1ST Season

[ruggeder]

I'm sure it's been asked before, but am I the only one that likes the first season? I realize the animation isn't amazing, but didn't anyone like the writing, jokes, the beginings of something amazing. I can only say that I watch the first as much as any other season, and in fact prefer it to much of what came after season 10 or so. Am I alone?

[garret]

Of course you're not alone. I love the first season, it had humor, and good writing. I personally think it's ignorant not to like a show just because of mediocre animation.

[ruggeder]

Well I see people on here all the time saying it was there least favorite season, over seasons that are in every way inferior to this season.

[garret]

That baffles me also, how could they enjoy it less than 11 or 12?

[ruggeder]

I actually laugh out loud during the first season, something that rarely happens now, and yet it is preffered less? If there are people who hate this season, I would love to hear why, or why it ranks so low in your eyes, without it turning intoa flame war if possible.

[Nebuchanezzar]

I wouldn't say the first season was hilarious, some of it was downright embrassing, but the stories were great, a few jokes were superb (Call of the Simpsons had plenty) and it's fun to go back and watch a show find it's feet.

It ranks low because it's nowhere near as good as the other seasons. Granted, it was only starting out, but there's no reason to give a season sympathy points because it was around first, it's simply not as good. Season 17 & 11 seem to manage being worse than season 1 though.

[Kiyosuki]

Its not my favorite but I do like it.

What I like is that you can really feel Groening's experimental attitude during that season in particular. The Simpsons had no style or individual "thing" yet, it was just one great big experiment for Groening that became something huge. Thats what gets me about the 1st season. Its like his creativity unfiltered and uncoordinated.

[Imperciph]

I like Season 1 and prefer it to almost any post season-8 season. Maybe it is because my sense of humour is different from you people.

The first season of the Simpsons revolutionised television, adding a level of innovativeness, intelligence and cynicism lacking in primetime animation. It has it haters, accused for crappy animation and slow,sappy, sitcommish plots but without this season primetime animation would never have been rejuvenated. Sure, there were shows that were downright sappy and moralistic (Homer's Night Out), episodes that were plain boring and had extremely bad pacing (Homer's Oddessey) with some episodes suffering from one-dimensional cartoonish characterization. (Call Of The Simpsons, There's No Disgrace Like Home)

But this show well proved what it was capable of. It told gripping stories about animated people which could actually get the audience to evoke sympathy for the characters with episodes like Moaning Lisa and Life On The Fast Lane. It demonstrated its flair for cynical and ambigious social commentary with episodes like Bart The Genious, Bart the General, The Telltale Head and of course the great Krusty Gets Busted. It also demonstrated its capability of delivering great witty dialogue-based humour, pulling off ridicuolus sounding plots efficiently (Crepes Of Wrath), creating great slapstick sequences (the shock scene is There's No Disgrace Like Home) and its ability to create and develop memorable side-characters (Krusty Gets Busted).

The first season isn't perfect, but it has its fair share of gold. And if it wasn't good, it wouldn't have revolutionised television and finally cement the position of animation in primetime. ;)

[Rest your giant head]

Nice question,they just aired season 1 again in my town. I like season 1. Although the animation is crude,plots and humor are great. My favorite episode is probably "Telltale Head",or "The call of the Simpsons".

[Wonderlicious]

To quote myself from this thread: (http://www.nohomers.net/showthread.php?t=41282&page=1&pp=30)

Season 1 is actually one of my favourite seasons. It is true that the characterisation and overall mood is a bit odd in places and Mike Reiss himself actually admitted this in the DVD audio commentary on There's No Disgrace Like Home. However, it still seems cute. And I am proud to admit that I really like some of the animation, most notably Ms Botts and the meeting with Bleeding Gums Murphy on the bridge.

I should also add that I like this season very much as it holds sentimental values; some of the first episodes I watched were from this season, and I used to rent the old UK videos with these episodes on a lot a few years back. My favourites change all the time, but Bart the Genius, Krusty Gets Busted,Life on the Fast Lane and the Christmas episode are my current favourites from this season.

[ruggeder]

Well I'm glad to see theres some season one love out there. Personally I like the fact that there was a story, and the stories were generally so strong the don't need a pointless b plot line that goes no where for joke situations. They had a plot and they stuck with it telling a story and being funny along the way.

[Nameless]

I've always loved season 1. It has some mediocre episodes but some of them (Bart the General, Moaning Lisa, Life on the Fast Lane, Krusty Gets Busted, Crepes of Wrath, more) are among my all-time favourites.

[OfficerJimmy]

I pretty much like the whole season.

I never saw any problems with No Disgrace Like Home or Homer's Night Out or any of the other often criticized episodes.

2/3 of John Swartzwelder's episodes for that season (guess which ones) are personal favorites of mine. During a recent viewing of Fast Lane I was surprised by just how sorry I felt for Homer when he found Jacques' present for Marge and when he was telling Marge about how much he loved her sandwiches.

Season 2 was a huge improvement in all aspects, though.

[TerrorK]

While a little shaky, Season 1 still by far excels anything since Season 9.

[zippy]

Homer was extremely underdeveloped. Apart from that and the shaky voice acting, it was mostly the Simpsons we love and cherish.

Oh and also it's progressively more critical of American culture etc in my opinion.