Rate/Review: Moe Baby Blues (Season Finale Part 2, EABF17)

[Andy]

When Moe saves Maggie, he becomes her new babysitter, but the Simpsons aren't ready for a kindler, gentler Moe, especially when Maggie gets involved in Fat Tony's latest mob war AHEM (sorry, Tony) latest legitimate business activity Last ep of season 14, and the last R/R thread until next year. Break out the keg!

This one will open up tonight after the second episode airs.

[RacistInsomniac]

Superb, so much better! One of the best of S14 by far.

Plus:

Venus Fly Trap "Overpower my ass" :LOL:
Moe's Alarm.
Homer squashing the flower, "So Long suckers!"
Krap -E- Latch: "You're baby!"
Costington's "Look at those pants, they're standing up with no one on them!"
Crazy Granpa
Moe bartending to Maggie
Bumper Cars
Adorable Maggie, another episode based on Maggie, good stuff.
"She hates looking like crap."
"Daddy feels rejected, he's gonna eat some cake." :LOL:
Uncle Moe's Play Tavern! I want one! Classical drunken Barney.
Moe not in Moe's Bar, Gasp!
"Nooo that was me." "Sometimes I bring them Lemonade!"
Johnny Tightlips, second season finale he's been in.
Homer's Ham, hahahaaha, checkers :LOL:

Negative:
Poor poor Moe.
Asshole Homer to Bart and Maggie.
Alice In Underpants, meh.
Snake Farm?

[Andy]

BEST EPISODE OF SEASON 14

When I heard this episode was being written by J. Stewart Burns AND directed by Lauren MacMullan, I had high hopes. And you know what? This one's a classic.

The characterization is brilliant, the episode is funny and Moe is not the horrible pervert he was in the bit parts he had earlier in the season. Like last year, they saved the best for last.

The only really bad part was the Venus Flytrap scene, but that wasn't really a problem. The plot flow was excellent and the Moe/Maggie scenes were hilarious. Wonderful balance of comedy and plot without a Full House emotional preachiness. I am impressed.

[Kefka]

Wow! 5/5. That's my favorite Moe episode now. VERY good, and he was actually funny with no lame lines and he had a good connection with Maggie.

Funniest line was
"Sorry for thinking you were a Baby-napper, Moe" - Marge
"Or worse, right?" - Homer

The beginning with the Flower thing was kinda lame.

[Hans Barber]

Good episode, good season finale. I could say this was one of the best of the season. Moe was good in the last 2 episodes. The flower gas thing sorta reminded me of the osaka flu in "Marge in chains", but still good. Good story line and funny parts. Nothing over exaggerated, stable good episode. Around a 4\5.

[Gabbo]

WOW! Definately one of the better of the season. Very touching and had some pretty good jokes. Moe showed us his affectionate side, and it was great. 5/5

[SpongeBob No Pants]

whats up with the writters ending the season on a "mob" note

last years season finale was mob and maggie oriented

Bart of war was better bu MBB had its qualities do 4/5

[paul byers]

Another good episode. The highlight for me was the spectacular animation. I give a B or maybe even a B+. Good season finale.

[Moose of Doom!]

Wow, wasn't bad. One of the better episodes this season. Moe telling Maggie the whole Godfather story was great. Especially the whole Italian bit at the end. Finally, the Italian-American Defamation League gets some action!

[Datoupee]

5/5 !!! Nothing you can complain about this time everyone. This one was simply amazing. I loved the whole suicide scene. What a great way to finish off the season.

[Tomacco]

First off, why can't Lauren Macmullan direct every episode? The animation and direction was BEAUTIFUL in this ep.

I have a feeling classic Simpsons lovers will love this episode. This one did have genuine emotion throughout. And anyone who had been whining about Moe's characterization this year better be satisfied here, because he was incredibly funny by this character's own merits. The whole Godfather undertone of the episode was very well-done. So many great lines and sweet moments. Overall, just so enjoyable. 5/5

[My Little Needle]

A nice way to end the season, but not as good as "Bart of War."

[NoOneFamous]

WOW!!! After a few weeks of disappointing episodes, tonight's 2 have once again restored my faith in the show. The opening act of Moe Baby Blues was awkward... the plant thing/celebration was lame, as was Maggie flying through the air. But luckilly, that stuff was short, and everything that followed was great. Moe has finally become a likable character again, and his characerization was great in this episode. For the first time in awhile, he wasn't a dispicable, unfunny, disgusting human. I hope he stays this way. The scene where Moe was about to commit suicide but catches Maggie and smiles was directed perfectly and very cinematic. As for this episode, great, classic stuff. Perfectly structured plot, great, original story, nothing over-the top, down to earth, amazing animation and direction, awesome references and lots of intelligent humor (while at the same time, keeping the "kid stuff" to a minimum)... basically everything that makes the show so great in the first place was in this episode. This would fit right in with seasons 3-8.

Oh yeah, and I loved all the Godfather/mob stuff (Fat Tony and his gang is always great) ("they should really consider sippy-cups" had me rolling for some reason). and I also loved Moe's Play Bar, "featuring classic drunk Barney!" Theres one for the fans!

All in all, tonight's two episodes were a perfect conclusion to season 14, which, while it still had a few stinkers, was otherwise the best season since 9, and is showing VAST improvement. It just seems to get better as time goes on, which is great news for Seasons 15 and 16. (Last review thread for awhile...)

5/5, or an A

[Tibor]

I was just about to say that Jonah. The best most inspired direction in quite a while. Excellente.

I'm still collecting my thoughts for a full review, but I just thought this was absolutely great.

[Datoupee]

Originally posted by Tomacco
The animation and direction was BEAUTIFUL in this ep.I was just about to post how well the animation looked. This episode had some great cuts and directional views for each scene. Very very well done. It's just a matter of time until more and more eps looks this stunning. I believe this has alot to do with the switch from cel to computer animation.

[Mafia]

i loved this. Moe was great. Excellent ending. I thought this was equal to the Bart of War. Both probably tie for best episode for me. amazing. I even loved a lame joke like the ham bit. Godfather = even more amazing. 95/95, A.

[Scratchy]

Wonderful episode, it had the "classic" feel to it that a lot of people on this board crave, and since I myself have an Italian heritage, I thought the Godfather/Mafia stuff was great.

Another 5/5.

[Stackhouse]

Holy crow, 80% of the votes are 5/5 right now.. and I have to wait 2 more hours to see this one.. awww.

[Urts]

Decent episode, but not one of my favorites of the season.

The first two acts were pretty enjoyable, although not terribly funny. Still, many of the Moe/Maggie moments were quite nice. I really don't remember that much of the second act, it just felt a bit slow to me. The third act was really what picked up the episode. The mobster moments were entertaining and there were some laughs here.

Good emotion, ok humor, not a stellar episode in my opinion, but enjoyable.

Rating: 3/5

[Simpson Purist]

9.8/10, My highest praises in a modern (as in seasons 10+) Simpsons episode, EVER. This episode is like the "Spirited Away" of the Simpsons (okay maybe not THAT good).

Pros
-Just about everything, from Moe's downdrafts to Homer's bad parenting
-The Godfather homages rocked
-Moe totally fucking redeemed himself here
-Lauren Macmullen = Hayao Miyazaki
-No obligatory SARS joke during the Dim Sum scene, it's nice to see my country represented without a SARS joke (although I probably wouldn't mind).

Cons
-Lisa pointing out the sign joke, lame

Can't really say anything that's already been said, great season finale (totally makes up for the excuse that was "The Bart of War"). Here's to next season, you know I'll be there. :D

[brentholomew]

At first I thought Bart of War was better, but now I've changed my mind. Very good, nice to see Maggie get some attention again. Hopefully now Moe will be more of a happy character. Outstanding

5/5

[Mr. Plow]

This episode was much more enjoyable than tonight's other "meh" episode. It was nice to have an episode focusing on Maggie, along with Moe being involved. One of the best this season. 5/5

[Tomacco]

Originally posted by Datoupee
I was just about to post how well the animation looked. This episode had some great cuts and directional views for each scene. Very very well done. It's just a matter of time until more and more eps looks this stunning. I believe this has alot to do with the switch from cel to computer animation.

I attribute everything to Lauren Macmullan, who did "Half-Decent Proposal" and "Little Girl in the Big Ten". And we know how well-done those were animation-wise, and it keeps getting better with every new episode Lauren does.

[HellBender]

Well... I guess this is another episode that everyone likes, and that I just found boring... happened with Special Edna. But I hoesntly can't find anything great about the episode (Besides the animation). I didn't make me laugh much, the plot and plot flow was alright... the whole plant thing was jsut dumb. Overall a pretty ordinary episode (3/5)

[|RABiD|]

Definitely a classic episode tonight! Absolutely uproarious! Had me laughing throughout. Excellent story and Moe was topnotch. Gorgeous animation and writing. 5/5!

[Tomacco]

"Alice in Wonderland? Hmm..white rabbits and chicks popping mushrooms?"

[|RABiD|]

Originally posted by Tomacco
I attribute everything to Lauren Macmullan, who did "Half-Decent Proposal" and "Little Girl in the Big Ten". And we know how well-done those were animation-wise, and it keeps getting better with every new episode Lauren does.

Don't forget, she also directed "Bye, Bye Nerdie" which had excellent animation also.

[huh?]

Like the first episode tonight, this was great, but unlike Bart of War, it did it mainly by the plot. I loved Moe and Maggie in this episode, and the mob sequence was great also. Only complaint would be the ham part at the end being a little stupid at the end, but since it was just at the end, I'll still give it a 5/5.

[|RABiD|]

Why is that every season finale has to kick so much ass? Well, except for season 12.

[Jolly Bengali]

Well, twice this season there have been double-features of "The Simpsons". And, just like the last time, the second episode was slightly overshadowed by the first. Yet this episode, technically the season finale, was still an excellent Moe episode, and I really liked having it in addition to "The Bart of War". Moe and Maggie are two excellent characters, and once the episode got off the shaky footing of its opening minutes and the plot kicked into gear, it was great to see two hilarious and unique characters play off each other. The Homer-being-jealous plot felt really forced and predictable, but to be fair, you need conflict in a show, so I'll accept it. Really, I have to say I liked this episode overall. Moe episodes on the whole are pretty good, and this one was no exception. I must also admit I'm partial to extended gags and satire, and just like the episode that preceded it's Beatles reference, I loved the Godfather jokes from Moe, and the later mafia scenes. A truly inspired gag was the Italian anti-defamation guy pulling out guns and spouting a line about cannoli. And of course, after mocking both Godfathers I and II, the line about having to pay for "Godfather III" came off pretty good as well. Overall, I'm really pleased. I'm sure there will be one or two more bonus episodes, but if that doesn't happen, I have to say Season 14 ended as good as I could have hoped.Grade: A-

Not a knock against this in any way... just for some reason I loved bart of war, i loved this one too.

[henry]

Brilliant!

5/5!

Italian American Anti-Defamation league!

Best episode in a LONG tim.e

[Thrillhouse24]

i rated it 4/5 but i think its in between 4/5 and 5/5 so i just rated it 4/5 well it was a good episode

[Merbert Moover]

Muy excelente!

I really felt bad for Moe, and it was nice to see Maggie play an actually important part in an episode. The interactions between them were delightfully cute, including: Moe bartending w/ her, "I've still got her nose", "she hates looking like crap", and Maggie wriggling like a squirrel to get away from Homer.

What else was good: the woman trying to pick Moe up, Homer's "feel rejected, going to eat some cake" line, Apu's pervert kid, and Bart's future being compared to a train wreck.

I didn't like the snake farm reference, the pants standing up on their own, or the ham. The plot line with the mobsters seemed a little contrived but ended up working very well.

Anyhow, this one just felt good and actually turned out to be pretty touching. The pros outweigh the cons on this ep. by a ton.

[Cosmo Kramer]

I'm downloading this right now, I can't wait!

[Hal_9000]

I loved it! alot better then "the bart of war" and it was nice to see a different side of Moe's character, he can be crass but he can also care. lol

[Tomacco]

Looks like "Special Edna" has a sure contender for best of season in the polls.

[PhthaloType]

Originally posted by PsycheEnFuego
BEST EPISODE OF SEASON 14

YES!

Solid story, the kind of genuine emotion that's rare now-a-days. The best Moe episode off the top of my head.

[Handsome Pete]

Let me just start by saying that I really like how Moe connected with Maggie and how that went. Well, to begin with, maybe I should list what I didn't like. The first act as a whole was very distastful, bringing a trio of bad jokes/events. First off, the meta reference towards the sign was very heavy-handed and obvious, and the Venus Fly Trap offering Homer the hot dog was lousy as well. And the flower. Oh God, the flower. Yes, I'm well aware that the real life counterpart of that flower smells like rotten flesh. But having a putrid cloud that also destroys any plant in its path is not the way to go. Also, Maggie "exploding" like that out of the car with volitile force was a bit ridiculous, at least to me.

However, I mostly only had qualms with the first act. The rest of the episode, though weird at times, was at least acceptable in some aspects, and admirable in others. As I mentioned earlier, I really liked how Moe and Maggie's bond worked out (even through the somewhat odd "Mafia ready to whack" part at the end), and some of the jokes were also pretty good, including: The Bongo and (I suppose) Kang and Kodos topiaries, the whole "spiting up and crashing tricycle" moment with Homer that was featured so heavily in the ads, Wiggum's line of "Scum, you freezebag" and his subsequent mention of today's sitcoms, mention of Homer's snake farm, and despite it being a bit of meta-humor, Moe's playset of his par. Of particular note were "Classic Drunk Barney" and Homer's "I peed my pants" figure, as well as his reaction to it.

Besides the jokes, I'd also like to mention one last thing. Basically, I liked the use of shadows and shading in this episode. They were really featured a lot in many places (outside Luigi's, Moe's shadow on the wall...), and I thought they were all well done and incorporated nicely in this episode. So...overall, some of the jokes and situations weren't that good to me, but there were a few good lines, and Moe and Maggie really brought things up a bit. 3/5.

[Pmc325]

I agree with the previous statement... This is the best episode of the season! Plus the best Season Finale ever. So many great parts. Moe's gift of the bar was great. The best part was...

Fat Tony: "I haven't cried this much since I paid to see Godfather III."

LOL! Italians are always great in the Simpsons.

Did anyone else notice that it looked sort've different visually? It definently looked great. 5/5 for this hot tamale.

[NoOneFamous]

These are quite possibly the best ratings in the history of this forum! However, I'm sticking with "Special Edna" as the best of season 14 due to the lame opening gags in this one (which Handsome Pete explained really well).

[I Am Lion-O]

4/5- one of the best of the year, and ending the season on the good foot after that bad episode. Though I do agree that the Cubs better win the World Series.

[HomertheGreat]

BEST OF SEASON 14, INSTANT CLASSIC

This episode was just so good on so many levels. The animation was brilliant, we got an in depth look at the character Moe, which was beautifully done. The Godfather sub-plot was excellent and I loved how they tied it in at the end. I'm tempted to give this one an A+ but the first act is not quite up to snuff. A

[Dennis]

5/5. That was a really good episode. One of the few really good episodes this season. Better than "Bart of War."

[Tibor]

Okay, here goes. This was a harmony of animation and story. Moe's adaptation of the Godfather, and Maggie being enthralled by it = stroke of writing genius. I found Moe to be written very well, especially in light of some terrible gags revolving around him this season. Maggie was very emotive, which was important here and a testament to the animation. Humor was pretty damn solid, and even the silly ham gag at the end was funny.

The flower thing at the beginning was iffy, but this episode was probably one of the most structurally sound this season. Very kinetic, and left the minor unpleasantness behind.

A-

[homer5000]

25 PEOPLE VOTED 5/5????? I can't wait for this to air, that looks too excellent for words...

[Handsome Pete]

I've thought this episode a bit, and I have to say that the animation as a whole, not just the shadows and shading I mentioned earlier, were excellent. And characters were definitely all solid this time, even Homer. I mean, he wasn't whining at all...I may possibly bump this episode up to a 4 if I see enough reasons to give it a rating like that. Best episode of the season?...maybe.

[DotheBartman]

Wow...I was looking forward to this one for many months, but I'm actually in shock about it.

That was one of the best episodes in a LONG time. I'd even go so far as to say Little Girl in the Big Ten, which previously held the record for me as best season 10+ episode, may have just been dethroned, and both episodes are better then most of season 9, with only a few episodes (Cartridge Family and Lisa's Sax, as well as maybe New York and Joy of Sect being the only better ones). Considering, how much I liked Big Ten, and have disliked much of this season, that's an accomplishment.

First off, characterizations and the story were very good, and for once I cared what was going on. The Moe and Maggie scenes were well done, and every scene with Moe had me empathetically feeling for him, probably more than at any other point in the whole series. It was also great having Maggie around so much, and all the other characters' roles were well placed and generally added to what was going on. Maybe the only complaint I have, and its maybe the only real complaint I have for the whole episode, is that Homer's role in it felt a little more contrived and wasn't developed as much as it could have been, but he wasn't the focus anyway.

The humor was also very good. In fact, for once I don't think there were any lame jokes (which helps it to beat Big Ten, which had the "not the good cheek" gag). Every joke worked really. Even some things that normally might fail, like Krusty in the manure, somehow worked for me this time, and left me chuckling. And there were actually a lot of things that had me laughing out loud, and consistantly, through the episode. Many of Maggie's scenes, the plant stuff even (with Binky...ha!), Moe attacking Nelson, the Mob stuff, right down to Homer's hilarious playdate with the ham. It maybe wasn't as consistantly hilarious as "Mr Spritz" (though it was close), but even that was perhaps to its credit, as the seemed to know when to slow down with the jokes when they really needed to to develop the story and make us care what was going on, even ending act one on something that wasn't entirely a joke, and not making a joke about Moe's suicide attempt either.

One last note: the direction was FANTASTIC. That pan from Maggie's smiling face to Moe's face when he first saves her, the happy little elves (they're back!) turning into the mobsters....it was SO well done compared to recent episodes. I'd have to call Lauren MacMullen one of the best directors the show has ever had.

Verdict: Great, great episode that beats the pants off anything else this season, and most of the later season stuff for that matter. For once I don't have anything to complain about really, and can only give this an A+.

Man, writing all that makes me even sadder that my tape ran out half way through the episode(set it on the wrong record speed). Anyone have any guesses when this might air again?

Final season verdict: Now, I can't call this season a great or even good season by any means. Too many bombs, too many mediocre episodes. However, if I had to rate it only on the last few episodes, and could maybe exclude Old Yeller Belly, that would be far different. At this point, I'd even say I'm out of the "cancel it already!" stage I was in earlier this season, and anticipate season 15, random appearances with Tony Blair aside. Without doing an "averaging" kind of grade, which I don't think work that well, I'd have to give this season as a whole a "C" at this point...but the last two or three months have been more like "B", and that's enough to keep me watching. Bravo.

[Tomacco]

There were subtle touches everywhere. In MANY scenes, there were appropriate shadows around the characters. The green hue in the gas cloud scene. Dynamic angles. Plus purely new and innovative shots and styles like the car crash slow-mo scene, the video camera angle in Maggie's room, Marge screaming in horror after seeing Maggie gone, and a bunch of very nice shots in the gun showdown scene at the end.

And DotheBartman, there was no doubt in my mind you would love this episode. :)

[DotheBartman]

Originally posted by Tomacco
There were subtle touches everywhere. In MANY scenes, there were appropriate shadows around the characters. The green hue in the gas cloud scene. Dynamic angles. Plus purely new and innovative shots and styles like the car crash slow-mo scene, the video camera angle in Maggie's room, Marge screaming in horror after seeing Maggie gone, and a bunch of very nice shots in the gun showdown scene at the end.

Yeah, there were so many great bits of animation in this episode. I wish every episode could like like this one. It was also a perfect example of the animation actually HELPING the story and to make us feel more for the characters, because of many of those little touches. It wasn't all superficial grandiose stuff either, but real subtle stuff in many areas.

BTW, I'd say this episode is easily the second best thing all tv season, just behind Futurama's "Jurassic Bark". That's right, even the rest of the Futurama season wasn't as good as this for me.

[Milhouse Van Houten]

WOW, All I can say is neer perfection. Defiantly one of the best of season 14, and I must say after seing Bart of War I was a little woried to say the least.
5/5

[Tomacco]

I'm also glad that the finale really did this season justice. For me, this season was fantastic, and this last episode actually makes me sad that the season is over. I mean I'm actually upset it's over. So many memories.

[Urts]

Originally posted by Tomacco
I'm also glad that the finale really did this season justice. For me, this season was fantastic, and this last episode actually makes me sad that the season is over. I mean I'm actually upset it's over. So many memories.

Yeah, I actually can't wait until next season because the show is improving so much. Definitely different than what I've been thinking after some of the more recent seasons: "Please let next season be good...or at least better."

[Channel Surfer]

Best of the season! Most everything in this episode worked (not everything, as the beginning with the plant was iffy, and Moe wanting to suck on Barney's belly button was a bit lame too). Great storytelling, displaying Moe as a sympathetic character, the incorporation of "The Godfather" into the storyline, the overall animation/direction (probably MacMullan's best), and the sheer volume of working jokes really make this episode shine.

This is the best Moe episode since "Flaming Moes". There is so little to hate and so much to like.

Grade: A

[lindsay]

Wow! This episode was one of the best of the last couple seasons. I loved the moe and maggie interaction. It was really sweet. I'm glad they showed a sweeter side of moe instead of some weird side of him we've been seeing lately. I thought moe's bedtime-story version of the godfather was funny. I also thought it was funny when homer and marge were arguing over who's turn it was to get maggie and you heard moe over the baby monitor saying like i got it. i don't know why but i also thought it was hailrious when the police asked if the mob ever talked outside their house and marge was like yeah all the time, sometime i bring them lemonade or something like that.

Also was this the first time they celebrated maggie's birthday.?

Anyways the only thing i didn't like about this episode was the whole flower thing. Was that suppose to be a parody of something?

Overall i agve it a 9/10

[Crotis Jivefunk]

If it wasn't for the ending, and some of Homer's lines his ep would have been a winner. Everything else was okay though. 4.5/5

[Tomacco]

I loved the Groening bunny and Kang and Kodos hedge statues in the background of the botanical gardens.

[Moleman...Hans]

5/5! BEST OF THE SEASON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tomacco]

Originally posted by Ralphs_Cat_Mittens

Also was this the first time they celebrated maggie's birthday.?


Nope. See "Lady Bouvier's Lover".

[Crotis Jivefunk]

Lisa's had three birthdays to add to the continuity.

[Tomacco]

The Krusty Burger scene was great too.

[Mayor Quimby]

9.5/10 for both episodes Combined. 5/5 for this one. Words don't describe how good it was.

[Capitol City Goof]

So much better than "Bart of War". They really did a good job with Moe, making him somewhat loveable without totally reinventing his character. The Godfather/orange slice stuff, the mini Moe's, Carl's "Help a brotha out", and the ending with Homer and the ham were all hilarious. 4/5, best ep of season 14.

[brancely]

Words cannot describe how great I feel after tonight's episodes. First Bart of War was awesome, now they end the season with this great piece of television. I have always loved episodes that end with mob showdowns (Homey the Clown, Twisted World of Marge Simpson, etc.), and this one certainly didn't disappoint. I loved the storyline, which completely salvaged Moe's character for me after how much they've ruined him. The jokes were way above average and I liked how it turned out (Maggie pulling on Moe's sleeve, not a tree). And then they ended it with Homer and his ham, and I couldn't help but laugh out loud and feel good about Maggie at the same time, a great reaction from me. Great way to go out for the summer. 5/5

Season 14 was awesome in my opinion, with some consistently good episodes. Bravo, Mr. Jean.

[DotheBartman]

Is it just me, or when Chief Wiggum was looking for"someone pathetic, lonely, has been pushed aside so many times one more wont hurt", did Troy Mclure appear in the crowd?

[Tomacco]

Originally posted by DotheBartman
Is it just me, or when Chief Wiggum was looking for"someone pathetic, lonely, has been pushed aside so many times one more wont hurt", did Troy Mclure appear in the crowd?

YES, McClure was in the crowd! I noticed that too, also Rabbi Krustofsky. For the record, I think this was McClure's first appearance since his last recorded episode, "Bart the Mother".

[thecapecoddah]

4.5/5, what a brilliant first act... they definitely had me caring for Moe's character while the episode's events played out. I loved all of the Godfather references in the latter two acts and even though the ending was a tad predictable with the tension ending when the mobsters saw Maggie's face (especially after the previous episode with Marge's crying ending the fighting), that can easily be forgiven.

A great way to end a season that's featured quite a few memorable episodes.

[Rob G]

Boy am I tired of seeing Homer act like a jackass towards his kids... thinks Bart's life will end up like a trainwreck... how can they treat Bart like this????... can't even remember Maggie's name... think's he screwed up with Lisa and Bart so he better be nice to Maggie. Yeah, I know he got all upset when Bart left in "Barting Over" and he felt left out of Maggie's life tonight, but I think the writers need to redevelop and reaffirm the dynamic between Homer and his kids.

Shit, these are characters that I've watched and loved for 14 years, and Homer tonight pissed me off!!!

So praise the director all you want and jump up and down over the animation all you want, I think there were many parts of tonights episode that really sucked.

[Tman]

That was Awesome

[chumpbender]

Wowie McWow Wow! pretty damn good! this one is going on my top 5 of season 14. I wish they would show two new eps in a night more often, because the second one is always great! A lot of really good jokes, along with a great story. 5/5 w/out a doubt!

[Jake]

Originally posted by Tomacco
First off, why can't Lauren Macmullan direct every episode? The animation and direction was BEAUTIFUL in this ep.

I have a feeling classic Simpsons lovers will love this episode.

This classic simpsons lover would love this potentially classic episode if his too classic vcr didn't eat the soon to be classic VHS tape.

[used]

perhaps this wil be the first episode to recieve no 2/5's or 1/5's

[Crotis Jivefunk]

Originally posted by Tomacco
YES, McClure was in the crowd! I noticed that too, also Rabbi Krustofsky. For the record, I think this was McClure's first appearance since his last recorded episode, "Bart the Mother".

Lionel Hutz has appeared since Phil Hartman's death also. He can be spotted in A Tale of Two Springfields.

[chiefdan]

What an honor to be presented with such a great episode on this, the day of my daughter's wedd...i mean, the day that I am MOTD. "Moe Baby Blues" defintely rivals "Special Edna" for best ep of the season. I defintely loved the "The Godfather" homages.

[okayagain]

I didn't care for this episode much. It had some great emotional scenes, and a couple of good jokes, but it didn't really hit me. I would say it's better than most of the other episodes this season, and I'd defiantly look forward to seeing it in a rerun.

Homer getting eaten (and eating back) the venus fly trap was stupid, but it was easily forgotten as the episode went on. Moe telling the Godfather story bored me, but I have never seen the movies, so I might've enjoyed it better if I had. I loved the scene where Moe saved Maggie, just can't help but smile at that. Moe did seem to slip from "caring" to "creepy" at times.
Anyhoo, I enjoyed it. 3/5.

[Maddog53]

I really wanted to give this episode a perfect grade, there was just a few things that bugged me that made me not. You can read it all in my lengthy review here. (http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/EpisodeReviewPage/showid-146/epid-205581/blockid-97961/) I ended up giving it a 4/5.

I like both episodes tonight.

Maddog.

P.S. The grading for this episode is off the freaking charts. No 1's or 2's given, and over 64% voted for a 5. Amazing, I never thought I'd see the day. I'm really looking forward to S15!

[Channel Surfer]

Originally posted by Maddog53
I really wanted to give this episode a perfect grade, there was just a few things that bugged me that made me not. You can read it all in my lengthy review here. (http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/EpisodeReviewPage/showid-146/epid-205581/blockid-97961/) I ended up giving it a 4/5.

I like both episodes tonight.

Maddog.

Yeah, the garden stuff was the worst part without a doubt. I mean, it really doesn't make sense that so many people would watch (or be allowed to watch) a plant bloom that could do so much damage. That's a nitpick though, and this episode still would rank in the top 5 of seasons 10+ for me (though not at the top).

P.S. The grading for this episode is off the freaking charts. No 1's or 2's given, and over 64% voted for a 5. Amazing, I never thought I'd see the day. I'm really looking forward to S15!

Both the "Little Girl in the Big Ten" and "Poppa's Got a Brand New Badge" threads have a similar pattern, though 1s and 2s were given (I think). Glad others enjoyed this episode as much as myself.

[NoOneFamous]

Originally posted by Rob G
So praise the director all you want and jump up and down over the animation all you want, I think there were many parts of tonights episode that really sucked. Did you even notice that the episode was hardly about Homer at all? Besides, Homer has ALWAYS said rude stuff to the kids without thinking, not to mention that he strangles Bart all the time. So, to hate this episode because Homer was a bad father is idiotic.

[Mike Scully]

Originally posted by Say Days Ago
perhaps this wil be the first episode to recieve no 2/5's or 1/5's

Let's wait for FarscapeR. I'm sure he disliked it.

[Maddog53]

Originally posted by Channel Surfer
...and this episode still would rank in the top 5 of seasons 10+ for me (though not at the top).


This episode is definitely in the top three for this season. I would rate I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can higher (I just really liked that episode) and I'm not sure if I'd rate A Star is Reborn higher(which I also really liked). Last season I really liked Poppa's as well. S11 and S12 I won't even discuss. So yeah, I could easily have this episode in my top five since season 10, but like yourself not at the top. Really good episode.

Maddog.

[Tibor]

Boy am I tired of seeing Homer act like a jackass towards his kids... thinks Bart's life will end up like a trainwreck... how can they treat Bart like this????... can't even remember Maggie's name... think's he screwed up with Lisa and Bart so he better be nice to Maggie. Yeah, I know he got all upset when Bart left in "Barting Over" and he felt left out of Maggie's life tonight, but I think the writers need to redevelop and reaffirm the dynamic between Homer and his kids.

Over the 8 classic seasons he consistently was negligent, rude, unreasonably angry, gave lousy advice... In the episodes that focus around Homer as a parent, these naturally have to be resolved, but when an episode barely features him at all, it's not really an issue.

[homer5000]

BEST EPISODE OF THE PAST FOUR SEASONS!! 10/5, everything was great. Hey, what do you expect when a Futurama writer is involved?...

[Rob G]

Originally posted by NoOneFamous
Did you even notice that the episode was hardly about Homer at all? Besides, Homer has ALWAYS said rude stuff to the kids without thinking, not to mention that he strangles Bart all the time. So, to hate this episode because Homer was a bad father is idiotic.

Just something about the way he acted tonight aggrivated me more than usual.

I actually don't mind Homer strangling Bart. It was well established early on when Groening said Homer would never hit Bart and it was used instead (kind of a way for punishing him that could be a funny sight gag and not serious) and Bart would never be harmed by it.

[Sam]

I missed both eps. how much of a loser am I.

[Walter Sobchak]

Another 5 out of 5 for me. I picked a good night to register. I did notice one or two spots where the animation seemed wierd, but it was funny so who gives a darn.

[Stackhouse]

Holy. Jeezum. Crow. 5/5, 10/10, A+, whatever. What a freaking classic episode. I'm gonna go out on a limb here..

I've been giving episodes 9.5s and 9.8s/10 all season, but this one just took the cake. The former dethroned top episode of Season 14 ('Scuse me while I miss the sky, which I also gave 10/10) can't even hold a candle to this episode. Moe was the best he's been since the classic era.. he redeemed himself from the eating-around-cat-sleeping-in-his-food character he's been for a very long time. Not only that, but this episode was doggone hilarious- gag after gag, it had me and my simpson-hating friends laughing. Now for a quick intermission:

http://members.aol.com/emssandy/weasel.jpg

That was refreshing. Anyways, as mentioned before, the animation and the directing and the writing, and even the voice acting were all superb here. And, as mentioned before by others, I really actually related (for lack of a better word) to Moe, and understood his problem.. his suicide attempt was really played out well, heck, the whole episode was played out well. The Godfather parts were gold, as were the whole mobster scene (is there really a bad episode featuring those mobsters?) and Moe coming in and saving Maggie.. wow, I just loved this episode. An Instant Classic, Best of Season 14 (by far) and so forth. 10/10. A+. 5/5.. Bring me Season 15.

[Merbert Moover]

Originally posted by Channel Surfer
I mean, it really doesn't make sense that so many people would watch (or be allowed to watch) a plant bloom that could do so much damage. Well, I'm not sure it was the flower that did the damage so much as the people running away from the smell. Or some combination thereof.

And you wouldn't think people would want to watch a stinky flower bloom, but they do. Click here (http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_053002WABcorpseflower.2032c27.html) for more info.

"Last year there were so many members of the general public who said they regretted missing a chance to see the corpse flower that, in addition to UW students, the greenhouse staff is again inviting the public to stop by, Ewing says."

[Rob G]

Almost looks like the flower from tonights ep!

[DotheBartman]

Yeah, sides', would a real town have a giant magnifying glass, an escalator to nowhere, or a popsicle stick skyscraper, and not even exsist in any state? ;)

[WastedFate]

Fantastic! 5/5. Probably a top 10 episode from any season. How anyone could think "Bart of War" was better than this is beyond me.

[WastedFate]

Originally posted by Handsome Pete
Let me just start by saying that I really like how Moe connected with Maggie and how that went. Well, to begin with, maybe I should list what I didn't like. The first act as a whole was very distastful, bringing a trio of bad jokes/events. First off, the meta reference towards the sign was very heavy-handed and obvious, and the Venus Fly Trap offering Homer the hot dog was lousy as well. And the flower. Oh God, the flower. Yes, I'm well aware that the real life counterpart of that flower smells like rotten flesh. But having a putrid cloud that also destroys any plant in its path is not the way to go. Also, Maggie "exploding" like that out of the car with volitile force was a bit ridiculous, at least to me.


It's a CARTOON. c'mon.

[Wavy Gravy]

Holy moley, that was sensational! An excellent intro and a nice setup for Maggie and Moe connecting. I loved seeing all the scenes with Maggie and Moe together (especially the "Godfather/bedtime story" scenes). The connection to Fat Tony was well-made (especially with the Castellaneta family - is Dan really Italian?) And a great ending to a wonderful story. Great humor, great characters - quite possibly the best episode of a wonderful, faith-restoring season. 5/5

[Warren]

5/5. Both episodes were good tonight,but this one beat the shit out of Bart of War

[Peacefrog22]

5/5 Incredible episode! So much great stuff going on. This ep. embodies what the show has been missing. I can't say enough good about it.

[MaxpowerAK79]

I really liked it a lot. Good jokes, good plot, some great emotion, some of the characters really broke out of their "one trick pony" molds (Moe, MaggY) and did a great job.

Even the animation was great. I never notice stuff like that, but for some reason I noticed how sharp it looked and how good the colors were, etc.

"Classic Drunk Barny"
I peed my pants-that was for private use!
She just hates lookin' like crap
I was gonna erase these apostrophes and add G's...but other than that nuthin'

Very good ep. The only flaw was the stupid shit with a smelly flower...They couldn't think of anything better than taht?

[Tomacco]

So, seems like some idiots voted 1 and 2 just to spite us.

[Gummi de Milo]

Granted, I missed the first act, but from seeing some of the reviews, I think I must've seen an entirely different episode. Did have some funny moments, but the Mafia Ending seemed a bit too silly and out of the blue.


Though, Moe summing up the first two Godfather movies and Homer saying "he's not getting his fingerprints on THAT trainwreck!" were damn good, though.


FYI to those who don't know: Joe Magtegna (SP? too lazy to look up. Voice of Fat Tony.) played in the Godfather pt. III

[Supa Cupa Trupa]

I missed it!

Where can I download it, I've tried Kazaa but came up empty. I'm really curious after all these good reviews.

[SpongeBob No Pants]

Originally posted by Tomacco
Nope. See "Lady Bouvier's Lover".


"What, you mean its not Maggaggie's Birthday?"

[Mike Scully]

Originally posted by Tomacco
So, seems like some idiots voted 1 and 2 just to spite us.

Ah, I wouldn't call FarScapeR an idiot. I'm sure he had valid reasons for hating yet another new, absolutely unintelligent, and plain insulting episode of The Simpsons. No doubt that after watching this episode, he was genuinely shaking his head in absolute disgust.

[Tomacco]

Well, I just watched the episode for a third time, and it was just as sweet. I really thought the ending was well-done, and kept with the Godfather points from the second act, which made it even better. The photo montage at the end with Moe, Maggie, Homer, and the ham were all great.

One line that was hilarious was "You didn't care about Maggie until I started to. Last night at the bar you called her Rachael."

[|RABiD|]

Did anyone notice that the ham was actually beating Homer in the chess game at the end? :LOL:

[Tomacco]

Originally posted by |RABiD|
Did anyone notice that the ham was actually beating Homer in the chess game at the end? :LOL:

REALLY? :LOL: I actually didn't notice that! And I've watched it 3 times!

[Mike Scully]

Originally posted by Rob G
Boy am I tired of seeing Homer act like a jackass towards his kids... thinks Bart's life will end up like a trainwreck... how can they treat Bart like this????... can't even remember Maggie's name... think's he screwed up with Lisa and Bart so he better be nice to Maggie. Yeah, I know he got all upset when Bart left in "Barting Over" and he felt left out of Maggie's life tonight, but I think the writers need to redevelop and reaffirm the dynamic between Homer and his kids.

Shit, these are characters that I've watched and loved for 14 years, and Homer tonight pissed me off!!!


If you want to watch a saccharine, warm, fuzzy family sitcom, go watch Full House instead!

[Simpson Purist]

Originally posted by Mike Scully
Ah, I wouldn't call FarScapeR an idiot. I'm sure he had valid reasons for hating yet another new, absolutely unintelligent, and plain insulting episode of The Simpsons. No doubt that after watching this episode, he was genuinely shaking his head in absolute disgust.

I don't think FarScapeR even bothered to watch last night's episodes.

[Simpson V 0.1]

Really, just about everyone felt that it was 5/5? well I'm definetly looking forward to it when it comes here, afterall It's not everyday most people in here agree with one another.

As far as the last episode in Season 12 (Simpsons Tall Tales) goes, I really liked it. What exactly was wrong with Simpsons Tall Tales apart from it being a different Kind of episode split into 3 stories???

[Tommy Vercetti]

one of the best episodes featuring the barn owner MOE
i give it an awesome5/5

[Pukahontas]

Perfect! I just watched this episode for the second time, and not one flaw. The first act going it going with a nice plot flow. I didnt care for the Venus Fly trap gag, but it didnt bother me, and Moes alarm system was funny. The second act was HI-larious, Grandpa gone crazy was great. Moe blashing Nelsons' bumber car and the Tickle Me Elmo were great scenes. The Playboy mansion was a classic line, and Maggies Birthday party was also a classic scene..."I pee ed my pants". Even though I saw it about 5 times I still laughed at the investagation scene, with Homer saying "No actully that was me". The last act was perfect with Fat Tony and the mafia, and great emotion with humor with Homer and the Ham, it got old after a while but still was funny. Everyone was in character...including Moe!!! Maggie actully acted like a baby, too. I Loved this episode, it might have even made my top 25 list. Dare I say... CLASSIC.

10/10
5/5

[necrulez]

Damn. This was friggin' impressive. This ome could have fit easily in season 3-8.The storyline, the gags but especially the animation was awesome. Best of the season, without a doubt. 5/5

[Stina]

This episode was hilarious, one of my favorite parts was when he gave Maggie the toy bar. ^_^

5/5

[Akbar]

Originally posted by Fred Flintstone
one of the best episodes featuring the barn owner MOE
i give it an awesome5/5
Moe's a barn owner?

[Hapablap]

5/5 beautiful. As I turn my face into the howlin' wind, Bring on season 15, Al is gonna stick around right? All I can say is I'm very pleased. Overall this was a good season in my opinion. A couple bad apples ain't spoilin' the bunch for me, especially since the last two were so damn tasty.

[necrulez]

btw, on www.maggied.com they really hated this episode. Pretty weird....

[Pukahontas]

Who actully gave the episode a 2/5 and a 1/5 and why can't I vote in the poll???, when I click Vote it goes to this blank page. I cant vote in anything!!! Can someone help me or vote for me...or anything???

[doyle]

I, who thought that this season was a godsend, yes, even I was in disbelief after watching this episode. What a spectacular combination of writing and direction! the plot flowed without trouble and the actual plot came together in the first act with Moe's being forced to leave and going off to commit suicide, the act finally culminating with his being named a hero. Even one who did not know the episode description could figure out the direction this episode was going in. the plot kept moving through the second act, which basically just showcased all the moments that contributed to Moe's bonding with Maggie. The third act introduced a new conflict that ended with Moe saving Maggie from the confrontation in the restaurant. overall, the plot flow was near flawless and those kind of things allow you to focus on other aspects of an episode.

as for the humor, what can i say? hilarious stuff! i loved it all throughout the episode and I dont believe i saw a single joke that stands out as lame. the first act produced with the venus fly trap using a hot dog as bait and Moe's alarm being a shotgun. the second act featured many hilarious scenes, one of the best being in krusty burger when the woman complimented maggie, trying to pick moe up, and he took it as an insult. the bumper car gag was great as well. the best stuff was when moe was reading maggie stories. the whole alice in wonderland thing as well as the godfather. they both had me in hysterics. the third act was also classic, with the line "sometimes i bring them lemonade" being one of my favorite. i also loved the anti-defamation representative. the part where fat tony and his henchmen spill drinks on themselves and the other guy says something along the lines of "i think they should use sippy cups". finally came the ham sequence. my belief is when a plot flows well i can be a more easygoing viewer and i can just be more lighthearted, laughing at things even if they werent the funniest things ive ever seen. such was the case here. i found the entire ham thing to be fucking hilarious!

the emotion was near perfect. i usually dont feel the emotion too much, the show being a cartoon and all, but i could actually feel everything tonight. moes depression in the first act had me feeling bad for him while with his bonding had me feeling happy for moe. it was finished off when maggie grabs his shirt at the end and he thought it was the branch. he turned around and saw the little smiling face he had grown to love. that was probably the most purely emotional moment since S9, IMO. beautiful.

characterization was also great. homer is supposed to be a careless parent. we saw that done well along with his envy at maggie liking moe. the rest of the family was also done well. moe's character had been run into the ground this season, which i saw as one of its few bad points, but he was redeemed here. everything he did was exactly what he would normally do, which picks up his character from the dust and gives it new life. this had to be one of the best moe based episodes ever, second maybe only to flaming moe.

episode was done perfectly in all ways, and so it gets a perfect 5/5 from me, which i gave out several times this season, but this episode was the best of the season with just the exception of special edna IMO. it also had the most believable plot

you heard it here from me. best season since season 8! this was, i think, the ninth best season ever for the simpsons, just behind 8 and all the other seasons of the golden age. it edged out seasons 9 and 13 in my book, having just a couple horrbile episodes and just one that was really bad in the first 5 months of 2003. in fact, the only reason this season didnt beat S8 for me was the duds in the first few episodes, especially how i spent my strummer vacation. after the dawn of this new year, it was just an incredible string of episodes i would never had anticipated 2 years ago or probably even last summer. the thought that the season ended with queen's "youre my best friend" is a bonus. i have no complaints about this season, and i will definitely be here for S15, no question about that. if it even approaches the quality of this season, ill be satisfied.

episode of the year: special edna
honorable mentions: moe baby blues, scuse me while i miss the sky, im spelling as fast as i can

gag of the year: the tetris gag in strong arms of the ma

writer of the year: tim long

funniest episode: mr spitz goes to washington

most emotional episode: moe baby blues

best guest star: elliot gould (the dad who knew too little)

[Mafia]

being reminded Joe Magtegna was in Godfather Part III (i already knew but it wasn't on my mind while watching).

Fat Tony: I haven't cried this much since I had to pay to see Godfather Tree.

extra meaning in it.

[Simpsonite]

WOW!! this season finale really touched my heart and made me feel really good inside(really)...and if an episode can do that to me, then it was AWESOME!

What can I say, that hasn't been already said by all of you guys? Not much,most of you spoke my sentiments exactly!(I'm talkin' about the positive reviews,mind you).
well...I will say this: MOE BABY BLUES WILL DEFINETLY GO DOWN AS ONE OF THE CLASSIC EPISODES IN OFF HISTORY!
The animation was absolutely BRILLIANT!(computer animation,I figure)The writing was also superb! There were certain cut scences that had a "cenematic feel" it. It made the episode very intriguing.

I also much say that, I have a newfound outlook on Moe now.(even a dirtbag can have a heart). I really appreicated Moe's warmth and care for Maggie.

The life lessons in this episode hit home without being to preachy,which I liked. Mafia sequences were superb and quite funny indeed.

And ofcourse we all have to tip our hats to the one and only Luaren Mcmullan for her valuable input into tonights marvelous episode,and a great ending to the season! My rating: 5/5 or 10

Luaren... in behalf of the NHC...we gratefully thankyou. :chug: :chug: :waves: :D

("Bart Of War" was good, but pales in significance to "Moe Baby Blues"..c'mon!)

[Kuje]

Lol @ Godfather 3 stuff, can't wait to see this now! UK have got loadsa good eps coming up, Mr. Spritz, C.E.D'oh, Old Yeller Belly(?), Moe Baby blues & Bart of War!

[Eddie]

Great idea, bad execution. 3/5

[Akbar]

I just finished watching it. Maybe it was the hype, I don't know. Although I didn't hate this episode I wasn't as enthralled with it as many are. What was so amazing about this episode. If this was in a Scully season I would've been enthralled. But it wasn't.

Pros
.God Father Bed Time Story
."I haven't cried this much since paying to see Godfather tree".
.Plot
.Characterization(like Dondelinger pointed out)
.Great Animation
. Bar Playset
.Alice in Wonderland gag


All in all it would seem like this episode was a god send, but there were some problems with the episode as well...

Cons
.Most of the entire first act
.Tried a little too hard to be emotional
.Needed to be funnier(it tried to hard to be funny)
.The emotion was forced

The pros of the episode make up for quite a few of these faults. It had a great story which made my day... I have anticipated this one and I am pretty happy with it :)!




4/5 not the best episode this season, not a classic but I really liked it. I can't wait to see what else Al can dish out !

[Simpsonite]

I totally disagree with anyone who says that the emotion was forced in MBB.
Please take in the fact that it is only a half an hour show.You can only put in but so much to feel a great story. That being the case,they did a great job in the time allotted,whereas,
breathing new life into a secondary character,Moe. They also delved into into a very important topic: "depression".

Moe's suffers with depression as we all know. There have been very few moments in his life where he has been truly happy, and has often led to his disappointment, but this time he found more happiness in giving than in receiving. HE LOVED CARING OF MAGGIE, AND THATS BEAUTIFUL!
Instead of always looking for the laughs around every single corner,try to appreciate the heart and soul that "The Simpsons" was also known for in seasons 1-8. The writing was beautiful...The characterization, powerful...The message...PRICELESS.

thats just the way I see it....I loved this episode. :)

[Channel Surfer]

Originally posted by Merbert Moover
Well, I'm not sure it was the flower that did the damage so much as the people running away from the smell. Or some combination thereof.

And you wouldn't think people would want to watch a stinky flower bloom, but they do. Click here (http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_053002WABcorpseflower.2032c27.html) for more info.

"Last year there were so many members of the general public who said they regretted missing a chance to see the corpse flower that, in addition to UW students, the greenhouse staff is again inviting the public to stop by, Ewing says."

Hence why I said "damage" instead of "stinky". And as I said, it's a nitpick anyway, and not a serious complaint. If the worst moments of this episode are this and a few minor bits of unrelated dialogue, like Marge admitting to serving the mobsters lemonade, then there isn't much to complain about, considering how much good there is in this episode.

People are complaining about the emotion in this episode? I never once found it to be forced. It never came off as manipulative, in that it was trying to force me to care. IMO, it did a great job of promoting Moe in a sympathetic role, the first episode to do such a thing, and makes it stand out from the other 300+ episodes.

[brancely]

Originally posted by Channel Surfer
Hence why I said "damage" instead of "stinky". And as I said, it's a nitpick anyway, and not a serious complaint. If the worst moments of this episode are this and a few minor bits of unrelated dialogue, like Marge admitting to serving the mobsters lemonade, then there isn't much to complain about, considering how much good there is in this episode. Whaaaa? Quite the contrary, Marge's lemonade line was absolutely brilliant. First of all, it was funny that they were joking on the absurdity of mobsters randomly standing outside the Simpsons' house, but adding the lemonade line was a topper! It's saying that the Simpsons accept this as a Mob hangout, as opposed to a reaction you would expect from any other family. So, sorry to once again disagree with you, Surfer, but the lemonade joke was one of the best moments of this episode.

[Rowdy]

3.5/5. Some more humor would have helped it become a good episode. No real problems with the storyline or anything though, I just thought the laughs ran dry at times (particularly with The Godfather stuff).

[homer5000]

Question to Jake: Since this developed a new part in Maggie's life (her and Moe having a bond), will the Maggie and Eric universe be changed a little, and Maggie new character trait about getting advice from Moe or something?...

[Maddog53]

I also have to say that I did not find the emotion to be forced at all. I found it superb, I did not feel once that they were going out of their way to make me feel for the characters, it just happened. As I stated in my review I only had problems with some of the first act and a couple of scenes with Homer, which now in retrospect aren't all that bad. I believe that this episode truly does need a repeat viewing. I really wished I had taped it. Oh well, there's always syndication.

Maddog.

[Channel Surfer]

Originally posted by lance
Whaaaa? Quite the contrary, Marge's lemonade line was absolutely brilliant. First of all, it was funny that they were joking on the absurdity of mobsters randomly standing outside the Simpsons' house, but adding the lemonade line was a topper! It's saying that the Simpsons accept this as a Mob hangout, as opposed to a reaction you would expect from any other family. So, sorry to once again disagree with you, Surfer, but the lemonade joke was one of the best moments of this episode.

Once again? I rarely disagree with you. Quite the contrary, the only time I even remember arguing with you was over the merits of "Homer's Triple Bypass".

Well, if you like it, you like it. That's what subjectivity's all about. And though I don't want to justify reasons to hate specific moments in this episode (which I unfortunately seem to be doing far too frequently here), I still didn't care much for it all the same. I understand the joke is supposed to underplay the seriousness of mobsters hanging out outside the Simpson house, and that it was also a purposeful exaggeration of Marge's character to imply that she'd serve lemonade to mobsters. Nothing wrong with it in of itself, except similar jokes have been done numerous times before. Like in "Rosebud", where Marge tells the family to ask for double what Mr. Burns offers for Bobo. Or in "The Twisted World of Marge Simpson", where Marge calmly reassures the kids that it's "just a mob war" outside. Jokes like these just tend to either fall flat or feel awkward to me, that's all. It wasn't grueling like, say, Willie and the glass shards in "'Scuse Me While I Miss the Sky". Now that was a bad joke.

Don't take the comment too seriously anyway. Consider that if that gag and the others I listed were the worst, then consider how great the rest of the gags were to me. That's all I was saying.

[davidshirt]

I felt like I was watching a season one quality episode with awesome animation. This episode was great. 5/5

[caribou]

I haven't seen mention of the many scene-fades that were used in this episode. Those were great; I think it's the first time they've ever been used in abdundance on the show.

And I agree with everyone praising this episode: 5/5.

[Rob G]

Originally posted by Mike Scully
If you want to watch a saccharine, warm, fuzzy family sitcom, go watch Full House instead!

Let me guess, you were how old when the Simpsons first aired? 2, 3, 4? Fess up!

[Andy]

Let's agree to disagree.

It's a sitcom. First and foremost. So it's supposed to be a comedy. However, The Simpsons also has a bonus because the show's characters are more real than other characters in other sitcoms. And that's really refreshing.

And it's good to like a show for its deep meaningfulness and characters you can feel for. But... it's a sitcom. So the main goal is funny. The thing that really made seasons 10-12 bad was yes, the decrease of the warm likeableness of characters, but it was also moreso the jokes they made. The classic seasons had the subtle jokes, irony and clever references, whereas the 'bad' episodes had slapstick and blatant sex jokes.

But why do we get hooked on The Simpsons in the first place? It's funny. Come for the jokes, stay for the characterization... and pie.

[henry]

Wow, the people at www.maggied.com are assholes....

wow.

[DotheBartman]

You know, while I might need to watch this one again (damn vcr being set on the wrong record speed! Again, anyone have any guesses when it'll show next?), I think this might be one of the new best evers. It really was just SO well done, and amazing. I wouldn't call it my absolute favorite ever, but after a rewatch I might need to rethink the top 50 I made for Cosmo Kramer. Okay, maybe not that far, but if nothing else, I think it really would fit in with, say, season 4 (my favorite season), albeit it might not be one of the best of that season, in which case, it would still be damn good.


Oh, and Mike Scully, maybe I just missed it, but did you review this episode? I'm curious if your negative comments were simply paraphrasing what Farscaper might say, or just your own opinions. And Farscaper did in fact miss it I think, in one thread he was requesting a copy or download of both episodes.

[Mike Scully]

Originally posted by DotheBartman

Oh, and Mike Scully, maybe I just missed it, but did you review this episode? I'm curious if your negative comments were simply paraphrasing what Farscaper might say, or just your own opinions. And Farscaper did in fact miss it I think, in one thread he was requesting a copy or download of both episodes.

Me, I absolutely loved this episode. To me, it shows that the writers are still quite capable of writing completely endearing characters, making them funny and emphatic, and writing intelligent inventive comedy. I mean, the Godfather subplot was just a stroke of brilliance. My bitterness in that post applies to everyone who constantly trash every new Simpsons episode as dumb, low-brow garbage, because last night's episode was a BEAUTIFUL, DELIGHTFUL, FUNNY, SWEET, ORIGINAL, SMART, and INVOLVING piece of television entertainment that represents what I love about this show.

I haven't gotten to writing reviews this week, since I feel most people have already pointed out why both of tonight's episodes were good, particularly your comments on Bart of War which I believe hit the nail on the head.

Bart of War (B)
Moe Baby Blues (A)

[DotheBartman]

Agreed completely then. Again, I may be one of the more negative people on the whole, but I just can't figure out how some people can bash it EVERY week, when stuff like this airs. And "involving" and "sweet" are words I should have put in my own review....I really felt like I was IN the story at points, which is amazing, and Maggie...well she was just so dang cute, and many of the scenes with her and Moe were indeed sweet.

And thanks for you compliment on my Bart of War comments. Once I really thought about that episode, I really was quite amazed how well crafted it was as a social commentary. That was also something that, save for a few things, would've fit pretty well in the classic years. It bugged me when I was skimming posts on alt.tv.simpsons, and was seeing people actually complaining about it heavily. Even I'd have to say, that at this point, I kinda wonder if the CBG stereotype isn't justified in some ways, because some people over there never seem to like anything.

[Cole]

That was, without question, the best episode of Season 14. It had everything you could want in an episode (satire, emotion, classic gags .. you name it; it had it). This was the best use of Moe's character .. hell, probably since Flaming Moe's. He was the likeable, lonely character that I grew to love. Even though the whole plant scene in the opening act was a bit silly, (the ridiculousness peeking when Homer was attacked by the Venus flytrap) I genuinely felt sorry for Moe. A great first act, excluding a few lame gags here and there.

Being a huge fan of The Godfather saga, I loved all the references in this episode. I watched this episode with several friends who complained that the scene where Moe describes scenes from the Godfather to Maggie went on too long -- but it had me in stitches the whole time. It was a perfect segue for the introduction of Fat Tony and his gang to the episode.

Anyway, this was Season 14's standout episode for me. An instant classic. 5/5.

[mohammed jafar]

Originally posted by henry
Wow, the people at www.maggied.com are assholes....


no, they're just CBG-style morons.

[Tibor]

man you're dumb. obviously these episodes sucked, all the new episodes sucked, we know this before they air. duh! watch some classic episodes like Trash Of The Titans or Bart Gets An Elephant, dumbass.

Wow, they make the NHC seem reasonable and intelligent. No wonder the show wouldn't take fans seriously. Some bitch no matter what. It's sad that people care so much about having their own jackass opinion validated that they can't enjoy anything.

[NoOneFamous]

Holy crap... Maggied is a horrible forum of comic book guy morons that needs to die. I sure hope the staff checks NHC for the fan's opinions, and not them. That "Bungo LaDorque" member has GOT to be a joke, though.

[necrulez]

Originally posted by NoOneFamous
Holy crap... Maggied is a horrible forum of comic book guy morons that needs to die. I sure hope the staff checks NHC for the fan's opinions, and not them. That "Bungo LaDorque" member has GOT to be a joke, though.

agreed...." i watched each episode 2 minutes before turning it off..." :-O

[Mike Scully]

That Bungo LaDorque guy is an obvious troll. And one of the more amusing ones. :LOL:

[mohammed jafar]

the fact that most people DON'T notice Bungo LaDorque is an obvious troll and an obvious direct pisstake on certain members of that forum is a damning reflection on the intelligence of online Simpsons fans, both in that they don't notice and in that many reasonable members will not even raise an eyebrow at that kind of moronic behaviour.....

[Tibor]

All I read was his reply to HomertheGreat, but-

- Lisa gets a crush on a geeky substitute teacher. WTF? LOL!! Sounds pretty fucking stupid if you ask me!
- Homer leads a strike at the power plant. Uh, whatever. Terrible idea, this will definitely suck.
- And you won't believe this last one - Homer GOES INTO SPACE!! WTF is THAT? Perhaps a new candidate for worst episode ever? LOL! The writers have really lost it, someone fire them all before it's too late.....

yeah, it's pretty obvious.

Damn, thos people are thick.

[Tomacco]

The emotion in this episode was so increibly NOT forced, on another note. The dialogue and interaction between Moe and Maggie was so well-done that all the emotion came naturally, coupled with the superb directing. Take for example, Moe's Godfather scene. I actually felt somewhat sad when Maggie started to tear up when Moe closes the door on the doll sadly.

This episode was so damn well-done.

[NoOneFamous]

Originally posted by Tibor
All I read was his reply to HomertheGreat, but-
yeah, it's pretty obvious.

Damn, thos people are thick. Wow, I didn't even see where he wrote that. I can't believe the people there don't realize hes a fake.

[doyle]

My favorite episodes would all be from the classic era seasons 4-9 when the Simpsons was actually amazing- Trash Of The Titans is hilarious with Homer as garbage comissioner and them moving the town, Boy Scoutz N The Hood where Homer and Bart get lost at sea with Flanders and Homer shoots a plane down, Bart Gets An Elephant is freakin' hilarious, Homer Goes To College is hilarious coz Homer is so crazy and freakin' hilarious in it, and I also like Bart vs Australia with the Aussie folk in it (with the PM swimming naked, haha). All of these episodes are really hilarious and funny and full of laughs. And the new ones aren't. Bring back Conan O'Brien, he knew how to write a Simpsons episode!! Not like Al Jean, who obviously doesn't know shit about the Simpsons!yes, he is a moron. trash of the titans? homer goes to college because homer is crazy? isnt that what you dont like about the show now? PM swimming naked was funny, but hardly one of the best gags ever. conan? he wrote what, 4 episodes? lastly, al jean doesnt know shit? ok, hes been on since the beginning, has written a few dozen episodes i believe, and has resurrected a show from what was seemingly a bottomless hole in S12. so yeah, idiot

[Cole]

Maggied is a good forum. Every forum has its 'tards and trolls. But that's not what this thread is for, right?

Anyway, I watched this episode again this morning and I love it even more. An instant classic.

[Pukahontas]

I wanted to reply to that kid, but Im not registered, nd I aint going to register to that forum...it doesn't look like a place for me. If I could reply Id tell him that just because an episode aired in the classic period doesn't mean it is automaticly good. I bet if MBB aired in season 3, they would think it was the greatest episode ever. They even went into the episode with negitivty, while here we were mostly positive, and how can you know an episode is going to be bad just by seeing the Chalkboard gag?? They are such negitive nellys.

On a second note, I wanted to know if you think this episode is a classic, and where it ranks on your favorite ep list. For me, its a classic, and its in the top 20. Im posting this in here, b/c it would make no real sense to make a new thread.

[Mike Scully]

Originally posted by Rob G
Let me guess, you were how old when the Simpsons first aired? 2, 3, 4? Fess up!

After reading your response to Tibor, I suppose my comment was a little out-of-line. My apologies.

[Tomacco]

The votes passed 100 so I entered the episode into the official NHC season 14 ranking at the Voting Booth.

Result:
The episode scored a final average score of 4.45 (out of 5) by our members, which gives it the title of NHC's Episode of the Year (#1 spot), and for the record, the highest average score any episode has ever received here.

[Datoupee]

Originally posted by Tomacco
...and for the record, the highest average score any episode has ever received here. Until next season of course. :)

[Tomacco]

Originally posted by Datoupee
Until next season of course. :)

Here's hoping.

It's pretty cool though that it did beat everything from season 13 and 14. Not to say there aren't great episodes in these two years. I'm not sure I would even rank it in my #1 position of this season. Although it's in my top 3 for sure.

[Tomacco]

Just a little tidbit of info for y'all:

Lauren Macmullan has already been signed on to direct THREE episodes for season 15. :D

[HomertheGreat]

Great news! You already got me excited and I have to wait at least until November...

[DotheBartman]

Originally posted by Tomacco
Just a little tidbit of info for y'all:

Lauren Macmullan has already been signed on to direct THREE episodes for season 15. :D WOO HOO. Did you get that from Al Jean, or some other source? And any info on which episodes they'll be.

In any case, great news. This episode was just so fantastically directed. The only thing from the later seasons(other then "Big Ten") that really rivals it in that regard was Send in the Clones, with Silverman's awesome direction. In fact, by that token, is Silverman still around? Or did he jump ship again after doing Clones?

[NoOneFamous]

This episode was great, but I'm not gonna get my hopes up that from now on, things will be a little better... yet. They most likely saved the best episode of the season for the finale. (which shows that they are probably aware of really bad episodes when they make them...)

[Simpson Purist]

No offense, but I do think we're getting a bit overboard in our appraisal for Lauren Macmullen. I think the other directors like Pete Michels, Nancy Kruse, Bob Anderson, Mike Anderson, Matthew Nastuk, Dominic Polcino, Jen Kamerman ;) , Michael Polcino, Mark Kirkland, and Jim Reardon (I know there are others, but those are the ones I can think off the top of my head right now) deserve credit for getting together and making The Simpsons look the best they can during their transition to the digital age.

[Channel Surfer]

Originally posted by Simpson Purist
No offense, but I do think we're getting a bit overboard in our appraisal for Lauren Macmullen. I think the other directors like Pete Michels, Nancy Kruse, Bob Anderson, Mike Anderson, Matthew Nastuk, Dominic Polcino, Jen Kamerman ;) , Michael Polcino, Mark Kirkland, and Jim Reardon (I know there are others, but those are the ones I can think off the top of my head right now) deserve credit for getting together and making The Simpsons look the best they can during their transition to the digital age.

True, but she did direct this particular episode, so the praise is warranted in this thread, considering the episode's popularity.

Besides, I don't think it's a mere coincidence that "Half-Decent Proposal", "Little Girl in the Big Ten", and "Moe Baby Blues" are among the most popular episodes of season 10+, and gradually receive a higher overall rating then the previous episode of her's made. She does direct really good individual episodes, even if she was not involved with the original development of the show. So I think the praise is just, even if the other directors are too often forgotten about.

[Tomacco]

Originally posted by DotheBartman
WOO HOO. Did you get that from Al Jean, or some other source? And any info on which episodes they'll be.

In any case, great news. This episode was just so fantastically directed. The only thing from the later seasons(other then "Big Ten") that really rivals it in that regard was Send in the Clones, with Silverman's awesome direction. In fact, by that token, is Silverman still around? Or did he jump ship again after doing Clones?

Al told me about this, but I don't know which episodes they'll be. Although on another note, Al told me he honestly believes that season 15 will be a better season than 14.

[Friz]

A great season finalé.

After the overuse in Moe in all recent episodes (Seasons 13-14), I was a little afraid of this episode. MacMullan's direction gave me a little more hope.

Watchin' the episode was a delight (I actually downloaded and watched this before EABF16, so the latter gave a sour taste); I do like how MacMullan has done less of his swirly-colours direction, such as "Bye Bye Nerdy" and "Half-Decent Proposal", but I did like all the 360 degree camera turns.

All of Moe's scenes were amazing. I notice that they are recently starting episodes in a different place (oceanarium, botanical gardens...) and throwing a whole load of jokes in. Funny, but it's got a little old.

5/5. Playdate with the ham. Lovely stuff.

[Jake]

Originally posted by PsycheEnFuego
Let's agree to disagree.


But why do we get hooked on The Simpsons in the first place? It's funny. Come for the jokes, stay for the characterization... and pie.

To quote Krusty: "It's only funny when the shullbs got class!".

It is because of the wonderful characters we find the jokes funny. If the characters are as two-dimensional as the storyboards, with no redeeming qualities, the jokes aren't as funny. It is becasue of how developed the characters are we take time to find what's truly funny. In the bad seasons, the character of the characters was sacrificed in order to make a silly joke and that's why didn't find the humor as funny.

I was speaking to some people who work in the animation department at my school and he said the most important aspect of any show is empathy, meaning the viewer has to relate to what is going on and have some care for the characters plights. (It's the 'laugh with' vs 'laugh at' scenerio.)

[Jake]

Originally posted by homer5000
Question to Jake: Since this developed a new part in Maggie's life (her and Moe having a bond), will the Maggie and Eric universe be changed a little, and Maggie new character trait about getting advice from Moe or something?...

Ah...I need to still see this episode in my universe which leads to another problem--if I start downloading this at 2.3K/SEC, will it be finished downloading before it airs again in reruns?

[Tibor]

It is because of the wonderful characters we find the jokes funny. If the characters are as two-dimensional as the storyboards, with no redeeming qualities, the jokes aren't as funny. It is becasue of how developed the characters are we take time to find what's truly funny. In the bad seasons, the character of the characters was sacrificed in order to make a silly joke and that's why didn't find the humor as funny.

So much of the humor is purely character humor when it's done right- we laugh because we know, love, and understand the characters. It's like when you hear an amusing anecdote about a friend. It wouldn't be that funny at all if you didn't know the person.

[HellBender]

I doubt this episode will have any significance on continuity. Moe will just be back as the irritating and annoying character we've seen most of the season.

[homer5000]

Originally posted by Jake
Ah...I need to still see this episode in my universe which leads to another problem--if I start downloading this at 2.3K/SEC, will it be finished downloading before it airs again in reruns?

Well...hope to hear response when you see it!...

[perfectlycromulent]

see, i think the plant thing was a lame gag, but if you go back and watch it, you'd see that that is more like how they would have done that joke if it had been season 1-8. the animation on it is very season 3-4 like

[Tomacco]

Another thing: They used Queen's music in such a beautifully touching and effective way in this episode.

[brancely]

Big whoop. I'm going to level with you. Let's face it, people. Yes, this was a perfectly enjoyable episode and one of better ones this season, but has this incessant praise gotten anyone else particularly annoyed? Good storyline. Nice direction and animation. Pretty good music. End of story. Now let's move on to another topic, shall we?

[Tibor]

Uhm... It is the Moe Baby Blues Rate/Review Thread. Why would we move on to another topic? Nobody ever complains if an episode gets slammed for four straight pages, but gushing over it, we can't have that.

[Sam]

Loved this episode. 5/5, EASILY. I liked it more then special edna, and more then little girl in the big ten.

Loved the presence of more hidden/subtle jokes ("I want you to take out the castanelleta family". Sorry I dont know how to spell the guy that plays homer's last name). Great direction, very solid plot. 3 acts had the same length. Some things that made me laugh out loud (like the slinky for some reason) and a great homage to the godfather.

(Beep)

[Misundaztood]

5/5

[Tomacco]

Originally posted by lance
Big whoop. I'm going to level with you. Let's face it, people. Yes, this was a perfectly enjoyable episode and one of better ones this season, but has this incessant praise gotten anyone else particularly annoyed? Good storyline. Nice direction and animation. Pretty good music. End of story. Now let's move on to another topic, shall we?

Yeah, but we can beat "Kill the Alligator and Run", "Simpson Safari", "Saddlesore Galactica", "New Kids on the Blecch", and "Pokey Mom" into a bloody pulp excessively. I think we can all agree it feels great to see an episode of this high calibre being delivered after 14 seasons, so why not celebrate it? Let alone in a thread devoted to the episode. Seriously.. ;-/

[Simpsonite]

Originally posted by lance
Big whoop. I'm going to level with you. Let's face it, people. Yes, this was a perfectly enjoyable episode and one of better ones this season, but has this incessant praise gotten anyone else particularly annoyed? Good storyline. Nice direction and animation. Pretty good music. End of story. Now let's move on to another topic, shall we? NO...I like "incessant praise" of a very well written and directed episodes (if you notice,great episodes like "MBB" come very few in between these days). If they deserve it,give credit where credit is due."MOE BABY BLUES" darn well desrved it!

If you can take the time out to "trash" the episodes you hate,then equally give out the praise for the ones you love....and that's what we're doing...You're welcome to stay if you like...(?) :thumbsup:

[spiritofstlouis]

I just downloaded this ep, and...

OH MY GOD!!!! This was the most amazing episode for a good few years. Why can't they make more eps like this. Not only the emotion and true-to-form character, but there were some pretty good lol jokes. I loved it.

5/5

ps. the Cubs better win the World Series...or else!

[spiritofstlouis]

Sorry to double-post but:

the people at maggied.com are all CBG idiots

[brancely]

Alright, let's talk about Moe Baby Blues some more. I was rewatching it, and I'm not trying to "trash" the episode or anything (I did like it), but there were a lot of pretty stupid jokes and gags. The flower stuff aside, some of the interaction between Moe and Maggie made me cringe. First of all, what was up with Moe dislocating his shoulder? Also, Tickle Me Elmo punches him and the frikkin slinky just walks out on them? Those are inaniate objects. So it wasn't really a flawless episode; it was sometimes bogged down by absurdity. Still, I'll give it a 5/5, if a low one.

[Merbert Moover]

Yeah, the slinky thing was bad, but only in a universe where slinkies aren't known for walking down stairs, The Simpsons is a live-action show, and Daffy Duck getting blasted in the face by a shotgun repeatedly isn't funny.

[WastedFate]

Originally posted by lance
but there were a lot of pretty stupid jokes and gags. The flower stuff aside, some of the interaction between Moe and Maggie made me cringe. First of all, what was up with Moe dislocating his shoulder? Also, Tickle Me Elmo punches him and the frikkin slinky just walks out on them? Those are inaniate objects. So it wasn't really a flawless episode; it was sometimes bogged down by absurdity. Still, I'll give it a 5/5, if a low one.

1. How could the interaction between moe and maggie make you cringe? it was some of the best character interaction of the SERIES imo. (yes, of any season)

2. Tickle Me Elmo slapping Moe was a take on sexual harrasment. Didnt Elmo say something along the lines of "When Elmo says no, Elmo means no." then slap him? I thought it was hilarious.

3. Have you ever seen a slinky? Most everyone, for whatever reason, that has a slinky rolls them down the stairs. It was just a funny play on that. (The slinky headed straight for the stairs)

Im deffinantly not saying that you are wrong, as we are all entitled to our opinion, but Im just posting my thoughts on your reaction. 8-)

[Kuje]

I live in England so i havent seen this ep yet, but that tickle me elmo joke sounds freakin hi-larious :LOL:

[DotheBartman]

For me, the "absurdity" in this episode wasn't really much worse then schoolkids trading places with Albanian government spies, a man falling down a gorge and surviving, professional baseball players joining a power plant softball team for no reason, God randomly melting snow or towns randomly singing about monorails and buying escalators to heaven etc, a power plant worker wanting to destory mankind....except its lunchtime or going into space, killer theme park robots and random appearances from Archie, cereal setting on fire, or space aliens appearing in a police line up....do I really need to go on? This season ALONE we've seen killer legos, newscasters having robot faces, midair magic skateboard battles, and God eating popcorn chicken while flooding the town.

I've compained more then my share about the wackiness in the show at points, but honestly, its always had a certain amount of surreality, so small things like the slinky or even the plant stuff (which apparently is based on fact, don't ya know) really shouldn't be a big deal.

As for the Moe and Maggie stuff, I thought all of it was very sweet and funny. And Moe dislocating his shoulder was a joke about his patheticness being used to connect with a child. I thought it was also funny and sweet.

[Channel Surfer]

Originally posted by lance
Big whoop. I'm going to level with you. Let's face it, people. Yes, this was a perfectly enjoyable episode and one of better ones this season, but has this incessant praise gotten anyone else particularly annoyed? Good storyline. Nice direction and animation. Pretty good music. End of story. Now let's move on to another topic, shall we?

I'd agree if this praise was all I heard on virtually every thread. But here, nah. It's a popular episode, and I felt it was the best of this season, so I don't mind it, so long as it relates to the topic.

[Sam]

Originally posted by WastedFate


3. Have you ever seen a slinky? Most everyone, for whatever reason, that has a slinky rolls them down the stairs. It was just a funny play on that. (The slinky headed straight for the stairs)


Honestly, the slinky was genius.

(Beep)

[Sorrydude]

Outside of the Alice in Wonderland joke, blah.

[Simpsonite]

Keep in mind "lance" that Moe is a pathetic man.Thats his character. By dislocating his shoulder, he was just trying the best way he knows how to impress a baby. (THAT WAS GENIUS! PEOPLE DO THINGS LIKE THAT in real life, if they're not good with kids).

If you remember some time ago, there was a doll called "tickle me Elmo". So...thats what Moe did,he tickled it! The doll smacked him because it was a play on sexual harrassment. It was very funny! (If anything that segment probably reminded kids to watch out for perverts,anyway.)

You have to understand...it's comedy/animation. You have to understand the "nature" of The Simpsons in order to appreciate them. Sometimes the jokes ARE off-beat and out of place at times, but then again, The Simpsons ARE about a weird ,off-beat and dysfunctional family,right? So, it makes sense,to have some form of silliness involved in their lives,at times. If they were always serious,then it wouldn't be a comedy.

But,in light of this thread, it's very,very refeshing to come across a touching, warm episode like "MBB" to help us appreciate the power and dignity of this awesome show,despite it's minor flaws..."Moe Baby Blues" ruled this season!! :)

[Sorrydude]

Originally posted by DotheBartman
I've compained more then my share about the wackiness in the show at points, but honestly, its always had a certain amount of surreality, so small things like the slinky or even the plant stuff (which apparently is based on fact, don't ya know) really shouldn't be a big deal.

I agree with you, a certain amount of surreality is fine. The key to that last sentence was "certain amount." I always took with a grain of salt some of the wackier stuff that occurred in seasons past but the last couple of seasons all the writers are doing is hanging their coats on the surreality hook and milking it for all it's worth. We have the equivalent of mid-air skateboard battles multiple times each episode now.

[mohammed jafar]

Originally posted by Sorrydude
I agree with you, a certain amount of surreality is fine. The key to that last sentence was "certain amount." I always took with a grain of salt some of the wackier stuff that occurred in seasons past but the last couple of seasons all the writers are doing is hanging their coats on the surreality hook and milking it for all it's worth. We have the equivalent of mid-air skateboard battles multiple times each episode now.

So how many occurences of equivalent-to-midair-skateboard-battle wackiness were there in Moe Baby Blues then?

[Sorrydude]

Exceptions prove the rule.

[mohammed jafar]

So how many occurences of equivalent-to-midair-skateboard-battle wackiness were there in The Bart Of War then?

[Merbert Moover]

Originally posted by Sorrydude
Exceptions prove the rule. Rule: Bill Cosby isn't funny.

Exceptions: He does or says something hilarious in almost every episode of the Cosby show.

Conclusion: Bill Cosby isn't funny.

EDIT: The point is that this makes no sense. Just in case.

[spiritofstlouis]

I think DoTheBartman's comments were very pertinent to the whole discussion of this season. Sure, in the good episodes some jokes may be random, but it has happenened all the time throughout the show.

In MBB the surreality/reality dichotomy was used perfectly

[Sorrydude]

Originally posted by Merbert Moover
Rule: Bill Cosby isn't funny.

Exceptions: He does or says something hilarious in almost every episode of the Cosby show.

Conclusion: Bill Cosby isn't funny.

EDIT: The point is that this makes no sense. Just in case.

I've never met anyone who misunderstand that rule so completely. Nicely done.

[Tibor]

You still haven't answered Jafar's question.

The most out-there thing in the episode was probably the plant (which gets cred for being a reference to something real), which is quickly moved past and forgotten. I'm sorry, but I was just too busy being entertained to stop and piss on myself because the slinky went down the stairs on its own.

Oh, I forgot, its only funny to give reality a miss if it's Season 5 or 6.

[brancely]

Originally posted by Tibor
Oh, I forgot, its only funny to give reality a miss if it's Season 5 or 6. pretty much

[Merbert Moover]

Originally posted by Sorrydude
Exceptions prove the rule. EDIT: Your post was a cop out answer because you didn't want to admit that there really AREN'T midair skateboard battles (or rather, their surrealist equivalents) in every or almost every new episode. And the fact that there weren't any in "Moe Baby Blues" in no way reinforces your crappy idea, like your cop out tries to imply. If you're that bitter either come up with a good reason to hate every new episode or please stop watching. END EDIT

I guess you making a reasonable post with a valid point would only prove that you are indeed a clump of smegma.

[Joe]

i'm about a week late but i just have to give my praise to this episode, the best in a long time, really long time...great animation, great plot...and moe, great...reminded me of the good old days

[mohammed jafar]

Originally posted by Tibor

The most out-there thing in the episode was probably the plant (which gets cred for being a reference to something real), which is quickly moved past and forgotten

it was also a chance for some lovely animation.

[Tibor]

You've seen it already?

[Jake]

Definate 5/5!

While not as funny as Spritz or the Dad Who Knew Too Little, this IS the cutest episode of the season without becoming too sappy. Everything after the first half of act one was great. The only thing that kept this from being the best Jean episode was the stupid fumigating plant, but that only lasted a couple of seconds.

[Sorrydude]

Originally posted by Merbert Moover
I guess you making a reasonable post with a valid point would only prove that you are indeed a clump of smegma.

Thanks for the easy win. Anytime someone resorts to an insult I chalk one up in the win column.

And I didn't respond because I wasn't online.

[Tibor]

Well, he's right... You haven't made a valid point.

[Sorrydude]

Given how forgettable the damned episode was, despite the fact that around 86 per cent of you all think it was good, I can hardly even remember what happened in it now. What was the deus ex machina in the Moe/Maggie episode or the Bart of War episode? Who knows, who cares?

I feel like I'm Shatner in that SNL skit from the 80s.

[Sorrydude]

Did I actually use deus ex machina incorrectly? My apologies.