Rate and Review: “The Man in the Blue Flannel Pants” (PABF01)

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

Actually the poll choices were almost all based on jobs Homer "earned" at the plant in previous episodes(in case someone didn't notice). C.E. D'oh, Homer's Odyssey, Homer Goes to College, Homer the Smithers. I technically had Grimey from Homer's Enemy in mind for Executive Vice President, but wasn't Homer offered something close to that in Simpson and Delilah? That kinda counts I guess.

[Bleedin' Gums Murphy]

^

Some things you shouldn't worry about too much to be honest

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Why is bee keeper in 2/5? That was one of the best bits in Homer Goes to College.

[The Spruce Moose]

not my work and probably already mentioned but this sums up my problems with the episode

http://deadhomersociety.wordpress.co...flannel-pants/

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Hahahaha. Carla doesn't have a nose.

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

Why is bee keeper in 2/5? That was one of the best bits in Homer Goes to College.

Well they were based on episodes, but I ranked the positions by what seemed like the best to worst to actually have, with Smithers being something of a joke.

[Hommer]

not my work and probably already mentioned but this sums up my problems with the episode

http://deadhomersociety.wordpress.co...flannel-pants/

Dead Homers in a nutshell:

THIS EPISODE IS GONNA SUCK!
THIS EPISODE DID SUCK!
ZOMBIE SIMPSONS!
ZOMBIE SIMPSONS!
ZOMBIE SIMPSONS!
ZOMBIE SIMPSONS!
quote of the day
ZOMBIE SIMPSONS!
ZOMBIE SIMPSONS!
SIMPSONS ZOMBIES!
SOMBIE ZIMPSONS!

[Mr. Krikt]

I think Zombie Simpsons is a victim of its length and the writers' inability to change. When there's twenty years of old episodes, they're going to cover some old ground. However, the problem is the writers don't seem to be afraid of this at all and when it does happen, they don't justify or add a fresh twist.
Homer getting promoted within the SNPP is far from new as Tubb pointed out but it's in a more general sense Homer getting a random job, one of the most overused plot hooks in the Simpsons.

The problem with this is twofold: the characterisation and their refusal to do something new/intelligent with it. Firstly, this is the same character that in season 20 mistook his reflection for another human being. Yet here he is being suave, holding a party and rubbing elbows with influential people in society. Even compared to standard Homer and not the Peter Griffin competitor that he has been recently, Homer is clearly contorted to fit the random plot.
Secondly, as I said in my original post, there's nothing interesting about his job. It's just a poor parody of Mad Men, if you can call it that. The lawnmower bit, for example, must be mystifying for someone not familiar with the scene and it's certainly not funny for them. That said, as a fan of Mad Men I didn't find it entertaining in the slightest; yes I get what they're referencing but swapping out the characters doesn't make it funny. I swear I've seen bad fancomics where it's essentially the author inserting themselves into situations from their favourite shows and this seems no better.

The writers seem to tack onto something (such as High School Musical) and insert the Simpsons in, letting the episode write itself. It's a very low form of parody and makes the series seem very tired. Just look at the raft scene as well, for how it's showing its weariness without leaning on some other intellectual property.
I find it hard with all this in mind to believe that people say the show is as good as ever.

[The Governor]

Dead Homers in a nutshell:

THIS EPISODE IS GONNA SUCK!
THIS EPISODE DID SUCK!
ZOMBIE SIMPSONS!
ZOMBIE SIMPSONS!
ZOMBIE SIMPSONS!
ZOMBIE SIMPSONS!
quote of the day
ZOMBIE SIMPSONS!
ZOMBIE SIMPSONS!
SIMPSONS ZOMBIES!
SOMBIE ZIMPSONS!

Yes, that pretty much sums up the current state of the show.

[Tubbb!]

I think Zombie Simpsons is a victim... I find it hard with all this in mind to believe that people say the show is as good as ever

I agree with you 110%.

Seventh. The Devil Wears Nada. In which the result is that Homer works long hours and has no time for his family.
This Recycled Premise Poker game is fun! Someone dare to raise?

Dear lord! I thought I had remembered all the episodes that used this premise! Thanks Matty, Diversity Pumpkin, and Handsome B. Wonderful. And, no... I don't care to raise. I fold!

Since he's getting into writing, I think Jonah Hill should showrun an episode.
*Irvine goes to watch an episode of Allen Gregory*
Oh, god NO! He really shouldn't!

Think Homer the Whopper by Seth Rogen, only 100 times worse.
(Some people liked that episode, but not me. To each his own....)

this episode may have skipped the opening sequence (which I'm actually a supporter of, for the most part) for more time but on this occasion it didn't need it.

Sorry I missed that comment the first time I read your post... but I'd just like to point out that Matt Groening has said in the DVD commentaries that the long opening sequence was devised as a cheat so they could get away with doing less animation per episode back in the ink and paint cell days... so, I'm "meh" about it. I do miss the couch gags, however. I wonder if full openings will exist on the DVD versions? I guess we'll find out in a decade or so.

[irvine_11]

I didn't like Homer the Whopper, either. That was sort of the point of my Jonah Hill post.

However, most new episode haters might consider Homer being portrayed as a loud, obnoxious gay businessman to be a welcome change.

[The Governor]

I didn't like Homer the Whopper, either. That was sort of the point of my Jonah Hill post.

However, most new episode haters might consider Homer being portrayed as a loud, obnoxious gay businessman to be a welcome change.

Then he'd get his own show on Fox and guest star on Zombie Simpsons.

[Hommer]

I loved Homer the Whopper! I wish I could write an episode for the Simpsons.

[lionelhutz123]

This episode was forgettable. All I remember is that Homer was working in a building as a promotion and had to make time for his family and yeah... This is a very repetitive premise as far as any sitcom goes. The ending with the rafts was just too oddball and paper-thin. They should have saved Homer's antics of swimming back and forth between rafts for a butterfinger commercial or something.

Anyway, it was bad but not in a stand-out "how munched is that bird" or "love is a many strangled thing" manner. It was just lazy, tired, and not funny. I'm glad they have Homer at the plant more, but they need to find a way to do so without promoting him. I would rather watch him spin around in his chair than have him cope with another title change. 2/5

[Commander Flanders]

I wanted to give this a 3, but the second half was so boring and cliched that I was forced to send out another 2. Not nearly as good as last week's. But that is to be expected.

[HMS pinafore]

yep modern simpsons...

I do not rember anything from this so i am giving it a 1/5

[thesimpsonsking1]

OK Episode. Got a few laughs and thought the Mad Men parody was interesting. Loved the subplot though, but this has the same problem as 'American History X-cellent'. The subplot should have been the mainplot in both of these. But it was confusing. One minuite Bart was struggling to read the simpliest of words, and the next time we saw them Bart could read perfectly. How did that happen? I torrent all my episodes as I'm in Austraila so I won't see these on TV until Winter 2012 June so I need to check my sources. (Also a little side note, I am pretty sure that this is the first time that Bart and Lisa have hugged in two consecutive episodes.) I enjoyed seeing charters out of their normal roles and Marge telling Bart to kiss Lisa. 4/5, but 3/5 on the poles to break the deadlock between 2/5 and 3/5.

[Bleedin' Gums Murphy]

I forgot about that, really hated that moment between Bart and Lisa, thought it was a tad bit dodgy.

[Financial Panther]

4/5, but 3/5 on the poles to break the deadlock between 2/5 and 3/5.

Really, dude? It's not a competition. Vote how you really feel so we can get the most accurate results.

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Yeah, dude. Don't break Financial Panther's buzz, dude.

[Hommer]

DUDICAL

Edit: 300th post! Wowza.

[Monty_Burns]

the sub plot was horrible, the episode itself, although its been called unoriginal several times here it was that bad, imo better than anything during the last 8 years or so.

[Jesse Pinkman]

the guy voted 3/5 but says he thinks it actually deserves a 4/5

if it matters that much, when you see 4/5 remember it should be one more then it is.

when you see 3/5, and it says whatever number, remember it should be one less.

problem solved.

[Bleedin' Gums Murphy]

the sub plot was horrible, the episode itself, although its been called unoriginal several times here it was that bad, imo better than anything during the last 8 years or so.

Just to clarify, are you saying that "The Man in the Blue Flannel Pants" is the best Simpsons episode of the past 8 years?

[D DEBBS]

Note to self: purchase from eBay miniature dollhouse 'Little Women' book for my display box of Lisa's room.
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Kurt in bondage/leather/spiked outfit: disturbing...WHY can't I look away????
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I say we members of 'No Homers Club' should get a petition made and have a REAL bottle of 'Absolut Krusty' made!

[Tubbb!]

If Dan and Deb let me down next week with the Krusty episode... I'll need some of this for the rest of the season:

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

the sub plot was horrible, the episode itself, although its been called unoriginal several times here it was that bad, imo better than anything during the last 8 years or so.

Nope.

[bovine_university]

This episode was pretty bland. Not bad, just bland.

The first act was a bit of a chore to get through. We got a lot of Krusty jokes even though he wasn't going to be a big part of the plot, nor were they all that funny or original. The party had a laugh here or there, like the scene in the basement, but overall it just felt like padding before getting to the point of the episode. Once the main plot of the episode began though, things still didn't exactly soar. Jon Slattery was fine in his role and gave it a good shot, but the character just wasn't all that striking or memorable. The main plot with Homer was pretty predictable too, and while there were some good jokes here and there with Homer's behavior in his new job (the lawnmower bit made it laugh) it just felt too preachy. It might have worked better if Homer had subtlely eased into his behavior that costs him his friends and family, but from the first scene with Lenny and Carl outside the restaurant we know exactly where it's going.

The climax of the episode was pretty unoriginal too. We've seen this a hundred times before in sitcoms and the show didn't try to do anything different with it, except throw a life-threatening situation into the mix which just made it worse. I have to admit though, the Kiddie DVD mix-up made me laugh. Then there's the subplot, which I don't even know should be called one, since it only lasted three scenes or so. It's really too bad, since I actually enjoyed what we got out of that, and wanted to see more of it. Yeah, the bully scene was kind of cliche, but it kind of worked and their jokes made me laugh. This subplot deserved more time, or a decent conclusion, or even could have been it's own episode with the right touch, but it just didn't happen.

I gave this episode a very generous 3/5, but this episode really wasn't all that satisfying. Bland and not particularly original, which can be pretty boring overall.

[alex_on_ice]

The more I watch this episode, the more I like it. It's very far from being perfect but it does have its moments. The first time I saw it, I gave it a 9/20 but I'd probably give it a 10-11/20 today. The "Krusty Vodka" beginning hadn't pleased me very much on the first view but it's actually just okay. Marlowe is actually a pretty decent one time character (the scene between Marge and him is quite amusing and I also like the way he approaches Homer throughout the episode). I had really disliked the ending to this episode the first time I had got to see it, but now I just find it's okay.

This may be one of those episodes where each time I decide to rewatch it, I enjoy it a little bit more than the last time. I don't know... We'll see. I'm still hesitating between 10 and 11.

[horatio huffnagel]

Does anybody know what "The Man In The Blue Flannel Pants" is a parody of? Or pun, however you say it.