The Simpsons: Not funny anymore.

[Dragonboym2]

[COLOR=Blue]I think the Simpsons, once one of my favorite shows, is going completely downhill. It's just not funny anymore. It used to be hilerious, but now it's bad joke after bad joke. There are huge holes in the plot, and the diolouge is no longer witty or clever. Just flat, and fishes for cheap laughs. These days you get one or two good jokes or bits, instead of non-stop laughs like in the old days. Fox just won't let go. It's over. It's getting old. Let go. I'm not even watching the new shows. The last time I did, it was just horrible. Who writes this crap? Do you think the show is losing it's touch? Or do you think there is still hope?

"KAMEHAMEHA!"

Dragonboym2[/COLOR]

[Kamuro]

The definitely lost its touch, or whatever you want to call it. I was never really "amazed" by the simpsons like a lot of people were. Sure, some of the ieas were pretty funny, and the show was alright. I think a lot of people were just surprised of the language/content that the simpsons put on TV so they made it a guilty pleasure by watching it even though their parents wouldn't want them to. I don't ever remember the simpsons being witty lol. Maybe its been awhile, and if it was witty it certantly isn't now. I don't really think theres a point in watching it anymore, if you want a witty but still funny show check out family guy, if your looking for a bad-mouthed guilty pleasure then watch south park. Its just not intriguing in the least. The only people that really make it a point to watch the the show are the hardcore simpsons fans, who I'm sure will lash out at me for my previous comments, but oh well. :p

[Morpheus]

I'd say the biggest reason for the loss of some wit is the death of Phil Hartman, who was instrumental in the simpson's success. I'd still say that the show is nowhere near as bad as you make it out to be. The simpsons is still fun because it is random in different ways. Sometimes random jokes, sometimes random plots, sometimes just funny conversations. The simpsons isn't a bad mouthed pleasure or a wacky comedy, it's just [I]The Simpson's[/I].

[satan665]

The Simpsons quickly went from my favorite show ever to complete garbage that I wouldn't wish upon anyone. A whole current season has about as many funny moments in it as the Astronaught episode of classic Simpsons. Writers change, so its not too unexpected, but it is sad. They go for cheap laughs by having characters act bizzare and just do random stuff. They even broke a golden rule of Simpsons and had continuity between episodes! Since they signed on for four more seasons, it won't be long before there will be more bad simpsons episodes than good ones.

[Xyandar]

I think that [I]The Simpsons[/I] went downhill once Matt Groening or w/e his name is decided to make another show....Futurama. Futurama came to be an excellent show, however ever since that was put on air, The Simpsons lost their touch. Same with Family Guy. Once Family Guy came out, people saw it and got hooked to it. They let go of the Simpsons and began watching that...thats what I did anyway lol. I love Futurama and Family Guy but The Simpsons will not be the same as it was when I was younger...It's lost it's humor....

[The Drizzle]

[COLOR=DarkGreen]Yeah I agree with all of your comments...just like everyone else probably will. Notice how when you watch The Simpsons now there is always a guest star or two in it? Does anyone suspect that FOX is just scrounging around for ratings that the show doesn't deserve? Dont get me wrong, I love the Simpsons, its just a good thing has to come to an end sometime, and this should have died at least a year or two ago. Sure it still has some randomness and laughs, but it doens't feel like the Simpsons anymore. FOX, just let it go, you still have Family Guy, King of the Hill (even though Im not to fond of that show), and the recent American Dad, you don't need to keep the Simpsons anymore.[/COLOR]

[Gravy Train]

Some of the recent Simpsons episodes have been just terrible. However, that one episode that they showed a few weeks ago where they go to China was the best. It seems that only 1 out of 5 episodes are funny these days.

[Lord Dante]

I will agree with all previous statements, the simpsons has taken a turn for the worst.

I was a big fan of the simpsons, but the new episodes just don't have "it". i only watch them so i can continue to say that i've seen all of the episodes. the new ones are actually quite painful to watch, seing such a good show take such a nosedive. but ah well, at least family guy and futurama are still funny.

[Mykul]

[QUOTE]if you want a witty but still funny show check out family guy- x Kakashi x[/QUOTE]

Ok, say what you want about the simpsons now, but how can you even THINK that family deserves to be called whitty?!?!?! They are the antithesis of whit and cleverness! Half their jokes are about cum or poop or giggady giggady giggady. "Hey lois...Diherea!" Yeah thats very clever, lets give these writers an emmy...And dont even get me started about the HUGE list ive compiled of jokes from family guy that come STRAIGHT from old simpsons episodes.

[QUOTE]I'd say the biggest reason for the loss of some wit is the death of Phil Hartman, who was instrumental in the simpson's success.- Morpheus[/QUOTE]

Not really. All phil hartman did was guest voice every now and then. The MOST instrumental man ever to be with the simpspons is conan Obrien. He left for his own show long ago, however.

[TheShinje]

[font=Century Gothic][color=Teal][size=1]I find the Simpsons ot be just as funny as it always has been.

Sure, there has been a change in direction, and now the jokes are more blatant and out there, but I like that too, it doesn't have to be sharp written and subtle to get me to laugh.

I do like to go over the old episodes again, because I do find certain jokes that, since I was younger, I cimpletely missed. I don't think that they're any better than the new episodes, however.
[/size][/color][/font]

[Semjaza]

[quote name='Morpheus']I'd say the biggest reason for the loss of some wit is the death of Phil Hartman, who was instrumental in the simpson's success.[/quote]

And I'd say that's a really bad exaggeration lol. The guy didn't write the show. The reason it sucks now is a shift in writers and producers. Ian Maxtone Graham, for example, is quoted in saying that he'd never even seen the show before writing for it. You can tell that much just by watching any of the episodes he is responsible for. Somehow he became one of the producers since then.

The main problem is that now the show is a parody of itself. Characters are charicatures of their former selves. Moe is so depressing that you can't even like him anymore. The same with Ralph and his absolute extreme stupidity. Any shred of depth these characters had is completely out the window. I can say the same of really any other character within the showm honestly.

Then you have issues with blood. The show used to use it sparingly, but there's entire scenes where blood is literally gushing. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't think it fits this series and it certainly is not funny. It had a great place in Itchy and Scratchy, which were a great commentary on TV violence in and of themselves, but certainly not in the main show. Further proof of its parodizing, as far as I'm concerned.

I think another issue is that the show completely embraces pop-culture. Before it used to satirize and poke fun at these things. Now it dedicates entire episodes to it. The Simpsons is like a forty year old man that wants to pretend he's still twenty. It's not fooling anyone.

Family Guy might not be as witty as the Simpsons in its prime, but it's certainly witty in general. It has a lot of book, film and pop-culture references that I'm really starting to believe go over most of its audience's heads (or at least a lot of the younger people I know who watch it). I'd not dismiss it as pure randomness with no thought beforehand.

In any case, if you don't the Simpsons now, don't support the new seasons. It's a waste of time to tune in every week and complain. You're watching it, Fox gets its advertising money. The only way they'll put this cow out of its misery is only if the ratings go down. I'm doing my part and have for the last three years now.

[Zombie_Nosh]

[RIGHT][COLOR=DarkGreen][SIZE=3][FONT=Garamond]When the Simpsons started to go downhill, or "Jump the Shark", was, is my opinion - the episode where Seymore Skinner was revealed to be an imposter. I mean, what the heck was that all about? After that, the jokes just sorta . . . dried up.

There was one episode I saw there a while back, where Lisa tried to change her image. Myself and my dad just sat there for the entire epsiode in sheer amazement at how unbelievably crap and unfunny it is now!

Thankfully Sky One is showing all the classic episodes now. During the week, the one with the softball tournament was on, and so was the one where Bart pretends he's stuck down a well. Genius![/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR][/RIGHT]

[TheShinje]

[QUOTE=Generic NPC #3]
Then you have issues with blood. The show used to use it sparingly, but there's entire scenes where blood is literally gushing. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't think it fits this series and it certainly is not funny. It had a great place in Itchy and Scratchy, which were a great commentary on TV violence in and of themselves, but certainly not in the main show. Further proof of its parodizing, as far as I'm concerned.[/quote]
If I had a pet peeve from the latest episodes, that would certainly be it. Early episodes, as you'e recalled, used blood sparingly, if at all, I recall an episode that satirized Psycho, but they used Homer pulling down red paint instead of using blood.

They did use gushing blood to a real good effect in their Passion of the Christ send-up, that episode was quite funny. It would have been more so if blood was still as rare as it was in the first seasons.

[quote=Generic NPC #3]
I think another issue is that the show completely embraces pop-culture. Before it used to satirize and poke fun at these things. Now it dedicates entire episodes to it. The Simpsons is like a forty year old man that wants to pretend he's still twenty. It's not fooling anyone.
[/QUOTE]
Yeesh, I wish they'd stop embracing pop culture and get back to what they were best at, making fun of it. :p

I was annoyed when the N*Sync episode aired, and they weren't the joke, as those in pop culture usually are, they were glorified guest stars!

Still, these are mildly annoying problems in a show that still retains alot of it's funnyness, even if it is more slapstick than it was in its prime.

I do think that the Simpsons is capable of reaching it's prime again, but if it didn't, I wouldn't be dissapointed myself, Its still funnier than Friends repeats, which it replaced here.

[Lord Dante]

At least some characters retain their originality. like my three favorites: comic book guy, moe, and John frink. all of them had something different about themfrom the others, but insted of melding into the mush the main characters have become, they remain different.

[DBZgirl88]

[COLOR=#004a6f]True, the Simspsons has gone downhill over the years, but only a little bit. I still find alot of humour in it these days.

[QUOTE]They go for cheap laughs by having characters act bizzare and just do random stuff[/QUOTE]Yeah, that's the one thing that has made it lose it's touch.[/COLOR]

[-tiGz-]

The simpsons will always be funny, and won't ever get boring! :)

[Lord Dante]

[quote name='-tiGz-']The simpsons will always be funny, and won't ever get boring! :)[/quote]
That's a bit of a short-sighted statement, isn't it?

true the simpson is a classic, but groening seriously needs to get better writers.

[-tiGz-]

Well, thats all i had to say :P ..
The simpsons will be finished forever soon.. which will suck

[Lord Dante]

[QUOTE=-tiGz-]Well, thats all i had to say :P ..
The simpsons will be finished forever soon.. which will suck[/QUOTE]
yeah well, we'll always have the memories

[TheShinje]

Or the DVD box sets :p


Don't worry, I don't think the Simpsons are going anywhere soon. Despite alot of people saying that it's lost it's touch and not funny anymore, there is still a huge fanbase out there.

As long as they've got that, that's all they need. Yet, Groening may get sick of it one day and pull the plug, who knows?

[Gavin]

[QUOTE=Generic NPC #3]And I'd say that's a really bad exaggeration lol. The guy didn't write the show. The reason it sucks now is a shift in writers and producers. Ian Maxtone Graham, for example, is quoted in saying that he'd never even seen the show before writing for it. You can tell that much just by watching any of the episodes he is responsible for. Somehow he became one of the producers since then.

The main problem is that now the show is a parody of itself. Characters are charicatures of their former selves. Moe is so depressing that you can't even like him anymore. The same with Ralph and his absolute extreme stupidity. Any shred of depth these characters had is completely out the window. I can say the same of really any other character within the showm honestly.

Then you have issues with blood. The show used to use it sparingly, but there's entire scenes where blood is literally gushing. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't think it fits this series and it certainly is not funny. It had a great place in Itchy and Scratchy, which were a great commentary on TV violence in and of themselves, but certainly not in the main show. Further proof of its parodizing, as far as I'm concerned.

I think another issue is that the show completely embraces pop-culture. Before it used to satirize and poke fun at these things. Now it dedicates entire episodes to it. The Simpsons is like a forty year old man that wants to pretend he's still twenty. It's not fooling anyone.

Family Guy might not be as witty as the Simpsons in its prime, but it's certainly witty in general. It has a lot of book, film and pop-culture references that I'm really starting to believe go over most of its audience's heads (or at least a lot of the younger people I know who watch it). I'd not dismiss it as pure randomness with no thought beforehand.

In any case, if you don't the Simpsons now, don't support the new seasons. It's a waste of time to tune in every week and complain. You're watching it, Fox gets its advertising money. The only way they'll put this cow out of its misery is only if the ratings go down. I'm doing my part and have for the last three years now.[/QUOTE]

[SIZE=1]I could probably spend the better part of fifteen minutes trying to write down exactly what I think of The Simpson's progression as a syndicated comedy over that last decade and a half. Now I could do that, or I could just quote what Tony has said and save myself that fifteen minutes as I agree with pretty much everything he has said. The Simpson's lost it's spark many years ago and special guest celebrities and crappy storylines will not restore it to it's former glory. [/SIZE]

[Guest sr_00]

[FONT=Times New Roman]undefined[/FONT][COLOR=Blue]undefined[/COLOR] True the Simpsons has lost it touch, but I still find it to be a good show. True, not funny as it was when it was young, but it's still a good show. That's my opinion, and I'm sure many of you all have different opinions.

[EVA Unit 100]

The Simpsons has been going downhill since Season 8. Before then the show was actually steadily going uphill in terms of satire, random humor, and character development. Then things started to seem to run dry. Homer started acting more jerky and less funny, Bart's rebeliousness was toned down immensely, Lisa came off as more of a ***** than an honest intelligent kid, and Marge suddenly went wacko. Season 8 actually had a few funny episodes, but then when Ian Maxtome Graham and Mike Scully suddenly took over the show from David Mirkin and Bill Weinstein the show suddenly jumped from being a brilliant satire edgier than your average sitcom to being an average sitcom itself. A few good episodes were scattered around (Behind the Laughter was actually one of the show's best episodes), but 95% of it was dreadful. Then Al Jean retook the position of executive producer and suddenly things started looking like they were improving. The characters started to feel more like themselves, and some episodes even tried to develop them further. However, the fact that nearly 80% of the writing staff had worked in the Scully years prevented a complete return to quality. This season the series seems to have dragged itself to a point where nothing is offensively bad but the show is in a state of sheer mediocrity. The only episodes this season I've geniunely found funny have been some of the "controversial episodes" (i.e. the same-sex marriage one, and the 2nd Coming riff) and maybe the flash-foward episode. I don't want the show to go on much longer, but yet at the same time I do. I think it could go up to 20 seasons and then end with a movie. That would be a good way for the show to go out with a bang instead of a whimper.

[ShadowFaintZero]

I personally think the simpsons is as funny as ever. Just that, sometimes your right. The episodes have been slowly getting worst. But just remember, the creator of the simpsons has been using helluva lot of material on his other shows like "Family Guy", & "American Dad". If you don't like the simpsons anymore, just watch the other shows, your bound to still love the creator :P.

I mean, who thinks up a American Father who works for the goverment fighting strippers? Prime Idea. :animeswea

[EVA Unit 100]

[quote name='ShadowFaintZero']I personally think the simpsons is as funny as ever. Just that, sometimes your right. The episodes have been slowly getting worst. But just remember, the creator of the simpsons has been using helluva lot of material on his other shows like "Family Guy", & "American Dad". If you don't like the simpsons anymore, just watch the other shows, your bound to still love the creator :P.[/quote]

Family Guy and American Dad were made by Seth McFarlane (who also wrote for Johnny Bravo and directed a few of the shorts for The Spike and Mike Sick and Twisted Film Festival), whereas The Simpsons was made by Matt Groening. The only other things Matt Groening has made were the TV series Futurama and the comic stips Life in Hell and Heroes Annonymous (supposedly he's now working on a show about a rock band for Adult Swim).