Rate and Review: "Exit Through the Kwik-E-Mart" (PABF09)

[Zombies Rise from the Sea]

But I believe this episode could have been done pretty much the same in seasons 13-16 and it would be an average/good episode. Like, I can't see what makes this much worse than Pranksta Rap, for example, cause I don't think that episode was considered an abomination back in its day.

At least "Pranksta Rap" was consistent and had reasons for dumping it's plot midway though the episode. (The three people already had fame, therefore there was no reason for Homer to punish Bart because he was the one who brought them the fame in the first place.) It may have had similar content and an ending which I may have not liked but at least it knew where it wanted to go and it knew how to frame certain moments so that it'd work in relation to the plot. I'm not doubting your taste in episodes, I am just doubting the placement of the episode. Even in Seasons 13-16, it wouldn't be any different except for the plot becoming slightly more coherent; the episode had no idea what it wanted to be, had no idea where it wanted to go and had to use guest starts that appeared out of thin air to even get to an important point in the plot, which was the art gallery which in turn lead to the rushed resolution of the Bart and Homer plot. You can't have Bart doing graffiti for revenge then Bart doing graffiti for art then having it back to revenge; it's lazy writing.

[Xt'Tapalatakettle]

I understand that this is pushing it and that it's stupid to obsess over something like this but I just can understand what people like in this episode. I'm not looking to criticize anything but the number of 4/5's the episode has gotten can't be denied; I'm asking the members of NoHomers this question, what makes this episode so good?

Merged your thread with the R/R thread. No need to create a separate thread a day after the episode has aired.

[SImpsonic123]

The way I see it, 5/5 defines the best of the classical era episodes.
But I believe that 4 out of those 5 marks needs to be objective. The marks come from whether or not the characterization is right, the plot is at least logical and stuff like that.

As for this episode, while I do believe that zombie is a little hard on this episode by giving it 1/10, I fully agree with his criticisms for this episode. Just the fact that the plot is at best mediocre really means it should get less than a 4/5. I mean even if you did find the humor to be spot on, the plot and the characterization kills its chance at being 4/5. For that reasoning, I give it 2/5.

I don't think it's 1/10 because I at least enjoyed some aspects of this episode. There were SOME good jokes but most fell flat for me.

I mean even if you look at last exit through Springfield, it at least had a workable plot with some emotions along with the gagfest. Even though personally I didn't fine the humor absolutely that brilliant like most people think, I recognize that it is a great episode and give it a 4.5/5 objectively.

Thata why I think subjective humor doesn't justify a 4/5 for this episode

[The Angry Animated Comedy Nerd]

I really did like some things in this; but the episode felt weird to me, it was rather just strange in general.

[Matty]

At least "Pranksta Rap" was consistent and had reasons for dumping it's plot midway though the episode. (The three people already had fame, therefore there was no reason for Homer to punish Bart because he was the one who brought them the fame in the first place.)

How about dumping the Milhouse plot after making such a big deal out of it at the end of act 2

[HMS pinafore]

And I'm sorry, but:

So an episode relies JUST on the laughs for it to qualify as a decent episode? You don't pay attention to the plot, the animation, character interaction, background details, etc.? And even so, that warrants a 1/5 score?

And I'm sorry, but:
If you cared about any of those things that would make this episode even more unbearable. Plot was a unresolved mess, apu was completely out of character and yes a 1/5 score is about what I would give it as well.

[ThankYouComeAgain]

You guys are NUTS.This episode doesnt deserve a 1/5
This is easily a 5/5(for Modern Standards)
And this is the funniest episode in Years
Homer being sad at the end reminded me of the early classic era
And Homer being a Jerk to Bart and Bart pulling crazy pranks was a thing I've longed to see again for so long
Marc Wilmore should seriously be writing all the episodes from now on
Or maybe even become the new Showrunner

[The Spruce Moose]

So an episode relies JUST on the laughs for it to qualify as a decent episode? You don't pay attention to the plot, the animation, character interaction, background details, etc.? And even so, that warrants a 1/5 score?

Believe it or not, when I only laugh 3 times overall in a 25 minute comedy show, I consider that a failure. But i'll happily go on about how this is mediocre television. Granted, I didn't notice the animation. But that's because I don't care. Each cell could've been hand painted by da Vinci and I would've still been focusing on trying to laugh and analysing why exactly I didn't laugh.

Plot: it's a jumbled mess. The Apu sub-plot relies on bad characterisation (which I already mentioned) to be at all relevant, and it's only real re-appearence comes from an overly long, badly written joke. It's badly resolved and doesn't fit in with what we know about Apu, so why should we care or validate it? The main plot follows a lazy, by the numbers Simpsons turn: family member gets good at something, instant rise to fame, celebrity cameo, big rise and setting for finale, wacky ending. I've seen it too often to care because I know what will happen: something or someone stupid will turn up to ruin the family member. They're feeding us the same crap ad infinitum and it gets boring. Coupled with a spectacularly poor hit and miss joke ratio there is no reason to watch this episode

Character interaction: Does this not come under my criticism of dialogue? Homer and Lisa's early dialogue was very poor. I mentioned why the joke didn't work and only further built up Jerkass Homer, but Lisa hardly had anything to do either. Her pleasant surprise gasp grew annoying very quickly. Bad character interaction continued. Burns unable to get his money back from the desk guy. That is not him and jolts the entire conversation enough that you only notice the critical and not the jokes. Springfield has any number of lovable losers who could do that role: Skinner, Barney or Grampa are pathetic enough for it to work. Flanders is agreeable enough to let it happen to him. But tearing away at the classic era characterisation of a character to get some not actually that funny interaction in isn't going to be taught at how to write comedy classes no matter how long the former greatest show in the world fucks up its characters.

Background details: there's only two things in this worth mentioning: the funny background sign I noticed and the Nedna bit. The rest of the backgrounds are dull and not worth commenting on. As a seasoned watcher of the classic run I keep my eyes peeled for background jokes so to only get one is disappointing. I suppose the writers think it shifts attention away from Jerkass Homer or Celebrity A so they can't do that. Just a sign that the show doesn't share the same values it did while I was growing up.

So yeah. Taking everything into account, this still sucks ass.

[Bleedin' Gums Murphy]

You guys are NUTS.This episode doesnt deserve a 1/5
This is easily a 5/5(for Modern Standards)
And this is the funniest episode in Years
Homer being sad at the end reminded me of the early classic era
And Homer being a Jerk to Bart and Bart pulling crazy pranks was a thing I've longed to see again for so long

[Dobbie]

Well I found this to be quite poor. Everything felt so rushed and disjointed. The Apu sub-plot was clearly filler but it did bring one of the few little humourous scenes (Apu and Snake at the store) but it decided to end when it felt like it - No real development and nothing interesting happened. It just ended.

The main plot tried to deliver some sentiment but it failed for the most part. I thought Bart realising he hurt Homer's feelings was quite nice but the way made up was too ridiculous for my liking. Homer was obnoxious and I cringed when he asked Bart to leave the cage and proceded to force him out of it later on. The guest stars actually had a role in the story which I found refreshing and the ending was a clever idea I suppose.

I thought the birthday had the potential to have one of the best scenes in this episode (the telephone message) but they ruined it by dragging it on too much. I thought this was also the best segment of the episode (even if it did have the cringeworthy 'one' lines by Homer, Homer-Lisa at the beginning, etc.)

Overall, this episode had a few good bits here and there and it's execution was acceptable for today's standards despite feeling a little incoherent (sadly we have to get use to that now). I laughed twice and the plot could have been much better if it wasn't rushed.

2.5/5.

[The Governor]

You guys are NUTS.This episode doesnt deserve a 1/5
This is easily a 5/5(for Modern Standards)
And this is the funniest episode in Years
Homer being sad at the end reminded me of the early classic era
And Homer being a Jerk to Bart and Bart pulling crazy pranks was a thing I've longed to see again for so long
Marc Wilmore should seriously be writing all the episodes from now on
Or maybe even become the new Showrunner

Judging from this post, you've never even seen the classic era.

[cloneasaurus]

For what it's worth I really liked the idea of the episode, I just thought is was executed poorly as per usual, hence the somewhat harsh 2/5.

I mean, so many episodes nowadays have so much filler that hinders the episode. Long couch gag, long jokes, long set up, perhaps a pointless subplot... this combined with the shorter episode times nowadays means they're hardly helping themselves write a story that flows nicely and incorporates jokes well.

This is why the Book Job is one of the best of the season; it had a plot, and it stuck to it. This, however good the premise, just suddenly brought up plot twists and had so much filler it made the episode feel hacked together with a rushed ending.

It didn't help I didn't find the episode that funny either, but that's subjective. The fact still remains though that the plot problems were, (sadly) as usual, pretty big, so even if I were to find this funny I can't see myself giving it any more than a 3/5.

[Bleedin' Gums Murphy]

I agree SpeedwaySquad, except for the part when you said you were being harsh when rating this 2/5.

[jordanwj]

Didn't catch it on Q13 FOX so I'm watching it online. Be right out with a fresh, no holds bars review.

[jordanwj]

Alright here's the surprise: 6/10
Pretty alright there were some memorable gags, the initial cage scene, Millhouse using spray-paint in place of an inhaler, and the police reveal (though the ending itself was weak).

I have an extended review a few posts down.

[The Angry Animated Comedy Nerd]

So is that rabbit a permanent new member of the household, b/c I think that would actually be cool; or was it just a plot device so we could have all the cage stuff?

Anyway this episode (501) actually felt like the beginning of a new era to me... forget the 'Zombie Simpsons' era b/c it's over.

Get ready for the new "Ghost Simpsons" era b/c I have a feeling it will be even more haunting, a former relic of even its zombie self (Dear God!), and that it will be all over the place (story structure wise) even faster than before, *ZING*!

"Zombie Simpsons" was just smelly, rotten, sad, and yet somehow sometimes still seemingly alive.... in an odd way... but "Ghost Simpsons"... it will make Zombie Simpsons look great.

Once the ratings dip below four million each week even Fox will have no choice but to call in the Ghostbusta's.

I wanted to give episode 501 a zero out of five... but the bunny rabbit gift to Marge was really sweet and oddly felt really like classic Simpsons to me.
I gave it a 3/5 b/c of this ... and some of the jokes actually made me laugh out loud... but still the episode felt very bizarre to me and very unhinged, and I also feel something has really changed behind the scenes.

Never once has the show felt so truly odd and all over the place; with some oddly good things, and some oddly bad things, but mostly it was just bizzaro town for me folks.

And it wasn't the good weird that HST fans have come to appreciate.

Thus "Ghost Simpson's" is here... forget jumping the shark, Al Jean and Co. f*&@ed the shark and have served it to you for dinner at 7:00 p.m. every sunday.

At this point... we may as well have Sharko move into the Simpsons house.. and Matt and Adam would love it... and Sharko could wear Roy's severed head as a hat.

Forget the show just being a parody of itself, it's going to get ghastly strange as it goes on.

[Homer I Am]

Wow, everyone's being harsh. I think it was better than most episodes from the current era, and I hate how everyone's excessively using Zombie Simpsons -- you look like a bunch of trolls doing that.

[The Angry Animated Comedy Nerd]

To be fair... I'm calling it "Ghost Simpsons" from now on.

B/c that's what the show has become, a ghost of it's former zombie self, sure we thought maybe they would find a cure for it being a zombie (AL Jean would leave) but alas "Zombie Simpsons" has transcended... into complete death and taken on ghost form.

[The Governor]

Wow, everyone's being harsh. I think it was better than most episodes from the current era, and I hate how everyone's excessively using Zombie Simpsons -- you look like a bunch of trolls doing that.

No, 2/3rds of the reviews are 3/5's and higher. You're just being like the writers and bitching that 100 percent of the reviews aren't positive 100 percent of the time.

[The Spruce Moose]

yes, how dare some people compare this to the classics that everyone knows the current show is a shoddy imitation of. Zombie Simpsons is a perfect description of Season 23

[ThankYouComeAgain]

Yeah you do that cuz you really are Nuts to not find this episode funny

[ThankYouComeAgain]

Judging from this post, you've never even seen the classic era.

I never said this was like the Classic Era.I said that part where Homer is Mad and Bart does the right thing felt like the Classic Era.And I loved that Bart finally was guess what BART.I mean he hasnt pulled pranks for seasons,he's a fucking bland character nowadays.My biggest reason for liking this episode was the pacing.And Finally a 2 act Episode OMFG

[Bleedin' Gums Murphy]

HAHA how? Nothing was funny, NOTHING.

[ThankYouComeAgain]

HAHA how? Nothing was funny, NOTHING.

Come ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooon
Homer putting bart in the cage
Rabbit eating cord line
Homer trying to strangle Bart but trying to stop himself
Homer arguing with his Brain etc.

But I guess Haters Gonna Hate

[The Governor]

And Finally a 2 act Episode OMFG

The show has 4 acts, chief.

[Bleedin' Gums Murphy]

Homer putting bart in the cage = Not funny and truly embarrassing
Rabbit eating cord line = Stupid
Homer trying to strangle Bart but trying to stop himself = Random but not a funny sort of random
Homer arguing with his Brain etc. = Embarrassing.

Haters going to hate? No I'm just not an idiot that is easily amused by jokes suited for hyperactive xbox generation children or easily pleased adults.

[Mr. Krikt]

Wow, everyone's being harsh. I think it was better than most episodes from the current era, and I hate how everyone's excessively using Zombie Simpsons -- you look like a bunch of trolls doing that.

Zombie Simpsons is a concise and clear term to talk about post-classic Simpsons. It's quite apt really considering the show is pretty much a parody of its earlier self.

[jordanwj]

Here's my take, the only reason I watched this was I saw some mostly favorable reviews and decided to watch it. I just got done watching my favorite episode of all time "Summer of 4 foot 2" and then watched another good one "The Last Temptation of Ktust" So...I came into this episode having watched two amazing classic shows....and it wasn't that bad really. People seem so commuted to label any post-1999 episode "Zombie Simpsons" (and for good reason, 98% of them are) this one however, while a step behind "good" was not terrible compared to the last two. I don't throw around my ratings for hipster points, I actually objectively rate it based on my personal take, as well as comparing it to what I hold as high standards.

[lolcats]

Compared to THIS, Teh Samsins is a tribute to The Simpsons!

[ThankYouComeAgain]

The show has 4 acts, chief.

Where? The only ones were Apu Story and Homer & Bart Story