Rate and Review "Husbands and Knives" (JABF17)

[Simpsons_Fanboy]

I'm saying ANYONE could have lent their voice to Milo WITHOUT being a famous star. Yes, Jack Black wasn't playing himself and only lent his voice to the character. So what? Why couldn't Azaria or Shearer or someone else voice him? Why did Jack Black need to fill in the blank here? Did the staff call him up and ask him "Hey, we want to continue being the TV show with the most guest star appearances ever, so can you come down here and record a few lines for us so we can continue holding that honor by mentioning that it's an all new episode featuring JACK BLACK?!"

Him voicing Milo is just as pointless and worthless as him being simpsonized Jack Black and voicing simpsonized Jack Black.

Here's a thought: maybe they thought Jack Black's voice was fit for Milo.

No offense intended.

[skittlebrau]

[Kiyosuki]

You see what those bloody corperations do!? They take your ideas and they SUCK THEM! SUCK THEM LIKE LEECHES UNTIL THEY'VE SUCKED EVERY LAST DROP FROM THE MARROW IN YOUR BONES!

I did like Jack's voice it fit Milo a lot. Its better than literally putting Jack Black into the episode, now that would have been a pointless guest star.

My only gripe is that I wish he was in it more. I loved the whole first segment, I wish it expanded to a whole episode (same with the ACTUAL main plot, though it needed a bit of streamlining really.)

[Simpsons_Fanboy]

[Firebird]

Easily the worst episode of the season thus far. Homer was pretty funny at times, but the rest was just a disaster. Nothing was resolved, way too much was crammed into one episode, and most of the jokes simply fell flat.

Also, I can't stand Jack Black, so maybe that soured my opinion. Milo was horribly annoying. Oh well, Matt just had an off day. He'll bounce back.

[Mindy Simmons]

Little condescending there don't you think Mindy?

No, I mean I’m genuinely entertained by extremely negative entertainment reviews, especially when they aren’t really warranted. Don’t get me wrong, I understand how some folks could hate this episode, and there’s a lot to pick apart, but I don’t think its deserving of any true loathing. Most of us posting here are at least a little bit critical, but some members are stuck in that non-deviating “Worst Episode Ever” mode. They brace for poor quality, then relish in negativity. It’s funny because its so predictable.

I don’t know, maybe I’m just getting too old to get angry about something I don’t like on The Simpsons. I think I went through my “New Simpsons are Trash” phase 5-6 years ago. After 20 years, and with recent marked improvement, anything they put out at this point is just icing to me.

[Dark Homer]

The first act brought the most lols I've had from The Simpsons in years.

The rest of the episode... not so much.

It bothers me that Marge became successful within like a second; characters becoming instantly successful tends to be a Jean era staple (Bart being a drum prodigy, Marge is an instant master at popsicle stick art, handywoman, etc.). For some reason Homer being completely aware that he's holding back Marge was amusing to me but otherwise the last two acts were just another bland "Homer and Marge's marriage is in trouble" plot with a few good jokes here and there.

Also it was nice to see that all the plotlines were neatly resolved at the end oh wait no they weren't

[mattrainertje]

This episode is really good. I liked it a lot and I think it may be better than caged birds!

4/5

[Kiyosuki]

Also it was nice to see that all the plotlines were neatly resolved at the end oh wait no they weren't

Heh. Maybe in true comic book fashion, this is Simpsons universe 3 where Marge got rich, Android's Dungeon is gone, and there's a massive metropolis in Springfield and when the next episode rolls around and everything is back to normal, its Simpsons universe 1. I dunno.



I just can't believe how many of the little things in the first segment, even in the background, I recognize. I'm such a dork. :silly: That was an awesome store, it was actually pretty funny to me how really into it Milo gets even plaiyng Guitar Hero and DDR at the same time. (I wonder if its possible to play DDR with a Guitar Hero controller..)

At first I was a bit sour because I was expecting that first segment to be the episode but it was just the intro, and I still kinda am but there are small things to enjoy. The chick throwing the baby to catch that clock, or Homer somehow knowing Bart said Pork Pie. And I do like the idea of Marge becoming corperately successful to the point she starts to treat Homer a little disregardingly for a change. But still I wish these two stories, especially the first one, got their own episodes.



Heh, tell me in this scene, who looks the most curiously excited?

[Nameless]

started off doing well. lost it quickly. i'm getting tired of watching boring, slow episodes.

and in answer to kiyosuki's question, lovejoy does

C for now

[Starman]

Kiyosuki: I'd say Lovejoy. And thanks for posting those images.

It doesn't seem like the show is trying anymore.

Precisely. But don't forget, this is just a hold-over from the worst season of all time. We won't truthfully know until the real Season 19 kicks in.

[G.K. Willington]

Started off really well, there were some bits that were quite pointless that they could have cut out, and puts some more on the Comic Book Store plot. Not the funniest episode eihter, only bits I laughed at were the 'You would love a big black one' line, Marge pushing Homer off of the tower in the dream at the end, the German cookoo clocks in the 'Opal' scene, and some of the Comic Book Guy parts at the beginning. I wouldn't say it was as good as last week's episode, but wasn't the worst episode of the season either. I voted a 3/5 in the poll, and would give it a B-. Looking forward to next week's episode quite a lot now!

[mnijaw]

No, I mean I’m genuinely entertained by extremely negative entertainment reviews, especially when they aren’t really warranted. Don’t get me wrong, I understand how some folks could hate this episode, and there’s a lot to pick apart, but I don’t think its deserving of any true loathing. Most of us posting here are at least a little bit critical, but some members are stuck in that non-deviating “Worst Episode Ever” mode. They brace for poor quality, then relish in negativity. It’s funny because its so predictable.

I don’t know, maybe I’m just getting too old to get angry about something I don’t like on The Simpsons. I think I went through my “New Simpsons are Trash” phase 5-6 years ago. After 20 years, and with recent marked improvement, anything they put out at this point is just icing to me.

I completely agree. I have watched the show since day one and have also noticed the overall lack of true greatness over recent years. However, the Simpsons have always been about making me laugh. The show still makes me laugh.

This episode was one of the best (if not THE best) of this season. Those of you who give a negative review of each and every episode should probably take that as an indicator to not watch the show anymore. If the Simpsons ever truly stopped making me laugh, I'd stop watching. So far this season, it's had me laughing.

[Dark Homer]

MAUS IS IN THE HOUSE is probably one of the best lines a guest star has ever said

[simplysimpsons]

One of those episodes where I don't know what the hell I just watched.

Part 1: A few laughs and overall good. Nice to see CBG in a decent role for once. Some funny stuff like "None of this is real!"..."Get out." and "Mmm...pork pie". I liked the guest starts to a point, especially Milo. I also liked the little background gags in the new store. Some strained dialogue, but this part was good up until the abrupt ending.

Part 2: The comic plot just ended? Now what? Marge just started a gym? This part was so rushed, it just felt like plot elements / cutaways thrown together. I found it so hard to keep up with, and I hate Opal. One or two amusing jokes like Homer packing away all the hotel things and the shower, but too many failed ones and explanitory dialogue.

Part 3: Started well, but turned out embarrasingly bad. I actually found the skin thing kind of funny, but it really went to hell after this. Not only did I loathe that entire dream sequence (A new low for the series?) but it felt nothing more than an utter cop out so the writers didn't have to finish the episode properly. The ending was tacked-on.

Overall I just can't fathom why they couldn't have carried on with the comic book plot, because the rest was utter crap. Something involving the kids and CBG / Milo...to me it seems unbelievable that they couldn't stretch it out into an entire plot, and I don't understand why it just ended so abruptly. It had so much potential that was discarded in favour of...that.
D+, 1.5/5

Not to start another rant about the show's quality or anything but with the exception of last week's episode, season 19 has been way below par up to now. Here's hoping for a turnaround on the KABF episodes.

[Cartoonnetwork]

I concur with everything Tomacco said. It wasn't THAT bad, but it felt a lot like Family Guy in structure, it never decided for one plot, everytime you were starting to enjoy one of the plots it changed to another thing. It was very confusing. But the third act wasn't so horrible, it was just weird. I don't know what they were trying to do with the dream sequence. If they wanted to fool us and make us think it was real then why didn't they do it in a more believable way? I mean, the Notre Dame of Springfield, everybody with torches, etc. It was pretty surreal. And if they didn't want to fool us what's the point of the scene? And couldn't it be even more surreal and artistic to make it funnier then?

I liked Homer's conclusion about plastic surgery though. I think that was a funny moral.

Of course I loved the first act, though it really seemed to be conceived as a little set piece, especially with the ending of the guest stars attacking CBG. In a regular episode I'd have used that later.

Second act was also fairly good until Homer started to be worried about his marriage again. Then it didn't turn out bad, but extremely boring cause we have seen it a gazillion times right now.

Third act was ...just odd.

I disliked several things but they were more or less tolerable:

-The Opal scene I could have done without it, but it wasn't bad, just meh
-Homer stealing while whining felt very FG-like to me for some reason. Funny in concept but lame in the execution
-Homer clipping his skin on his back. Again funny in concent, terrible in execution (I don't know how they could have done it, though). Also very FG-like.
-Tit crying. Didn't mind too much about this one since all the dream was intentionally over-the-top

I'm a little pissed off by The Android Dungeon not coming back to normal again and I thought the last thing with the comic book artists was a little silly.

Why couldn't they do a normal episode with one or two plots, instead of so many things taking place? It could have been so much better that way. Marge's gyms and CBG thing at the same time...maybe Marge's gym success combined with another story about CBG without his job at the same time, for example, and he eventually finds out how to win the kids back and at the end he reopens the store in another place (or Marge's eventually closes the gym at the end of that plot). I concur with everyone that said the first act has potential for a much longer story, I can't see why the writers didn't try to expand it. Maybe they did but it went for too many rewrites...I'm starting to hate re-writing.

I liked Lisa being a fan of Ghost World. It kinda made sense. I am not sure what was the intention of Dan Clowes designing all the bat-objects. I don't know if it was just random or they were saying that's the kind of thing Dan Clowes would do better in a super-heroe comic-book, as if he seems to draw objects and details quite often and he has this super-clear line that makes his work vey design-y. It was amusing anyway. Alan Moore's rant was hilarious,as was "Maus is in the house".

It deserves a C or C+, being EXTREMELY generous.

[Good-Time Slim]

2/5. The episode began so well but comepletely fell apart once they got to Marge's plot as the main one.

I don't get it. It started with the Comic Book Guy story as the main plot and the Marge story as the B-plot. It was funny that way and Jack Black's voice really did fit the character. Then they just got rid of the Comic Book Guy story and went with Marge. It sucked because Marge's story wasn't that strong and the comic one had great potential. Why? Did the script get changed so much that the writers forgot they never completed his story? I think it shows something seriously wrong with the writers of The Simpsons.

I called my roommate into the living room 'cause he's a big Jack Black fan, but since it was after the first commercial, Jack Black's character never came back on. The episode WAS kind of funny, nowhere near being the worst of the season, but it had the potential for so much more and the writers just didn't know how to steer the ship.

[General Jack D. Ripper]

3 acts, 3 plots, each progressively worse than the last. I don't really feel like typing up a long review, but the story in the first act really should have not just been a first act intro. Jack Black was good but really needed to be in it more. The "Mmm...porkpie" line was hilariously random.

[You Bent My Wookiee]

I think this is the weakest of the season so far. It was very funny at times, but why did they just abandon the CBG subplot to continue with a medicore Marge plot? Also, what happened to CBG after he lost his business? I hate to rate certain episodes a 2/5, but this is one of them. It started off pretty solid before losing it due to poor execution and poor timing. Ah well, every season has a stinker.

[Lobster Harmonica]

The worst episode of the season so far. The first act was good, the second wasn't very good and the third was very bad. Alan Moore's appearance was by far the best part of the episode. The only other funny parts I can remember are "Mmm... porkpie" and the nurse kissing the cross after giving Homer a sponge bath. 2/5

[Tamaki Suoh]

A very odd episode, but I don't hate it as much as most people here seem to. It was extremely stupid in a lot of parts and I didn't laugh once, but I actually thought the second and third act were better than the first. Although I wished that they would have resolved Comic Book Guy's problem (it was very strange that Jack Black's character was only in one scene...), the first act seemed to contain the most obvious and intolerable jokes, including the elongated singing and fighting scenes that made me very tempted to hit fast-forward. The second and third act, while still poor, seemed a bit more tolerable. One of the episode's redeeming factors was the decent characterization of Marge. She didn't come off as being the whiny, insecure Marge of the recent seasons, and even Homer wasn't as exasperating as usual. While overall, the episode was an embarrassment and barely tolerable to watch, I don't think it was the worst episode ever or even the worst of the season. 2.5/5

[Gorilla's Choice]

It was good, but they didn't wrap up the CBG story.

[Reverend Lovejoy]

Heh, tell me in this scene, who looks the most curiously excited?

Well, Lovejoy looks pretty interested... (yay! They were in another episode! Sorry, just had to get that in)

That brightened my day, Kiyosuki. Thanks for that.

[D DEBBS]

3/5-I enjoyed Alan Moore!

[Captain_Smiley]

This episode felt incomplete. We never saw what happened to Comic Book Guy and will Marge keep her chain of gyms or will she go back to her regular life. I can't believe that is what Alan Moore sounds like. I was hoping his voice did not match his looks.

[Cartoonnetwork]

I asked this in the Preview/Speculation theme but I'll maybe get more answers here:

"All comic books in the display seemed Tintin's even though the title said Asterix and Tintin.

I'm curious...Are Asterix and/or Tintin difficult to find in USA? Being european comic books they are very popular in Spain and you can find their books almost everywhere, even in regular bookshops or magazine stores."

[Cartoonnetwork]

This episode felt incomplete. We never saw what happened to Comic Book Guy and will Marge keep her chain of gyms or will she go back to her regular life. I can't believe that is what Alan Moore sounds like. I was hoping his voice did not match his looks.

Yep, he sounds like that. There was a video somewhere on youtube...

And I agree that the episode felt incomplete. There have been too many open endings lately. Sometimes it's not so bad if they don't come back to status quo at the end, but it actually makes the episode better if they do, at least generally. It seems a more complete story, it's not only because we're anal and worried about continuity, it's that by skipping the conclussion so often they are defying the basic rules of narrative.

[Jeff Vader]

I really don't like it when episodes begins with one plot, and then another plot is starts almost 10 minutes into the show, and everything that happened before that is completely dropped. I did enjoy most of the first act, and bits of the second act. The third act was completely WTF?, and saying "it was just a dream" is no excuse. I can't stand the show's Oprah references, either, and I hope they don't have many more of those.

I think I'll be kind of pissed next week if everything is "back to normal" in the Simpsons universe. Too much was blatantly unresolved. It was a very strange episode, and maybe that's a good thing. On first viewing, I'm not too hot about it, though.

Adding to my list of terribly written/delivered Marge dialog: "You remembered that I like romance".

[Tomacco]

After watching it again, the whole dream sequence part actually wasn't nearly as long as I remember it being. It was just one scene (and explains pretty well why there was a Notre Dame in Springfield).

[MikeAaronB]

I just watched it again. I don't even think it deserves a 1. That would have to mean it had some value too it...