Rate & Review “Coming to Homerica” (LABF12)

[TriforceBun]

Just realized this season referenced the three most recent Pixar movies. We still haven't seen an Incredibles homage yet! How 'bout for THOH XX, Al? C'mon, the roles are custom-made for OFF! Bart with super-speed, Lisa able to turn invisible, Maggie with Jack-Jack's powers, etc...

[Cash Kerouac]

I liked the joke about the Krusty Burger commercial with "Krusty" eating the veggie burger a lot.

I forgot about that. That, along, with the "Report Child Abuse" bit were the gags of the night for sure.

Just realized this season referenced the three most recent Pixar movies. We still haven't seen an Incredibles homage yet! How 'bout for THOH XX, Al? C'mon, the roles are custom-made for OFF! Bart with super-speed, Lisa able to turn invisible, Maggie with Jack-Jack's powers, etc...

Semi-done already with Stretch Dude and Clobber Girl.

[Toon~g@l!]

The first half was probably the best of the episode then it just wasn't as good once the third act came around. I was also surprised to hear Maggie speak in this episode, makes me wonder if she will say "Ya" again in upcoming episodes. and I really liked Lisa wanting milk and a hug, that was a sweet moment.

It was an okay end to the season, now I can't wait to see what the next season brings.

[Dark Homer]

pretty much every joke was "oh i get it they're talking about mexicans except not" which got pretty old. homer becoming a vigilante again didn't live up to its comic potential. the plot felt like it was trying to say something without really saying anything

[lionelhutz123]

Maggie will probably never say "ya" again just like every other word she has said. Also, no, the Ogdenvillians won't be swarming the town in later episodes. Cmon guys, you should know how this show works by now. It's been 20 seasons.

[Ryan]

I can't honestly review yet since I missed four minutes of act two, but from what I saw, it's pretty much the episode "Goobacks" from South Park.

Which aired in 2004.

When I was still in high school.

I just graduated college.

Another timely episode from Al Jean, am I right, guys?

[Sprocketeer]

Granted, immigration is an ongoing issue, so for once, I'd be hesistant to call this outdated. An example of outdated satire in this series was "See Homer Run", since that spoofed a specific incident, except years later. And I didn't think it was too similar to "Goobacks". And there was no gay orgy.

[I.C.Wiener]

I thought it was okay. Since it was the finale and I'm feeling generous, i give it a 4/5 instead of a 3/5. I really want to watch it again, though.

Things I liked:
Krusty's veggie-burger commercial.
Milk and hugs.
Lisa explaining "xylophobia" vs. "xenophobia" to homer.
Cletus suggesting "the KKK" and "The Nazis" as patrol names.
"Up" reference.
(There is more, but I can't remember them all right now)

Things I didn't like
Maggie saying "ya". (Felt too surreal especially following last week)
Ralph as a tumbleweed
Mr. Largo's scene with the xylophones (Mr. Largo is getting REALLY stale)
The ending. (It was too predictable and forced)
The Ogdenville-ian's switching between Wisconsin and Norwegian accents.

The Main thing I didn't like/RANT
The "preachy political" message about mexican immigrants. I saw the same message in Family Guy's "Padre de Familia" (FYI, I hate Family Guy). I like the way the Simpsons used to deal with political issues. Now, the writers just use Lisa as an outlet for their views much like Family Guy's writers do with Brian. However, in this episode they didn't use just Lisa but more make an example of Homer/the town being wrong. Sorry, this is just something I had to get off my chest.

[Kiyosuki]

Eh, started real strong and I give it props for the Grapes of Wrath parallel earlier, and Lenny and Carl in the sky was pretty funny for that moment but mostly I thought it really fizzled out by the middle. It just...didn't have a kick. It kinda meandered.. I totally got a "they're mexicans but they're not" vibe too. lol

Ralph blowing like a tumbleweed was a humongous wtf moment.

Also, did anyone else think Dan sounded a little tired in this episode? Especially when doing Quimby.

[moeistheirleader]

Terrible. Didn't laugh once, but I did cringe several times at the terrible, terrible jokes. I mean, "Notes don't fail me know." That doesn't even mean anything. And is Maggie gonna talk in every episode now, is that what the show has come to?

What an awful, awful episode.
1/5

[Fox Executive]

The ending was weird, but the rest: fantastic! I laughed my ass off. I'm in a good mood, so I'll give it a 5/5, but the ending was - as said earlier - one of those WTF?!-moments.

[Itchy]

I thought it was funny, partly because I am a norwegian myself.

[Rowdy Roddy Peeper]

Huh? I don't get it. In America, do you have towns which are completely populated by one country? Seemed weird to me.

Anyway, i'm sick of the writers and creators complaining that it's 'harder to develop big stories as the episodes are getting shorter because of more commericals', and then they spend the first 1 minute and 50 seconds of the show on the bloody opening credits? The couch gag's generally this season have been far too long, and you know the chalkboard gags have never been amazing but 'it's called facebook, not assbook'? Whoever came up with that should be slapped?

I thought the premise was fine although the satirical elements were far too obvious and in your face. The person who came up with the 'closed sign store's sales blooming' should be given a raise, that was the best joke of the episode. The majority of it felt 'meh'. James L. Brooks says that they make the episodes by seeing what jokes get the best laughs from the room during the read-through. I don't understand how the majority of the episode got any laughs at all? The Lenny and Carl thing? Aquavita scene? What? It's like this Season has been a massive in-joke with the writers, either that or some of the joke-telling is just simply appalling.

People say 'quit complaining you couldn't write any better'....i could :| And if i thought it served any purpose i would, but the time and effort needed to be put into a Simpsons script, would be better spent elsewhere on projects which could actually do something to help my career. I don't like not loving the episodes nowadays, it's horrible but the day i turn into Gatorgod is the day i die. :P

[hughes]

Fantastic episode, the perfect way to end a spectacular season! Satire was actually handled well, although obviously "Norwegians" was a substitute for "Mexican"--but who gives a fuck, it was funny!

Did I like this episode? Ya, ya, ya!

5/5, A+

Have to wait a whole summer for new Simpsons

[Captain Squid]

I thought it was funny, partly because I am a norwegian myself.

LOL same here Itchy! This episode was much more enjoyable being 1/4th Norwegian myself (though its the part of me that I feel is the strongest).

@Rowdy Roddy Peeper, the Norwegian town was an exaggerated depiction of many midwestern American cities. Of course there is a diverse population throughout the midwest, but the overriding population have Norwegian and German ancestry (I'm 1/4th each myself and am from Minnesota). Of course we've adapted over the years so that we don't act like the Ogdenville citizens, but midwesterners usually are overly friendly, helpful and wear Vikings jerseys.

Edit: Never gave my review! 5/5 from me. I love episodes that explore the Springfield universe a bit more (this time we saw Ogdenville!), though it was a shame not to see the Ogdenville Outlet Mall again. Jk. Lots of funny gags, LOVED the xylophone joke "thats the music you hear when SKELETONS are dancing!". Seeing a new Krusty ad was classic, as was seeing crowds of Springfieldians (reminded me of the movie or Who Shot Mr. Burns?). Norwegian jokes are always a plus. Norwegian sneezing made my girlfriend laugh pretty hard, lol

http://www.hulu.com/playerembed.swf?...&st=666&et=707

[Cartoonnetwork]

It was like most of the recent satiric episodes. It started slow, then it got better, then it ended without developing its full potential.

I liked the Grapes Of The Wrath part, the xilophone joke, the people making the Ogdenville sign and how Homer befriended the Ogdenvillians while acting like he was superior to them. I also liked that we got to see Homer in SNPP during a minute, that's the most we can ask for today.

I didn't mind Maggie talking, though it's true that it's getting a little overdone. Marge's reaction to it was what I found a little out of character, I know it was a way to justify that Marge could become xenophobic but she reacts in such a desperate way that it didn't work for me.

Didn't like the ending, and the animation felt a little sub-par when you look at other episodes of the season.

Anyway, it had its moments: the Up reference was ok, the milk and huge part was nice and it made some use of the secondary characters like Cletus proposing ideas or the scene with the cops.

So it's a B-/C+, 3,5/5 or so.

[I.C.Wiener]

the perfect way to end a spectacular season!

Denial, much?

[Captain Squid]

Denial, much?

Understand that others have opinions different from yours, much?

[Mr. Krikt]

Some of the heaviest-handed satire I've seen in a while. Everything was obvious and the plot didn't take any unexpected turns.

The icing on the cake was another "hilariously random" Ralph moment as he blowed along as a tumbleweed. This has been one terrible season for him in terms of writing and overuse.

[Worst Username Ever]

I thought it was funny, partly because I am a norwegian myself.

Me too^^

I liked the Krustyburger ad and the "xylophobia" joke, and the "milk and hugs" thing was cute.

[arii]

A few more points I've thought of after reading some of the other posts:

I don't think there's necessarily anything wrong with heavy satire. I did enjoy this one; it felt pretty on-the-mark to me and while a little blatantly in just one direction, not as much as it could have been (also the other direction is comprised of douchebags, so).

Ralph has been kind of overused this season, yeah, even in those quick little gags (but it's nice that a lot of the gags have been more throwaway, fast little things. Picks the pace up a little bit and one of the biggest complaints I remember from past years is that the jokes dragged on waaaay too long. That seems to be stopping now).

I loved seeing Homer at SNPP and then the quick cut to him being at home and fired after tellings Burns to shut up. Great timing on that one. I do agree though that I'd like to see more of the nuclear power plant in S21 and onwards; some of the best episodes have used it as a major setting.

Marge's reaction to Maggie's "first word" here felt really in-character to me and reminded me of her in There's something About Marrying, and I actually like this characterization of her because it gives her a sympathetic flaw. She's for these more liberal causes (gay rights, immigrants) but when it personally affects her (her sister's sexuality, her baby's first word) she's uncomfortable with it, like she's one of those people who believes it only in theory really and has a hard time with it when it comes to her backyard. It sets her apart from Lisa in that sense and feels very natural with her character - she isn't intolerant, but she isn't completely tolerant, either. It's a bit of a comfortable balance between Homer and Lisa.

Anyway, i'm sick of the writers and creators complaining that it's 'harder to develop big stories as the episodes are getting shorter because of more commericals', and then they spend the first 1 minute and 50 seconds of the show on the bloody opening credits?

Haha, my dad watches new episodes with me for some reason, and he's picked up on my reaction to the openings: when I saw this was a full one I squirmed a little, and when one of the long couch gags popped up I was visually discomforted, and just at the end of the opening he asked me if that was a bad sign. I'm usually rather visually pleasantly surprised/delighted when the shortest version of the opening comes up.

[Cartoonnetwork]

Marge's reaction to Maggie's "first word" here felt really in-character to me and reminded me of her in There's something About Marrying, and I actually like this characterization of her because it gives her a sympathetic flaw. She's for these more liberal causes (gay rights, immigrants) but when it personally affects her (her sister's sexuality, her baby's first word) she's uncomfortable with it, like she's one of those people who believes it only in theory really and has a hard time with it when it comes to her backyard. It sets her apart from Lisa in that sense and feels very natural with her character - she isn't intolerant, but she isn't completely tolerant, either. It's a bit of a comfortable balance between Homer and Lisa.

Well, yeah...I'm ok with that, but still, I think they overdo that a little. I'm ok with Marge having flaws, but her character seems more in character when she's calmer. In TISAM she was a little mean and here she was a little hysterical. I guess they were trying to make it funny but it wasn't very funny...probably something among the lines of "Maybe it's not such a bad idea to build that wall" would work better than this exaggerated reaction.

[Sprocketeer]

I loved seeing Homer at SNPP and then the quick cut to him being at home and fired after tellings Burns to shut up. Great timing on that one. I do agree though that I'd like to see more of the nuclear power plant in S21 and onwards; some of the best episodes have used it as a major setting.

At first, I got excited because they were actually showing the plant. But then they made that quick cut which, surprisingly enough, got a laugh from me in spite of being the umpteenth time Homer has been fired.

It's interesting that for once, I really liked an episode that most are finding average at best, while it was pretty much the reverse of that for episodes like "Lost Verizon" and "Drugly". It may have been the season finale, but it may only be the first episode of the season I consider to be underrated.

Actually, AV Club gave this sucker a B+ and sums up my thoughts nicely.

[IM A BRICK]

I liked this one, some good jokes, and one great one.
After Homer drinks the Aquavit, looks around and says
"Hey where'd that Homer guy go..."
I was rolling. I would have to say 3.5 round up to 4.

[HOMR]

I wonder if it's a coincidence that this aired May 17th, Norwegian Constitution Day, which is really big even here in Sweden. I guess not.

Anyway, prettty average episode, felt a little rushed.

[qwertyuio]

A little disappointment. It's not bad or anything like that, but I had much better hopes for the season finale this year.

This episode is good, but not really surprising and obviously hardly memorable. It is at the Jean era's average, while almost the rest of the season was one level or two above it. The plot was a bit bland and rushed. I agree with Cash Kerouac that it seemed that they didn't have time enough to develop all the ideas. And it was too much influenced by previous episodes (specially Homer The Vigilante and Much Apu About Nothing), but it didn't reach half of their level. I am not a great defender of the originality above everything, and it doesn't bother me if a premise or a development looks like something already seen, but while this episode copied the ideas from classic episodes, it didn't capture the humour or the naturalness from them really well. Anyway, the episode was actually pretty funny, with scenes like Homer drunk or Wiggum's gags, and it was enjoyable overall. There were, however, some bad scenes, like Homer vomiting at the sax, Apu dancing and the "xylophobia" thing (I didn't find it funny), that marred the episode pretty much.

7/10 for me. Despite I think firmly that this season has increased the previous ten ones' level, this episode specifically feels like a return to those parameters.

And is Maggie gonna talk in every episode now, is that what the show has come to?

Aren't you just overreacting? This is the first time that the scene has appeared twice in the same season. It's not really an overused joke, though I agree with some users about it feeling repeated. But I think it works better as a reference towards the previous episode than as a new cliché.

[Kiyosuki]

I realized something kinda funny in this episode.

Wiggum contradicts himself. He says that he, Lou, and Eddie are the only three cops in the entire town earlier in the episode...but later at the end of the same episode he comes with a little squadron of cops. Either it's some too subtle for its own good jab at the old "sometimes there's just the 3 of them, sometimes a whole dept" thing or it's a pretty amusing booboo on the writers' part.

Or they just don't care.

[D DEBBS]

TYRANT T. TABBY: Hey, Snake! What the (expletive) is wrong with us cats sleeping with our female humans?!!!! (Slashes the tires of Li'l Bastard)

[some person]

Terrible episode, I really had a hard time watching the whole thing. It wasn't so much that it was bad, it was just really really boring.

[lionelhutz123]

I realized something kinda funny in this episode.

Wiggum contradicts himself. He says that he, Lou, and Eddie are the only three cops in the entire town earlier in the episode...but later at the end of the same episode he comes with a little squadron of cops. Either it's some too subtle for its own good jab at the old "sometimes there's just the 3 of them, sometimes a whole dept" thing or it's a pretty amusing booboo on the writers' part.

Or they just don't care.

Or Wiggum was exaggerating about how the police dept. is low on staff. It's also a meta-reference to the fact that the only 3 police officer characters that the audience is aware of is Wiggum, Lou, and Eddie. Anyone who has watched the series knows there are more police, but we just don't KNOW them.