In which season did the simpsons start to degrade?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

I'm Ready

War Child
Joined
May 11, 2005
Messages
987
I was debating with my brother over this today

I think the show really starting going downhill in season 10 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Simpsons_(season_10)

while my brother thinks the show is still great, even if the episodes aren't as good as they once were

I consider seasons 11 and 16 to be the worst, and seasons 1-9 to be the golden age

what do you guys think?
 
Same. I think they should quit while they are ahead, and end now before they get too bad. End it now and the simpsons will live on as legends, leave it longer and they will crash and burn.
 
i was shocked when i found out lionel huts and troy mclure ( sp) were dropped in 1998 cos of the actor doing the voices died. I suppose gill took huts's place.
 
I really think the thing became somewhat dull when the animation got better... more realistic... starting all around the season where the first episode, the treehouse of terror, has that whole army of homers that were born from a hamaca...


if you watch it now, the simpsons look a lot more ralistica, in terms of movement, than the first seasons or the really best, around the death of mr burns...


better animation = worse episodes (but that's me)
 
Season 9 was when shit stated to hit the fan. By season 10, there was so much shit that the fan had been entirely obscured. And, somehow...it had only started to get worse...

I haven't watched The Simpsons more than once or twice a year (minus syndication, in which there are now more bad episodes than good ones) since 2001. I am a lucky, rich, and well-rounded person as a result of this decision. Sometimes you just gotta cut your losses, you know?
 
pepokiss said:
I really think the thing became somewhat dull when the animation got better... more realistic... starting all around the season where the first episode, the treehouse of terror, has that whole army of homers that were born from a hamaca...


Oh my god, I LOVE the Treehouse episode with the army of Homer clones! The expressions on their faces crack me up, the newsclip of their faces popping up on the map of the US, Homer dumping them in a cornfield ... love it. It makes me giggle a lot.

I've been pretty lenient towards the Simpsons, still watching and (mostly) enjoying it well past the point where most fans say "eh, it's bad now." But the last two seasons I haven't gone out of my way to watch it on Sunday nights.

I think it was the season premiere of last season where I turned to my friend and said, "Wow, that was really bad." That was a first for me, and I was sad.
 
I'd say it started the descent in season 11.

Rock bottom, though, was in season 12 during the episode "Tennis the Menace". Homer is playing tennis in the backyard when the person he's playing against volleys the ball really high in the air. Homer then inexplicably pulls out the front of his shorts to catch the ball in them. When the ball nails him square in the testes, he falls over and writhes in pain.


And that's where it lost me.
 
waynetravis said:
the episode where Bart tries to become a rapper :down:
But that's just the problem. The writing sucks, the writing sucks, the writing sucks, the writing sucks.

The Simpsons used to be about a 'normal' family of characters, and now they're in boy bands, playing tennis, facilitating stupid celeb appearences.

There have been some weird psycadellic-ish Family Guy style episodes and laughs recently, but that''s not the Simpsons.

Kind of sad.

Also, the movie will suck.
 
I'd say the show took its turn in early season 10, after the episode "Bart The Mother". I don't know why, but I just don't give the time of day to any episodes after that. The "Behind The Laughter" episode was the kicker though, imo.

I've never really liked the first 2 seasons either. The earliest episode that I truly love would be "Lisa's Pony". That gives The Simpsons about 7 seasons of pure genius.

And yes, I agree that the movie will suck.
 
The show may not be as good as it used to be, but I still love it and it stills makes me laugh. I'm not sure when it started to degrade, I think it's more just episodes that aren't as good, some new episodes are right up there with the old ones.

and I'm really looking forward to the movie
 
I think you're right about season ten being the start of the downfall. Although the first episode is great where Homer tries to make money thru grease.

That episode where David Brent from The Office starred was awful! The show now just has soooo many problems. It's based at 13-14 year olds now, it's no longer a satire of society, it's crude, the characters are out of character and there are too many famous people appearances.

No longer can I say I like the Simpsons, I have to say, well the first 9 seasons were great but.....
 
^Definately, too much "guest" appearances give off that desperate vibe in a show that shouldn't have it in the first place.

I enjoy it still when it comes on, but it's lost its funniness. Too bad they couldn't bring back Conan.

And bring back Sideshow Bob!!!
(I loved him.)
 
Last edited:
The first season. You know the one? Everyone quoting dorky stupid Bart catch phrases, and everyone thinking it was ok to have a quasi dysfunctional family?

Or maybe it was by season 28, when everyone forgot to go out while still on top.

Or maybe it was some time in between, when it just became stale and lost it's lustre?
 
I thought Simpsons was legenday till season 10... season 11-14 were not bad at all.... but 15 and 16 have had very few bright moments ( although The Regina Monologues will go down in my book as an all-time great Simpsons episode). I havent seen season 17 as yet coz i dont live in America, but i dont think there is a pressing need for the show to end. Judging from season 16, i would still rather watch the simpsons over most of the other shows on TV.But i think bringing back Conan to write some more epsiodes would be a shot in the arm.
 
Screwtape2 said:
It was when Family Guy and Futurama came along. It wasn't one season. The writing on the Simpsons couldn't match that of the new animated shows.

You're kidding me, right? Matt Groening wrote Futurama, and it sucked.

Family Guy?

...You're kidding, right? :|
 
I agree with Canadiens1160
It's all about writing.
SNL has been crap with a great cast because Lorne Michaels hung onto to some stale writers for too long, saw others get plucked away by other shows and fired others who didn't play the 'game' well enough.

The Simpsons is suffering a similar fate.It could see a resurgence but needs an overhaul. Better yet, they should quit while they are ahead.
 
Back
Top Bottom