[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.

[Mercat]

The word for the first episodes is "literature."

[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!

[southcarolina]

Worst post ever!

[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.....

[Michael81Dus]

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

[Homer Simpson]

This is one of my favorite exchanges.

From the sky comes a scream, as Homer is crashing right into the Capitol. A few footsteps later, he comes running down the stairs.

Homer: America, take a good look at your beloved candidates. They're nothing but hideous space reptiles.
[unmasks them]
[audience gasps in terror]

Kodos: It's true, we are aliens. But what are you going to do about it? It's a two-party system; you have to vote for one of us.
[murmurs]

Man1: He's right, this is a two-party system.

Man2: Well, I believe I'll vote for a third-party candidate.

Kang: Go ahead, throw your vote away.
[Kang and Kodos laugh out loud]

[jrushing]

I love the Simpsons & didn't know that it had Jumped the Shark. I was suprised to read about the "decline". It is far superior to the so called "reality" shows that have nothing to do with reality. After so many episodes, people become immune to greatness.

[nutmeg]

bump to read later

[Tribune7]

The last great Simpson episode was the Stonecutters. It kind of makes you go hmmmm.

[Lijahsbubbe]

Homer consoling Lisa: " Oh Lisa, just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand."

[Happygal]

One of the BEST lines in the Simpsons:

President Clinton: “Thank you Lisa, for teaching kids a valuable lesson — if things don’t go your way, just keep complaining till your dreams come true.”

Lisa: “That’s a pretty lousy lesson.”

President Clinton: “Well, I’m a pretty lousy president.”

[CounterCounterCulture]

THE BOY WHO KNEW TOO MUCH

Bart plays hooky and is stalked by a relentless Principal Skinner in a hiliarious and beautiful cinematography segment. Bart ends up at the Quimby compound and witnesses a scene between the Quimby nephew and the butler.

Freddy: Hey!  What the hell is this?
Waiter: [French accent] It's a bowl of chowder, sir.  ["shaudere"]
Freddy: Wait a minute, come here.  What did you call it?  Say it loud
        enough so everyone can hear.  Cone on, say it...
Waiter: Ahem.  Chowder.  ["shaudere"]
Freddy: [raucous laughter] Shau-dere?  Shau-dere?  It's "chowder".
        ["chowdah"] Say it right!
Waiter: [pause] Chowder.  ["shaudear"]
Freddy: [laughter] Come back here!  I'm not through demeaning you.

Bart is the only witness to an alleged crime of Freddy Quimby's battery of their butler, but can't testify for fear of confessing to playing hooky...and, of course, both Skinner and Homer end up on the jury.

Skinner: [thinking] I know you can read my thoughts, Bart. Just a
little reminder: if I found out you cut class, your ass is
mine. Yes, you heard me. I _think_ words I would never say.

Homer: [thinking] I know you can read _my_ thoughts, boy. [singing Meow Mix theme]
Meow meow meow meow, meow meow meow meow, meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow...

---

Lawyer: Your Honor, even though I've proven my client's innocence, I'd
        still like to call Freddy Quimby to the stand.  So that we can
        all bask in his gentle decency.
         [Freddy stands up, grins winningly at audience, takes stand]
        Mr. Quimby, did you assault Mr. LaCoste?
Freddy: Of course not.  I love each and every thing on God's green
        earth.
Lawyer: Therefore, you would _never_ lose your temper over something as
        trivial as the pronunciation of "chowder".
Freddy: That's "chowdah"!  Chowdah!  I'll kill you!  I'll kill all of
        you, especially those of you in the jury!
         [man on jury mutters, "He's clearly guilty"]
Lawyer: Wow, that didn't go well.  The defense rests.