R&R: Much Apu About Nothing

[Simpsons Forever!]

10 years to the day since this episode first aired, does it still pack as much punch now as it did a decade ago? It's certainly managed to stay fresh, as the issue of immigration is still a big topic in today's world, but does it still make you laugh, or have the jokes worn thin?

I re-watched this episode and realised it wasn't as bad as I thought. Maybe because the last time I saw it, I didn't understand the issue it deals with, so didn't get most of the jokes. The start is slightly over-the-top, but nevertheless funny, especially Flanders and the Bear. Apu has a very good role in the episode and we got to find out some more of his past, which developed his character nicely before Manjula and the octuplets came along. Homer, also, is handled well in the episode and Apu's education conducted by The Simpson family is really funny, although Apu and the Simpsons' relationship had been tackled before in Homer and Apu, making a better episode. Nevertheless, this is still an episode worth watching and is possibly the last good Apu episode before his character was altered with marriage to Manjula. Overall, a 4/5 B+

[Your_Hero]

'who needs the infinate compassion of ganisha when i have tom cruise and nicole kidman staring back at me from entertainment weekly with their DEAD EYES!'


5/5 still as current today as it was in 1996

'even when it was the bears i knew it was dem imigants!

[Thats A Paddlin]

5-star jokes, 5-star political satire.

5/5

[Dr. Bartley]

A excellent episode! my favourite joke for this episode would be Lisa selling Homer the rock that keeps tigers away. A+

[Nameless]

"I don't see any tigers, do you?"
"...Lisa, I want to buy your rock."

Perfect satire. 5/5

[Wonderlicious]

I have to agree with those who are dubbing this a "wonderful satire". Much Apu About Nothing perhaps the most meaningful social commentary in the history of the series. Shame so many people don't listen to. :angry:

8.5 maybe 9/10

[Willmak5389]

3/5

I didn't think it was great, but not a bad ep. at all

[TheForbiddenDonut]

4/5. I find it a bit average for a classic Simpsons episode, but I do love Apu's 'cause of the Civil War' answer.

[Well Adjusted]

I give it 4/5.

[bluemoose]

An all around great, 5/5 episode. It definitely has the same relevance now as it used to, maybe even more so. Plust it's just plain funny. "Just say slavery" And that's even funnier because it actually happened.

[uostwiS-r-dewoH13]

Gret episode. 5/5

[Rest your giant head]

"If you want wild bears eatin' your children and scarin' your salmon,that's your business"
5/5

[Dennis]

5/5!

[Be Good]

4/5 Classic Season 7 episode

[APUFAN]

A true classic !

[Nebuchanezzar]

An excellent, and nicely put political commentary on an issue which now seems to be rocking both the US, and Australia. Illegal immigrants. It does make plenty of nice points toward the total idiocy that concerns many of the points against illegal immigrants coming to a new country, and does so in a completely subtle way.

Homer is nicely portrayed in this episode, and goes through quite a large but yet totally believable philosophy change in this episode. His change should be remeniscent of many of the attitudes that some people I know should take, but can't crawl out of their blind little holes to take. It is worth noting that his change of heart only came about because of someone close to him, rather than a logical choice in his brain, but meh.

The jokes were spot on, it was paced quite well with almost no dull moments and there was really nothing else to gripe about here.

9/10 (5/5)

[Cerpin Taxt]

5/5

This episode had both an intelligent and well written story and enough jokes to have you on the floor.

Nebuchanezzar actually posted a lot of what I was going to say, so just ditto to his.

[DaRick]

A very good Simpsons episode. The characterisation is just about spot-on. Even Homer is pretty good, even if his personality shift is a bit abrupt. Bart, Lisa and Marge are also good, albeit marginalised. The plot, while not entirely without its flaws (the Mayor managing to convince Springfield that escaped bears are the fault of immigrants), is also one of the better ones, in terms of the interest it manages to hold. However, the main protaganist, Apu, comprises the main reason why you should watch this episode, as his derision at himself for betraying his own heritage is entirely believable. Also, his flashback is surprisingly funny ("I graduated from a class of seven million!"). Save for the ending (which, despite continuing a general trend about Springfield's indifference towards politics) and the minor gripes about Homer's personality shift, flaws are in short supply here. A

[Jesse Pinkman]

3/5, i did not think it was all that funny, maybe i should rewatch it though

[Moe Nopoly]

a really good and funny episode with a great secondary character with Apu.
I liked it a lot.

A-

[Denis Dufek]

This episode is number 10 on my Simpsons list...

I will watch it again in a couple of days and write the rewiev, i didn't watch it for a longtime...

[Nauru-1]

It took me forever to see the first act of this episode. Just short of excellent but a thoroughly enjoyable episode. 4/5

[Simpsonsfan1981]

This was a well-thought, intelligent and largely balanced episode that didn't seek to present a distorted or exaggerated picture of the issue involved -unlike later episodes -and poked gentle fun at both sides of the debate. I actually thought Homer's characterization in this episode was largely as it should be and how it was in the earlier seasons -he could be somewhat of a jerkass but, once he actually was confronted with the deeper meaning of an issue and its implications for his friends and family, he showed his compassionate and reasonable side. A great episode from the classic era 5/5

[Sniper Squirrel]

really smart and funny, great season 7 episode

[Rowdy Roddy Peeper]

A really wonderful episode. You really feel for Apu, and despite what others have said I think Homer's characterization was pretty much spot on. He's somebody who can easily get carried away with things and doesn't necessarily think things through. However, if something happens or somebody explains something in a way he understands, he has a brain, he knows what's right and wrong and he realised what a wrong thing Proposition 24 was.

The episode contained some great laughs, mainly in the first two acts. Grampa's flashback still makes me burst out laughing, it's the way he delivers 'Later that day..'

I also loved how Apu had these long monologues, almost, of dialogue which wasn't necessarily there for humour purposes but to get across what this character was going through so not only could his fellow Springfieldians empathize with him, but so could the audience.

4.5/5

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Underrated in every possible sense of the word. Hardly ever hear about this one. 4.5/5.

[cloneasaurus]

Underrated, low key little episode that provides excellent social commentary and a slew of wordplay jokes from David X. Cohen (who according to the commentary wrote 90% of the script). Honestly, there are so many for one episode:

"It's like frickin' country bear jambaroo around here!"

"Those are exactly my sentimonies"

"you know what aggrevases me? It's dem immigants"

Homer calls the Electoral College the "electrical college"

"Here's my ID which confirms my adultivity"

"get eurass back to eurasia" sign

also some "contradictory" gags:

"All right, that does it. If I'm going to be trapped in the house, I gotta go out and get some beer."

"You must love this country more than I love a cold beer on a warm Christmas morning"

Anyway yeah I really like this episode. low A

[Bleedin' Gums Murphy]

3/5, i did not think it was all that funny, maybe i should rewatch it though

I know you said that 2 and a half years, Joe, but I really hope you did rewatch it!

Anyway, I adore this episode and I also feel it's underrated. 5/5, 10/10, A+

[Insecthero]

Old thread, I know, but I just watched this last night, and I was surprised how little I liked it. Some of the jokes were good, and I loved the opening, but overall, I thought the satire was waaaaay too blatant. It was like being clubbed over the head with a Jeep, and I felt it was very out of place with the usual level of cleverness. I also thought it did the debate over illegal immigration a great disservice by painting illegals with the same brush as legals, and by claiming that they are just a scapegoat to distract people, and are completely benign and beneficial, with no cost to society at all.

[Bella Drape 'er]

"Won't somebody please think of the children!"

A fun opening, good jokes, if a slightly flimsy plot.

4/5