot of what Frink wants to say but this is some weak-ass moaning from 10 years ago.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Bad Boys... for Life?

It's the end of an era. Yesterday, Al Jean announced that this was the last episode he would be showrunner for the series. Since 2001, Jean has been show runner, not long after the series "Golden Era" had ended. Mike Scully, the showrunner before, had a pretty gag forward approach, with his being the era of "jerkass Homer" and Jean, to his credit, tried to back off on that. And there are certainly good episodes in the Jean era. But it was also marked by some sloppy storytelling (particularly in the 2010s) and it still felt like it had a joke density that made it suffer in character, story and gags. Jean has written some real classics and is one of the show's key players in the early days of the series but as a show runner, it felt like with some really strong exceptions, the heart was lost. There's been a resurgence, in part due to the approach to writing during the covid era where there weren't writers rooms anymore. I also suspect Matt Selman taking a role as co-showrunner is also important. As for the end of this era, I don't want to celebrate it, despite my complaints, but with the show renewed for 4 seasons, including this one, it will be interesting to see what shape the show takes.

In this episode, the Simpsons flash back to when Bart was 6. Homer is pretty checked out as a Dad, to Bart's frustration and when he is trying, he ends up bullying him. Bart turns to pranks, which become so frequent, Marge worries Bart is a bad seed. Marge goes for professional help but they seem just to want to send Bart away. Homer suddenly feels a great swell of sympathy for Bart and takes them away while social services tries to catch them. Homer bonds with Bart and comes to the conclusion his poor parenting stemmed from his father's and doesn't want to make that mistake. The family convinces social services they can take care of him.

Al Jean isn't done with the show but this is a goodbye in the sense this is him ending his incredibly lengthy showrunning tenure. Unfortunately, it's not very good. There's the seed of a good idea for an episode. Several in fact. But that's the problem. The idea of wondering if Bart is a bad seed almost doesn't jibe very well with the other stuff going on in the episode. I also have trouble accepting Marge is the one jumping to that conclusion (there have been much better episodes that wrestled with that, like Bart the Mother and Marge Be Not Proud.) I also feel like the whole social services angle feels really weird, with them threatening to send him to a vaguely sinister treatment centre. It feels like Jean thinks he's saying something about how the state jumps to conclusions but it doesn't feel like even in the Simpsons funhouse mirror of reality that it represents any sane idea of how it would work.

There are smaller moments that I feel would make for better episodes if expanded upon. Homer trying to force Bart to use his right hand instead of his left feels like much richer material for Homer to realize how he was raised by his father and society was wrong feels more interesting. Bart becoming a pranker for the first time could be good but from the jump he's already building Rube Goldberg machines (which feels like an uninteresting way to show "prank genius"). A better episode might explore him slowly getting good at it and exploring the rage that fuels it. I think my biggest issue is while the story isn't as messy as the worst written episodes of the 2010s, it does feel too much like a mishmash of ideas that, while related, just don't stick together well.

It's a shame because I feel like parts, like the left-hand thing, probably speak to Jean and in those scenes it does feel like it is getting to the heart of something bigger. But Homer running away with Bart and eating popsicles laced with Ritalin really muddies up the bigger ideas I think Jean wants to explore. Jean's written episodes a lot worse than this. For it's faults, it isn't bad so much as messy (also no real strong gags), but it does feel like a representation of the stuff that bugged me about this era, like social commentary that confuses me and a story that isn't put together well. I don't like to slam Jean, I think he did a lot for the show. But it can't be denied his very long tenure did include the show at it's worst.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Bart 'n Frink

The Mike Scully era of the Simpsons produced some great episodes but this is really where we stepped away from emotional stories for a while and created the jerk-ass Homer era. But it wasn't just Homer; Flanders was made more of a bullying jerk (it was understandable to reflect fundamentalist Christians at this era but really did damage to the character) and poor Bart went from prank boy to "dumb kid". Not everything happened at once but even when the writers decided to step back from that, some of these ideas, like Bart being "dumb" kept sneaking back in from time to time. While in the first future episode he's got a blue collar job, he's still mostly happy and successful but subsequent ones seem interested in making him a loser while Lisa is the winner. But Bart has his own talents and specialness that better stories understand.

In this episode, Bart fills in for Martin in a legacy board game and ends up getting Prof. Frink's character killed. When Marge brings Bart over to apologize, Frink offers Bart a chance to help him out in his wondrous lab. Bart and Frink become friends, though Frink is bothered that Bart calls himself dumb. Frink is soon invited to a retreat for tech billionaires and meets his old university friend Peter. Other guests reveal to Bart that Peter was a terrible friend, having stole one of Frink's inventions and patented it to make billions. When Bart sees Frink about to hand over another invention, glasses that read emotions, Bart stops him and tells Frink he should be angrier. Frink becomes angry which he takes out on Bart, calling out Bart for calling himself dumb so he doesn't have to try and fail. Bart is angered and in his anger is tempted to betray Frink to Peter. Bart changes his mind after Frink saves him from a rogue komodo dragon and Frink is proud not only for his honesty but that Bart managed to create blueprints of his work from a brief sighting of them. Meanwhile, Homer reluctantly gets caught up in a group of rich longevity enthusiasts who test Homer's blood, only to find he has the blood of a 26 year old. In response, Homer becomes their guru. In the end, it turns out Homer used Bart's blood as his own sample and the longevity freaks flip out on learning this, now closer to death than ever before.

It's always tricky when the show decides to be about a c-tier character. I understand why they would do it; they are delightfully fun. But sometimes it feels like they are reaching when they try for say, an episode where Chalmers finds giant snails. So when I saw this was a Frink episode, I was not excited. But overall, I think it's a solid one. It isn't perfect. It feels like the show is rushing though the betrayal in the first act, and Bart changing his mind because Frink saved him is kind of a lazy solution (I would have it rather be a confrontation of Peter and Frink's values) and I feel like Bart having a good memory for blueprints doesn't jibe with where I think Bart proves himself. I think Bart's skills are in surprising emotional intelligence, being able to exploit flaws or noticing gaps in systems and overseeing and executing complex plans he's enthusiastic about. I would by more that Bart could recreate the glasses with more hard work rather than memory, which would also stick to Frink's own feelings about Bart.

But overall, it's solid and sweet. I think the idea that Bart puts himself down because it's easy to try makes sense. Bart (and Homer for that matter) actually can accomplish amazing things when motivated and I would believe Bart would insult himself rather than going through the hard and potentially heartbreaking work of doing something that can fail. This is the Bart with a "spark", not a little bastard or a dullard. I meet many spark kids; incredibly disruptive to the classroom environment but one-on-one are not only sweet but creative, clever and empathetic. I hate when the writers just put Bart down. Like, a one-off joke is fine but sometimes it's a whole episode. I think the story here, for it's faults, is nice and sometimes funny.

On the humour end, the better part in the b-plot where Homer accidentally becomes a health guru. I wouldn't want it to be a whole episode but it's classic Simpsons for Homer to take this position and ruin the lives of a number of shitty billionaires. As someone who fears death to the point of occasional anxiety, these people are both creepy weirdos who let their own fears mutate into a mania that can feed on their wealth. I find latter day Simpsons isn't super great picking targets or when they do it can feel weak but this was a decent little diversion, particularly Lisa's line "welcome to the Simpsons lifestyle. Prepare to die."

Other great jokes:

I don't know why the cover for "Insurance" is so funny to me.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Sashes to Sashes

It's easy to despair in the modern political landscape where it feels like the two parties are evil abhorrently evil or so unwilling to change that it lets evil happen. The recent election of Zohran Mamdani seems like a bellwether of what people want but the betrayal by Chuck Schumer in terms of the shutdown is a bellwether of where the current heads of the party would like to be. Hopefully that changes via interparty revolution or at least enough people being fed up with it to just stop. But I also look at some of the worst people with pity. Not because they deserve my pity but because something happened to them to be without the things I value, like compassion or empathy. Anyone living like that, not understanding or caring that they are a monster, it seems like there could have easily been a good person but somehow, though poor nurturing and worst choices, just decided being a piece of shit for the sake of power was worth it.

In this episode, Mrs. Glick dies and leaves a large inheritance to the school music program. Lisa is excited until Joe Quimby III, son of Mayor Diamond Joe, begins running for student council president on a platform of blowing all the money on a music festival rather than using it to help the music program. Lisa decides to run against Joe but realizing she herself can't win alone, decides to manage a campaign for Bart. Meanwhile, in flashback we learn the history of the Quimby family dynasty. Joe Quimby Sr. was an Irish immigrant who was treated poorly by the local robber baron and got revenge by killing him and taking control of local businesses, even getting into film. However, when he was told he couldn't make it in politics, he vows to make his son a political powerhouse. Back in the present, Bart suffers a set back, causing Lisa to do research to find new dirt on the Quimby family. Lisa discovers a family member, her great Aunt Beatrice, was briefly married to Diamond Joe. Flashing back to the 80s, Joe Quimby II is running for mayor when he meets Beatrice Bouvier, who convinces him to politic not just for power but for the people. Joe falls in love with her but on their wedding night, Joe Sr. insist Joe keep up a facade of philandering to appear strong and masculine. Even a facade is insulting to Beatrice, who leaves him that night. Joe Jr then bombs a debate for governor and then Joe Sr. tells him he will never ascend higher than mayor and his only hope is for Joe Jr. to have a son who can. In the present, Bart's campaign puts up a valiant struggle but ultimately loses in a close race. Lisa is propositioned by Joe the Third to use her wits that almost bested him to help him in future campaigns. Lisa meets with Beatrice, learns the truth and decides to help Joe... by allowing him to express that he doesn't want political ambitions. Mayor Quimby makes peace with his son and Martin, next in the chain of command, saves the school music program.

Sashes to Sashes is one of those episodes that isn't particularly strong in comedy but it's a solid story by Ryan Koh overall, helped greatly by some strong visuals by director Mike Frank Polcino. I don't think it all works but it's better than I would expect an episode about the Quimby political dynasty to be. I think it's an episode that wants to really explore the Quimbys as characters with an interesting story behind them. I think, despite it being the real emotional meat of the story, Mayor Quimby's brief flirtation with morality before betraying it actually isn't as interesting as I'd hoped. I think it's because so much of it relies on the concept of Slobtown, the neighborhood of the eastern European immigrant community, and a lot of those gags just don't land for me.

It is an episode with a solid guest cast, though. Carrie Coon is doing a raspy Bouvier voice that works for the character while Domnhall Gleeson, an old hand at playing older morally questionable folks, similarly plays his character straight, even when he says something silly. I think Kph is swinging for something bigger than the usual Simpsons episode and connect things but even the metaphorical throughline, which is weirdly Donkey Kong (even in segment prior to the game's existence, Barrels play a key role), feels like it doesn't quite work. It's a solid character episode and I feel like it's one of the more well-written episodes of the season in terms of structure and care but the parts are better than the whole. Pretty darn good parts, though.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Day of the Jack-Up

I've never been a concert goer. I guess I like the idea of sharing an experience with a bunch of other people in theory but I never care for the overwhelming noise. But I know enough to know that the ticket selling racket has been bad for a long time thanks to resellers, as well as companies like ticket master. The fact is, it can be hard to change rules when the big companies don't have enough incentive and can push their weight around to prevent those who would and should from doing so. Which is the perfect target for a show like the Simpsons; something that has ties to fun but also can be well worth commenting on. Granted, it doesn't have a lot to say, but it's still a fun ride.

In this episode, Homer attempts to buy tickets for Lisa's favourite K-Pop group, the Kneesock Dolls, only to find they've all be bought and are now being sold by a nefarious reseller known only as Seatmiser. The whole town is angry about Seatmiser and decides to call in an FBI specialist to catch them. Meanwhile, Homer manages to get tickets for cheap so the whole family can go to the concert. While Bart is doing some browsing at the concert merch stand, he learns the entire concert is a sting operation to catch Seatmiser... who is Bart. A game of cat and mouse begins and Bart can't seem to shake of the police... until they learn they've been tracking him from his phone as it sells tickets. Bart reluctantly toilets his phone and rejoins the family as the concert ends. However, at the exit, Bart learns the cops have salvaged his phone and can re-open it with the Face ID feature. As Bart sweats, Lisa tells Bart she knows the truth. While she's smug about it, she also acknowledges Bart did her a solid because he was the one who allowed Homer to get cheap tickets and is thankful. Also, she sees Bart wanted to share the concert with her, being a secret fan of the Kneesock Dolls. Bart claims this is only true, if the phone is his. In fact, his face does not unlock the phone and the police are stymied. As they leave, Bart reveals he took the time to project his butt on a large screen... and it wasn't his *face* he uses to unlock his screen...

This is a Joel H. Cohen episode and his eps can range wildly in quality. This one, thankfully, lands on the "good" side of things with a fun ride of an episode. My only complaint is I wish the latter half of the episode took up all of the episode. Keep in mind, the first half is good stuff, if kind of average. Homer has a cause, Homer is bothered Lisa doesn't believe in him, it's standard stuff with ticket reselling theme. It's almost like Homer the Vigilante except Homer does far less. But it has some good gags and is generally fun. But then the second half hit with an unexpected parody.

That parody is Trap, a very stupid but very enjoyable M. Night Shyamalan movie about a serial killer who takes his daughter to a concert only to realize it's a trap for him. It has flaws but it is bouyed by a shockingly wonderful Josh Hartnett performance as a serial killer with goofy dad energy. And it's also just a very good structure to hang a movie or episode of TV on. It's similar to a heist story but instead of finding the protagonists plan, he must use quick wits to dismantle the plans of those who would catch him. And that's perfect for Bart, and sure enough it makes for an enjoyable second half with a sweet (if not concise) face off between Bart and Lisa.

In the end, I don't mind that the episode wasn't REALLY about the tickets and that's more an entry point into a fun genre exercise for the show. And that's why I wish more of the episode was JUST the concert and Bart using his wits to win the day. I think the final reveal is cute and I wanted more fun twists and plotting. A lot of love by the animation team is also put into the concert but with the exception of one REALLY wonderfully stupid joke, it didn't hit as strongly. But overall, this is an episode that has some sweetness but more than anything tries and succeeds at being entertaining.

Other great jokes:

"I've set the bar so low I can't even disappoint you any more."
"The way you've made this all about you is disappointing."
"Don't try to cheer me up. I'm going to get those tickets by any means necessary and when I don't you better be let down!"

The jokes about really dumb attempts at feminism by pop bands is not strong but the "Womendez Brothers" made me laugh much harder than it merited.

Other notes:
I love that Bart's background on his phone is him with Krusty, presumably after saving him from jail or organizing his comeback special or any number of things Krusty has definitely forgotten about. It's not like it's a gag or anything or even particularly clever. I just like the detail is all.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Aunt Misbehavin'

I recently spent my life savings to help me and my parents buy a house for us to live in together. I have my own place in the basement, which is fine with me. But while I love my parents, I sometimes have a hard time with them. It's just little things and annoyances but I do feel my hairs raise a little when my mother comes into my place. And I'm really not great at talking about what bothers me, I'd just rather move on. But it can be hard when you are living with someone who you both love and are frustrated with.

In this episode, Selma is promoted at work, causing some minor tension between Patty and Selma. Meanwhile, while Homer gets revenge after an expensive prank from Bart, he and a somewhat salty Patty decide to use Patty's access to DMV files to pull another prank on Homer; have him declared legally dead. However, soon Homer loves the fallout of the prank, which has unexpected perks. The abuse of DMV power, however, does result in Selma firing Patty. The rift between them grows greater as Patty expresses herself with a new look and Selma starts dating a good-natured but irritating man named Merle. Eventually, Patty moves out and starts living in Palm Springfield, the affluent part of town with a big gay community. Weeks later, Bart and Lisa, who have become closer to Patty and Selma respectively, believe that the two are more emotionally worse off than they are letting off. With Merle's help, the Simpsons arrange for the bouvier twins to bump into each other at a golfing event but instead of reconciling they start fighting. Eventually Marge intervenes and tells them whatever happens, their most important life relationship is with each other. The two make peace and Patty moves back into Spinster arms, no longer roommates with her sister but a next door neighbor.

I wouldn't put Aunt Misbehavin' as the representative of the show at it's best in this era but it has a lot going for it. I think that it ends with a subtle change that won't matter too much going forward but within the episode marks a significant growth. It's never said out loud what it means when Patty and Selma, while still in very close physical proximity are no longer room mates and it doesn't have to. The two are often seen as a duo but this is about them finding each other as individuals rather than part of a duo but still finding value in their closeness and old rituals. In many ways, the show marked the benefit of their closeness but also how that closeness could, on occassion, lead them away from opportunities. It's a small but meaningful change for the duo even if the dynamics within the show probably won't change much (especially since we might get one or two Patty/Selma-centric episodes in the next few years).

The other is it has a fairly fun b-plot. I won't say all the gags are laugh out loud but the turn that Homer loves being dead is a fun path for the episode to take and there are fun little bits with that. And the other big element I love is Merle, played by character actor Stephen Tobolowsky, best known as Ned! Ryerson! Needlenose Ned! Ned the Head! BING! from Groundhog Day. If you aren't familiar with Tobolowsky, he has a fantastic podcast about his life and career that seems to update with a bunch of episodes every 7 years or so. The man is a great actor (both comedic and dramatic) and storyteller and he has some amazing ones. And here he's basically playing a variation on Gil. This could easily have been Gil. But Merle is a character who is equal parts loveable and obnoxious, someone who is endlessly patient and kind but will not get the hint. Gil with a touch of Flanders thrown in. I don't need this character to come back but he helped at life to competent and thoughtful episode.

But in the end, while I think the character stuff is strong, I kind of wish we got more. This is one of those weird episodes that could have been a two-parter. I would like to have had more in Palm Springfield. I want to know the greater reason why it didn't suit her. In fact, I think we don't see enough of the characters getting to do independent stuff post fallout. I mean, we do get a lot of Patty getting her groove back but I would want more Patty finding out why a community that seems perfect for her doesn't click with her. Plus they introduce the Simpsons kids bonding with different aunts but Lisa gets the short thrift and I still would want more of Patty and Bart. But mostly it's a pretty strong episode. And I hope Patty keeps her new haircut.

Other great jokes:

"I'm just worried about Jubjub. I've never seen him so upset."

"Well Selma seems happy and Patty seems like she's thriving in Palm Springfield. And what's more important than seeming?"