"The Simpsons" at 500 episodes: Which was the best one? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 02-18-2012, 08:37 PM

http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-rad...op-10-episodes

"Marge vs. The Monorail" or "You Only Move Twice"? PLUS: Examining "Simpsons" vacation destinations.

mets82 · 02-18-2012, 09:28 PM

There have been so many but some that come to the top of my head. When Mrs. K and Skinner were going to get married, the one where Bart had a big brother and Homer decided to get one too and the one where Flanders house got destroyed in a tornado and the townspeople tried to help him by building a new house but it was lousy and Ned flipped out and went into a mental instiution.

sixfingers · 09-20-2012, 06:44 PM

I like the one where there's a new girl in school who's smarter than Lisa, and knows it, and Lisa recruits Bart to come up with ways to put her in her place, but then she has a change of heart and feels really guilty when she learns the girl has a hidden vulnerability.

TMC · 05-21-2013, 01:25 AM

http://www.screenjunkies.com/tv/tv-l...0-episode-run/

Quote:

A lot can happen over 500 episodes. During The Simpsons’ record-setting primetime run on FOX, the network has seen quite a few shows come and go. In fact, The Simpsons has seen 244 FOX primetime programs start and die while it has been plugging along. Some were decent shows that simply ran their course, bad shows that had no business being on the air, and a whole mess of shows that fall somewhere in between.

What this demonstrates more than anything else, is

a) The Simpsons has been on for a hell of a long time, and

b) the evolutionary trajectory that the network has taken since its infancy in the late 80′s.

It went from airing a mix of cheap and cutting edge shows (It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, Parker Lewis Can’t Lose, Tracy Ullman) to airing a whole lot of dumb shows (Herman’s Head, Drexel’s Class, Babes, Cops) to some really sleazy programming in the vein of Who Wants To Marry A Millionaire? and Temptation Island to what it’s become today, which is more or less a normal TV network with a whole evening of scheduled cartoons. And you can undoubtedly thank (or blame) The Simpsons for that as well.

After combing this list, I realize I’ve seen 34 of these shows, and that feels like plenty.

Say what you will about The Simpsons outstaying their welcome on primetime television, but it’s hard to argue that we would want any other show from this list outlasting The Simpsons. Could you imagine what the 23rd seasons of Drexel’s Class or Models, Inc. would be like? Ugh.

Stroll down memory lane with this list, and don’t forget to take a sweater. It’s supposed to be chilly tonight.

EmoJoe · 05-22-2013, 01:10 AM

CAPE FEARE

Runner-ups: Marge vs. the Monorail, Last Exit to Springfield, Itchy & Scratchy Land, And Maggie Makes Three, Bart Sells His Soul

Neutronman67 · 05-28-2013, 07:56 PM

The Simpsons has been on the air since 1989 before i was even born it should be at 3,000 episodes by now how is this show at 500 its a cartoon show hahahahaha

Neutronman67 · 05-28-2013, 07:59 PM

244 FOX Shows That Have Come And Gone During ‘The Simpsons’ 500-Episode Run most of those shows are real life sitcom shows, the simpsons is a cartoon it can last another 100 years lol

mets82 · 05-28-2013, 08:35 PM

I've always wondered about that. How a cartoon can last so long over actual real life sitcoms?

mets82 · 06-02-2013, 10:12 PM

I thought Marge vs. Monorail was good but I thought one of the funniest episodes was when Rodney Dangerfield showed up to play Mr. Burns son. The phony kidnapping was hysterical.

TMC · 08-23-2014, 02:46 AM

http://www.theverge.com/2014/8/22/60...jump-the-shark

Quote:

By this point, Homer had many unbelievable achievements under his belt. Three seasons earlier, he went to space. But it's not how absurd the moment is that qualifies it for jumping the shark. It's what impact the moment has on the show's character.

king of comedy · 08-23-2014, 05:24 AM

The Simpsons has jumped the shark since the 8th season.

IllinoisTVFan · 08-29-2014, 12:44 AM

One realizes how long it's been on by life achievements. For example when this show premiered I had just graduated high school and my brother was starting his freshman year of high school. He's going to turn 40 in a few months. I look at things I was doing in my 20's which was so long ago now and realize by then the Simpsons had been on a few years. If we go by the age they were when the show began Bart would be 35 and Lisa 33.

Mace Dolex · 08-29-2014, 01:27 AM

I was thinking this years ago when the show had made it to 400 episodes and coming up with my own set of favorite episodes that I realized its damn near impossible, I figured it best picking 3-5 episodes from each season was more plausible.

For the record the first 9 or 10 seasons are classics, I couldn't pick out a favorite from the last ten years.

king of comedy · 08-29-2014, 05:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IllinoisTVFan

One realizes how long it's been on by life achievements. For example when this show premiered I had just graduated high school and my brother was starting his freshman year of high school. He's going to turn 40 in a few months. I look at things I was doing in my 20's which was so long ago now and realize by then the Simpsons had been on a few years. If we go by the age they were when the show began Bart would be 35 and Lisa 33.

It would have been cool if they had permanantly aged Bart and Lisa even thought we've seen in fast forward to the future episodes where they have aged.

IllinoisTVFan · 08-29-2014, 12:33 PM

In generally my favorites are the future or even the past episodes.Kind of cool when they show how Homer and Marge where before they got married.

02-18-2012, 08:37 PM	#1
TMC Member Forum Celebrity Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 36,283	"The Simpsons" at 500 episodes: Which was the best one? http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-rad...op-10-episodes "Marge vs. The Monorail" or "You Only Move Twice"? PLUS: Examining "Simpsons" vacation destinations.

02-18-2012, 09:28 PM	#2
mets82 Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 14, 2011 Location: Connecticut Posts: 4,818	There have been so many but some that come to the top of my head. When Mrs. K and Skinner were going to get married, the one where Bart had a big brother and Homer decided to get one too and the one where Flanders house got destroyed in a tornado and the townspeople tried to help him by building a new house but it was lousy and Ned flipped out and went into a mental instiution.
	__________________ http://www.superbowlgreatness.blogspot.com/ Please check out my blog. I vent on all things. TV, sports etc. you name it. Its also a work in progress. Check out and see what you think.

05-22-2013, 01:10 AM	#5
EmoJoe Cool cool cool Forum Legend Join Date: Apr 23, 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 71,426	CAPE FEARE Runner-ups: Marge vs. the Monorail, Last Exit to Springfield, Itchy & Scratchy Land, And Maggie Makes Three, Bart Sells His Soul
	__________________ "I know the difference between TV and reality, Jeff. TV has structure, it makes sense, there are likable leading men. In real life, we have this. We have you." - Abed Nadir, Community www.sitcomsarestupid.blogspot.com

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09-20-2012, 06:44 PM	#3
sixfingers John Alan Elson Senior Member Join Date: Feb 22, 2008 Location: Sacramento Posts: 1,479	I like the one where there's a new girl in school who's smarter than Lisa, and knows it, and Lisa recruits Bart to come up with ways to put her in her place, but then she has a change of heart and feels really guilty when she learns the girl has a hidden vulnerability.

05-28-2013, 07:56 PM	#6
Neutronman67 Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 23, 2013 Location: Sarasota Posts: 2,529	The Simpsons has been on the air since 1989 before i was even born it should be at 3,000 episodes by now how is this show at 500 its a cartoon show hahahahaha

05-28-2013, 07:59 PM	#7
Neutronman67 Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 23, 2013 Location: Sarasota Posts: 2,529	244 FOX Shows That Have Come And Gone During ‘The Simpsons’ 500-Episode Run most of those shows are real life sitcom shows, the simpsons is a cartoon it can last another 100 years lol

05-28-2013, 08:35 PM	#8
mets82 Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 14, 2011 Location: Connecticut Posts: 4,818	I've always wondered about that. How a cartoon can last so long over actual real life sitcoms?

06-02-2013, 10:12 PM	#9
mets82 Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 14, 2011 Location: Connecticut Posts: 4,818	I thought Marge vs. Monorail was good but I thought one of the funniest episodes was when Rodney Dangerfield showed up to play Mr. Burns son. The phony kidnapping was hysterical.

08-23-2014, 05:24 AM	#11
king of comedy Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 31, 2012 Location: New Jersey Posts: 4,186	The Simpsons has jumped the shark since the 8th season.

08-29-2014, 12:44 AM	#12
IllinoisTVFan Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 22, 2011 Location: South of Chicago Posts: 2,754	One realizes how long it's been on by life achievements. For example when this show premiered I had just graduated high school and my brother was starting his freshman year of high school. He's going to turn 40 in a few months. I look at things I was doing in my 20's which was so long ago now and realize by then the Simpsons had been on a few years. If we go by the age they were when the show began Bart would be 35 and Lisa 33.

08-29-2014, 01:27 AM	#13
Mace Dolex Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 12, 2013 Posts: 2,253	I was thinking this years ago when the show had made it to 400 episodes and coming up with my own set of favorite episodes that I realized its damn near impossible, I figured it best picking 3-5 episodes from each season was more plausible. For the record the first 9 or 10 seasons are classics, I couldn't pick out a favorite from the last ten years.

08-29-2014, 12:33 PM	#15
IllinoisTVFan Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 22, 2011 Location: South of Chicago Posts: 2,754	In generally my favorites are the future or even the past episodes.Kind of cool when they show how Homer and Marge where before they got married.