I understand cantaloupe is quite good sprinkled with a little salt.
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America's Favorite Non-prehistoric Cartoon Family - The Simpsons Thread
- Thread starter Johnny Unusual
- Start date
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
Saddlesore Galactica
I love movies and shows about competitive sports and games but in real life, sports was generally something I never got into. I did do Hap Ki Do for a year but I wasn't particularly competitive, instead focusing on self improvement. I get the appeal of competition but I guess I don't have the drive to get to whatever gets you to the next level. Interestingly, my sister was... sort of the same and also not at all. She was athletic and loved sports but after a few years always left it for a new one. She liked the act of learning but was less interested in honing. She's even been to the Canada games but it seems like for her talents, she only had the drive to learn. I think to keep going takes a certain mentality and strong-headedness that I might not possess... or utilize.
In this episode, the Simpsons end up taking care of an abandoned horse, Duncan, when no one else will. In order to pay for it, they turn it into a race horse and then give it a tough attitude in order to have a winner's spirit. However, Duncan makes enemies in the racing world... the other jockeys, who turn out to be a race of subhumans. Bart and Duncan win the race anyway and the Simpsons fight against the jockeys and win.
Saddlesore Galactica is a WWWWEEEEEEIIIIIIRRRRRRRDDDDDD episode. Thematically, there is something going on between the a and b plots. The b-plot is basically about Lisa being pissed off because her school band lost a school band that didn't follow the rules to the letter and won. Meanwhile, Bart and Homer teach a horse to win by playing as dirty as possible in order for him to find his place in the racing world. But while a theme is there, this feels like an episode with extreme apathy to its themes in fair of a completely wacked out left turn in the last act.
See, narratively, it is pedestrian: that the other jockeys try to force Bart and Duncan to fall in line. The weird part is making them basically elves and brownies and making that weird ass element pretty front and center while most dips into next level unreality are for one off jokes like Leonard Nimoy teleporting away. Its a bold choice and it feels like a writing room "Hail Mary" play when something in the last act didn't work.
And... I kind of love it. Its the strongest element in the episode, yielding some real laughs from me. It comes with a complete musical number and the gags about jockey's being fairy tale creatures keep coming. Much of the episode is pretty disposable but I quote this section a lot. The musical number is one of my favourites from the show and the best in a long while (unless you count the Stretch Dude and Clobber Girl theme). Looking back, I feel like Futurama was actually better at the musical numbers overall but this one works. So basically while Little Big Mom was the one where you could quit after act one, this one you could basically skip straight to act three. You won't be missing much. I understand people finding the increased unhinging from reality as a bad thing, just as it unhinged from its emotional core but frankly, I don't mind the former and this episode's deviation is a delight.
Jokes I missed before:
OOOOOH, the horse is named Duncan... as in dunkin', because he's a diving horse.
Other great jokes:
This man has the most tragic eye.
"Play 'You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet'."
"We just did."
"Whatever."
Using this again after the boom is dropped is perfect.
"At least you don't have to feed anything I bought at the fair... well, except the mop."
I love that Marge and Homer just roll over laughing at their own fantasies.
"That's my third monocle this week, I must stop being so horrified."
"I don't know who to vote for."
"I'll deal with those murderous trolls."
"Huh?"
"I mean, I'll deal with those murderous trolls."
"Might this be the start of a terrifying planet of the horses? In this announcer's opinion, yes. And away I go."
"We'll give you gold!"
Other notes:
Fun fact: Only female horses race.
I would love drain buggers. And maybe the mop that eats? If its not picky, it could be useful.
I love movies and shows about competitive sports and games but in real life, sports was generally something I never got into. I did do Hap Ki Do for a year but I wasn't particularly competitive, instead focusing on self improvement. I get the appeal of competition but I guess I don't have the drive to get to whatever gets you to the next level. Interestingly, my sister was... sort of the same and also not at all. She was athletic and loved sports but after a few years always left it for a new one. She liked the act of learning but was less interested in honing. She's even been to the Canada games but it seems like for her talents, she only had the drive to learn. I think to keep going takes a certain mentality and strong-headedness that I might not possess... or utilize.
In this episode, the Simpsons end up taking care of an abandoned horse, Duncan, when no one else will. In order to pay for it, they turn it into a race horse and then give it a tough attitude in order to have a winner's spirit. However, Duncan makes enemies in the racing world... the other jockeys, who turn out to be a race of subhumans. Bart and Duncan win the race anyway and the Simpsons fight against the jockeys and win.
Saddlesore Galactica is a WWWWEEEEEEIIIIIIRRRRRRRDDDDDD episode. Thematically, there is something going on between the a and b plots. The b-plot is basically about Lisa being pissed off because her school band lost a school band that didn't follow the rules to the letter and won. Meanwhile, Bart and Homer teach a horse to win by playing as dirty as possible in order for him to find his place in the racing world. But while a theme is there, this feels like an episode with extreme apathy to its themes in fair of a completely wacked out left turn in the last act.
See, narratively, it is pedestrian: that the other jockeys try to force Bart and Duncan to fall in line. The weird part is making them basically elves and brownies and making that weird ass element pretty front and center while most dips into next level unreality are for one off jokes like Leonard Nimoy teleporting away. Its a bold choice and it feels like a writing room "Hail Mary" play when something in the last act didn't work.
And... I kind of love it. Its the strongest element in the episode, yielding some real laughs from me. It comes with a complete musical number and the gags about jockey's being fairy tale creatures keep coming. Much of the episode is pretty disposable but I quote this section a lot. The musical number is one of my favourites from the show and the best in a long while (unless you count the Stretch Dude and Clobber Girl theme). Looking back, I feel like Futurama was actually better at the musical numbers overall but this one works. So basically while Little Big Mom was the one where you could quit after act one, this one you could basically skip straight to act three. You won't be missing much. I understand people finding the increased unhinging from reality as a bad thing, just as it unhinged from its emotional core but frankly, I don't mind the former and this episode's deviation is a delight.
Jokes I missed before:
OOOOOH, the horse is named Duncan... as in dunkin', because he's a diving horse.
Other great jokes:
This man has the most tragic eye.
"Play 'You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet'."
"We just did."
"Whatever."
Using this again after the boom is dropped is perfect.
"At least you don't have to feed anything I bought at the fair... well, except the mop."
I love that Marge and Homer just roll over laughing at their own fantasies.
"That's my third monocle this week, I must stop being so horrified."
"I don't know who to vote for."
"I'll deal with those murderous trolls."
"Huh?"
"I mean, I'll deal with those murderous trolls."
"Might this be the start of a terrifying planet of the horses? In this announcer's opinion, yes. And away I go."
"We'll give you gold!"
Other notes:
Fun fact: Only female horses race.
I would love drain buggers. And maybe the mop that eats? If its not picky, it could be useful.
Realistically, I know The Simpsons had already done such crazy stuff as fighting off an army of killer amusement park animatronics with flash photography and relocating the entire town 'cuz Homer flooded it with trash. Still, "jockeys are fae" is the kinda plot twist I would expect more from a Futurama ep.
But that's really the thing, though. The Simpsons went from being one of the only (major) names in animation targeting an older audience to inspiring a lot of other cartoons and spawning a successor series of sorts set in wackier realities. It's not hard to see how going all Captain Wacky with things is The Simpsons' way of keeping the people who were moving onto stuff like South Park and Family Guy (and eventually Adult Swim) watching their show.
But that's really the thing, though. The Simpsons went from being one of the only (major) names in animation targeting an older audience to inspiring a lot of other cartoons and spawning a successor series of sorts set in wackier realities. It's not hard to see how going all Captain Wacky with things is The Simpsons' way of keeping the people who were moving onto stuff like South Park and Family Guy (and eventually Adult Swim) watching their show.
I kinda love this animation, like the idea of mop just expanding itself to inhale food is great.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
Alone Again, Natura-Diddly
Flanders is a character who is one of the most interesting characters in the series. For much of the series, he's a good man in a hopelessly flawed world. He was given depth but at the same time, much of the show became more outsized. He's the "religious character" but in his roots, he was actually the yuppie character. His religious was similar to his financial advantages: to present him as a contrast to Homer in every way in terms of morals, good temperament and fortunate life. But things change. While they've worked to evolve the character, but the nature of the show also means a lot of characters are more broad than complex. Flanders' as a fundamentalist bully is a lot less interesting to me as the show goes on, especially after seeing a man who can smile through a lot of personal anguish. Speaking of...
In this episode, a visit to the race track ends in tragedy when Maude dies in an accident. Flanders, Rod and Todd have a hard time coping but Homer just wants to help. Months later, Homer arrives on Flanders door with a dating video and Flanders eventually takes him up on it. But each date turns out to be a nightmare and Flanders feels like he's losing his faith. However, at church, he meets a beautiful Christian singer whose words speak to him and he decides to go on.
This is one I have a lot of mixed feelings about. First off, Maude got done dirty. The fact that Maggie Roswell temporarily quit the character and is replaced with Marcia Gaven who... sounds wrong in the role. Like, super wrong. Anyway, killing her feels like sour grapes. Maybe it isn't. Maybe realizing losing the actress, the writers saw possibilities in the tragedy of the death of a major (well, minor.... well, present) character. But that brings me to my second point: having Homer accidentally responsible for her death feels a little nasty. I think there's a world were you could do that well but I think you'd need to spend AT LEAST a full episode unpacking the idea of what it means to be accidentally responsible for a death or living next to the man who indirectly caused her to die. Its... a lot and the show doesn't care. Its just a means to an end but this feels like it proves what Grimey (as he liked to be called) was trying to tell the people of Springfield: that this man is a nightmare. This is an episode that actually tries to be somewhat heartfelt so despite Homer trying to comfort his neighbor, it feels very callous and nasty.
On the other hand...
There are some very funny jokes here. Homer editing a dating tape for Ned yields some great comedy. Lots of one off lines. I like Ned's dating nightmares. Some of the FASTCAR stuff is good (the Simpsons eventually started to get too lazy with parody titles for its own good but FASTCAR is so dumb its kind of beautiful). Its not without merit as a comedy. Granted, there is a disconnect in trying to make this a "dumb but well-intentioned" Homer episode while he is very responsible for Maude's death but if one can compartmentalize that element, Homer trying to be sweet to his neighbor while also trying to excuse himself for stealing his lawn sprinkler is some good stuff.
As for the meat of the episode... its not BAD. It really wants to deal with Flanders coming to grips with a very serious loss. Maude really isn't important to the episode. Her absence is. Its about those she left behind and I have mixed feelings on that: I think there's a realism to that but it also is a bit of another disservice to the character, as the show literally says "her main character trait was that she was there." Cute meta-joke but we are also trying to take Flanders' sadness with a certain amount of weight and aside from everyone being sad, I think there are other avenues in exploring what an absence looks like. But I guess my other issues are that 1) there is a valiant attempt but season 11 Simpsons doesn't do genuine emotions as well and 2) I feel like what this episode does is at least two or three episodes worth of story. I think on a technical level, it doesn't feel unwieldy or overstuffed but instead I think the problem is Ned grieving, Ned trying to date and Ned starting to truly doubt could have more room to breathe. Granted, more masterful writing could in theory intertwine them into an emotional 23 minutes but... well, this era's strength as silly gags, sadly. I think there are still a few surprisingly potent emotional beats left in the tank but the Simpsons as a grounded show swarming with magic robots is over.
Jokes I missed before:
All this time I missed that Ned put "Flanswered" in his one man-Scrabble game.
Other great jokes:
The line delivery of "Send me to Maude" always works on me.
"You just winged him, now he's a unitarian."
"Do you even have a job anymore?"
"I think its pretty obvious that I don't,"
"There are other wipes beside star wipes."
"Why have hamburger when you can have steak?"
"The place is full of eligable bachelors: John Wayne, Tupac Shakur, Sherlock Holmes..."
"Now Sherlock Holmes is a character."
"He sure is."
I like that Marge still thinks potatoes are the best.
Other notes:
I don't understand what throwing the used dice in the acid is a reference to, assuming its not a non-sequitor.
The Rachel Jordan stuff didn't work for me. Who's Rachel Jordan? My point exactly.
Flanders is a character who is one of the most interesting characters in the series. For much of the series, he's a good man in a hopelessly flawed world. He was given depth but at the same time, much of the show became more outsized. He's the "religious character" but in his roots, he was actually the yuppie character. His religious was similar to his financial advantages: to present him as a contrast to Homer in every way in terms of morals, good temperament and fortunate life. But things change. While they've worked to evolve the character, but the nature of the show also means a lot of characters are more broad than complex. Flanders' as a fundamentalist bully is a lot less interesting to me as the show goes on, especially after seeing a man who can smile through a lot of personal anguish. Speaking of...
In this episode, a visit to the race track ends in tragedy when Maude dies in an accident. Flanders, Rod and Todd have a hard time coping but Homer just wants to help. Months later, Homer arrives on Flanders door with a dating video and Flanders eventually takes him up on it. But each date turns out to be a nightmare and Flanders feels like he's losing his faith. However, at church, he meets a beautiful Christian singer whose words speak to him and he decides to go on.
This is one I have a lot of mixed feelings about. First off, Maude got done dirty. The fact that Maggie Roswell temporarily quit the character and is replaced with Marcia Gaven who... sounds wrong in the role. Like, super wrong. Anyway, killing her feels like sour grapes. Maybe it isn't. Maybe realizing losing the actress, the writers saw possibilities in the tragedy of the death of a major (well, minor.... well, present) character. But that brings me to my second point: having Homer accidentally responsible for her death feels a little nasty. I think there's a world were you could do that well but I think you'd need to spend AT LEAST a full episode unpacking the idea of what it means to be accidentally responsible for a death or living next to the man who indirectly caused her to die. Its... a lot and the show doesn't care. Its just a means to an end but this feels like it proves what Grimey (as he liked to be called) was trying to tell the people of Springfield: that this man is a nightmare. This is an episode that actually tries to be somewhat heartfelt so despite Homer trying to comfort his neighbor, it feels very callous and nasty.
On the other hand...
There are some very funny jokes here. Homer editing a dating tape for Ned yields some great comedy. Lots of one off lines. I like Ned's dating nightmares. Some of the FASTCAR stuff is good (the Simpsons eventually started to get too lazy with parody titles for its own good but FASTCAR is so dumb its kind of beautiful). Its not without merit as a comedy. Granted, there is a disconnect in trying to make this a "dumb but well-intentioned" Homer episode while he is very responsible for Maude's death but if one can compartmentalize that element, Homer trying to be sweet to his neighbor while also trying to excuse himself for stealing his lawn sprinkler is some good stuff.
As for the meat of the episode... its not BAD. It really wants to deal with Flanders coming to grips with a very serious loss. Maude really isn't important to the episode. Her absence is. Its about those she left behind and I have mixed feelings on that: I think there's a realism to that but it also is a bit of another disservice to the character, as the show literally says "her main character trait was that she was there." Cute meta-joke but we are also trying to take Flanders' sadness with a certain amount of weight and aside from everyone being sad, I think there are other avenues in exploring what an absence looks like. But I guess my other issues are that 1) there is a valiant attempt but season 11 Simpsons doesn't do genuine emotions as well and 2) I feel like what this episode does is at least two or three episodes worth of story. I think on a technical level, it doesn't feel unwieldy or overstuffed but instead I think the problem is Ned grieving, Ned trying to date and Ned starting to truly doubt could have more room to breathe. Granted, more masterful writing could in theory intertwine them into an emotional 23 minutes but... well, this era's strength as silly gags, sadly. I think there are still a few surprisingly potent emotional beats left in the tank but the Simpsons as a grounded show swarming with magic robots is over.
Jokes I missed before:
All this time I missed that Ned put "Flanswered" in his one man-Scrabble game.
Other great jokes:
The line delivery of "Send me to Maude" always works on me.
"You just winged him, now he's a unitarian."
"Do you even have a job anymore?"
"I think its pretty obvious that I don't,"
"There are other wipes beside star wipes."
"Why have hamburger when you can have steak?"
"The place is full of eligable bachelors: John Wayne, Tupac Shakur, Sherlock Holmes..."
"Now Sherlock Holmes is a character."
"He sure is."
I like that Marge still thinks potatoes are the best.
Other notes:
I don't understand what throwing the used dice in the acid is a reference to, assuming its not a non-sequitor.
The Rachel Jordan stuff didn't work for me. Who's Rachel Jordan? My point exactly.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
Missionary: Impossible
I've been fortunate to travel a lot as a young man. When I was 7, I spent a month in Japan and when I was 12 years old I spent 10 months in Thailand. I think it really help broaden my horizons. But I don't think it was until much later that I realized my ignorance in how to properly accept cultural differences at certain points. I'm (mostly) not talking about "ugly American" stuff, but I've said, done and thought things I'm not cool with now. I think my intentions are largely good but good intention don't excuse bad takes or behaviour.
In this episode, Homer ends up making an enemy of PBS after defrauding their pledge drive and after asking Reverend Lovejoy for help, he sends him to a Microatian island as a missionary. Homer does not like being stuck in a place without TV or beer but eventually decides to dive into his work when he realizes his family is proud of him and Flanders is jealous. However, Homer's ignorance towards religion makes Homer pick another tact: introducing a casino to the island. Almost immediately, the casino ruins paradise and Homer decides to start making things right by building the chapel the previous missionaries never finished. The chapel is finished by soon the island is destroyed by an Earthquake and Homer falls, seemingly to his death. His fate is uncertain as Fox interrupts the episode for a pledge drive.
Oooh, boy. This one is a pretty racist episode. Taking place in the South Pacific in the fictional Micronesia parody Microtia, it features broad island native stereotypes. The episode is pretty knowing of this but I feel like in a move both using and somewhat adjacent (depending on the joke) "ironic" racism, it tries to lampshade it, assuming it will be cool with the joke is supposed to largely be about that. The problem with "ironic" racism is that it feels like an excuse to use stereotypes to comment but also to indulge in a way that "cheekily" allows the writers to get away with it. Homer is the ugly American but the racism doesn't just come from his ignorance but also simply the way these characters are often presented and joked about, like Qtoktok choking on a chicken bone when we assume he is using a foreign language word.
The episode is definitely on the side of the islanders and is pretty anti-missionary. Its about the idea of someone stridently coming in to another culture under the assumption they can improve it with the proper religion. Craig and Amy, the previous missionaries, casually mention ridiculing away most of islanders' beliefs and though they were digging a well, it seems that they've done very little to help. Homer, of course, is worse and tries to help in a way that makes things worse. The basic message seems to be about arrogant colonialism and assumptions of cultural superiority being an ugly thing.
But while the episode's message is one I can get behind, the way it is presented is less cool. Its unfortunate, because I feel like a common complaint in the season for me is poor exploration of a theme. In this episode, I feel like it is something that is mostly done right but it also comes packaged with unfortunate stereotypes for its made up island. It is also an episode where I remember it being funnier. There are some good jokes in the episode but it isn't just that the problems interfere with my enjoyment (and they do), but there are simply fewer great jokes than I remember. There's good jokes in the PBS segment but its actually not quite as funny as I remember. I do appreciate the full circle comedy ending that interrupts the narrative. After all, even though the story doesn't have an ending, I do feel like its kind of complete in other ways, for better AND worse.
Jokes I missed before:
The Pink Floyd reference in the toad licking scene.
Other great jokes:
"The mother's the voice of reason."
"Not hard to see why it's England's longest running series and today we're showing all 11 episodes."
"Yeah, its a real ghost town in there."
"I don't even believe in Jebus."
"First of all, forget everything you learned in missionary school."
"...done."
"Are you enjoying your ox testicle?"
"Yes, very much so."
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather have a coconut? They're delicious."
"No, I'm good."
"How can ace be one and eleven? What kind of God would allow that?"
"Well, I may not know much about God but I have to say we built a pretty nice cage for him."
Other notes:
Other racist joke is giving Yo-Yo Ma a stereotypical "Asian" way of speaking.
I've been fortunate to travel a lot as a young man. When I was 7, I spent a month in Japan and when I was 12 years old I spent 10 months in Thailand. I think it really help broaden my horizons. But I don't think it was until much later that I realized my ignorance in how to properly accept cultural differences at certain points. I'm (mostly) not talking about "ugly American" stuff, but I've said, done and thought things I'm not cool with now. I think my intentions are largely good but good intention don't excuse bad takes or behaviour.
In this episode, Homer ends up making an enemy of PBS after defrauding their pledge drive and after asking Reverend Lovejoy for help, he sends him to a Microatian island as a missionary. Homer does not like being stuck in a place without TV or beer but eventually decides to dive into his work when he realizes his family is proud of him and Flanders is jealous. However, Homer's ignorance towards religion makes Homer pick another tact: introducing a casino to the island. Almost immediately, the casino ruins paradise and Homer decides to start making things right by building the chapel the previous missionaries never finished. The chapel is finished by soon the island is destroyed by an Earthquake and Homer falls, seemingly to his death. His fate is uncertain as Fox interrupts the episode for a pledge drive.
Oooh, boy. This one is a pretty racist episode. Taking place in the South Pacific in the fictional Micronesia parody Microtia, it features broad island native stereotypes. The episode is pretty knowing of this but I feel like in a move both using and somewhat adjacent (depending on the joke) "ironic" racism, it tries to lampshade it, assuming it will be cool with the joke is supposed to largely be about that. The problem with "ironic" racism is that it feels like an excuse to use stereotypes to comment but also to indulge in a way that "cheekily" allows the writers to get away with it. Homer is the ugly American but the racism doesn't just come from his ignorance but also simply the way these characters are often presented and joked about, like Qtoktok choking on a chicken bone when we assume he is using a foreign language word.
The episode is definitely on the side of the islanders and is pretty anti-missionary. Its about the idea of someone stridently coming in to another culture under the assumption they can improve it with the proper religion. Craig and Amy, the previous missionaries, casually mention ridiculing away most of islanders' beliefs and though they were digging a well, it seems that they've done very little to help. Homer, of course, is worse and tries to help in a way that makes things worse. The basic message seems to be about arrogant colonialism and assumptions of cultural superiority being an ugly thing.
But while the episode's message is one I can get behind, the way it is presented is less cool. Its unfortunate, because I feel like a common complaint in the season for me is poor exploration of a theme. In this episode, I feel like it is something that is mostly done right but it also comes packaged with unfortunate stereotypes for its made up island. It is also an episode where I remember it being funnier. There are some good jokes in the episode but it isn't just that the problems interfere with my enjoyment (and they do), but there are simply fewer great jokes than I remember. There's good jokes in the PBS segment but its actually not quite as funny as I remember. I do appreciate the full circle comedy ending that interrupts the narrative. After all, even though the story doesn't have an ending, I do feel like its kind of complete in other ways, for better AND worse.
Jokes I missed before:
The Pink Floyd reference in the toad licking scene.
Other great jokes:
"The mother's the voice of reason."
"Not hard to see why it's England's longest running series and today we're showing all 11 episodes."
"Yeah, its a real ghost town in there."
"I don't even believe in Jebus."
"First of all, forget everything you learned in missionary school."
"...done."
"Are you enjoying your ox testicle?"
"Yes, very much so."
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather have a coconut? They're delicious."
"No, I'm good."
"How can ace be one and eleven? What kind of God would allow that?"
"Well, I may not know much about God but I have to say we built a pretty nice cage for him."
Other notes:
Other racist joke is giving Yo-Yo Ma a stereotypical "Asian" way of speaking.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
Yep. It was a very late 90s/early 2000s racism.
I seriously wish more people would realize this.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
Pygmoelion
I've never been happy with my looks. I don't think I look "ugly" but I don't think I look "handsome". On rare occasions I have been complimented on my looks (mostly by students) that makes me feel good but when I look in the mirror, I mostly just see the flaws. I feel a little better now that I've lost around 60 pounds but regardless, I'm not terribly confidant in myself all around. I'm sure its not uncommon feeling, not unlike not liking the sound of one's own voice (I also don't like that, either). Frankly, I don't know if it matters that I am "handsome" so much as I wish I knew people liked what I look like.
In this episode, Moe wins a bartending contest and the prize is his face on a calendar. Unfortunately, when Moe gets the calendar, he finds a sticker on his face, covering up his ugly visage. Sensitive about his looks, Moe decides to get plastic surgery. The surgery is successful and Moe finds himself incredibly handsome for the first time. He decides to get revenge on the people who wronged him which leads him to a soap opera producer who called him ugly. Moe arrives only to get cast in a key role and ends up becoming popular and following his long held acting dream. Moe is happy until he reads that he's getting killed off and decides to spoil a years worth of stories. Moe is kicked out but not before learning the death was merely a dream sequence. An accident returns Moe's face to normal and he returns to his old life.
I won't go as far as to say Pygmoelion isn't about anything but it feels "about something-lite". The gags are paramount, though we are given a lot of sympathy to Moe in the episode. That's what I like about a lot of Moe episodes, that while he's in many ways pretty scummy, Hank Azaria and the writers can do a good job at making him somewhat sympathetic when they want to and his deep sadness can strengthen an episode. I think it helps here, in an episode that is light on insight in what it means to be "handsome" and "ugly".
Not that there isn't none. Carl talks about "look good outside/unhappy inside" but that's not what we see here. What is inside is a lifetime of bitterness from Moe, which ends up poisoning his dream job (and ironically lands him the job in the first place. Moe is moved to like what he sees in the mirror but right after, he's eager to rub it in the faces of those who wronged him. It can be an understandable instinct but living well is the best revenge and there's every indication that, at least for a while, Moe could have lived well thanks to the confidence and popularity of his looks. So it isn't the deepest episode but at least there is some character insight into Moe's tragic flaw that goes beyond his looks and even his gruff demeanor; that he's still living with a lot of vitriol in his heart that causes him to burn some bridges when he could have been using the opportunity to move to a new job.
Overall, Pygmoelion lacks depth but it is funny and after two episodes that have made some critical errors, it is nice to see an episode that where the mistakes are much more small scale by comparison. The strongest element in the episode, aside from Moe's sadness at his looks and occasional joy (again, Azaria and the writers do well with this) is definitely the soap opera itself. Its wonderfully ridiculous and strangely not far off from what soap operas were in the 80s and 90s. Aliens, demonic possession and all sorts of weird crap wasn't uncommon, to the point where eventually one writer famous for adding all that stuff in soaps went onto make "Passions" a show full of witches and dolls come to life. What little we get is hilarious and while the Simpsons had often done some great soap jokes before, there's lots of comedic value to be wrung from the show on the Simpsons "It Never Ends". Frankly, its my favourite part of a perfectly cromulent episode.
Other great jokes:
"Now, fresh from his appearance before the house subcommittee on teenage alcoholism... DUFFMAN!"
"Duff Beer is brewed from hops, barely and sparkling clear mountain... what?"
"Goat!"
"Uh... close enough."
I love that Milhouse's dad is just pushing a laundry cart... where to exactly?
This is more for the first bit of this...
"I died on the operating table, didn't I?"
"Yeah, but only for a minute. Its a funny story, I'll tell you about it sometime."
"Oh, shut up you windy old hack."
"And that's another thing, you have to stop calling me that."
"with Gabriella DeFarge as Gabriella St. Farge
Allegra Hamilton as Sister Bernadette and Roxy Monoxide..."
"Cleo, Cleo, you've brought music to my heart, but this relationship can never work. I'm a doctor and you're a 5,000 year old mummy I brought back to life."
"But I love you, Tad, and together we can burn all the cities of the Earth."
"It's against hospital regulations, dammit. And Clive Dancer's just waiting for me to slip up."
"As a child I was bitten by the acting bug. Then it burrowed under my skin and laid eggs in my heart. Now those eggs are hatching and the feeling is indescribable."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. Our dog has that."
"Then I get in a sky diving accident and have to be rushed to the... graveyard!?"
"... And only then do we discover Prof. Galloway's half-sister is plotting to take over International Perfume and Wine."
Other notes:
Oh, and there's a subplot about Maggie's balloon. Yep. It sure is in the episode.
I've never been happy with my looks. I don't think I look "ugly" but I don't think I look "handsome". On rare occasions I have been complimented on my looks (mostly by students) that makes me feel good but when I look in the mirror, I mostly just see the flaws. I feel a little better now that I've lost around 60 pounds but regardless, I'm not terribly confidant in myself all around. I'm sure its not uncommon feeling, not unlike not liking the sound of one's own voice (I also don't like that, either). Frankly, I don't know if it matters that I am "handsome" so much as I wish I knew people liked what I look like.
In this episode, Moe wins a bartending contest and the prize is his face on a calendar. Unfortunately, when Moe gets the calendar, he finds a sticker on his face, covering up his ugly visage. Sensitive about his looks, Moe decides to get plastic surgery. The surgery is successful and Moe finds himself incredibly handsome for the first time. He decides to get revenge on the people who wronged him which leads him to a soap opera producer who called him ugly. Moe arrives only to get cast in a key role and ends up becoming popular and following his long held acting dream. Moe is happy until he reads that he's getting killed off and decides to spoil a years worth of stories. Moe is kicked out but not before learning the death was merely a dream sequence. An accident returns Moe's face to normal and he returns to his old life.
I won't go as far as to say Pygmoelion isn't about anything but it feels "about something-lite". The gags are paramount, though we are given a lot of sympathy to Moe in the episode. That's what I like about a lot of Moe episodes, that while he's in many ways pretty scummy, Hank Azaria and the writers can do a good job at making him somewhat sympathetic when they want to and his deep sadness can strengthen an episode. I think it helps here, in an episode that is light on insight in what it means to be "handsome" and "ugly".
Not that there isn't none. Carl talks about "look good outside/unhappy inside" but that's not what we see here. What is inside is a lifetime of bitterness from Moe, which ends up poisoning his dream job (and ironically lands him the job in the first place. Moe is moved to like what he sees in the mirror but right after, he's eager to rub it in the faces of those who wronged him. It can be an understandable instinct but living well is the best revenge and there's every indication that, at least for a while, Moe could have lived well thanks to the confidence and popularity of his looks. So it isn't the deepest episode but at least there is some character insight into Moe's tragic flaw that goes beyond his looks and even his gruff demeanor; that he's still living with a lot of vitriol in his heart that causes him to burn some bridges when he could have been using the opportunity to move to a new job.
Overall, Pygmoelion lacks depth but it is funny and after two episodes that have made some critical errors, it is nice to see an episode that where the mistakes are much more small scale by comparison. The strongest element in the episode, aside from Moe's sadness at his looks and occasional joy (again, Azaria and the writers do well with this) is definitely the soap opera itself. Its wonderfully ridiculous and strangely not far off from what soap operas were in the 80s and 90s. Aliens, demonic possession and all sorts of weird crap wasn't uncommon, to the point where eventually one writer famous for adding all that stuff in soaps went onto make "Passions" a show full of witches and dolls come to life. What little we get is hilarious and while the Simpsons had often done some great soap jokes before, there's lots of comedic value to be wrung from the show on the Simpsons "It Never Ends". Frankly, its my favourite part of a perfectly cromulent episode.
Other great jokes:
"Now, fresh from his appearance before the house subcommittee on teenage alcoholism... DUFFMAN!"
"Duff Beer is brewed from hops, barely and sparkling clear mountain... what?"
"Goat!"
"Uh... close enough."
I love that Milhouse's dad is just pushing a laundry cart... where to exactly?
"I died on the operating table, didn't I?"
"Yeah, but only for a minute. Its a funny story, I'll tell you about it sometime."
"Oh, shut up you windy old hack."
"And that's another thing, you have to stop calling me that."
"with Gabriella DeFarge as Gabriella St. Farge
Allegra Hamilton as Sister Bernadette and Roxy Monoxide..."
"Cleo, Cleo, you've brought music to my heart, but this relationship can never work. I'm a doctor and you're a 5,000 year old mummy I brought back to life."
"But I love you, Tad, and together we can burn all the cities of the Earth."
"It's against hospital regulations, dammit. And Clive Dancer's just waiting for me to slip up."
"As a child I was bitten by the acting bug. Then it burrowed under my skin and laid eggs in my heart. Now those eggs are hatching and the feeling is indescribable."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. Our dog has that."
"Then I get in a sky diving accident and have to be rushed to the... graveyard!?"
"... And only then do we discover Prof. Galloway's half-sister is plotting to take over International Perfume and Wine."
Other notes:
Oh, and there's a subplot about Maggie's balloon. Yep. It sure is in the episode.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
I'm not going to lie, I kind of low-key like it. Like, it doesn't make me laugh but as some weird texture it works for me. That said, the Showgirls one DOES make me laugh as I get the impression the movie theatre he went to slapped that shit together, as opposed to the other ones where Homer may have made them.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
Bart to the Future
I always get a little self-conscious when thinking about my career in comparison to my sister. I've done a lot to be proud of but I've never laid strong roots and feel like despite all of my accumulated experience that I'm starting from square one. My sister has a partner and children and a nice house and everything I probably won't get. I know I shouldn't bother comparing and accept myself as I am but I definitely am jealous of my sister's go-getter attitude while it is easy for me to just be comfortable with whatever. I just lack her ambition and just want to do a good job and relax at the end of the day. Its not so much jealousy but rather disappointment in myself that I just don't have that professional edge.
In this episode, Bart gets a vision from an indigenous mystic about the future. In it, he is a loser would be musician who just mooches off his folks and friends and holds onto unrealistic dreams. When Lisa, now president, moves into the White House, Bart decides to crash there but proves to be an embarrassment. After Bart ruins an attempt to sell America a big tax hike, Lisa gets him out of the way on a phoney assignment at Camp David. When Bart realizes what Lisa is doing, Bart finally feels a measure of shame and comes to her rescue by stalling America's debtors with lame excuses.
Where do we want to leave our characters when we finally part ways. Some we never will. Grant Morrison turned the idea that there will always be new Batman stories into a tragic bleak existential nightmare at the end of his run on the book. On the other hand, Adventure Time did two finales that left our characters and both of them managed to be pretty good, one leaving them as their lives go on and the other exploring their epilogue in the afterlife. But endings, even "pretend" ones, are powerful ideas, as well as seeing our favourite characters after the years pass. For the Simpsons, Lisa's Wedding is a strong episode that feels like a great future for the series. Homer and Marge are kind of in the same place, Lisa is the success we would assume and Bart finds himself in a place that has some sadness but overall seems happy and fulfilled.
Bart to the Future is... not as good. Its fairly weak. The main thrust is actually an interesting one: Bart having to measure himself against his sister's success and finding himself wanting. After all, we can't imagine a future were Lisa isn't a success but Bart's future is always in question. He has his own innate talents such as savviness and guile but also lacks the kind of drive that society expects from him. He almost certainly won't go to university. But there are other yardsticks for success and fulfillment. But that's not what the episode is about. The episode is about Bart having to admit he's a big fucking loser and gets one minor win. I don't think I need a future episode to be exclusively uplifting but here it assumes Bart's just going to suck and, like several episodes this season, there's very little insight. It actually sort of touches on the idea of different measurements for success in the last joke but I don't think it believes it. It sees future Bart as a loser and gives him a minor gesture at some vague redeeming quality.
There are so many episodes I feel like the seed of the episode is much more interesting than the episode itself. It certainly doesn't help that it is quite racist. Yeah, there's the framing device of the "Indian casino" but even beyond that there are weird jokes about de-segregating death sports (which feels like a lot to unpack) and Hank Azaria doing a wacky Chinese accent. Yeesh. So that certainly went into colouring my opinion of the episode. But one of my other problems is that I feel like that while the Simpsons of the Golden Age was cynical about society, authority and conformity, it cared about its individual characters. But I don't feel like it cares about this Bart at all. Its not just that it starts him in a low place, socially and personally. A lot of great stories set in the future can do that with our heroes. I don't even think this is the worst starting point for the character (though him being a low-rent Jimmy Buffett makes no fucking sense to me. I get people's tastes change but I can't imagine a world where Bart gets into Buffett), Its just that his journey is just people pointing out he sucks, Bart agreeing, then helping Lisa in a small way. I think the show could have expanded on the idea at the end that what was supposed to be a cautionary tale simply wouldn't work on Bart because how he judges himself might not conform to societal expectations.
This episode isn't doing the worst stuff these future episodes do. I blame them for trying to make Lisa/Milhouse a thing. But its a shame that it feels like the writers at this point are forgetting the joy of Bart. He's a kid with a spark. The very thing that causes him to misbehave also has value. He's a little more clearly flawed than Lisa and makes bigger mistakes but Bart episodes are about how he deals with them and showing us his value there. But here, he has little to offer. Just excuses.
Jokes I missed before:
I missed that the woman who couldn't find her hat on her head was supposed to be Helen Thomas.
Other great jokes:
I feel like there are episodes I disliked more with more jokes I liked. Weird.
I like Marge walking around the White House with the laundry, telling Lisa to be nice to her brother.
"You've changed Lisa. You used to be cool."
"No, I didn't,"
I also like Homer's arbitrary counting method for gold finding.
"Now, this play button's a little screwed up so you got to hold it down."
"Every president gets three secret murders. If you don't use them by the end of their presidency, they're gone."
"Can we skinny dip?"
"At Camp David? Sure. They couldn't keep pants off Kissinger."
Other notes:
I like the implication that Arthur Crandall has a less scary version of Anthony Hopkins' Magic/The Ventriloquist and Scarface-thing going on.
I kind of like that Ralph is less implied to be intellectually disabled this episode. Like, he's still dumb but he's slightly less of an empty cipher/joke machine.
Yeah, yeah, this is the one that predicted "President Trump". I kind of don't care.
I can't imagine even future Bart recognizing Billy Carter on sight.
I always get a little self-conscious when thinking about my career in comparison to my sister. I've done a lot to be proud of but I've never laid strong roots and feel like despite all of my accumulated experience that I'm starting from square one. My sister has a partner and children and a nice house and everything I probably won't get. I know I shouldn't bother comparing and accept myself as I am but I definitely am jealous of my sister's go-getter attitude while it is easy for me to just be comfortable with whatever. I just lack her ambition and just want to do a good job and relax at the end of the day. Its not so much jealousy but rather disappointment in myself that I just don't have that professional edge.
In this episode, Bart gets a vision from an indigenous mystic about the future. In it, he is a loser would be musician who just mooches off his folks and friends and holds onto unrealistic dreams. When Lisa, now president, moves into the White House, Bart decides to crash there but proves to be an embarrassment. After Bart ruins an attempt to sell America a big tax hike, Lisa gets him out of the way on a phoney assignment at Camp David. When Bart realizes what Lisa is doing, Bart finally feels a measure of shame and comes to her rescue by stalling America's debtors with lame excuses.
Where do we want to leave our characters when we finally part ways. Some we never will. Grant Morrison turned the idea that there will always be new Batman stories into a tragic bleak existential nightmare at the end of his run on the book. On the other hand, Adventure Time did two finales that left our characters and both of them managed to be pretty good, one leaving them as their lives go on and the other exploring their epilogue in the afterlife. But endings, even "pretend" ones, are powerful ideas, as well as seeing our favourite characters after the years pass. For the Simpsons, Lisa's Wedding is a strong episode that feels like a great future for the series. Homer and Marge are kind of in the same place, Lisa is the success we would assume and Bart finds himself in a place that has some sadness but overall seems happy and fulfilled.
Bart to the Future is... not as good. Its fairly weak. The main thrust is actually an interesting one: Bart having to measure himself against his sister's success and finding himself wanting. After all, we can't imagine a future were Lisa isn't a success but Bart's future is always in question. He has his own innate talents such as savviness and guile but also lacks the kind of drive that society expects from him. He almost certainly won't go to university. But there are other yardsticks for success and fulfillment. But that's not what the episode is about. The episode is about Bart having to admit he's a big fucking loser and gets one minor win. I don't think I need a future episode to be exclusively uplifting but here it assumes Bart's just going to suck and, like several episodes this season, there's very little insight. It actually sort of touches on the idea of different measurements for success in the last joke but I don't think it believes it. It sees future Bart as a loser and gives him a minor gesture at some vague redeeming quality.
There are so many episodes I feel like the seed of the episode is much more interesting than the episode itself. It certainly doesn't help that it is quite racist. Yeah, there's the framing device of the "Indian casino" but even beyond that there are weird jokes about de-segregating death sports (which feels like a lot to unpack) and Hank Azaria doing a wacky Chinese accent. Yeesh. So that certainly went into colouring my opinion of the episode. But one of my other problems is that I feel like that while the Simpsons of the Golden Age was cynical about society, authority and conformity, it cared about its individual characters. But I don't feel like it cares about this Bart at all. Its not just that it starts him in a low place, socially and personally. A lot of great stories set in the future can do that with our heroes. I don't even think this is the worst starting point for the character (though him being a low-rent Jimmy Buffett makes no fucking sense to me. I get people's tastes change but I can't imagine a world where Bart gets into Buffett), Its just that his journey is just people pointing out he sucks, Bart agreeing, then helping Lisa in a small way. I think the show could have expanded on the idea at the end that what was supposed to be a cautionary tale simply wouldn't work on Bart because how he judges himself might not conform to societal expectations.
This episode isn't doing the worst stuff these future episodes do. I blame them for trying to make Lisa/Milhouse a thing. But its a shame that it feels like the writers at this point are forgetting the joy of Bart. He's a kid with a spark. The very thing that causes him to misbehave also has value. He's a little more clearly flawed than Lisa and makes bigger mistakes but Bart episodes are about how he deals with them and showing us his value there. But here, he has little to offer. Just excuses.
Jokes I missed before:
I missed that the woman who couldn't find her hat on her head was supposed to be Helen Thomas.
Other great jokes:
I feel like there are episodes I disliked more with more jokes I liked. Weird.
I like Marge walking around the White House with the laundry, telling Lisa to be nice to her brother.
"You've changed Lisa. You used to be cool."
"No, I didn't,"
I also like Homer's arbitrary counting method for gold finding.
"Now, this play button's a little screwed up so you got to hold it down."
"Every president gets three secret murders. If you don't use them by the end of their presidency, they're gone."
"Can we skinny dip?"
"At Camp David? Sure. They couldn't keep pants off Kissinger."
Other notes:
I like the implication that Arthur Crandall has a less scary version of Anthony Hopkins' Magic/The Ventriloquist and Scarface-thing going on.
I kind of like that Ralph is less implied to be intellectually disabled this episode. Like, he's still dumb but he's slightly less of an empty cipher/joke machine.
Yeah, yeah, this is the one that predicted "President Trump". I kind of don't care.
I can't imagine even future Bart recognizing Billy Carter on sight.
I don't ever buy this "Show Predicted X" rubbish. They had the orange demon having been in power on The Simpsons 'cuz he was running for office in what people (correctly) figured out was a publicity stunt at the time. That is all.
I mean, a kaiju-sized Cookie Monster took some bites out of the Twin Towers on a magazine cover but that doesn't mean Sesame Street predicted 9/11. Everybody was destroying the World Trade Center in media before it got actually destroyed in a real life terrorist attack.
I mean, a kaiju-sized Cookie Monster took some bites out of the Twin Towers on a magazine cover but that doesn't mean Sesame Street predicted 9/11. Everybody was destroying the World Trade Center in media before it got actually destroyed in a real life terrorist attack.
But he did! That's what I was talking about!
en.wikipedia.org
Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie - Wikipedia
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
Yeah, but being a Supreme Court Justice doesn't seem that great anymore. Based on Bart to the Future, he's more like Bart Kavanaugh. The worst timeline.
ArugulaZ
Fearful asymmetry
I was thinking about Marge vs. The Monorail, because it's a really good episode and why wouldn't you do that? But they sneak a little gem into the Monorail Man's sales pitch to Springfield. He wins over everyone in the audience but Marge (who has common sense but nobody listens to anyway) and Lisa.
Lisa is really the only person who has any chance of saving the town from the grifter's wild scheme. He senses this and lays his cards on the table, basically telling her that HE knows it's a sham, and SHE knows it's a sham, but she's the only person in the town who's smart enough to know it. She eats up the praise and lets him continue unimpeded.
It's a rare glimpse of the kind of person Lisa really is, when you get past the moralizing and the intellectual posturing. She's so desperate for recognition and validation that she's willing to let some pretty terrible things get swept under the rug to get it.
Lisa is really the only person who has any chance of saving the town from the grifter's wild scheme. He senses this and lays his cards on the table, basically telling her that HE knows it's a sham, and SHE knows it's a sham, but she's the only person in the town who's smart enough to know it. She eats up the praise and lets him continue unimpeded.
It's a rare glimpse of the kind of person Lisa really is, when you get past the moralizing and the intellectual posturing. She's so desperate for recognition and validation that she's willing to let some pretty terrible things get swept under the rug to get it.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
That's... a VERY cynical take on the character and I seriously cannot buy into it. Yes, she can be manipulated through her hunger for recognition and be forced even to hesitate in moral dilemmas but I seriously don't buy that Lisa is a secret amoral monster that this interpretation assumes. This scene is about how even a smart person can be tricked with charm and savvy.
ArugulaZ
Fearful asymmetry
Well, she did have a fantasy about making her brother grovel at her feet, then impaling him with her Nobel Peace Prize.
I'll admit, I don't like the character. There are some moments where I can appreciate her (Summer of Four Foot Two in particular) but for the most part I share Flanders' long concealed opinion that she's "Springfield's answer to a question nobody asked."
I might be able to empathize a little more with Lisa if she were more openly flawed or challenged, rather than consistently being the show's infallible voice of reason. Nobody likes a know-it-all. It's why when Jay Sherman from The Critic spouts off some pretentious, intellectual drivel, the writers go to great lengths to humiliate him shortly afterward. They DIDN'T do this in his Simpsons crossover, and it tarnished an otherwise good episode. ("Camus can do, but Sartre is smartre?" Oh lord, give me a break.)
Conversely, it would be nice if some of the other characters were less flawed, or at least had their flaws less exaggerated. Homer had his moments of compassion despite being an id-driven dope, like sacrificing his ride on a beer blimp to make his daughter feel pretty, but now he just seems maliciously stupid. I could have punched his dumb ass when he made his father's kidneys explode, then refused to share one of his own organs and fix the problem that HE needlessly created. Was this one of the episodes from the bad half of the series' run? It sure feels like it.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
The Days of Wine and D'oh'ses
I'm glad I don't drink very often. I suspect that I don't have something in me that would make me an alcoholic. Food enough is a powerful vice to overcome, I can't imagine something like alcohol, which is a depressant. I'm already a bit of a disorganized mess as it is. I have a friend who I feel is an alcoholic. I have only seen him once or twice since the beginning of the pandemic and I worry about him quite often. I don't see him doing anything overtly or obviously self-destruction but a lot of our get togethers are liquor fueled and I worry that it has a subtler, long term effect on him, particularly in terms of his mental health, as his work seems to isolate him. I hope he is doing well. I'll be seeing him again later this year and I hope he is doing OK when I see him.
In this episode, Barney laments everyone missed his birthday, only to learn that he was at a big birthday bash at the Simpsons that he forgot. Watching himself drunk, he is filled with shame and realizes his closest friends laugh at his patheticness. Barney takes his gift from Moe, a coupon for helicopter lessons, and vows to use it and get sober. Homer helps him but eventually the two hit a schism when Homer feels like Barney is looking down on his time with Homer. When Bart and Lisa accidentally cause a forest fire, Homer needs Barney to save the kids. Homer keeps Barney from getting drunk and together they save the kids.
I feel like after a swath of episodes that have eschewed character in favour of yuks, many of which are pretty fucking questionable. So The Days of Wine and D'oh'ses is a big relief. It is an episode written by Dan Castellaneta and his wife, writer and comedian Deb Lacusta and I actually feel this is one of the episodes stronger episodes. There are bigger laughs in others but with the series becoming broader in place of sensible story construction and character, this one actually feels like pretty solid ground.
It helps that I like taking a look at characters and thinking of the bigger picture of a comedic trait. And Barney's, being drunk, is actually pretty sad. This has definitely been addressed before, particularly in the Critic crossover episode, where the laughs are about undercutting genuine poetry and pathos with humour. But this is an episode that looks to actually tackle it and I actually think it does it well. I don't know that much about recovery but I definitely buy that Homer, used to his friend being a drinking buddy, would find himself feeling like he's losing a friend. I like that even though its a comedy and the show is still playing with the "funny drunk" trope, that it takes Barney beginning the road to recovery seriously. I mean, even 6 years earlier, MST3k was doing a sketch about how the "funny drunk" doesn't seem fun anymore and Joel was still willing to whip out a "Asian" voice at the time. It's not a perfect episode, I think it lacks a big laugh moment or bit to really elevate it, but with so many flimsier ones through out, I find this one effective.
I'm actually surprised to see on wikipedia how many people, from critics to writers, just prefer Barney drunk. And eventually he would be again. But isn't that just... so fucking sad. That he's not allowed to have a measure of happiness because his lack of funny pain is making him less fun. Frankly, I'm OK with it. Maybe just write him out. Heck, I think this is the last time Barney's particularly relevant anyway, as Lenny and Carl really take over Barney's spot. Let him fade into the background with Ruth Powers and the other kids who transferred to Springfield Elementary who don't talk any more. If the natural end point of this evolution is moving beyond relevance, I'd kind of prefer that to the show kicking him around for kicks. Because that's kind of a bummer.
Other great jokes:
"Hey Barney, what's with the glum face? You glum or something? Huh, glummy?"
"Marge, you're making a complete fool of yourse-- Oh, wait, it's just Barney."
I love the banality of the chopper pilot's conversation (even when talking about some guy's brutal death). Also, after the Muppet Show, I also have an appreciation for Leo Sayer.
"Oh, Bart. the bulldog didn't ante."
"I broke barstools, befouled your broom closet, then made sweet love to your pool table, which I then befouled."
"That explains the drop off and play."
"I play Jerry "Fireball" Mudflap, a feisty Supreme Court justice searching for his birth mother while competing in a cross-country fire truck race. It's garbage."
I love that even the title, which sounds like a buddy comedy, it misleading.
"You did it, dad!"
"You can't prove I did it!"
"No, you saved our lives."
"I could do a lot of things if I had some money."
Other notes:
She-Hulk's hair is the wrong colour. I really hope someone got fired for that one.
The AA/AAA joke is VERY Dad joke cheeseball.
Best throwaway Simpsons character to put in AA: the lady whose basically just Dorothy Parker who tried to crush Marge's spirit.
I'm glad I don't drink very often. I suspect that I don't have something in me that would make me an alcoholic. Food enough is a powerful vice to overcome, I can't imagine something like alcohol, which is a depressant. I'm already a bit of a disorganized mess as it is. I have a friend who I feel is an alcoholic. I have only seen him once or twice since the beginning of the pandemic and I worry about him quite often. I don't see him doing anything overtly or obviously self-destruction but a lot of our get togethers are liquor fueled and I worry that it has a subtler, long term effect on him, particularly in terms of his mental health, as his work seems to isolate him. I hope he is doing well. I'll be seeing him again later this year and I hope he is doing OK when I see him.
In this episode, Barney laments everyone missed his birthday, only to learn that he was at a big birthday bash at the Simpsons that he forgot. Watching himself drunk, he is filled with shame and realizes his closest friends laugh at his patheticness. Barney takes his gift from Moe, a coupon for helicopter lessons, and vows to use it and get sober. Homer helps him but eventually the two hit a schism when Homer feels like Barney is looking down on his time with Homer. When Bart and Lisa accidentally cause a forest fire, Homer needs Barney to save the kids. Homer keeps Barney from getting drunk and together they save the kids.
I feel like after a swath of episodes that have eschewed character in favour of yuks, many of which are pretty fucking questionable. So The Days of Wine and D'oh'ses is a big relief. It is an episode written by Dan Castellaneta and his wife, writer and comedian Deb Lacusta and I actually feel this is one of the episodes stronger episodes. There are bigger laughs in others but with the series becoming broader in place of sensible story construction and character, this one actually feels like pretty solid ground.
It helps that I like taking a look at characters and thinking of the bigger picture of a comedic trait. And Barney's, being drunk, is actually pretty sad. This has definitely been addressed before, particularly in the Critic crossover episode, where the laughs are about undercutting genuine poetry and pathos with humour. But this is an episode that looks to actually tackle it and I actually think it does it well. I don't know that much about recovery but I definitely buy that Homer, used to his friend being a drinking buddy, would find himself feeling like he's losing a friend. I like that even though its a comedy and the show is still playing with the "funny drunk" trope, that it takes Barney beginning the road to recovery seriously. I mean, even 6 years earlier, MST3k was doing a sketch about how the "funny drunk" doesn't seem fun anymore and Joel was still willing to whip out a "Asian" voice at the time. It's not a perfect episode, I think it lacks a big laugh moment or bit to really elevate it, but with so many flimsier ones through out, I find this one effective.
I'm actually surprised to see on wikipedia how many people, from critics to writers, just prefer Barney drunk. And eventually he would be again. But isn't that just... so fucking sad. That he's not allowed to have a measure of happiness because his lack of funny pain is making him less fun. Frankly, I'm OK with it. Maybe just write him out. Heck, I think this is the last time Barney's particularly relevant anyway, as Lenny and Carl really take over Barney's spot. Let him fade into the background with Ruth Powers and the other kids who transferred to Springfield Elementary who don't talk any more. If the natural end point of this evolution is moving beyond relevance, I'd kind of prefer that to the show kicking him around for kicks. Because that's kind of a bummer.
Other great jokes:
"Hey Barney, what's with the glum face? You glum or something? Huh, glummy?"
"Marge, you're making a complete fool of yourse-- Oh, wait, it's just Barney."
I love the banality of the chopper pilot's conversation (even when talking about some guy's brutal death). Also, after the Muppet Show, I also have an appreciation for Leo Sayer.
"Oh, Bart. the bulldog didn't ante."
"I broke barstools, befouled your broom closet, then made sweet love to your pool table, which I then befouled."
"That explains the drop off and play."
"I play Jerry "Fireball" Mudflap, a feisty Supreme Court justice searching for his birth mother while competing in a cross-country fire truck race. It's garbage."
I love that even the title, which sounds like a buddy comedy, it misleading.
"You did it, dad!"
"You can't prove I did it!"
"No, you saved our lives."
"I could do a lot of things if I had some money."
Other notes:
She-Hulk's hair is the wrong colour. I really hope someone got fired for that one.
The AA/AAA joke is VERY Dad joke cheeseball.
Best throwaway Simpsons character to put in AA: the lady whose basically just Dorothy Parker who tried to crush Marge's spirit.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
This reminds me of the "Superman is too perfect, he's boring" argument, which I've never bought. But beyond that, I don't think Lisa is that simplistically presented early on. There are a lot of stories about her coming to realizations that while she intelligent, she still has growing up to do because she's eight. But down the road, there's a WEIRD mix of how to approach Lisa. See, I think as the show goes on, he's simplified, like the other characters, and for that reason, she's mostly there to say the right thing and point out why Homer is wrong, usually for a gag. But then, they also like to dump on her in a weird, way, like suddenly the writing room that was once protective of her is downright nasty to her. One of the worst cases I can think of is "Make Room For Lisa", where she learns she needs to be nicer to her accidentally abusive dad, which is the worst lesson. But season 1-9, I'd say Lisa is a character of depth. Heck, most episodes about her is about her going through an emotional situation far deeper than "I'm right and the world will see it." There are a few where she's largely aspirational, such as the Lisa Lionheart episode, but she doesn't read as a "nag" who wants to show she's right. She's someone who sees a social injustice and realizes that she can point toward a better world and goes through great pains and effort and she mostly fails... except she reaches one person and decides that the effort is worth it if one life is touched in good way. And I think that's a good message.
Yeah, that's "Homer Simpson in 'Kidney Trouble'" and the problem with that goes even beyond simply that he caused the problem but that also the way he did it makes him seem grotesquely cruel. It's from season 10 and... man, a lot of these problems are happening sooner than I remember. There's still good in the era but the ugliness is really starting to show up in the series in this era. Homer's always been a "jerk" but the problem is at a certain point, the show stops making him a jerk with qualities that make him sympathetic and turn him into a raging asshole way too much. It just... stops being fun to watch this guy.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
End of Itchy and Scratchy Movie episode. Sure. Bart to the Future episode? He just sucks. Which brings us to what Tegan mentioned: that he IS someone who has a lot going on and is a very rich character but a lot of the future episodes diminish him to "loser" status. Bart's success isn't as sure as Lisa's but he has an equal amount of potential. Both kids have an uphill battle from a different perspective.
Frankly, everyone knows Lisa is destined for success but I'm more interested in seeing success not measured through conventional means. They don't need wealth or power. But maybe they are people who make a difference. The show is very anti-authority and I feel like their futures need to reflect that.
Frankly, everyone knows Lisa is destined for success but I'm more interested in seeing success not measured through conventional means. They don't need wealth or power. But maybe they are people who make a difference. The show is very anti-authority and I feel like their futures need to reflect that.
Lisa could be a Rory Gilmore character where she hits a wall and her life collapses. Instead the future episodes run with the stereotypes of both characters. They're the most straightforward (cynical: marketable) depictions of what Bart and Lisa could be. It might be that straightforward versions lend themselves to jokes. Bart becoming loser BFFs with Ralph is pretty funny, though you hate to see it.