The Simpsons

[domino harvey]

If you’re not already following, Criminal Simpsons has been posting a steady melange of unexpected screen caps, Simpson-ified memes, and mixed up cross-references that only make sense if you’ve internalized this show like so many of us have

[colinr0380]

Although we should beware reminding Disney that they are now able to turn the Planet of the Apes musical into reality!

[flyonthewall2983]

The sub-genre of Simpsons memes catered to pro wrestling fans are just as good

[domino harvey]

Some extremely niche references are being cataloged in this Reddit thread

[dx23]

Some extremely niche references are being cataloged in this Reddit thread

Think the Reddit started because of the previous question from CriminalSimpsons on Twitter about jokes we never understood from the Simpsons

[hearthesilence]

Any Flannery O'Connor experts want to weigh in on that potential reference in "So I said to him, 'Look, buddy. Your car was upside down when we got here. And as for your grandma, she shouldn't have mouthed off like that'"?

[soundchaser]

The problem with that as a potential reference is - and I’ll try not to spoil the story, which is fantastic stuff and well worth your time - it doesn’t match the timeline of events as written. There’s no point at which the Misfit could be having that specific conversation. Could it still be a reference? Maybe! But I’d just as soon go with “Homer is trying to seem tough, but comes out looking ridiculous.”

[Mr Sausage]

Any Flannery O'Connor experts want to weigh in on that potential reference in "So I said to him, 'Look, buddy. Your car was upside down when we got here. And as for your grandma, she shouldn't have mouthed off like that'"?

Seems plausible. The story famously ends with an overturned car, a group of men, and a grandma who says something that gets her into severe trouble.

[domino harvey]

Apparently they killed off Marge in the season finale (well, Future Marge in another one of those interminable flash forward things they keep doing)

[mfunk9786]

Have found this out via a relentless social media campaign of suggested/ad posts from accounts like BlackEntrepreneurMasculinity, etc, it's strange. Anyway, I hope they stop making the show. Carry on.

[beamish14]

Apparently they killed off Marge in the season finale (well, Future Marge in another one of those interminable flash forward things they keep doing)

They’ll never learn from “Bart to the Future”, which is where I truly got off the train for good

[Orlac]

Apparently they killed off Marge in the season finale (well, Future Marge in another one of those interminable flash forward things they keep doing)

They’ll never learn from “Bart to the Future”, which is where I truly got off the train for good

I think I gave up after the "donkey basketball" one.

[domino harvey]

Pretty sure it was the UK travelogue one that finally convinced me it was okay to stop watching

[hearthesilence]

I must have given up way before you all did - none of your episode identifiers sound familiar.

[TechnicolorAcid]

I must have given up way before you all did - none of your episode identifiers sound familiar.

I think Bart to the Future is the one that people kept using to say The Sampsons was some kind of prophet show because it mentioned Trump as being the former president who Lisa inherits quite a budget crunch from, if that jogs your memory.

[hearthesilence]

I did not see that episode, but I'm definitely aware of those details. I think I saw at least a couple of reports (including one TV appearance) where Al Jean talks about The Simpsons' supposed foresight and basically said - "look, none of these things we supposedly 'predicted' should be surprising for this reason..."

[hearthesilence]

I must have given up way before you all did - none of your episode identifiers sound familiar.

I think Bart to the Future is the one that people kept using to say The Sampsons was some kind of prophet show because it mentioned Trump as being the former president who Lisa inherits quite a budget crunch from, if that jogs your memory.

Either I forgot about this episode or I missed it altogether, because air date is in 2000 and I'm pretty sure I was watching new episodes then, though maybe only sporadically.

[Orlac]

Pretty sure it was the UK travelogue one that finally convinced me it was okay to stop watching

It's got Tony Blair and J. K. Rowling in it. Nuff said.

[Matt]

“Tennis the Menace” (season 12, episode 12) was the breaking point for me. I could never stand the celebrity guests episodes. But I think I still stuck out the rest of the season. Reading plot summaries of the following season, I don’t remember anything after the “Treehouse of Horror” episode that aired in November.

[swo17]

Ha, my first thought was also "that tennis episode" but looking at plot descriptions from later episodes, some of them also seem familiar

[Murdoch]

Marge is not dead because Simpsons does not have canon

[beamish14]

Pretty sure it was the UK travelogue one that finally convinced me it was okay to stop watching

That one and Kid Rock’s appearance were the end for many former fans. They apparently keep having vacation abroad episodes and Homer/Marge separating (and even getting new partners in one episode, I believe)

[dx23]

I still watch semi-regularly but the episode that almost did it for me was the Lady Gaga one. It was a Lisa episode and probably the worst one ever in the series. I like Lady Gaga but the whole thing was a train wreck.

I'm on the opposite side of the fence with the "future" episodes. Almost all of them have heart. Homer has mellowed out, Bart is figuring out life and Lisa finds out that having a great education doesn't automatically bring happiness. Mentioned it before, but the future episode that has Homer and the Bart's kids parody Royal Tenenbaums hit home with me as similar to Homer, my dad has mellowed out with age and having grandkids.

Something I noticed is that seasons have shortened. What used to be 24 episode seasons is now become 18 or less, and now several episodes are Disney+ exclusives. Like that Kerry Washington has become almost a regular with the new teacher that substitute Mrs. Krabbapple. Feel that the show wants to hit season 40 and then see where everyone is to continue maybe for 10 more years. Most of the cast is hitting 60 plus, with some close to their 70's. Several voice actors have passed away or retired, like Pamela Hayden recently did. In Latin America, many of the main characters voice actors have died, making it difficult to find suitable replacements. The moment one of the main cast passes away in the US, I feel that would be the end of the show.

[beamish14]

I still watch semi-regularly but the episode that almost did it for me was the Lady Gaga one. It was a Lisa episode and probably the worst one ever in the series. I like Lady Gaga but the whole thing was a train wreck.

I'm on the opposite side of the fence with the "future" episodes. Almost all of them have heart. Homer has mellowed out, Bart is figuring out life and Lisa finds out that having a great education doesn't automatically bring happiness. Mentioned it before, but the future episode that has Homer and the Bart's kids parody Royal Tenenbaums hit home with me as similar to Homer, my dad has mellowed out with age and having grandkids.

Something I noticed is that seasons have shortened. What used to be 24 episode seasons is now become 18 or less, and now several episodes are Disney+ exclusives. Like that Kerry Washington has become almost a regular with the new teacher that substitute Mrs. Krabbapple. Feel that the show wants to hit season 40 and then see where everyone is to continue maybe for 10 more years. Most of the cast is hitting 60 plus, with some close to their 70's. Several voice actors have passed away or retired, like Pamela Hayden recently did. In Latin America, many of the main characters voice actors have died, making it difficult to find suitable replacements. The moment one of the main cast passes away in the US, I feel that would be the end of the show.

When the American cast threatened to walk during contract renegotiations some years back, Fox apparently did begin the process of auditioning potential replacements. I have no doubt that they have no qualms about continuing it once the core cast has exited/passed away. Matt Groening checked out years ago, and I don’t think James L. Brooks has actively overseen it in quite a long time

[dx23]

Fox doesn't own it anymore though. Disney does. And the audition was more of playing a game of chicken than an actual thing. On the other hand, I could easily see a deal struck between the American cast and Disney and continue the show with AI. Many actors are looking at this as a way to secure money for their heirs and to keep their legacy alive. James Earl Jones struck a deal like this to keep his voice as Darth Vader and Mufasa alive for years to come.