The Simpsons Season Nine Review (Spoilers)
This is it. The first Simpsons season officially out of the "golden age". How is it?
While it DOES have quite a few low points it has a higher success rate than most of the later seasons. Mike Scully gets a bum rap from the fans in my eyes. Yes, he IS responsible for some of the worst Simpsons episodes ever. But I'll take his going out on a limb with some of the crazier episodes any day over Al Jean's run of mediocrity. True, Jean has produced fewer awful episodes than Scully. But Scully, whatever his faults was STILL able to produce the occasional outstanding episode which is something Jean hasn't been able to do in the later seasons. Jean tries to make the least offensive episodes ever. Scully's episodes are so crazy that they are either going to mega-suck or be great. There is no in between. I'll personally take a lot of crappy episodes over all "decent" ones anyday if it means that we occasionally still get a classic.
Now to review the episodes:
The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson: I'd say this was the best season premiere since season four if last year's classic "You Only Move Twice" hadn't wrecked the curve. One of my favorite episodes of the season. Homer running up and down the Twin Towers STILL makes me laugh as does the Mountain Dew/ Crab Juice joke. Great musical interludes with the Entertainer in the flashback and Start Spreading the News at the end. And "I'm Checkin' In" is one of the last great musical numbers the series has ever produced. Outstanding episode. *****.
The Principal and the Pauper: Honestly, I have no idea why this episode is so hated (Matt Groening says in the intro it's one of his least favorite episodes ever and then didn't bother showing up for the commentary). I actually think it's kind of sweet. Yes, the situation of Skinner being an imposter was ridiculous. But I really like how the episode explored the relationship between Seymour and Agnes which had always been so one-dimensional before. The episode has some great gags too ("Can I see your copy of Swank, Armin?") ****.
Lisa Sax: VERY sweet episode. Young Bart and Young Lisa have never been cuter. I laughed myself silly with Bart's "Buttman" routine and Skinner's reaction. I also thought how Homer got Lisa her sax was so sweet it hurts my teeth. ****1/2.
Treehouse of Horror XIII: I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this is the best, and most consistant ToH EVER. Yes, Homer3 was a classic but it was paired up with Attack of the Fifty Foot Eyesores. The cartoons here: The Homega Man, Fly Vs. Fly, and Easy Bake Coven are all uniformly terrific which is a first for a Halloween special. Best bits: Marge hitting Fly-Bart over the head with a broom, Homer rocking out naked in the Church, and the classic opening scene with the Fox censor. *****.
The Cartrige Family: This is a fun episode but it could have been SO much better. Homer getting a gun should have been money in the bank but it just isn't as great as it should have been. Al Jean should take notes about the fight Homer and Marge has here: it's not some bullpoop made up reason. Homer hiding the gun, WAS a truly terrible thing to do. I also liked the chilling ending of Marge keeping the gun. ***1/2.
Bart Star: Decent episode but it just isn't the same as the earlier seasons and the series is starting to show it's age. Joe Namath's cameo was fun though as was Hank Hill's. ***.
The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemopetilons: The Homer and Apu gags: Great. Everything else: Meh. I did like the unpredictable ending though. ***.
Lisa the Skeptic: Stephen Jay Gould's cameo was hilarious and I really liked the relationship between Lisa and Marge here and what Marge taught Lisa about faith. The rest of the episode is only so-so. ***1/2.
Realty Bites: A Lionel Hutz Tour De Force. Bonus points for introducing Gil. I thought the side plot of Homer and Snake beating the crap out of each other over a free-wheeling "Lil' Bandit" was funny too. I miss Phil Hartman. ****.
Miracle on Evergreen Terrace: If the Simpsons were headed for a fall in this episode, they were SETTING THEMSELVES UP for one. Every choice the family makes from Bart trying to open his presents early, to lying about the buglar, for foolishly splurging the money given to them on a car which Homer promptly wrecks, to getting caught in a fib by Kent Brockman on TV this episode plays like an animated Spike Lee film. I love the dark ending too. ****.
All Singing, All Dancing: Out of all of the clip shows this episode has the worst framing sequence story EVER. The good news? Having a clip show with all classic musical numbers was a great idea and this contains the best clips of any clip show. After the amusing Paint a Wagon song at the beginning though this episode starts sucking hard and the clips are relief points for one of the worst stories of the series. **.
Bart, Carny: This episode amuses me. Homer is just SO funny in it and Jim Varney does a great guest shot. The first act of the episode was only so-so but once Cooder and Spud move in the fun starts. ***1/2.
The Joy of Sect: I hated this episode when I first saw it but upon reflection it really IS quite a biting satire of cults. I'm actually shocked the episode got made in the first place since Nancy Cartwright is a famous Scientologist but they seemed to go out of their way to if not actually IMPLICATE Scientology then implicating the tactics that it uses. Better than I remembered. ***1/2.
Das Bus: I'll confess. I HATE Lord of the Flies. This episode sucked too. And I don't believe Milhouse has EVER been this annoying on the show before or since. I hated him by the end of the episode. *1/2.
The Last Temptation of Krust: A CLASSIC Krusty spotlight. I LOVE Krusty bombing so hard at the beginning and his BRUTAL beat-down of Jay Leno's Headlines ("Hey! I washed your hair!") I love Krusty turning right back into a shill at the end. I wouldn't have it any other way. ****.
Dumbbell Indemnity: I thought the angle of Moe having a girlfriend was cute but the episode isn't all that great. It's decent, but it's also predictable. I DID like Marge questioning Renee why the heck she decided to go out with Moe though. ***.
Lisa the Simpson: Very sweet episode. I felt for Lisa all throughout the episode and I felt for Homer too when she hurt him. I loved the resolution especially Bart taking his destiny in stride. A fine episode. ****.
This Little Wiggy: The best Ralph episode ever. REALLY funny (the arsonist Leprecaun at the end) and touching when Bart decides to defend Ralph after all. Best bit: Bart: "Mom, you have NO idea what it's like to be paired up with s doofus". (A saw cuts a circle in the floor. Homer pops his head out )"Oops". Bart: "I'm going." ****.
Simpson Tide: Not the best episode but not as bad as everyone says it is. So-so. **1/2.
The Trouble With Trillions: A forgettable episode but it DOES have some great Homer/ Burns/ Smithers interplay with Homer and Burns "calling" President and Vice-President of Cuba. **1/2.
Trash of the Titans: One of those outstanding episodes Mike Scully is occasionally able to produce. The Garbageman Song is WONDERFUL and Steven Martin gives a wonderful "Straight" performance as put-upon sanitation commisioner Ray Patterson. The climax of the garbage spewing up all over Springfield was one of the funniest endings ever. GREAT episode. *****.
King of the Hill. Cute episode. I though Bart looking up to Homer for once was really cool. ***.
Lost Our Lisa: Sort of an odd episode because the dynamic between Lisa and Homer here is Homer as the teacher and Lisa as the student. I liked the episode. ***.
Natural Born Kissers: I'll confess I'm still shocked at how much nudity this episode was able to get away with. I like this episode because it's one of the few episodes from the later seasons (including the golden years) that portrays Homer as a grown-up with grown-up needs and desires (such as a night out away from the kids). That's an aspect of Homer's character I've always missed even if he HAS improved from his jerkiness of the first three seasons. It was good to see it here. ***1/2.