Rate and Review: "The Nedliest Catch" (NABF15)

[:FD:Mario]

Liked the episode it was funny i voted the should stay as a couple

[Gatorgod]

Another vote for togetherness!

[Sniper Squirrel]

congrats to Jake, good episode, really liked Flanders at Moe's and SLH. If I do vote, it'll probably be pro

[Zombies Rise from the Sea]

The Ned-liest Catch

Okay, so the Season Finale of the Simpsons and there's an interesting premise behind this. In which Ned and Edna get together, and for the most part they do it well (although they do get together too quickly, like ridiculously quick.). I have to admit, the characters of Ned and Edna were fully fleshed out in both dialog and personality and the romantic scenes were done in the best possible way; I can totally believe them having a romance together; it just seems really believable in the world of The Simpsons. Homer and Marge were also done in a convincing matter, but Bart does not feel like himself anymore, he feels like a boy who just does pranks and stuff for comedic value instead of rebellion, which pulls me out of the episode many times (although I did like the Santa's Little Helper gag.). Skinner and Chalmers (who don't do any odd couple humor throughout the episode, which I fucking liked.); the episode also ones up this by actually having an educational detention center that is just believably portrayed and they didn't forget about it later on., though they did forget that Edna was supposed to be a dummy. Some of the educational stuff falters, feeling overly cartoony and unbelievable. (especially the beginning which I didn't buy into for a second, even though I tried. I couldn't buy the whole cartoony situation - they even got switches and stuff conviently; although it did improve when Edna hit Bart so at least it wasn't a total waste.) and It was interesting to see the music teacher drive a Smart car but this just feels like a statement rather then an addition to character.

It was nice to actually carry out on forgotten facts such as Ned borrowing stuff and picking on Ned but most of the picking on Ned stuff felt somewhat obvious and blatant, I don't even know why Homer picks on Ned anymore but seeing the stuff gone was nice, even though it may of been done before. The moments at the bar and what happened after the bar was nice; interesting to see Homer shunning everyone and Ned worrying (though the guest star was an obligatory waste.), though I feel like they stole the joke from an earlier episode but it was interesting to see an additional joke on top of it, even though it really didn't grab my attention. The way Homer chased after Ned felt way too much like a joke in the beginning where they do gymnastics while exiting the gym but having Homer talk with Ned while doing this saved it; I didn't mind the octopus in the end, it's expected. The way it ends is nice though I didn't buy Edna suddenly being pissed, but it did set up the cliffhanger where it pulls out to reveal The Simpsons pimping TheSimpsons.com like game show hosts and the fan poll to keep Ned and Edna together. Most of the jokes just felt alright to me, seeing as how I've mostly heard these kind of jokes before. (I'm guessing Jamie aka Rubbercat.net did a Who Shot Mr. Burns joke before...) But it was still nice to do this, even though there's a may or may not about whether they'll follow through.

Anyway, this season finale does two things. Be better then the last season finale episode and portray a convincing romance. I don't know how they're going to modify this episode for syndication seeing as how the ending will be outdated in a few months but hey, at least we got a pretty good season finale.

7.0/10

[arii]

ending ruined it

someone else brought up Who Shot Mr. Burns and at least that ended in a pretty funny way that had no impact on the episode itself. and a good joke to end it with. instead we got Homer and Marge just standing there talking and I felt a little bit ripped off because I had actually gotten somewhat invested in the plot only for them to pull me right out of it and have Homer and Marge ramble on about whatever the hell it was they were rambling on about

which was stupid

and it seemed like Ned and Edna had reached a conclusion on their own. I was liking where they were going with Edna being offended at Ned's well-meaning but ultimately misogynistic message and figured that would be a good place to stop it but they took it a few lines too many that made it seem obvious that they should just get together

and I honestly can't find the dilemma in this ~fan initiative~, the writers took two random characters like drawing a name out of a hat and said "okay you two get together now"

I haven't seen Grade School Confidential in forever so I'm just trying to think back to that and how that worked out, and it was just so much better. A much more organic way for the couple to meet and... I don't know, I guess they just did a better job of getting me to fall for them. They had an excellent dynamic and had great scenes showing the growth of their relationship, instead of just a single date and then a music montage. I'm trying to figure out why I should feel strongly enough about this couple to vote one way or the other when that's all their relationship ever was, except for the additional "oh Edna's a bit of a slut" bit.

I think my point with this ultimately is

I just watched four months of Parks and Recreation in which Ben was a brand new character and Leslie was the show's lead. The two had a reason to interact with one another and a legit conflict going on (they work together; he's trying to cut down her department due to budget costs and she's trying to save it), and along the way something just ends up clicking with them and we see the UST develop and grow and grow until finally they've got pretty much the entire fanbase flailing over it (including people who never ship anything ever like myself) and then they go somewhere with it and it's still just going.

And then I watched this episode, and it tried to condense the whole random thing into twenty minutes with a cheesy ~fan initiative~ at the end, and it's just flat out inferior.

[The Wiggs]

I think that Skinner definately needs to make an attempt to stop the wedding between Ned and Edna if there is one. That could make for a pretty good episode I would think.

[That Don Guy]

It was a good episode, but nothing really stood out. 3/5, but that is subject to change depending on how they change it for repeats.

As for the vote, sorry, but I'm No-Nedna - if they do end up together, there's going to be too much interplay between Edna and Bart.

(Speaking of the vote, in case you didn't notice, you can vote as many times as you want - and all you have to do to "reset the page" is to refresh the page. Something tells me that they realize this, and they've already decided what to do with Nedna rather than depend on an Internet vote that can be rigged.)

Info Courtesy of Snpp.com

I'll take that as an acceptance of snpp.com using NoHomers as a source of its "future episode" information...

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

At first I didn't think they'd mess with the fans here, but if the voting really is that manipulative and stupid then I don't know anymore.

[noaizuma]

First of all congrats Jake.

I really liked the first few AND last few minutes of this episode. The stuff in the gym was decently funny, but more importantly felt both true to the respective characters, as well as true to kids emotions. The Ending bit with the characters breaking the 4th wall was pretty funny as well.

Other then that the only bit I really liked was Moe fighting to take over Edna's face (I loved the crowd of men behind him).

3 outta 5 and pro

[That Don Guy]

For those of you thinking of using the Facebook icons on the site, you would think somebody would have told Fox that they work much better if they're square - the ones they have cut off the "Nedna" line when they actually appear on Facebook.

[noaizuma]

For those of you thinking of using the Facebook icons on the site, you would think somebody would have told Fox that they work much better if they're square - the ones they have cut off the "Nedna" line when they actually appear on Facebook.

LOL

[Mr.]

Life can be so ironic! Yestrday I was doing a post on my blog about my ten favorite episodes of the last four seasons of the show (it's in Polish but you still can see the titles on the list)
http://panmilus.blogspot.com/2011/05...last-four.html (I Pick seasons made after the "Movie" as the point when I think show trully went down hill) but now this episode came and made me want to put it somewhere on the top!

I LOVE IT! For me the relation between Ned and Edna felt both natural and sweet. I love how they completed each other....
Somebody mention how they don’t fit together as they are to different. Well look at Marge and Homer! I personally believe that in relationship you need a Ying and a Yang and it can workout pretty well, as long there is some common ground between the two it can work without neither changing their world views but improving one another instead. Plus I think it opens door for the writers to actually put some freshness to the show, not just because of various episode they can build around Ned/Edna as a married couple but – Hey! It’s Bart Simpson dealing with teacher living next door! I can just picture all the great jokes about Edna having Bart to write hundred times on the chalkboard “I will have my Father put pants and underwear when he is passing his neighbor window” or something

I like the part about Edna hitting Bart and I think it was handle interesting way as well (to be honest I hat experience with being hit by teacher as a child as well so it bring some dark memories… no public school for my kids… but not enough to ruined this episode)

I like how Homer behave in this episode (very sweet) and I fond it to be a pretty good characterization… in fact I think everybody was handle well in this epsiode!

I love the pool on the end (I actually find it to be an interesting twist) I’m voting on them to stay together! HURRAY FOR LOVE!


P.S.
Was Lisa in this episode, at all? It doesn’t make a difference for me but I don’t recall her having a single line…

[Friz]

they should have ended the episode with edna getting pregnant and then have the internet decide whether or not she keeps the baby.

[noaizuma]

...Was Lisa in this episode, at all? It doesn’t make a difference for me but I don’t recall her having a single line…

yep she's in the gym in the beginning and has the cute bit about not being able to break the paper banner so she crawls under it

[Cartoonnetwork]

There were some bad jokes in the first act but I didn't mind cause the story was pretty good. I loved the middle part with Ned and Edna, and then with Homer and Ned. Everything was pretty well done. Even the somewhat silly jokes with Homer during his talk with Flanders kinda worked so the scene wouldn't get too sappy.

But I totally hated the ending. They should have ended with the "maybe this should be decided by a higher force" line which was a subtle reference to the whole fan initiative thing and also worked in context cause Flanders does believe in 'higher forces'. Maybe they had to advertise it a little more for the people who didn't read the news or checked the internet but a fade out to end the episode and a quick voice over would have worked better than Marge and Homer trying to make forced jokes about it.

So, I guess 4/5 and I'll probably vote Yes if I remember to do it.

P.S. This episodes proves, once more, that having a solid story (and telling it right) is really important. Even with some bad jokes this episode was more interesting than most of this season. In fact if it weren't for the three last episode this season would have been almost completely disposable.

[Ryan]

I'm still not sure if the writers are actually self-aware of the ridiculousness of putting all this hype into the romantic lives of two second-tier characters who never even shared a line together in nearly 500-something episodes being decided by internet fans as some sort of bizarre cliffhanger. I was half-expecting to see SOME reference to it (given how they unceremoniously killed Richard Bomba or whatever his name was), but this just seems too out there to actually be a real ploy.

I don't really care either way, but I can't help but let my curiosity get the better of me. I just have this thought of, "Goddamn, this is so stupid... are they really serious? Damn, this is killing me. I guess I'll have to watch to find out." I guess the writers did do their job then.

[Cartoonnetwork]

Well, I'm not sure about Edna, but Ned is a pretty important character in the show. Maybe the whole deal is because most of the viewers disliked Maude's death-and even Jean didn't seem to be too happy with it- so this time they prefer the audience to decide this.

[PorkShampoo]

Good character-based writing. Classic jokes like Ned calling his wife-beater a "wife-blesser" and whatnot.

[Mr. Krikt]

There were a number of problems like Ned parting the water (far too much like Family Guy), but I actually enjoyed the episode after the awful slapping plot was "resolved". For once I actually cared about the characters and I genuinely didn't want a return to the status quo.

[Mr.]

yep she's in the gym in the beginning and has the cute bit about not being able to break the paper banner so she crawls under it

Ow, right! Thanks

There were a number of problems like Ned parting the water (far too much like Family Guy)

I personally enjoy it for how "out of nowhere" it was as well how emotionless Ned face was (like it was daily event for him), but I agree it felt more like Family Guy. The however one joke I don't get is Edna fidding cross in Ned's popcorn. Was that refrence to something?

I would love to see more interactions betwen Edna and Rod and Todd... BTW -> In which class their are anyway? I know their older then Lisa ("Lisa's first word") but we bearly see them in Sprigfield Elementary...

[biffwestwood]

4/5

The first scene in the gymnasium was the best scene since it did a good job at showing most of the students. This episode was a great love story although partly forced since Homer is put to more use than Bart. I thought Bart telling Cinderella to Rod and Todd with the disasterous results of them sewing and ironing Bart's clothes was the high point. I wonder if they are now doing "Are Rod and Todd gay?" humor. I did not like it that they had to remind us of the "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" cliffhanger when announcing about the "Fan Initiative" because that was unnecessary and uncalled for.

I am gong to vote "Pro Nedna" since I feel this could make the dynamics of the Simpsons and their neighbors a lot funnier.

At thesimpsons.com they say to "Vote now (and often)" so their survey is not a true survey since many people will vote more than once. While the survey here will be a lot more accurate.

[Captain Squid]

The however one joke I don't get is Edna fidding cross in Ned's popcorn.

They were referencing the "classic" dude move of ripping a hole in the bottom of a popcorn bag, inserting ones penis into the hole and awaiting the female to discover the penis. I'd assume the man hopes to receive a buttery handjob.

Edna thought Ned did this, but instead found a cross.

[The Wiggs]

Good character-based writing. Classic jokes like Ned calling his wife-beater a "wife-blesser" and whatnot.

Ya I actually thought that was pretty funny and clever too. One of those simple little jokes.

[Financial Panther]

One part of the episode I was sure would get ripped to shreds on here was when Edna was about to fall onto the sidewalk...and Bart just runs away. I mean, he's a devious character, but in the past, he's shown sympathy toward Edna, and I can't believe that he would do something like that.

[That Don Guy]

yep she's in the gym in the beginning and has the cute bit about not being able to break the paper banner so she crawls under it

I thought I saw a sign that said something like, "Congratulations On Your First Basket' (in line with the 2-0 triple overtime result).

Also, thank God they didn't say Homer and Edna had a fling like the episode description implied.

Just to be sure I didn't imagine reading, or misinterpret, this when I wrote the SNPP.com description, here's what it says in the Fox press release:

When Edna and Ned start dating, he is surprised to learn she’s been with many of Springfield’s men, including Homer and Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer

[Captain_Smiley]

how are they going to end this in future reruns? are they still going to have it end with homer and marge announcing this contest (which wouldn't make sense of course)?

They might put some type of warning on the screen saying that the voting is over.

[Ray Jay Jonah]

4/5

Good episode with a nice story that moves swiftly and great character writing and good humour. I'm happy they didn't make a big point of the guest star and just briefly using him to advance the plot. Oh, and totally Pro-Nedna.

[biffwestwood]

They might put some type of warning on the screen saying that the voting is over.

That is the most logical answer. It is similar to game show reruns that had at-home contests. A message in those episodes typically flash on the screen stating the contest is no longer active.

[Comicshow MolemanBob]

The Nedliest Catch

I enjoyed this episode maybe not as much as the last episode but it was much better than last years season finale. I really like Edna's character and usually her episodes are pretty good and this one was no exception. There were many good jokes including Santa's Little Helper and Bart's homework (Although it did go on for too long) The scene in which her face contained all the men of Springfield and Chalmers was great as usual. I also like the speech Ned gave at Moe's as it did not seemed force and made me feel more for the character over recent years. But with many post classic episodes there were jokes and plot points I did not like, Ned should have been in the episode before and not just introduced halfway through the episode also it did seem to run out of steam towards the end but I still managed to find laughs throughout. Maybe in the top three of the season but defiantly in the top five.

Score: 8.0/10.0

Oh and yeah: I'm voting "Pro Barnzy Cat Lady Man" Oh wait, no that's next years fan initiative

[Blobulle]

I love the first 15 minutes of this episode. Except when Ned separates the river, I found this episode very realistic.

I found every scenes good, a very good story (Edna who lost her job because she slapped Bart) and despite the lack of jokes, I enjoyed watching this episode.

I like the meeting between Ned and Edna, the old man who looks the crack, the part Simpsons / Flanders is superb : Homer who throws Bart in the garden of Ned, Homer unable to repair Maggie's toy... (and just after she succeeds), and the atmosphere was still good.

Ok if I stop here it would become the second best episode of the season. But the last 5 minutes of the episode were bad : first the scene in Moe's bar was average (besides the tirade of Ned), Joey Kramer didn't take too much time, but when Ned saw a lot of faces across Edna's face I didn't like at all, and end with Homer and Marge, it couldn't take less time, honestly ? In the DVD or even in other versions, this scene will be useless...

I am a little disappointed by the end of this episode but it's still good to finish the season. Pro Nedna ! 15/20 => 4/5