60 Second Simpsons (Ep31 - Rosebud)

[LittleMissLisaSimpson]

Great review, Jims

[Bert Stanton]

These are brilliant keep it up

[The Thompsons]

I just got caught up with all of these, excellent work @Jims!

[Alex_Of_Darkness]

I watch all the episodes that I miss during I wasn't there and your work is amazing! This is a really great job and it's sure that I will watch the other that you'll make in the future!

[Jims]

It's finished! Time for Part 2 of our amazing Sideshow Bob trilogy, Day of the Jackanapes. Sponsored by our dear friend Mr. Tired Plot Device. Listen as Jims talks really, really, really fast!

I couldn't cut down the script, sue me.



Enjoy!

[LittleMissLisaSimpson]

Good review, Jims

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

I think you're over-hatin' the hypnotism plot device...or...more likely...I just wasn't really bothered by it. I really enjoy this episode. Many great jokes and visuals throughout.

It sounds like you hate the episode, but to me you spent more time trying to find positives in the actual review. I guess that's interesting, but I feel like it contrasts with your overall opinion. But it is largely due to the 60 second limitation I'm sure.

Regardless, much better than I was expecting actually.

[Jims]

Thanks, @LittleMissLisaSimpson.

I think you're over-hatin' the hypnotism plot device...or...more likely...I just wasn't really bothered by it. I really enjoy this episode. Many great jokes and visuals throughout.

It sounds like you hate the episode, but to me you spent more time trying to find positives in the actual review. I guess that's interesting, but I feel like it contrasts with your overall opinion. But it is largely due to the 60 second limitation I'm sure.

Regardless, much better than I was expecting actually.

It's weird, when I re-watched the episode I didn't find it quite as bad as I remember overall, so I ended up giving it a more mixed review than expected. Like I said in the review, it's mostly for the Krusty stuff, like with Lindsey Naegle having the audacity to give Krusty notes WHILE ON THE AIR. And a lot of Krusty's "final show" segments are funny too.

There is some fun Bob and Bart moments during the episode. I particularly like Bob's indecision over "in your command" or "in your power". When Bart becomes a zombie, they're less interesting, however.

I just really, really, really, really hate hypnotism plots. They, along with amnesia (WHICH THE SIMPSONS ALSO DID), are plot devices that should never be done again in modern television. Unless they're being done ironically.

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

Bob's kettle chips, Maggie shooting Burns again, Bob's animation as he claws his hands and laughs while Bart smashes the Krusty, the Skinner nod act break, the ring around the rosies horror movie vibe as Bart goes to the shack....so many great moments.

I just found it odd that, to me, your review for The Secret War of Lisa Simpson sounded much more negative but I doubt that was your intent.

[Jims]

Bob's kettle chips, Maggie shooting Burns again, Bob's animation as he claws his hands and laughs while Bart smashes the Krusty, the Skinner nod act break, the ring around the rosies horror movie vibe as Bart goes to the shack....so many great moments.

I used to like the Maggie shoot Mr. Burns joke more, but on re-watch I found that they hang on it too long. They just all sit there for 5 seconds awkwardly. It's kind of weird. I did really appreciate that horror movie vibe with Bart, though, since they rarely go for atmosphere in modern era Simpsons anymore.

I just found it odd that, to me, your review for The Secret War of Lisa Simpson sounded much more negative but I doubt that was your intent.

I think some of it is always going to be that I start with the public perception a little bit and adjust the tone based on that. We all know that modern era sucks and whatever, so if I find something that I find pretty good in one of them, I'm more likely to throw them a bone in the review (like the great 1st act in Homer vs. Dignity). Whereas a classic era episode is already automatically put on a pedestal, so I'm more likely to knock it down a little. Of course, sometimes when I don't have any problems with an episode (like Cape Feare or Bart Sells His Soul), I'll just do the "everything is wonderful" speech. After writing a couple of those, I can see why negative reviews (like AVGN) are so popular. Being nice is hard to write interestingly.

Modern Simpsons has made me a little tired of the whole Pity Party Lisa episodes, so watching something like The Secret War of Lisa Simpson again makes me notice its constant clambering for sympathy. It is just relentless in how much they want you to feel bad for Lisa. Scene after scene after scene of it. I feel kinda bad about glossing over its good features, but the execution of the episode gets on my nerves so much that it kinda took over the review. It's probably in my Bottom 10 Classic Eras. Probably.

I definitely like "Secret War" more than "Jackanapes" though.

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

I love how Season 12 is still considered "modern Simpsons."

I still think you're WAY too harsh on Secret War if it really is in your Bottom 10 of the classic era, but hey...opinions right?

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, that's good plastic explosive!

[Jims]

I love how Season 12 is still considered "modern Simpsons."

I still think you're WAY too harsh on Secret War if it really is in your Bottom 10 of the classic era, but hey...opinions right?

Oh believe me, there's another classic era episode I've been saving for later, I'm annoyed by it so much. Be very afraid. That review will probably be meaner than the Secret War.

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Seasons 11, 12, and a little of 13 are the only ones pre-season 21 I just get pissed by hearing the synopsis.

[Dobbie]

But of course.

What about the Maggie Simpson Show?

[lolcats]

After Sideshow Bob Month, This Little Wiggy would be a good episode to talk about.

[Jims]

Quick update.

I've unfortunately gotten a pretty annoying cold this week (sore throat), so it's affecting my motivation toward finishing the Great Louse Detective review. It's about halfway done, but I'm just too tired and yucky to work on it after a long day of work. I was hoping to have it done mid-week, but it'll probably be more like this weekend instead.

I've picked out the episodes for the following 3 reviews. I can't re-add a new poll to this thread and don't feel like making another thread in this subforum, so I've picked out some August stuff to do. August is going to be Controversial Episodes Month. These are the episodes in order.

1. A Star is Burns (controversial with the Simpson Staff)
2. The Principal and the Pauper (controversial for the Simpsons canon)
3. The Itchy and Scratchy and Poochie Show (controversial with super-fans at the time)

Jims out.

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

Oh God, you're doing A Star is Burns huh? IMO one of the funniest episodes of all time...

[Financial Panther]

I had never clicked on this thread until today. These are brilliant, Jims. Keep it up.

[Jims]

Thanks @Financial Panther! I keep trying to pimp the series in my signature, but sadly, everyone sees right through my self-promotions...

(My cold subsided a little tonigh, so I've started working on The Great Louse Detective again, it's about 2/3rd done now.)

[Dobbie]

Would you do a Futurama version in the future, @Jims?

[YellowFever]

These are awesome Jims, love them! Brilliant voice-overs and you bring up some great points! Fantastic ideas! Can't wait for more!

[Jims]

Nice timing, @YellowFever! I just finished uploading the new episode.

Here's my review of The Great Louse Detective. On re-watch it was a little better than I remember it, but it's one of those episodes you have to be in the right mindset when watching, because it's extremely self-aware. A lot of the Jean Era episodes have this weird "OMG WE KNOW WE'RE WACKY", but it's really prevalent in this episode. The way it has to lampshade itself constantly is somewhat tiring, though. At least it's a pretty funny Jean outing.

Enjoy!

Would you do a Futurama version in the future, @Jims?

Eh, probably not... I thought about it, and they would be fun to do, but these Simpsons ones already take too much of my evening free time after work. Trying to carve out a niche in Simpsons reviews for now. Maybe if I get bored with The Simpsons later I might switch.

[YellowFever]

Haha! Brilliant timing! Just lightened up my day! Might go rewatch The Great Louse Detective now, it's an episode which my opinion fluctuates on pretty much every time I watch it! Great review and nice to hear your opinions on one of the more 'wacky' episodes!

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Always kinda liked the second and third acts.

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

Nice Jims, only noticed the update now. I think Bob is great in this one. Kelsey's line reading on "and I'm the one IN PRISON!" along with the animation never fails to make me laugh. The dummy Homer is the best scene though.

[Jims]

The dummy Homer is the best scene though.

That's probably my favorite scene in the whole episode. I love Bob's "None of this seems strange to you, does it?" at the end of it.

New episode.

A Star is Burns.

Oh yeah.

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

Fuck if you trash A Star is Burns I don't think I can forgive you. I'm scared to watch...

EDIT: Ok that was alright. A Star is Burns used to be my favorite episode of all time for a long time and I still think it is one of the funniest episodes of television I've ever seen.

[Jims]

Fuck if you trash A Star is Burns I don't think I can forgive you. I'm scared to watch...

EDIT: Ok that was alright. A Star is Burns used to be my favorite episode of all time for a long time and I still think it is one of the funniest episodes of television I've ever seen.

I'd never trash A Star is Burns! It's not really an episode I would put in my Top 50 or anything, but I think it's still a good episode. On re-watch just now I did find it to be a little hollow compared to other Classic Eras. They push the whole Homer/Marge angle in the episode, but I find that subplot a distraction more than anything. It's tough to care about whether Marge respects Homer's intelligence, considering how incredibly stupid he is 99% of the time. The film festival itself with the Burns subplot is obviously where the episode seems to shine. In fact, the entirety of Act 3 is almost perfect.

Maybe I'll do a "Classic Era Episodes I Hate" run after the controversial episodes, to piss people off.

[Dobbie]

Maybe I'll do a "Classic Era Episodes I Hate" run after the controversial episodes, to piss people off.