[Redway]

It's a little ironic because Homer's instance coupled with the way they exaggerated Ned's piety as the show wore on is where that term Flanderisation comes from.

[Oliver_W]

I still find it fine. I don't have particularly High standards in my televised comedy animations, so as long as it's not absolutely dreadful and doesn't piss me off, I'm Good.

[Niamh.]

I never really followed it in order, just watched an episode here and there if there was nothing else on TV really

[Vicky.]

This is something I never really watched, but would watch if it was on. Still do. Probably watched it more like..18 years or so back, but that would be more as I watched more tv in general then :S

So many friends watched it religiously though when I was a teen. Who now find it rubbish. So by that, I would say it lst its spark about..15 years back?! Whatever season that would make that.

This whole post makes me feel so damn old

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

This is something I never really watched, but would watch if it was on. Still do. Probably watched it more like..18 years or so back, but that would be more as I watched more tv in general then :S

So many friends watched it religiously though when I was a teen. Who now find it rubbish. So by that, I would say it lst its spark about..15 years back?! Whatever season that would make that.

This whole post makes me feel so damn old

Probably about season 16-ish.

[Redway]

I feel like The Simpsons peaked between seasons 3 and 12. The first 2 seasons were very strange, almost like a whole pilot show where they were still trying to figure out characters’ identities and what they were about. Lisa wasn’t intelligent in the very beginning (IIRC) and Homer, like Oliver said, was more of an abusive alcoholic (the long-running “why, you little!” strangling gap was obviously there to stay) than the bumbling loveable toad we know him as today. It’s so weird.

Season 3 is old, classic, vintage but the characters actually have recognisable form.

Bart was always Bart, still. But so was Lisa in the very beginning. Or maybe that was just on the Tracey Ulman Show (a very bizarre prelude). The whole vibe from 1987-1990 was just so different to what we grew accustomed to later.

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Redway

I feel like The Simpsons peaked between seasons 3 and 12. The first 2 seasons were very strange, almost like a whole pilot show where they were still trying to figure out characters’ identities and what they were about. Lisa wasn’t intelligent in the very beginning (IIRC) and Homer, like Oliver said, was more of an abusive alcoholic (the long-running “why, you little!” strangling gap was obviously there to stay) than the bumbling loveable toad we know him as today. It’s so weird.

Season 3 is old, classic, vintage but the characters actually have recognisable form.

Bart was always Bart, still. But so was Lisa in the very beginning. Or maybe that was just on the Tracey Ullman Show (a very bizarre prelude). The whole vibe from 1987-1990 was just so different to what we grew accustomed to later.

Actually, minor point of correction, sha. I was remembering the Tracey Ullman show exclusively (their 1987/88 skits there), where she was almost just a female version of Bart. She was actually smart and otherwise like herself in seasons 1 and 2 of the main show.

[Swan]

Early 00's. Favourite episodes will always be Call Of The Simpsons and You Only Move Twice mainly because i had them on VHS when i was a kid, and have fond memories of watching them when i was off sick. But i have no interest in modern Simpsons, not for any particular reason, it just doesn't appeal to me anymore. But i could easily watch any 90's episodes if they happened to be on TV or Twitch

[Redway]

I still think anything from even season 20 onwards (its modern-modern era) is a million times better than the Tracey Ullman prelude. That stuff was hideous. That or it just didn’t age well.

It’s still a good show, really. Seasons 3 - 12 is arguably its peak and season 20 onwards its definitively poorer-quality modern version (not that it didn’t have problems from at least season 13 onwards) but it had an eerie-in-a-disconcerting-way feel to it in the past and the Tracey Ullman stuff was very strange so to me I’d just rather watch even the latest season (I think it’s 35, tbh) than anything before like season 3. Only the episode where Bleedin. Gumz tries to cure Lisa’s jazz blues is something I can easily watch and really vibe with in its apt melancholy. The rest just feel kinda spooky and rough in a bad way. It was definitely from season 3 where the whole show became more The Simpsons in the way we know it today. Not putting the first two seasons on the same level as Tracey Ullman (who always did better in our Slough) on anything like the same level by any means but to me they weren’t the best seasons either and still a bit too crude ’round the Springfield edges.

[Redway]

^

I’m talking about the cut The Simpsons had on the Tracey Ullman show before the main show, btw, if anyone remembers. Effectively season 0.

[Swan]

Originally Posted by Redway

^

I’m talking about the cut The Simpsons had on the Tracey Ullman show before the main show, btw, if anyone remembers. Effectively season 0.

Yeah ive seen some on youtube, completely different vibe to what it become in the 90's. The Tracey Ullman stuff is not remembered fondly. I can't quite put my finger on it, but yeah, it's just got such an off feel looking back.

[Redway]

I know there were huge legal issues and people like Matt Groening wanting the Tracey Ullman skits to be locked into the recesses of history and not seen again by anyone. That’s how bad they come across as.

[Dogeatdog]

Probably around the time when the movie was released. If I be honest I’m surprised that The Simpsons didn’t finish after the film and has still carried on going for so long.

It’s still played on Channel 4 and one of the Sky Channels (I think Atlantic?) and I normally have it on in the background and don’t really pay attention to it. The earlier episodes kinda hit more as I have memories of them. I remember The Simpsons Hit & Run PS2 game when that came out. Spent so many hours playing the game and I remember you could unlock costumes and cars that were featured in certain episodes of the show and I would remember which episodes they were from (Homer’s Mumu costume, Marge and the Canyonero, Homer and The Car Built for Homer).

[Redway]

https://youtu.be/7jZvI11QyIk?si=ETW0lkv6AB4uZY0A

Ugh. This is the stuff of nightmares.

[Dogeatdog]

Youtube video

This was probably one of my favourite episodes.

[Redway]

It’s not a competition either way and that’s the ironic point of Family Guy in a way, I suppose, but Peter Griffin is just such a horrific father compared to Homer Simpson (who at least cares about his children) it’s unbelievable. The fact that Peter and Lois consistently put down Meg and neither of them truly know who Stewie is doesn’t help, either. Even though I love Family Guy in a funny kind of way (and Brian’s obviously my guy), it’s actually a terrible show compared to The Simpsons.

[Ray.]

Originally Posted by Dogeatdog

Youtube video

This was probably one of my favourite episodes.

Great episode. Conan O'Brien didn't write many episodes, but the ones he did are all certified classics, with Marge vs the Monorail and Homer Goes to College being top ten worthy imo.

My personal favourite episode is either Homer at the Bat

Youtube video

Or Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner

Youtube video

[Ray.]

Originally Posted by Ray.

Great episode. Conan O'Brien didn't write many episodes, but the ones he did are all certified classics, with Marge vs the Monorail and Homer Goes to College being top ten worthy imo.

My personal favourite episode is either Homer at the Bat

Youtube video

Or Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner

Youtube video

And how could I forget Simpson and Delilah. Definitely a three-way tie between these episodes for my favourite.

Youtube video

[Redway]

https://youtu.be/nmsnJ78-EbQ?si=l0l21r1JKy5wP0eP

Seriously, this stuff was hideous. I know The Simpsons isn’t what it used to be but anyone who prefers the Tracey Ullman show over even the Scully era or season 35 is blatantly just talking plonky beggars. At least the new stuff is the Simpsons, however supposedly post-vintage, for better or worse. At the time of the TU shorts it hadn’t become the Simpsons yet.

[Ray.]

I was watching a few of the early Treehouse of Horror specials recently, what with Halloween just being round the corner. They're such great fun. I think my favourite is the one where Homer gets his head turned into a donut by the Devil.

Youtube video

[Redway]

https://youtu.be/LNvvClxEjZw?si=hQy7HamZ5N6LQ7nW

This has got to be a Treehouse of Horror special, right?

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Ray.

I was watching a few of the early Treehouse of Horror specials recently, what with Halloween just being round the corner. They're such great fun. I think my favourite is the one where Homer gets his head turned into a donut by the Devil.

Youtube video

Season 1 was so eerie it didn’t need a Treehouse of Horror sequel.

[Adamw92]

I don’t mind it still as like a background show where you don’t really pay attention but if I wad to say when I stopped finding it funny… maybe around Season 14/15.

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Adamw92

I don’t mind it still as like a background show where you don’t really pay attention but if I wad to say when I stopped finding it funny… maybe around Season 14/15.

What do you make of season 1?