NHC Weekly Episode Club v3.0

[zach]

i watched it today...and then again with commentary. great episode.

[zartok-35]

I've got an animation question for zartok-35 regarding 'Lisa The Simpson': who animated the scene where we are introduced to the variety of Simpson relatives?

I'm really not sure, but I suspect now that the relative sequence is mostly the work of Istvan Majoros. Many of the characters feature crude wacky construction, and look like they're out of an older episode.


Compared to that, Istvan probably did the scenes with Lisa going down the stairs to watch TV with Homer and Bart, too.


@CousinMerl

[Financial Panther]

Watched Maximum Homerdrive. I don't understand what people don't like about this episode. It has some amazing jokes in it that almost always hit their spot. It's fun to watch Homer get bested in something at which he excels, and to see the first time in his life he's ever full. Homer isn't a jerk in the episode, and I like his relationship with Bart in it. The subplot is...meh. It takes up time, but there's better ones out there. This episode gets an A from me.

[zach]

now that is a cartoony squirrel.

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

People just hate it because it's in the midst of the season with the most "Homer gets a job" episodes at that point. It's a pretty good show.

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

Maximum Homerdrive



The next episode up for discussion involves Homer indirectly killing a man, taking Bart on a reckless journey, and nearly killing them both before being saved by a crazy plot twist involving a trucker conspiracy which ends with said truckers chasing them. So in other words, it is very typical of the Scully Era. "Maximum Homerdrive" is not a terrible episode, but it is pretty mediocre. There are some laughs to be had, some nice and quick lines or gags like Homer stopping to butter a roll during an eating contest and every Tony Randall mention, but Homer is in his "captain wacky" and "jerkass" modes too often for my liking. From his early and mildly obnoxious destruction of Marge's dinner you know what kind of Homer you'll be getting in this outing. That scene though did manage to have the nice little "didn't I?" at the end at least.

Act 1 is definitely the strongest of the three, primarily after the family go to the steakhouse. We have a nice Mr. Burns gag and Dr. Hibbert flip-flop along with the cow hallucination and all the Tony Randall references. Homer has some good lines like his way of asking if people breathe when discovering Red is dead. Killing Red isn't even the worst thing Homer does in the episode, imo, and I like that he actually remembered him when Bart couldn't in act 3. Unfortunately the episode still has 2 more acts and Homer is already prepared to kill a little boy as we start act 2...

I find that my enjoyment of the way Homer is depicted in many Scully outings like this really depends on the plot and jokes and this one doesn't do too much for me in either area. I actually recently watched "We're on the Road to D'ohwhere" from Season 17 which is another episode where Homer and Bart go on a road trip while Marge and Lisa try and take up some time. If you compare Homer's characterization from that episode to this he really is much more likable and less obnoxious in the later episode even with the scene where he's constantly flip-flopping over loving or killing Bart. Here Homer feels less like a father to his son and more like a pal, a childish one.

The B Plot is extremely forgettable, even moreso than the one from "Lisa the Simpson." Quite literally the only thing I enjoy about it is that it references "The Way We Was" by giving Homer and Marge's song. Of course then I remember the Homer from this episode feels all too similar to the one willing to use a blow gun on his wife next season...and I know I keep coming back to it but really that is my primary reason for not liking this episode. For every good line Homer gets he seems to get an equally idiotic one like talking about divorcing Marge in the diner or trying out a device he just learned about on an old lady. This is the Homer that is so wonderfully parodied in the opening of "E Pluribus Wiggum" and plagues too many Scully episodes.

I feel like I've already repeated myself too much in this review though so let's wrap this up. The animation is very nice but I'll leave that to zartok. Not terrible, but not good - 2/5.

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

I'll try to do a detailed review later in the day.

[zach]

although i don't agree with what you said, that image is great.

I'll try to do a detailed review later in the day.

same.

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

It basically sums up this episode for me.

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

I mean captain wacky about to kill himself and his son.

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

And all for just ten measly bucks...

[zach]

this episode is DYN-O-MITE!

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

Sorry all, I tried to delete Handsome's double post but it deleted both of them for some reason. It should appear in between my previous two and say "you mean terrific?" or something to that effect, shant happen again I hope...

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Or maybe I didn't actually double post and it was just that auto update thing.

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

Perhaps, but it appeared as two posts to me. Regardless, the fault is mine and I apologize.

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Oh, it don't matter at all.

[Comicshow MolemanBob]

Comicshow I'll address your concern since I only just now realized you directed it at me. I'm all for discussing post-classics, honestly I would've thought you'd know that by now considering my posting style. To be frank I've got my pick for 2 weeks from now down to 3 possible choices and one is from Season 14, an episode I love but I'm sure most others feel is average at best. My "d'oh" was primarily meant to be funny, and secondarily just meant to show I really don't like Maximum Homerdrive, but let me be clear: I certainly support discussing it and other post-classics.

Anyway with that said, Maximum Homerdrive is officially up for discussion!!!

I understand completely, although it did seem from your comment and a few others last week when @CousinMerl revealed that Tennis the Menace wasn't chosen it seemed like you guys only wanted to review "good" episodes... (and besides, seeing as you don't like this one and others do it should spark a lot of great debates and such)

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

I could understand that Comichshow, and I find Tennis the Menace horrid, worse than this easily, you just happened to catch 2 episodes I actually agree with the common negativity for.

EDIT: Your post initially appeared as 2 to me just now before changing to one on a refresh so you might be right Handsome.

[The Thompsons]

Maximum Homerdrive

I think I'll be repeating what Rasp said about the episode. This is a typical Scully Homer gets a job episode with Homer acting overally compulsive at points (Marge's dinner) and just plain dumb (you're Tony Randall!). There were some good moments however with the horn joke and Homer reminding Bart about the purpose of the road trip. The Mr. Burns run was very well done and the Milhouse birdseed joke in the sub-plot was humorous. I also liked the HAL 9000 reference which leads to the ejection of the auto drive device (and good riddance). The auto-drive conspiracy was yet another zany plot device and a sign that perhaps Swartzwelder needed to recharge the batteries and Scully needed to be more critical of what he was getting from the writers.

Other than the Milhouse joke, the sub-plot was bland and seemed to be just slapped on to kill time, there's not much more to say about it.

Overall it wasn't as bad as I thought it was when it first aired (comparing it to the classic seasons that immediately came before it) but it is still very mediocre. 5/10

[zach]

and just plain dumb (you're Tony Randall!)

that joke is top class hilarity. my favourite of the episode.

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

Ah I forgot the Milhouse joke and I just watched the episode! So I guess the sub-plot had 2 good moments/things.

Also agreed on Dan Castellaneta's normal HAL voice for the navigation system.

[The Thompsons]

that joke is top class hilarity. my favourite of the episode.

I'm just not going to go there.. too easy.