Ricky Gervais Simpsons episode, general Simpsons rant

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 24 Apr 2006, 11:57

Did anyone see this on Sunday? Was it any good?

I actually watched a couple of newer episodes last week, one was a kind of "Life Aquatic" spoof where Homer discovers an oceanographer/explorer may be his real dad (rather than Granpa Simpson), one where a lonely Marge makes some new friends who end up robbing Burns (?) and one where Bart spends too much time with Marge.
I have to say I did smile, even laughed a couple of times, but boy, it reminds me how good the show's golden age was

Recent episodes just arent as funny

Nearly half or more of the episode is taken up with something that has nothing to do with the story - see "Bart Has Two Mommies" or the episode where Marge gets lonely featuring a totally unrelated story about Lisa learning Italian from Milhouse (!)

Kurgan · Post by **Kurgan** » 24 Apr 2006, 12:49

To be fair, The Simpsons have usually had multiple storylines running through the episode. It's just that there used to be better linkage between them.

I watched the Gervais episode, and it did make me laugh, but not in the gut-busting sense of older episodes, nor in the marvelling at the sheer genius it takes to come up with some of those lines. It was just amusing.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 24 Apr 2006, 13:32

Fair enough on the multiple storylines thing, yep, thats true.
I missed the Gervais episode, but will surely catch it some other time.
I've decided to stop being The Simpsons season sets around S8-10 probably - S3-8 is the golden age of the show IMHO.

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 24 Apr 2006, 16:29

Basically, The Simpsons turned to shit season 11 onwards, when Mike Scully was executive producer (I think he may have started at season 9, but 9 and 10 are good in my opinion). I haven't seen any Al Jean ones after Scully left, though, so it may have gotten better.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 25 Apr 2006, 14:57

I saw the second half of the Gervais Simpsons Episode. Some clever references, designed to show that Gervais knows about US culture, but not terribly funny. I much preferred the one after it where the family visit Stereotype, England (it has a cameo from Tony Blair!)

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 25 Apr 2006, 15:15

"Wow, I can't believe I've met Mr. Bean!"

The Gervais episode was watched by 2.2m viewers on Sky One, one of the cartoon's highest ratings ever over here.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 25 Apr 2006, 15:51

I think Gervais' genius is lost on me.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 25 Apr 2006, 16:08

I've seen his stand ups "Animals" and "Politics" which I have to say are quite funny, I think The Office is more observational comedy and relies on you having seen/experienced a situation like that to find it funny IMO

Thats why to a casual observer used to a string of jokes/punchlines, it may not seem that funny.

Kurgan · Post by **Kurgan** » 25 Apr 2006, 20:27

Neither of his stand-ups are as good as Peter Kays', and certainly not in the league of Pryor or Izzard.
There are some spiky bits, but it's a bit 'meh'.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 26 Apr 2006, 09:41

Fair enough, I havent seen Pryor or Izzard though.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 26 Apr 2006, 16:23

So did Gervais write the episode or just make cameo?

This has been discussed to death, but anyway:- The Simpsons nosedived in quality when the primary creative force, Groening, left to do Futurama around 1998. Coincidently Phil Hartman died around this period.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 26 Apr 2006, 18:44

I think he actually wrote the episode as well as just starring in it, and its the first time someone else aside from the principal writers has written one, so maybe thats why it was hyped so much.

Kurgan · Post by **Kurgan** » 26 Apr 2006, 22:46

Yes, he did write as well as star in the episode.

And Grim, you should make an effort to watch some of their stand-up. It'll have you falling about laughing.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 27 Apr 2006, 01:12

I've seen The Office a number of times, it was fuck all funny. Americans do the reality TV satire comedies so much better IMO. Eg Reno 911 which is a pisstake of Cops, hillarious stuff.

The Office was a big hit over here in NZ, yet they still haven't aired Extras yet over here. You'd think they'd salivating to air the bloody series for guaranteed big ratings?