The Simpsons

[Boulder]

That and the scene where Homer is in group therapy and he cannot grasp why the guy with Agoraphobia couldn't leave the house, especially where he sums it up at the end with "Pfft, baby." which leaves the guy with a brilliant look of shock and disbelief on his face.

That's another one of the funniest exchanges in the history of the show.

I think King Of The Hill really went on to be what a definitive "animated sitcom" should be. Mike Judge really knew how to write comedy, whether it be the over the top in your face style of Beavis and Butthead or what was more subtle style of KOTH. Jokes that could be punchlined simply by Hank facepalming rather then an over the top sight gag

King of the Hill is my all-time, bar none, favorite show. I don't expect that the humor appeals to everybody, but if you're a fan, it's incredible. It's hard to explain- this may not make sense, but it's like the jokes that go unsaid are sometimes even funnier than the jokes that are expressed.

EDIT: Plus, I think King of the Hill has even more "misty eyed" moments than the early Simpsons.

Edited August 21, 2009 by Boulder

[Evil Chase K]

I just watched "Coming To Homerica" from Season 20 and it's not bad at all.

There's some legitimately funny moments, and some social commentary too.

Not as bad as I expected at all.

[Hornswoggle4PM]

I just watched "Coming To Homerica" from Season 20 and it's not bad at all.

There's some legitimately funny moments, and some social commentary too.

Not as bad as I expected at all.

And that definitely wasn't the best of the series, either.

[the machine]

Yeah this blog starts off with an interesting premise but then immediately loses sight of anything of value. Futurama was a bad show? Really? Also the blogger doesn't seem to know what a joke for writers IS. He comes close to describing it correctly but every example is not a joke for writers. "Leaves of grass, my ass!" is a joke the writers find far funnier than all but the nerdiest fan would. "Cartoons have writers?" is also not the sort of thing that entertains children, but writers did it a lot. Deconstruction jokes are what he's describing, but they're not even close to the real problem the show had.

Basically the show transitioned into being a cartoon: characters as ciphers whose characteristics changed to fit jokes, an emphasis on bigger plots and completely unconnected first-act setpieces, a decreased reliance on observational humor and an increased reliance on jokes and joke-y plot twists. The pace of the show really changed, too. The older episodes had time for the family to watch TV, laze around, and generally deal with things that everyone is familiar with. Now the show is in a hurry to get from one big crazy plot to the next.

[hackerjack]

It's simple really, there is plenty of milage left in the Simpsons but you can't knock out an episode every week for 10 years and still hit all the same highs all the time.

Give it a year off and it will be fine.

[apsham]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/06/the-simpsons-next-season-last_n_998418.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false

God. Dammit.

I have no words for this.

[stokeriño]

"Fox decides to cancel animated series"

You know, I have a feeling it'll be back.

[apsham]

i have no doubt that some other network would certainly pick them up - but knowing that the show that I grew up on is in danger of going away, I feel more than a little bit antsy.

[HC]

Honestly can't say I'm sad to see it go. The earlier seasons were pure gold, but the last 10 seasons or so have all been pretty lackluster.

[King Ellis]

After years and years of not watching anything new, I've been watching some of the newer episodes lately and, they're OK. Nothing horrible or anything that I can recall. Just weird sometimes how I'd record them and watch them, I ended up with like 3 Moe centric episodes in a row.

Since we all grew up on it and it's such a big thing, I wonder how much the old 'rose tinted specs' thing comes into effect. But, it was a big thing it is gonna be weird to see it end.

[GoGo Yubari]

I'm disappointed that means it wouldn't hit 25 seasons.

[apsham]

I'll be the first to admit that newer episodes haven't been up to par with the older stuff - but come on, I really can't see myself sitting down on a fall Sunday and NOT watching a new episode of The Simpsons. That's just the way it's been.. for over two decades now.

[Guest mr. potato head]

I've no fears.

They've got stories for years.

[TCO]

Like Marge becomes a robot?

[SlicedBread]

or when Moe gets a cell phone?

[Josh]

This really does piss me off. I get that not everyone enjoys the show like they used to. I get that others just plain dislike everything after about Season 8 (Season 4, for some.) I get that the show is not the mega-pop-culture phenomenon it once was. And I get that many other shows have cropped up over the past 20 years that mostly fill any gap this cancellation would leave behind.

But we're talking about a series that arguably made Fox what it is today. There is no other series you can point to that can make a better argument for being "the flagship." Moreover, there have been few shows in the history of television that can boast the overall cultural impact that The Simpsons has had. How many other series can claim to have entered a new word into the English language that perhaps outlasts the show itself? What of the many, many shows that have come (and gone) since this show began that bear the distinct influence of The Simpsons? Hell, just consider the influence on animation, primetime or otherwise. Consider how rare it once was for a primetime comedy to so frequently, directly, and deftly tackle taboo social and political topics. Hell, consider how rare that is today. If you're Fox, you can even ignore nearly all of that and just consider how much fucking money this show has made for you for over two decades. But yeah, the profit margins are slimmer than they once were. That certainly cancels out everything that came before.

I'm not saying the show should never end. It must end, sooner or later, and we've always known that. However, The Simpsons has transcended being just a TV show and has become a cultural institution.

Give it a respectful ending, on its own terms, and respect the people who put in the work to make it happen.

Fuck you, Fox.

[TCO]

I'm happy it's ending. I knew it was the case when they basically repeated the plot of Bart Gets Famous but with Lisa instead, you're done when you're resorting to that.

I'll always have the old episodes to watch and I will likely do that until the day I die but it's time now.

[Ruki]

How do you even end a show like The Simpsons?

[brenchill]

How do you even end a show like The Simpsons?

A nuclear war with Shelbyville.

[Guest mr. potato head]

How many other series can claim to have entered a new word into the English language that perhaps outlasts the show itself?

Yes!

Crisitunity!