Season 12 reconsideration

[hin_01]

I've been going through some season 12 episodes recently, and I've been finding that maybe these episodes weren't as bad as I first thought.

A little background: I started watching the Simpsons probably around season 6 and watched it pretty much every week. Season 12 featured the first episode that I can remember actively hating, which was Homer vs. Dignity. I can remember sitting still through that entire episode, not being entertained at all by how my favorite show was being dragged through the mud. By the end of the season, which ended with the Simpsons giving a hobo a sponge bath, I was done with the show and stopped making it appointment television. I've been in and out ever since, mostly out.

So ever since then, I've had a pretty strong hatred for season 12. It's the one that has stuck out to me the most as being the worst in the show's history (admittedly having not seen much of seasons 13 and beyond). Seasons 10 and 11 had some bad episodes, but season 12 really brought my hatred to the forefront. Season 12 was the first time I realized my favorite show probably wasn't coming back.

But now I've been watching season 12 episodes again, for the first time in many years. And I've gotta say, it's not quite as bad as I remember it. The show still seems to have a sense of humor at this point, which I really can't say about it nowadays. What bothered me the most at the time, and continues to this day, is how cartoony the show was becoming. The Simpsons have always been a TV show that happened to be animated, not a cartoon on par with Looney Tunes. But this season, and the two that preceded it, are filled with cartoonish gags that disgust me. In Trilogy of Error, there's a radioactive monkey with Ned at the end. In one of the episodes, the great gazoo appears. The entire plot of Bye Bye Nerdie revolves around nerd sweat. I mean, these are grade school gags.

With that said, I do find myself laughing at some of the stuff in this season. In HOMR, Homer says he's a Spalding Gray in a Rick Dees world. I can appreciate New Kids on the Blecch more now that boy bands are gone and I don't feel an intense hatred for anything they come in contact with anymore. Tale of Two Springfields, Insane Clown Poppy and Day of the Jackanapes aren't as bad as I remember them.

This is not to say that I like season 12. Homer vs. Dignity and Simpson Safari are awful episodes that bring shame to the series, and Tennis the Menace and Pokey Mom are just really boring. The Computer Wore Menace Shoes is a good episode ruined by a horrible reference in the 3rd act that few got and served no point in conjunction with episode or the Simpsons universe. This is still a bottom of the barrel season that deserves to be in the discussion for worst in the show's history. I used to think this was the no-doubt worst season, though, and now I no longer think that. I watched more of season 21 than I cared to, and those episodes were truly horrible. Like I said, at least season 12 still had a sense of humor. Season 21 was just horrible television.

I guess time heals old wounds. Seeing your favorite show decline always sucks, and for that reason season 12 was always my least favorite. In retrospect, however, it's probably no worse than seasons 10 or 11 and as I've found out, it actually can get worse than this.

[Jesse Pinkman]

i saw some s12 episodes when i was younger and didn't have much of an opinion on them. when the DVD came out, i got it and watched 'em all. the only truly horrific bad episodes, to me, are pokey mom, which was incredibly boring and had like no good jokes, a tale of two springfields, and simpson safari. there are some great episodes i think, like computer wore menace shoes (i know most hate it but i don't), trilogy of error, skinner's sense of snow, and some average episodes, like insane clown poppy, simpsons tall tales, and I'm Goin' to Praiseland. compared to seasons 10 and 11 i'd say 12 is probably the best (or at the very least, second to 10). i never disliked this season much at all

[Company Picnic]

Good post, hin_01, I never really noticed it before but the show does seem slightly more intact in S12 than it does now. Having said that, I believe the Scully era opened the way for what came after it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but at the time these episodes were produced, boy bands and Venus Williams were everywhere in the media - whereas now they look rather dated. This is something people are still pointing out with the new Jean episodes, so evidently they still haven't learned to keep it subtle like the show did at its best.

Maybe there were more classic era writers working on the show at that time, but just taking different directions under Scully? Swartzwelder most certainly springs to mind.

[Nauru-1]

While I would take it over the last couple of seasons, if anything my opinion of season 12 has fallen over the years. Then again, I really don`t have a high opinion of season 11 or the last two-thirds of season 10 either, so it probably fits comfortably with those. On the one hand you`ve got a really good episode in Trilogy of Error and another decent outing in Hungry Hungry Homer, but this is also the same season that boasts A Tale of Two Springfields and Tennis the Menace (both of which are downright terrible IMO). It`s less wacky than season 11 but also probably feels staler. It`s like the Scully formula itself is growing tired. I can`t say it`s completely laughless, because as annoying and frustrating as the Scully seasons were they did maintain a sense of comic timing. It was more a matter of whether the type of comedy they were going was worth anything.

[Wavy Gravy]

Season 12 starts off mostly shitty, like pretty much all of Seasons 10 and 11, but starts to improve significantly towards the end of its run. It's like Mike Scully finally got his act together six months before he was due to give up the showrunner chair. "Hungry Hungry Homer" and "Trilogy of Error" are still great episodes. And it seems some episodes like "I'm Goin' to Praiseland" and "Children of a Lesser Clod" were heavily rewritten to become a lot less goofy and obnoxious than they were going to be, and I can't complain about that.

But then you look at the holdovers that aired in Season 13 and they're mostly terrible. "The Blunder Years" is still one of the worst things ever.

[The Governor]

Well, to say s12 is better than s22 really isn't say very much. S12 felt like it was written by a 11year old family guy fan on a sugar high, whereas the show now suffers from the late Jean Era blandness.

IMO, s12 is a turd--a well aged turd.

[hammster]

The reason season 12 (and the whole of the Scully era tbf) are, to me, better than the late Jean era (hopefully the late Jean era anyway because we don't know how long this is gunna go on. This could become the early Jean era if the show lasts like another gazillion seasons or whatever) is because of two key reasons. 1. Nostalgia. 2. some of what the show is currently producing is much more damaging to the legacy of the show than anything Scully did was.

Firstly, Nostalgia is key for me in my enjoyment of the Scully era. Many of the episodes I grew up watching intermixed with those of the classic era. This was when I was not concerned with actively distinguishing between the quality of the episodes. I just laughed coz Homer hurt himself. I was young. I didn't care. As I grew up (and grew into a more critical mind), I still remembered loving certain episodes as a child that were perhaps not technically as good as some of the other top episodes so still felt a connection to them. Nostalgia helps the Scully era be bearable for me.

Secondly, the show becoming some kind of vehicle for Fox to take advantage of to advertise it's other tv shows is ridiculous and completely damaging to a show that used to make fun of that kind of thing. Much more damaging than the odd elf or panda rape (both of which are admittedly also very damaging and definately not highlights of the Scully era in any sense of the word). Episodes like Judge Me Tender and 24 Minutes (although the latter is entertaining) are horrible for the show's legacy and reputation as are the constant merry go round of Celebrity Guest Stars popping in to say hello. It's these things about the late Jean era that has meant that the failings of Scully now appear less damaging.

Niether of these reasons excuse the Scully Era (I do actually think that the Scully era produced alot of good episodes aswell as godawful ones which is more of an excuse) but I certainly prefer it to the last 5 seasons of the show.

[Postmaster]

I think even Scully must have realised they'd taken things too far in season 11, which is why the tail-end of season 11 gets slightly better, but it's still quite a way from being good.

[i'mbatman]

Every season, each of the older seasons are gonna get better and better, because every new season is getting worse and worse... I think it's pretty obvious that we're way past the point of the Simpsons ever improving...

[Dehumanizer]

The reason season 12 (and the whole of the Scully era tbf) are, to me, better than the late Jean era (hopefully the late Jean era anyway because we don't know how long this is gunna go on. This could become the early Jean era if the show lasts like another gazillion seasons or whatever) is because of two key reasons. 1. Nostalgia. 2. some of what the show is currently producing is much more damaging to the legacy of the show than anything Scully did was.

Firstly, Nostalgia is key for me in my enjoyment of the Scully era. Many of the episodes I grew up watching intermixed with those of the classic era. This was when I was not concerned with actively distinguishing between the quality of the episodes. I just laughed coz Homer hurt himself. I was young. I didn't care. As I grew up (and grew into a more critical mind), I still remembered loving certain episodes as a child that were perhaps not technically as good as some of the other top episodes so still felt a connection to them. Nostalgia helps the Scully era be bearable for me.

Secondly, the show becoming some kind of vehicle for Fox to take advantage of to advertise it's other tv shows is ridiculous and completely damaging to a show that used to make fun of that kind of thing. Much more damaging than the odd elf or panda rape (both of which are admittedly also very damaging and definately not highlights of the Scully era in any sense of the word). Episodes like Judge Me Tender and 24 Minutes (although the latter is entertaining) are horrible for the show's legacy and reputation as are the constant merry go round of Celebrity Guest Stars popping in to say hello. It's these things about the late Jean era that has meant that the failings of Scully now appear less damaging.

Niether of these reasons excuse the Scully Era (I do actually think that the Scully era produced alot of good episodes aswell as godawful ones which is more of an excuse) but I certainly prefer it to the last 5 seasons of the show.

Your first point about nostalgia, I totally understand. I started watching during the Scully era as well so there is still some remnants of nostalgia when I watch the Scully episodes nowadays. Though to be honest, not even nostalgia can make season eleven bearable for me, that is just completely out the window. And even though there are a number of horrible episodes on season twelve (New Kids On The Blecch, Pokey Mom, Simpson Safari), I can somewhat bear the horribleness of those over the overall season eleven. Season twelve is better than season eleven. At least on season twelve you've got some good ones (The Computer Wore Menace Shows, Hungry Hungry Homer, I'm Goin' To Praiseland, Skinner's Sense Of Snow, Treehouse Of Horror XI) The only good episode on season eleven is E-I-E-I-D'oh.

Your second point, I also agree with you. Tons of episodes in the Jean-era are definitely damaging to the legacy of the show. Jean is just a kiss-ass to the network nowadays, simple as that. He's always blabbing about winning Emmys and what guest star is going to appear. Scully had tons of legacy damaging moments too, no doubt about it. But at least he kept it to a minimum with the network ass kissing and whatnot.

Of course, there are some really good Jean-era episodes, but they are few and far between. Both eras have some really good episodes, but both have equally destroyed the show's legacy, just in different ways.

[Charlie]

In Trilogy of Error, there's a radioactive monkey with Ned at the end.

This is actually Worst Episode Ever, I think you're maybe confusing it with Mr. Teeny at the end of Trilogy of Error.

[Rowdy Roddy Peeper]

It produced a few great episodes with Trilogy of Error, Hungry, Hungry Homer, THOH XI and Insane Clown Poppy leading the way for me, but at the same time it produced some absolutely terrible episodes such as Simpson Safari, I'm Goin' To Praiseland etc. etc.

Homer was potentially characterized at his worse in some episodes, a truly unlikeable guy, but then in some episodes they got it right and pulled it off...although that was rare.

[hin_01]

Season 12 definitely features some of my least favorite traits of the show, namely the use of guest stars not as characters organic to the show but as themselves. Tennis the Menace has real tennis stars, and N*Sync appears as themselves, as do The Who. I like guest stars when it's Danny DeVito as Herb or Winona Ryder as Alison Taylor, not when it's Alec Baldwin as Alec Baldwin. Then it's just promoting the star, not promoting the show.

"I can`t say it`s completely laughless, because as annoying and frustrating as the Scully seasons were they did maintain a sense of comic timing. It was more a matter of whether the type of comedy they were going was worth anything." I think this is what has me warming up the Scully years a little bit (just a little). For all of its faults, it did maintain a sense of humor. Oftentimes the humor had no place in the Simpsons, like the radioactive monkey which was in fact in Worst Episode Ever, not Trilogy of Error. Another gag I forgot to mention that I really hated was in New Kids on the Blecch, when Homer is watching the Olympics clip on TV in the beginning and it shows a long jumper jumping out of the stadium. Episodes I've seen recently don't even seem to have that going for it, though.

Scully's years were like driving off a cliff at 100 mph, whereas Jean's seasons recently are like driving off a cliff at 10 mph. They both lead to demise, but one gets you there in a more exhilirating fashion. I'd rather go out in a blaze of glory than sputter to a lifeless death.

[jet]

i completely disagree with the notion that the scully seasons have aged well. even season 9 is bothersome to watch and it only has traces of the style that would take over. in fact, episodes from season nine/ten that i used to tolerate i now find increasingly difficult to watch.

for example Lisa the Skeptic gets credit around here for being an attempt at intelligent satire in a mostly brainless era but watching it recently, the episode seems almost more offensive than the most egregious wacky scully-gagfest. basically every character is a straw man and aside from that the episode basically ignores anything meaningful they could have had to say about the subject of science vs. faith by basing the entire episode around a completely ridiculous dilemma. the christians are portrayed as moronic mob forming ignoramuses that immediately jump to the conclusion that there's a dead angel skeleton in springfield, opposed by the equally annoying (though completely justified in her desire to obtain evidence considering the preposterousness of the town's almost unanimous opinion) Lisa Simpson. the episode isn't really about the relationship between faith and reason at all, until of course they throw that theme in there to give the illusion that the episode has more depth. and in addition the the horrible way the religious are portrayed it's offensive how Lisa simply segues into that argument with marge which frankly had no bearing on the point that Lisa was trying to make. and lisa's position is basically "believing in angels is stupid", which is okay for her personally but it is no way to defend the position that the species of the fossil must be determined through scientific means. so there isn't an intelligent argument on either side of the issue in this episode, which could be considered a bit of satire in itself but it is a. completely inaccurate and b. pointless considering the episode concludes with a simple compromise between the two forces (represented by Lisa and Marge) saying that we mustn't deride each other based on our beliefs and there is a place for both faith and science. well that would just be fine if the episode had given any sort of intelligent build up to that obvious conclusion. the most realistic character in this episode is marge, who actually is a more moderate or liberal christian, but the fact that she feels sorry for Lisa for not being able to believe the fossil is an angel puts her into this exaggerated, silly version of christianity as well.

and the criticisms of this episode could be applied to many of the lazy scully attempts at satire in season 9, 10, 11, or 12.

okay that got really off topic and maybe i should have saved that for the r/r thread for the episode but i don't plan on watching that episode soon anyway so whatever.

the recent jean era may be bland but i find the tone of the scully era so repulsive that i guess i'll always be biased on the matter.

[hin_01]

Jet, I completely agree with your critique of Lisa the Skeptic. In fact, you critiqued it better than I ever could.

My question would be, do you think the attempts at satire have been any better recently? I guess this is my main critique of the show today, and why the Scully look a little (emphasis on little; I still don't like these seasons at all) better; all of the problems that were present for Scully's year are still present, only now there's not even a shred of humor in all of it. So when I watch an episode like Lisa the Skeptic, it may not be a good attempt at satire, but there are humorous moments to be found. It at least has something going for it.

Whenever I see the show nowadays try to make a humorous political statement, I'm embarrassed by it. Homer trying to vote for Obama...wow that was great. Homer in that Count of Monte Cristo episode, "then why is America in Iraq?" Ugh. I guess I should be thankful that Scully never tried to make political statements like this, and at worst just went after religious people.

Completely agree with your sentiment, though. I know I'd feel better about the show if it had simply ended after season 9.

[Semaj]

Season 12 is not among the worst seasons, especially given where the show is now. In between the ha-has, there were some noticeable problems.

The main problem appeared to be signs of weariness in the writers' room, a bunch of plot points, gags, and one-liners that felt extremely lazy. The standout is "Simpsons Safari". The story jumps around quite a bit, even when it already focuses on the next wacky adventure. Yet it really bothers me that a townwide famine was caused by a bagger boy strike, which is about as insignificant a conflict as they could get.

Then there were moments where characters seemed to forget even the most basic things, like Homer forgetting Santa's line in "Homer v. Dignity, and Chief Wiggum having to break down a kindergarten pun for an audience in "I'm Going to Praiseland!". Seriously? I know the Springfielders are supposed to be "dumb", but it's borderline retarded. The joke is only a little amusing in retrospect, because of how boring the show is today.

The season ranged from terribly funny ("Children of a Lesser Clod", "Treehouse of Horror XI") to okay ("HOMR", "Skinner's Sense of Snow") to somewhat boring ("Pokey Mom", "Day of the Jackanapes"). If indeed Mike Scully was running out of steam, he seemed to pick a good moment to step out. He even attempted to bring the show halfway back to Earth towards the end.

[jet]

i can see where you're coming from, and to be honest what i've seen of the more recent simpsons episodes doesn't seem a whole lot better than the scully era. but i definitely prefer an era where the show is phoning it in to an era that digs into a beloved series in the most loud, abrasive way, destroying almost everything we love about the characters. there is something inherently irritating about the scully episodes, everything about them feels like an assault on my comedy senses, and in general the pacing, sound design, or what have you is harder to bear in this particular era and i can't exactly explain why. and i do understand the absurd humour behind the scully seasons but i don't find that it holds up that well and i haven't laughed at a scully episode in years aside from the odd exception. and without the humour the scully era has very little to offer. i can't speak for the current episodes but the early jean era is more than a toned down version of the scully era, he attempted to bring the show back to the family and succeeded in improving the show for a couple seasons and offering (or at least honestly attempting) some emotional resonance. the decline in the jean era is a natural slow burn that happens to every TV show after it has outstayed its welcome, whereas the scully era is a total freefall and in my opinion seasons 10-12 will always be the darkest years of the show if only because of the fall from greatness that they (and season 9) represent. i can't really blame al jean and the writers for continuing to hold on to the show even though i wish they would let it go.

but i think that it's the abrasive approach of the scully era that adds to the insulting nature of all of the standard problems like bad characterization, disingenuous attempts at satire, and less than clever plotting. and with all those problems it's no wonder scully relied on gag-fest episodes so much, the type of episodes that even in the classic era are IMO less deserving of recognition aside from a few exceptions. and i wouldn't have a problem with the gag-fests but i simply don't find the scully era funny anymore. given my druthers i'd rather watch a jean episode simply because i prefer the blandness to the gaudy style of scully, even if they may be equally hollow in some respects.

[The Governor]

If I were to give any credit to S12, is it is better than Seasons 11, 21, and 22, but as whole I'd still give it a D+.

[leprechaun_dan]

I believe Season 12 is such a wonderful season. Some very memorable episodes like Trilogy of Error, The Computer Wore Menace Shoes, Skinner's Sense of Snow, Hungry Hungry Homer and Children of a Lesser Clod. The only episodes I believe ruined this season were Tennis the Menace and Simpson Safari.