The Simpsons Golden Years

[Stuffurama]

I want to ask / poll what everyone thinks the best seasons of The SImpsons was. My personal votes go for Seasons 3-12, the golden years. I don't think it gets much better than that. The show is somewhat of a parody of itself now, I still love it and that will never, ever change. Huge influence on me an what I think is funny, it is just not what I once thought it was... I guess it cannot go on forever but I will still collect the crap out fo everything. Looking forward to hear your answers.

Oh and I know this is weird but I actually have a hands down favorite episode, The one where Homer becomes the Beer Baron. Love it so much.

[c_nordlander]

Welcome to the board, Stuffurama! I'm Chris.

I'd say Seasons 2-8 here. Maybe a bit of Season 9 as well (I'd hate to lose "Das Bus", for example). And you pretty much speak for me.

I couldn't possibly choose a favourite episode, though. Too many to choose from...

[Nidotamer]

So that includes 11 and 12? Word of advice, don't say that on NHC. They get so pissy about it.

Anywhoo, I think mine are pretty similar to Chris'... including the specific example she mentioned.

[D.B.]

I think I'd maybe go as far as some episodes of season 10. But beyond that, that's it for me.

[missy_misery]

1-12. My forever shark jump is Saddlesore Galactica.

[Stuffurama]

The worst part for me is that when celebrities used to come on the show, they would become other characters in the early seasons not just simpsonized versions of themselves, that doesn;t always make sense to do. I would rather them have introduced characters voiced by celebrities instead of the simpsonized version of that celebrity...

[c_nordlander]

I fully agree. I watch this show to see the actual characters, not some ephemeral guest stars.

[Gulliver63]

I like the earlier episodes, but I really like some of the individual performances over the years. Some of my favorites include the drunk Marge from "Co-dependents Day" and the panic-stricken Marge from "Fear of Flying." I've always loved the Lisa/Batman gag from "Last Exit to Springfield." "Mirror..mirror!!"

[missy_misery]

IMOHO they've been doing better with that lately: Zoe Deschanel as Mary Spuckler, for example

(Of course they pretty much immediately took two steps backward with that Gaga episode).

[Gulliver63]

I just finished watching an episode that I've never seen, "Life on the Fast Lane." I was totally taken by surprise by that great parody of "Officer and a Gentleman," where Marge comes walking into the nuke plant - I started laughing as soon as the theme music cute in for that scene. That is just the stuff right there. I also had to chuckle when I looked up the episode on wiki - it came out on my birthday in 1990. That episode is just an example of how good the writing was.

[archonix]

You'd never see Life on the Fast Lane? My god man... that must have been like finding a hidden treasure behind the couch.

[Gulliver63]

Oh yeah, I'm kicking myself black and blue because I have the first ten seasons in DVD. That Officer and a Gentleman bit was to die for. When these early episodes were coming out, I was working 75 hours a week - I really don't remember those early shows (although I did watch those guys on the Tracy Ulman show!). And you're right - those episodes are like finding nuggets of gold.

BTW, I'm such a huge fan of "Officer and a Gentleman" because I saw it right after basic training - that movie is very, very close to what I went through in the army, and Lou Gossett Jr. was amazingly good as a drill instructor.

[Stuffurama]

The old episodes are why I know about half of the things I know about. I know this is going to sound "super dumb" of me but it is the reason I know of Streetcar Named Desire, HMS Pinnafore, etc... They used to reference such geeky subsects of pop culture and it was intelligent. On that note I feel family guy as really pushed cartoon writing back a few steps... Really in your face rubbish and "do it until it is funny" type humor, ugh...

On the same note I was actually impressed with McFarlane at the Oscars which in every sense of the word was surprised at how surprised I was to liking him...

[Gulliver63]

::chuckles:: Our generation learned everything from the old Warner Brothers cartoons. But I can see how you would pick up lots of stuff that way.