Top Ten Reasons Why Classic Episodes of The Simpsons Are the Best
I think this is something that we can all agree on.
Simple, but very true. The humor in classic Simpsons episodes was so well-timed and clever. It's hard to explain. In the newer episodes, the jokes are either too obvious or just fail. There are times in newer episodes when something happens that makes me feel like I should be laughing, but I'm not.
I don't think the newer humor is as terrible as everyone says, but it was certainly better back in the day.
I totally agree. I think the older Simpsons episodes are better because of all the things on this list.
The plots were much better. Nowadays, they can be so stale.
Phil Hartman's death is the reason there have been so many guest stars. To clarify: Troy McClure was "retired" out of respect for him, leaving the show without a fictional celebrity to host infomercials, educational videos, and other segments.
I didn't even know who voiced Troy or Lionel when I was younger. For a few years before I had a computer, I wondered what had happened to them.
If it weren't for his tragic death, the show may not have fallen apart as it did.
We're all used to them now, and it's getting old.
How many more marriage crises and liberal preaching plots can there possibly be at this point?
Classic episodes were ahead of their time, perhaps ahead of the modern episodes.
Nowadays, most of the new Simpsons episodes are a ripoff of movies or other TV shows.
These used to be hilarious. But I have a theory: they became a priority for the writers, which caused them to lose focus on the main plot. Now they're crap, just like the show is now.
Part of the problem stems from the loss of Phil Hartman. They started using real celebrities to host instructional videos and other segments that had originally been Troy McClure's job.
Some guest stars are just there for five seconds of attention in the modern Simpsons. Beforehand, it paid off for the show.
Guest stars are great, but excessive attention spoils the moment.
Yeah, it used to be a gorier, wittier parody of Tom and Jerry. Now, not only is it boring, but we barely even see it in the newer episodes.
Some of the new ones are funny, but it just isn't the same slapstick interlude that it used to be.
They were really good in the beginning. Now, they're just clichés - desperate attempts to keep the show going.
Lisa back then was an overachieving, smart girl and the voice of reason, but she was still a child in one way or another. Now, she's a liberal SJW radical who constantly whines. But she's still a decent character overall, even after the changes.
She was great in Seasons 1-10, decent in 11-17, but her annoying personality surged around Seasons 18 or 19, right after the movie.
Her episodes used to have heart. Now they're boring, or Lisa is just complaining!
In the old Simpsons episodes, the characters had more realistic reactions, and Homer wasn't an absolute idiot. He knew when to be scared. For example, in one episode when he goes to space, he calls Marge to tell her that he's scared. In another old episode, he barely reacts to a clock smashing into the ground next to him, and his only reaction is to note that the clock says it's lunchtime, so he happily walks home.
South Park and Family Guy came out nearing the end of The Simpsons' reign. The golden age ended after 30 Minutes Over Tokyo.
In the new episodes, Homer does things that only seem to benefit himself without considering anyone else. In the classic era, he was a bumbling idiot, but he was still a lovable character. Nowadays, some of the things he does make him just plain unlikable.
There was singing, but it was less frequent and much less annoying.
Why has this disappeared? It's what made Moe funny! Now, he bores one to death because the writers centered him.
This is unfortunately impossible now due to caller ID.
He was once a funny, angry guy. Now, he's just depressed.
Sure, nostalgia does play a role, but before Flanderization became a mainstay, the characters were a bit stereotypical, but they still reacted in a semi-human way. Many of them made decisions based on their hearts. They didn't just become one-dimensional characters.
Seasons 1-10 were the Golden Age, Seasons 11-18 were the Silver Age, and Seasons 19-29 were the Bronze Age/Modern Era.
Many people prefer how the modern seasons look, and I pity them. When you hit the play button and see how gaudy and ironically Hanna-Barbera-like it is, you realize that modern Simpsons animation looks bad.
The animation back then was much more realistic and innovative, as opposed to now.
Beer goggles in Duff Gardens. Nostalgia goggles for this list.
Retro Simpsons (except for the shorts, although a couple are shown in a special episode and one in a later episode couch gag) are often on Channel 4. Just watch it there - you'll see them more often, especially on the weekend.