The General Discussion Lounge

[Charlie]

It definitely is sometime soon. I was talking to another member and I got a PM from J.W. and told this other member, and they told me he sent them a PM too that said something like "we look forward to the next Q&A very soon".

[Dental Plan!]

Yea, he sent one to me that said that as well. But when is 'very soon'?

[Drunk Barney]

With The Simpsons seeming to keep hiaring more writers (Daniel Chun, Jeff Westbrook the guy that's writing THOH, that guy who calls me Bill etc)

No seriously, I don't know what he's called but with all the hirering of the new staff (there's more than I've mentioned) I wonder if Al Jean will ever consider asking Bill/Josh back? Or why can't they do a one off showrunner episode, in general. It seemed to work well in S9, with Mirkin/Jean Reiss helping out. It could certainly keep the show fresh. I'm sure one of Mirkin/Reiss/Bill Josh would come back if were asked? I mean Mirkin/Reiss are still with the show.

But will it ever happen?

[Mr Black]

I think the last time Matt Groening did an episode they were ten times better than the current ones. Matt's the one that knows the Simpsons best so I think Matt should write them.

[Lardlad!]

i agree i think matt groening has a very creative mind and i think that's what the simpsons needs, creative episodes

[Adam R]

I think the last time Matt Groening did an episode they were ten times better than the current ones. Matt's the one that knows the Simpsons best so I think Matt should write them.

Yeah, but how easy is it to come up with a new idea for a show that's been running for 3 years (his last and only solo episode was Colonel Homer) than one that's be going for 18?

It's very easy to assume that since MG created the show, making him write an episode will immediately do wonders for the series. I'm sure it doesn't quite work like that, just because he invented the characters, it doesn't necessarily mean that he knows them the best, as many have interpreted them over the years. Plus, he'd still have the same writers writing 70% of the script, so it wouldn't be too much change. I would like to see Matt write another episode though, as mentioned above, he is very creative and has a lot of interesting ideas, (that he often mentions in the commentaries), which even if they were too outlandish would be a breath of fresh air in the current Jean era.

[Dark Homer]

Judging from recent Life in Hell strips, a Groening-written episode would just be 20 minutes of Marge and Homer talking about how they're unfulfilled in their relationship

[Imperciph]

Judging from recent Life in Hell strips, a Groening-written episode would just be 20 minutes of Marge and Homer talking about how they're unfulfilled in their relationship

as opposed to any recent episode which would be Homer and Marge talking about how they're unfufilled in their relationship for 2 minutes, followed by Marg kicking Homer out of the house and Homer trying to get her back somehow for the rest of the remaining episode.

[Dental Plan!]

I think Bill and Josh are just what the Simpsons need right now. I'm sure they would fix the overly fast pace of the current seasons (with seasons 7 & 8 being amongst the slowest, and most sit-com like). I'm sure they would also make Homer more grounded, and LESS stupid than he is now (like in season 7 & 8, again), and probably place a greater emphasis on story, again. In fact, if BO and JW came back, I think the Simpsons could be good, and even great, again.

[Channel Surfer]

I think Bill and Josh are just what the Simpsons need right now. I'm sure they would fix the overly fast pace of the current seasons (with seasons 7 & 8 being amongst the slowest, and most sit-com like). I'm sure they would also make Homer more grounded, and LESS stupid than he is now (like in season 7 & 8, again), and probably place a greater emphasis on story, again. In fact, if BO and JW came back, I think the Simpsons could be good, and even great, again.

Actually, I think seasons 7 and 8 were, if anything, the least sitcom like seasons the show has ever done. They had by far the most conceptually daring and genre breaking era, with few plots that fell into typical sitcom molds.

That said, I like their seasons, but I'm doubtful that any showrunners, returning or not, could ever return the show to its peak without an equivalent (if not better) staff behind them. Besides that, my own personal leaning would be to hire someone who's never been had the position before and gamble that they could take it in a new, good direction. Not that O&A need to by necessity fall into old trends mind you (they were again fairly experimental for all their distinct era traits), but it'd seem more likely to me that someone new would shape the show in a unique style than people who've already shaped the show to their tastes once already. And if their own habits crop up again, it could be tiring to see when the show, more than anything else IMO, needs to feel fresh and new again.

[lindsay]

Harry Shearer is going to be on celebrity jeopardy. The episodes are airing November 8-November 21.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebrity_jeopardy

[Nebuchanezzar]

Not being an internet Simpsons fan at the time, I must ask the question of whether peoplle back in 2001 were saying that Al Jean was going to, or indeed that he did bring the show up to it's previous quality levels? Did they?

[Imperciph]

Not being an internet Simpsons fan at the time, I must ask the question of whether peoplle back in 2001 were saying that Al Jean was going to, or indeed that he did bring the show up to it's previous quality levels? Did they?

Threads answering your query are there in the forum archives, search around. Or do you want me to find them for you ?

[Dental Plan!]

Find them for ME! The search tool on this site sucks. Or maybe I suck at using it.

[Drunk Barney]

Please find them for me Imperciph, as I can't. The questions are somewhere in the archive but the answers are on Springfiled Shopper, which seems to have gone?

[Imperciph]

As far as I'm aware Fox issued a C & D to The Springfield Shopper so Tomacco took it down. So don't hope for finding answers to Ask Al.

Because I am such a kind and considerate human being, I've found some threads concerning how the internet community back in 2001 felt about Jean taking over :

Since most of you agree that the quality of the show is in decline...

Is Al Jean really the saviour ?

The Al Jean Era...why it will be great ?

Some early feedback :

Season 13 -> disappointment

We're getting a classic Simpson moments and a lot of you still whine

I better find evidence somebody read these. 'Cause if they won't (shakes fist)

[Postmaster]

Yeah I read some of them thanks, it seems to me that this place hasn't really changed that much over the years.

[Nebuchanezzar]

So people were asking to pull the plug back then too eh? I wonder how many of these plug pullers would stick by their wishes now of ending the show after season 13.

[TheForbiddenDonut]

I posted this reference on another thread, but I think it's interesting, so I'm gonna go ahead and post pictures. I don't know of anyone who has noticed this before nor is it on SNPP, but I think that this Conan the Barbarian comic is referenced by this Busman comic. Similarities include the fact that both are muscular warriors on comic covers, have a skimpy lady wrapped around their left leg, and, if the Conan pic was extended (I wasn't able to find a better picture), you would see that he as well is standing on a pile of corpses. Yeah, just a little tidbit that might interest you.

[Dental Plan!]

Thanks Imperciph, those were interesting. It kinda depresses me reading them though, because you see the board fall from genuine hope to realising the Simpsons aren't going to become like the '94' years again.

[Dental Plan!]

Also, I don't know where to ask this, but can anyone tell me if a best writer contest has been done in the voting booth?

[Nebuchanezzar]

Yes, yes it has. Ivan ran one a few weeks back and Vitti won, after not being chosen in a previous thread.

http://www.nohomers.net/showthread.php?t=57889

[Charlie]

Indeed I did. Vitti didn't get to the final round, but due to a lot of demand he was put in as a wild card, and ended up winning it.

[Imperciph]

Continuing on my previous post this page, here are some threads on feedback of the middle Jean era :

Pros and Cons Of Al Jean

Second Birth of The Simpsons ?

Al Jean As Executive Producer : in or out?

Hopefully you'll enjoy reading these, to gain further idea on the evolution of both the Jean era and fan reaction to it, as well as how the Simpsons community here at NHC has changed.

[Mike Scully]

Season 13 Overrated

Here's another thread which should remind us why we all used to love Al Jean in the first place.

[Nebuchanezzar]

^ Holy crap!

[Imperciph]

^ Holy crap!

It was Jafar's almost 15000 character post, right ?

[Nebuchanezzar]

Damn right. I mean, yeah, if he were still active and the quality of the posters who were a part of the essay dork krew were all up to his standard, then feel free to count me out of it. I'm probably flogging a dead horse, but that's not my intention. Good post though.

[Mr Black]

A little off topic, I was going to create a single thread for this but I thought I'd just post it in here.
What do you guys think Itchy & Scratchy do for the simpsons? Usually it opens the episode up so the plot can thicken. Especially in "Homer the Heretic", and "Itchy & Scratchy and Marge". I haven't seen an I & S cartoon in a new episode for a bit.

[Reservoir Dog]

Has anyone noticed that in the Al Jean episodes Homer refers to himself as Jerkass Homer and is called Jerkass Homer by other people on the show. I think this is hilarious, but i had no idea that the simpsons people were so in tune with the fans. It also might be Scullys revenge and he is making fun of the fans when that happens on the show, I dont know if he still works for the simpsons though.