Season 9 question

[OfficerJimmy]

Is there any reason for all of the hold-over and guest show-runner episodes in this season?

From memory I know All Singing, All Dancing and the Joy of Sect were Mirkin, Lisa's Sax was Jean/Reiss and Principal and the Principal and the Pauper were Oakley/Weinstein.

I don't think any other season had this many episodes by different runners. I guess Scully was slow at starting his new job?

[DotheBartman]

The slow transition of having a new showrunner was probably a factor, but mainly, in seasons 6-9, they had to come up with creative ways of actually filling out the whole episode orders. 25 episodes each time was a little high for the staffs to try to do on their own. This is why you find several clip shows in these seasons (including "138th", which from one report was actually produced by Mirkin instead of Oakley and Weinstein, and Mirkin declined the credit), and several Jean and Reiss shows as well, that would fill out the order and bring the episode number up. Season nine kinda piles them on I guess, but the higher order is the main reason for this. In season ten, the order went back to normal, even if the show oddly detereorated at the same time.

Also, "Lisa the Simpson" has the added distinction of having been delayed (sports or something? I forget); it was supposed to air in season eight, but something delayed it the night it was supposed to air and they didn't get around to finally airing it until much later.

[TerrorK]

The two Jean/Reiss ones were actually produced way back at the same time as Season 7 independently of the main staff, but just took a while to air (hence Doris Grau appearing as Lunchlady Doris in "Lisa's Sax" despite having passed away about two years earlier).

Not sure about the Mirkin ones. I'm guessing that Fox pressured for another clip show, so Mirkin may have done that and decided to do another episode while he was at it so that it wasn't a complete waste of time. I'm sure the Season 9 DVD commentary's will reveal the facts though.

[Channel Surfer]

From the same thread I linked DotheBartman in the speculation thread. I'm sure there will be more details and possible corrections when the commentaries show up, but just so you know.

Over the summer of ’97 there was a long-anticipated writers’ strike. Gracie had prepared by calling in multiple over-orders from the experienced showrunners – this method allowed for more ‘fair’ flexibility by the writers while still in compliance with the strikers, and allowing Fox to have a advantageous glut of new product at a time when they would need it (and their competitors wouldn’t have anything new). Jean & Reiss’s “Sax” and “Tide” put into production. Mirkin given a ‘bonu$’ of 2 ‘over-order’ eps: assembling the “Singing” clip-show, and “Sect”, which were written by pal (& long-time Letterman head writer, then-Chris Rock writer) Steve O’Donnell, & recorded somewhat disjointedly (certain folks were concernedly ‘skittish’ about the subject matter over summer ‘97.) Oakley & Weinstein’s holdover over-order “Lisa the Simpson” put into production and airs in 3/8/98.

http://www.nohomers.net/showthread.php?t=37769

[Jamie]

All Singing, All Dancing... [was] Mirkin
Well this certainly lowers my respect for him :o|


certain folks were concernedly ‘skittish’ about the subject matter over summer ‘97
Art-cay-ight-wray and i-scay-en-olo-tay-gy? :uhh:

[H Thompson]

Originally Posted by OfficerJimmy
All Singing, All Dancing... [was] Mirkin


Well this certainly lowers my respect for him

Are you joking as usual because you should be.
(not saying All Singing All Dancing is a bad episode)

[Jamie]

Are you joking as usual because you should be.
(not saying All Singing All Dancing is a bad episode)
No I'm not

[Ryan]

(not saying All Singing All Dancing is a bad episode)

It is bad. VERY BAD.

[Nebuchanezzar]

I thought it was rather entertaining for a clip show, the different format gave an otherwise dated and crappy concept a better chance. I guess you either like it or loathe it.

[H Thompson]

sorry I'm meant to say
"I'm not saying All Singing All Dancing isn't a bad episode"
it's bad but it's a clipshow, not much worse than "Another Simpsons Clipshow" And it was born entirely out of legal difficulties. If there's anything to criticise Mirkin for here it's being a part of selling the show short for money not for the quality of the episode.