Rate and Review: "A Midsummer's Nice Dream" (NABF09)

[Tomacco]

The Simpsons technically did the Hoarders thing before South Park. This script was written about a year ago, animatic was in August... That South Park episode didn't air until November or so, and we all know they write their episodes from scratch weeks before airdate (at most).

[Mr.]

Ok. I just don't get this episode. There wasn't a single joke that I found funny (clouses thing would be Skiners mother coment "You putt nothing over nothing") and the plot was so bland and conflict-less I don't thing I will ever re-visit this episode ever agian.

Over all - sad to say - this episode felt like a waste of time but Then agian I had no idea who the hell "Cheech and Chong" are or I didn't smoke weed in my life so maybe I'm just missing 90% of the jokes..

[Jakro]

I just didn't care and didn't find pretty much anything funny in it. Even Homer's imagination scene, which was the type of scene I would normally like, wouldn't not work for me this time. Some gags felt blatant filler which is surprising that they need some when there's practically three plots going on.

There was only one or two truly horrible things, but otherwise it was just bad. Homer's bits were mediocre at best and the ending didn't work at all. 1/5.

[Tomacco]

"I don't find this funny at all". Best joke of the episode.

[Jims]

"Substantive Analysis and Contextual Meaning in a Post-Modern Industrialized Society"

An discourse by Jims

While the true meaning of magnum opus "A Midsummer's Nice Dream" is obscured by clouds of obscurity, there are certain truths that can be gleamed from it. This is an episode that cleverly juxtaposes the human condition, Latin American culture, and the societal norms of bandanna wearing.

Truly, Cheech and Chong are the Willy Loman of our generation. Their pursuit of an idealized vision of the American dream symbolizes the daily struggles of the middle class to achieve that vision. In order to achieve these goals, they must create art. However, to create art is to destroy art. One must play to the fetishistic bourgeois and their caterwauling indulgences. The alternative is to reject traditional means and challenge one's malefactors with a cacophony of innovative conceptualization. Only through the proactive substitution of innovative conceptualization can self-aggrandizement be fully institutionalized.

Furthermore, the hitherto aforementioned art is distorted by drug use and the usage of drugs. Societal pressures have taught Cheech and Chong to abide within these rules, so they are ultimately bound to work within these parameters. Homer Simpson symbolizes Big Brother, the all-oppressive public opinion that stifles true creativity. He is the person on the other side of the door, not allowing true art to come inside. As witnessed by Skinner's gaudy peacock costume, clearly those who venture away from these banal endeavors only end up on NBC, viewed merely by a pittance of petulant people.

Underlying all of these themes is the titular reference to "A Midsummer Night Dream's", a work by Billy Shakespeare. Certainly some of the dramatic scenes at the Crazy Cat Lady's abode will recall the plight of Hermia. The Crazy Cat Lady's marriage to world possessions causes great grief and suffering to her essence, and cannot break free from it without the aid of a third party. This third party interaction of Marge directly subverts the third party interaction of Homer, leading to a subversion.

One can only walk away from this episode and wonder "Why?" But, to ask the episode that question is self-defeating. The episode should be asking you.

8 star-shaped triangles out of 11.5.

[Neptune]

Eh, it was ok. I didn't really care for the hoarders joke, but the rest was ok. I did like the "who's Beevis and Butthead" joke.

[The Wiggs]

This episode is the the definition of "meh" 3/5

[Cartoonnetwork]

I don't know, this one didn't do it for me. Maybe I'm being a little harsh since the jokes were for the most part good, but story and structure-wise, I'm very disappointed.

This was a fairly funny episode overall, with some good moments, like Abe's "wake me when I'm dead" line, the tryouts that Chong was holding (Ralph made me laugh pretty hard), and the Cat Lady seeing Cats. The characterization of Homer actually made him pretty funny and likable too. It's been done before, but I liked the idea of Homer realizing that Cheech wasn't like his on-screen persona and having to struggle with the situation he got himself into. And I even liked where the Chong story was going with Skinner becoming his new partner. The problem is, I liked where it was going, but it never got there.

We didn't need a C plot with the cat lady and Marge becoming a hoarder. It just felt lazy and out-of-place to be cramming this story into an episode that already had a completely serviceable A-plot and a B-plot with potential. I never bought Marge becoming a hoarder and her transformation happens so late and gets so little time to breathe anyway, she never came across as crazy or obsessive enough to fill the role that she was given. It might have worked if this was a subplot to a different episode, but here it just gets distracting. Not to mention that its resolution feels so tossed in that it makes the entire thread feel like filler. As I said earlier, I liked the idea of Chong and Skinner doing bits together, with Skinner being funny and daring by not being funny, but we don't get any of that because they wasted time with the hoarding plot. They establish a decent idea and they don't use it? Even the main plot with Homer and Cheech, while plotted well enough, could have used a few more laughs (that hallucination bit actually frustrated me with how long it was). I might have liked the main plot more if we actually got to see Homer and Cheech doing more bits together. I would have wanted to see that, it sounds funny, but instead we just get backstage drama.

I'm torn because the humor wasn't bad, but this episode really needed a trim here and there with its plot. Maybe it's just harsh disappointment and I'll change my mind later, but this episode gets a 2/5 from me.

I agree with all this, but I still give it a 4/5.

After the eye-popping disaster last week and considering episodes with prominent guest stars don't usually feel very natural I think this made a pretty good job with what it got. Sure, the structure wasn't perfect but it wasn't totally awful either. We kind of get why Cheech would get tired of Homer, and Chong, well, Skinner was too lame to begin with. We also kind of get why Homer would like to quit and give the job to Chong again.

And the first part of the episode was very well done. Homer talking about his kids about Cheech and Chong was fun and charming, as it was the first scene when Homer decides to take the place of Chong. It's kind of a stupid goal for Homer but it was made in a charming way with Marge supporting him in the decission. I had to smile at the mixture of fun and charm of this premise.

The hallucination scene was maybe a little bit too long but for the most part it was worth it and one of the most fun and creative imagination sequences in a while.

The subplot I thought it was a neat idea that needed more time to been developed in a succesful way. I could buy Marge being a hoarder to some extent, but the way it was done it seemed too exaggerated. It didn't seem that it happened in a gradual form. I still thought it had some decent jokes and reasonable use of Crazy Cat Lady, though the list gags really had to go. Crazy Cat Lady being a hoarder adds something more to her usual character. Her being kinda cured of her insanity, while not very believable, also made her a little more interesting. Marge developing a similar obsession was also interesting and believable in concept, cause I think it's something that kinda fits with Marge's housewife personality, usually moms save things cause they think they can give them a proper use. So even if it wasn't very well done it still surprise me that they had a somewhat decent premise for a CCL subplot.

I've never seen Cheech and Chong though I've heard the names. They're not really very popular in Spain. But, even with its flaws, I thought this was one of the most enjoyable episodes of the season, and it was about time, since most of this season is being really poor. I'm kinda wishing they'd end the show already, but if there were more episodes like this one I'd maybe be more optimistic.

[Old painty-can Ned]

I don't really know what to think about this episode. On one hand there were no really cringe worthy gags only a few bad jokes and I actually laughed out loud at the suspenders line which I don't do often with the new episodes. But the episode was bogged down like many in the four act structure as seeming way too in a hurry to restore the status quo and in doing so left me feeling empty. I do agree with most here that the Crazy Cat Lady may be one of the worst characters in the shows history and this episode just made her seem worse with her seeing the musical and the cat tissue box. Also the ending was very lackluster and sort of ruined the episode. Lastly I normally like list jokes(even though they're the easiest form of joke to make) and what not but only on occasion not like every episode and not more than once an episode.

Overall Grade: C- and a 3/5 on the poll.

[NoOneFamous]

How could an episode with Cheech, Chong, and marijunana be so bland? There just really wasn't much worth remembering from this, except maybe Homer's dream sequence, which I loved. The writing was awkward in that it didn't make sense to have a B story when the main story already had to show two different points of view.

Nothing was offensively bad in this episode like last week's episode, but it just wasn't memorable or all that funny, either.

I give it a 3/5.

[Kiyosuki]

Bart not knowing who Beavis and Butthead are has got to be one of the most surreal moments in the series for me.

[Dark Homer]

bart not knowing what the 90s are was a funny joke because he's the poster child of the 90s and it acknowledged the ridiculousness of a floating timeline

bart not knowing some cartoon that premiered after the simpsons is just the show showing its age and needlessly calling attention to it

[Diversity Pumpkin]

"The 90s? Never heard of it" always makes me sad. =(

[Kiyosuki]

The part with Bart was sorta mildly random funny to me I guess, but...whoa...hold on a second.



Am I missing something?

[Üter]

missing what?

It's chunk

[Diversity Pumpkin]

I haven't seen the episode. Goof, or is Bart's ear supposed to be like that?

[Comicshow MolemanBob]

Just started watching the credits and was I the only one to notice Lisa was playing a trumpet?

[clemsonfight]

Was nice to see that we had a very NORMAL couch gag on this one.

[Financial Panther]

Just started watching the credits and was I the only one to notice Lisa was playing a trumpet?

No, I saw that too. But I don't think it's the first time she's done it.

[lionelhutz123]

Was nice to see that we had a very NORMAL couch gag on this one.

Agreed. It was quick and simple with just as much humor you should expect from a couch gag.


The episode wasn't terrible, but it sure had some glaring warts in an otherwise alright episode. The first act was definitely the best with pacing and quality, but after that things got a bit hairy.

For one, the cat lady subplot was wasted potential. Writers, the audience is