The Simpsons -- Who turned America's best TV show into a cartoon?

MSN.com and Slate ^ | 2/13/2003 | Chris Suellentrop

[ex-Texan]

No doubt about it ... People 'who know' -- understand how brilliant The Simpsons truly is -- especially compared to the other tripe on television. I do not agree that the show has declined terribly since the 1997 season. One of the Best Television Shows of all times ... If you don't agee with me, "You can eat my shorts."

I once met one of the Big Boys who developed the show for television. He was in one of favorite Thai take out spots on Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica, wearing a leather jacket given only to cast and production staff. I promised never to disclose his name or where he was buying dinner (Simpsons' fans get kinda aggressive don't cha' know?). Nice guy. From Portland, Oregon, too.

[EggsAckley]

Howdy Tex!

J.

[ArneFufkin]

The best writers and creators drifted away over the years. Producing a weekly animation product is a profoundly sophisticated and laborious challenge. It burns people out. Look how many segment producers one 30 minute Simpsons show warrants. The best writers and producers are gone.

[discostu]

James Lileks (great columnist occasionally quoted here on FR, and a big Simpson's fan) thinks it's a matter of expectations. He noticed that when "post decline" episodes started airing in reruns they were hilarious, the same episode that disappointed when it was new was great when it no longer had to live up to the expectation of a new Simpsons. Just one theory.

[org.whodat]

This is really silly, I for one have never watched it and will never watch it. Just like the majority of the people.

[Future Snake Eater]

Even a bad "Simpsons" episode is still better than the vasy majority of what's on TV these days. I, for one, will continue to look forward to their show for several more years.

[capt. norm]

"This is really silly, I for one have never watched it and will never watch it. Just like the majority of the people."

I just love people who can judge things they have never seen. And then go on to take the "majority" with them. That way you can go through life without ever having waste time with things you just "know" you're not going to like.

Unfortunately the "majority" didn't respect your wishes and have nade the "Simpsons" one of the most-watched television programs of our era.

[Mercat]

The word for the first episodes is "literature."

[ex-Texan]

Network television has declined, and declined rapidly since 1997. Tired of all the 'reality shows' yet? As for me: I never watched any of them, don't want to see them, and I will get up and leave if one is playing in a saloon or behind the bar.

Who gives a sh!t if 'Joe Millionaire' gets married or signs a contract to play 'Joe Camel' in a sitcom. Only a few shows on network television are even worth watching. Most of the time I am too busy with my own projects. My television STAYS OFF about 95 % of the day. I turn it on primarily to watch movie or travel videos borrowed from the main library. They have a great collection of Russian, French, Italian and German films and are buying more each month.

The Simpsons is still the best show on television.

[Puddleglum]

All I know is I'm always grateful the the Simpsons is done without a "laugh track." Every other sitcom has one (non-animated sitcom, anyway). Laugh tracks are like a big fake laugh bomb going off every time a character says something the writers wanted you to think was funny. they are offensive and show you what the Hollywood elite really think of their audiences.

[kaylar]

Jump the Shark.com has multiple pages devoted to the burning question, 'When did The Simpsons begin their irrevocable decline?' It's pretty evenly divided between those who think the show's JTS and those who think the show is just as good as it's always been.

[yarddog]

I have no idea when it happened but the show definitely is much worse than before.

I remember once when we were staying in a cabin in the NC mountains and tv reception was awful. I would sneak away when the simpson's was on and watch it on a little 2" screen tv because I had found a spot about 40 feet away where reception was tolerable. This was around 1994. It was that good!

One day around two years ago, it suddenly dawned on me that I was no longer watching my favorite show.

I still occassionally watch it but it probably just has run it's course, as all shows do. Has anyone ever noticed how awful the last few episodes of "The Beverly Hillbillies" were?

[Homer Simpson]

I like the one where I jump the shark!

[ArneFufkin]

Same thing with "Get Smart" ... when Buck Henry didn't manage the scripts anymore, it became less funny.

[Hazzardgate]

Conan O'Brien was one of their best writers. T'was a sad day indeed when he left.

[southcarolina]

Worst post ever!

[Morrigan]

You are right, the last gasps of a once great show are the worst.....better to go out while you are still hot, like Seinfeld did.

[joebuck]

The Simpsons would hold a place in my TV Hall of Fame on the basis of one line alone. When Lisa and Bart confront Grandpa for mistakenly cashing their Itchy and Scratchy royalty checks:

Lisa: But Grandpa, what did you think when you started receiving these large checks in the mail for doing absolutely nothing?

Grandpa: Oh, I just thought the Democrats were in power again.....

[ArneFufkin]

Absolutely. James Brooks and Sam Simon attracted a lot of innovatively creative talent to make Groenig's world real. Al Jean, Mike Reiss, Conan, John Schwarzwelder, Jon Vitti etc. etc. They're world class. But, there's only so many new and inspired capers for Homer to bungle.

[Michael81Dus]

Even here in good "old Europe" the Simpsons are popular and I watch them since 1993. They´re just GREAT!!