The Simpsons

[mfunk9786]

Insult to injury: Having listened to the whole damn track, I can confirm that John Schwartzwelder does not appear on the Kill the Alligator and Run commentary.

[pianocrash]

So can I just remove the head and have a normal set (sans cover art)? If so, I'll just keep mine (I was keeping it in plastic to return to amazon).

Yup! The attaching gunk did ply off a bit of the foil-type ink, but my tears smeared the rest back together soon enough. It could also double as a great mold for cookies, pancakes, etc., but it will always turn out looking like Bart 90% of the time.

[mfunk9786]

I'm surprised that no one is talking about this flagrant false advertising surrounding the promised Schwartzwelder commentary.

[pianocrash]

I'm surprised that no one is talking about this flagrant false advertising surrounding the promised Schwartzwelder commentary.

Ugh! That is probably an act of inspired spite on Schwartzwelder's part. I'm actually kind of standing back and admiring this. That episode is awful.

This all seems like a scheme to me.

[mfunk9786]

I meant a scheme to get people to buy the season. I sadly realized as it was announced that I was going to buy it anyway. But now that I have - no commentary. What gives? Why announce it and not include it?

[Antoine Doinel]

It could be a variety of reasons -- it could've been a lousy track, but more than likely, perhaps Schwartzwelder changed his mind at the last minute and asked for his commentary track to be pulled.

I guess it goes to show you how many people actually listen to the Simpsons' commentaries that no one is raising a stink about it. I love the Simpsons, but I've found the commentary tracks to be laborious at best.

[Matt]

I love the Simpsons, but I've found the commentary tracks to be laborious at best.

Not all of them. The ones on the first season set, when they spend most of the time complaining about and apologizing for the lousy quality of the animation, are very funny, as are all of the ones with Jon Lovitz.

[pianocrash]

The one track that soured me to the whole idea & spoiled all the fun was the commentary for "The Principal & the Pauper", in which Ken Keeler spends most of the 27 minutes screaming at people on the internet with all the hopeless gusto he could muster (they must have run out of Kettle chips or something). And to be fair, the last few seasons didn't even include principals in many episodes, thanks to the work constraints of the movie and/or the general amount of malaise that seems to surround the recording sessions on the part of the staff. But I'd hardly think that one person's name attached to the bonus features section of a 4-dvd set would be enough for someone to fork over $32, especially with the antics heard in "The Cartridge Family" track (that's more than $1 a minute!). In other words: forget it, mfunk9786, it's Swartzwelder.

[colinr0380]

Have you checked whether there is a second commentary track on the episode as a kind of hidden easter egg? I think it has happened a couple of times - though the only one that comes to mind right now is the one on the The City of New York vs Homer Simpson episode from Season Nine.

I always enjoy the commentaries, but then I'm an indiscriminate listener! I'm saving Season 11 for Christmas so can't comment on the commentary quality, but often think Schwartzwelder has a good thing going already since every time he gets mentioned as not wanting to get involved it is often in tandem with a plug to check out his books! With that kind of advertising why would he need to vocally contribute to a commentary and run the risk of destroying the illusion!

[Antoine Doinel]

I love the Simpsons, but I've found the commentary tracks to be laborious at best.

Not all of them. The ones on the first season set, when they spend most of the time complaining about and apologizing for the lousy quality of the animation, are very funny, as are all of the ones with Jon Lovitz.

After waltzing around doing commentaries for The Critic, Jon Lovitz is dead to me.

[swo17]

Antoine, can I call you Joe?

Jon Lovitz is dead to me.

Say it ain't so, Joe!

[mfunk9786]

No easter egg either. It's just mildly frustrating because there was such a big deal made of it when it was announced, that's all.

[domino harvey]

Have you checked whether there is a second commentary track on the episode as a kind of hidden easter egg? I think it has happened a couple of times - thought the only one that comes to mind right now is the one on the The City of New York vs Homer Simpson episode from Season Nine.

I think there's two or three from the earlier seasons with just Al Jean because he missed the group session

[swo17]

TVshowsonDVD calls Season 11 set the worst DVD packaging ever? (with pictures)

[Schkura]

I blame Mike Scully.

[domino harvey]

Apparently last nite's episode was an at times shot-for-shot parody of Peter Jackson's Heavenly Creatures?! Did anyone witness this firsthand?

[pianocrash]

Oh my god it was! I was too wrapped up in the honest-to-goodness quality of it all to even realize (and Emily Blunt's slightly sped-up voice, a la Winona's appearance way back when), what with all the John Grisham jokes and the oddness of the friendship between the girls, which ditches the middle portion of the film for a more docile take on the situation, but still holding onto the sister-my-sister storyline. Still, it was groin-grabbingly greater than The Departed-style episode with Topher Grace, and featured La Josh Groban heavily. And hey, you can watch the entire episode here!

[Jeff]

Bart promotes scientology. Fox has got to be pissed, but what are they gonna do?

[Antoine Doinel]

Eye On Springfield

[colinr0380]

And the response to the video.

[domino harvey]

the Simpsons goes HD tonite and gets a brand new title sequence

[kaujot]

Ugh.

[Mr Sausage]

It's very indulgent, isn't it.

[skweeker]

Best title sequence ever. Good couch gag too.

I'll be watching...

[flyonthewall2983]

Tonight's episode was actually...hilarious. Everything down to Al Gore's (uncredited!?) appearance was worth a hardy chuckle at least.