DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
and the stones have been in an episode.
The Simpsons. Take the Hint. Cancel it.
- Thread starter 8den
- Start date
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
more than one surely
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
I can only recall seeing 1, a kind ogf School of Rock parody. Not one of the best. Wouldn't be suprised to know theyd done more though.
Chick Webb
Countryfile and a can
Where's my burrito! Where's my burrito!
8den
No I'm pretty sure that was 8ball...
See! That episode is so jammed with great gags that I completely overlooked that one. It also has that great Mr Burns rant about the strike in the style of Dr Seuss, and that brilliant musical number where Burns and Smithers try to run the plant and end up getting chased by their robot workers.
8den
No I'm pretty sure that was 8ball...
I think most of the cast provide the voices for several parts Shearer isn't even the most prolific of the regular cast.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_The_Simpsons_cast_members
SpookyFrank
A cheap source of teeth for aquarium gravel
Yup, the only actor who usually voices just one character is Yeardley Smith who does Lisa. Most of the kids in the show are voiced by Nancy Cartwright.
Silva
This went well.
Now official.
I remember being sad when a newspaper ran a piece about the Simpsons being close to cancellation due to multiple contract disputes, this 15 or 16 years ago. Now I wish it had been cancelled.
At this point, they'll just find soundalikes for each character voiced by a (non-death) departing cast member for a fraction of the cost. Until one of the main cast members (Castellaneta/Cavner/Cartright/Smith) dies or they all quit in block, they will keep parading the corpse.
I remember being sad when a newspaper ran a piece about the Simpsons being close to cancellation due to multiple contract disputes, this 15 or 16 years ago. Now I wish it had been cancelled.
At this point, they'll just find soundalikes for each character voiced by a (non-death) departing cast member for a fraction of the cost. Until one of the main cast members (Castellaneta/Cavner/Cartright/Smith) dies or they all quit in block, they will keep parading the corpse.
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SpookyFrank
A cheap source of teeth for aquarium gravel
I didn't realise Marcia Wallace (Mrs Krabappel) had died 
Artaxerxes
Look out, he's got a gnu!
Because it was never that funny
cesare
shady's dreams ♥
I think we're on to a winner ere, Trig, play it nice n cool, you know what I mean.
ffsear
Well-Known Member
Chick Webb
Countryfile and a can
Aww, poor Grimey.
8den
No I'm pretty sure that was 8ball...
Conan O'Brien, and four of the original writers of the Simspons talk about the early evolution of the show.
One of the more interesting points they raise is that the Simpsons was a Bart centric show in the opening shows, but gradually the show moved to Homer because "how many stories can you tell with a ten year old boy". So you have Homer as a Fireman, and then a Hippy.
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joustmaster
offcumdun
I've never found any of it funny as either a child or an as an adult.
Silva
This went well.
This is the reason why I think they should have slightly shifted ages over a couple of seasons, instead of just toying around with flash forward episodes and retconing the storyline so Disco Stu should be what, Macarena Stu by now? At least it would make the evolution of Lisa a bit less grating. She's supposed to be eight, but has been written like a smart highschooler for what, over a decade? Move the timeline 8 to 10 years, so Homer and Marge are in their mid-late 40s, Bart is 17, Lisa 15 and Maggie 8. Move away from the craaayzee Homer storylines, and go back to being a sitcom in a fantasy world with the liberties being animated provides. Introduce new regular characters to fit with the adjusted storyline and become less dependent on one-off guest star roles (which has been one of the things I started to loathe with the Simpsons, particularly once they started playing themselves instead of a character).
Yeah, it's a huge gamble to take, but it's not like the Simpsons are on a winning formula now. I've noticed my suggestions would bring the Simpsons closer to Modern Family, that has won, what, 5 Emmys for best Comedy in a row?
ffsear
Well-Known Member
Thanks for sharing
Steel Icarus
ersatz maven
Not watched it for years. I'll always love it, though.
Artaxerxes
Look out, he's got a gnu!
I could see that working somewhat, the episode where we see Lisa at Uni for example seems well regarded and it mean you could focus the story on other characters than Homer occasionally
Homer did move on from being well meaning but dumb to actually dangerous and unpleasant at some point in the shows history and its purely to keep the series going for the sake of keeping it going, theres no story there.
And probably bored, I don't think there needs to be some big issue
Silva
This went well.
Homer turned into Peter Griffin. For so much crap MacFarlane took from aping from the Simpsons, the Simpsons writers room certainly looked at what made Family Guy popular, and decided it was the shitty, completely disfunctional family, not the rapid-firing pop-culture jokes or the absurdist flashbacks and cuts. As shitty as FG is right now, I'll still defend it was a much different show before the Simpsons writers decided to tap the same source of "adult" humour.
It's not like I'd have to change much in the ways the character act. Dial Homer back to the early seasons Homer - lazy, somewhat reckless, but loves and cares for his family. Give Marge something to do instead of being the foil to Homer's madness. Make Bart a college-or-not slacker who still tags along on occasion for Homers' antics, but in general has his own adventures with Milhouse and Nelson. If the writers still want a mouthpiece, turn Lisa into a smart teen, interested in a lot of stuff, but also on preparing for college etc. Drop the old mute Maggie joke (it's been 23 years since they got Elizabeth Taylor to voice a single word), and make her like an actual 8-year old, unlike Lisa. Yes, she likes cartoons and dolls, and no, she doesn't have scenes explaining how the middle-east conflict could be over if they all stopped eating meat, put the women in charge and abandon religion (except Buddhism).
In brief (if you know Modern Family): Homer is Phil slightly less obsessed in being "the cool dad" but much lazier and thicker (but not Peter Griffin stupid, which is where the writers dragged him). Lisa as a more politically-aware Alex. Maggie as Lily. Don't have a comparison for Marge (could be a cross between Claire and Gloria, but heh), and while the more direct comparison for Bart is Luke, he doesn't get a lot of storylines to compare properly. Bring the characters more in tone with the Simpsons universe, and have better writting more in tune with a sitcom (like early episodes) and less trying to compete in crassness with South Park and Family Guy.
Artaxerxes
Look out, he's got a gnu!
I'd say Homer was well on the way towards Peter Griffin territory before Family Guy, then Family guy turned up and both of them seemed to go all out to one up each other and take queues from each other. Hell you can see how similar FG is to the Simpsons is in its first season before fixing on the idiot man-child aspect.
Silva
This went well.
by 99 (when FG debuted) the called Jerkass Homer had already been showing off a lot (influence of South Park?), but I'm not arguing there aren't similarities between FG and The Simpsons. The thing is FG very rarely tried to have the human heart The Simpsons did. It was a gag vehicle from the get-go, something the plot-oriented Simpsons steered towards after FG started to look like the future for Fox.
If they cancelled FG and instead let MacFarlane do a TV version of his Burger King Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy or even a one-hour variety show where he could do what the fuck he wants, I'd be happier. Seth too, probably.
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