The Simpsons

[Commode]

Season 2 is great, such crazy talk Dalek.

I'd be watching it right now, but I am currently on the other side of the planet.  Whatever, by the time I get back the show will be on several times a day anyway, it's not like FXX has much else to run.

[Speedy]

Bah.  I can't think of any genuinely bad season 2 episodes (though its first "Treehouse of Horror" was understandably pretty rough).  How can you hate a season with:

"Homer, it's really coming down.  Can you check on the boys?"
(brief glimpses of Bart, Milhouse, and Martin fighting in the treehouse during the lightning strikes)
"They're fine."

"Homer Simpson is a... brilliant man with lots of well thought-out, practical ideas.  He is ensuring the financial security of this company for years to come.  Oh, and his personal hygiene is ABOVE reproach."

"Homer J. Simpson, I hate you."
"Hey Barney.  GUESS WHO'S GOT A DATE FOR THE PROM!!!"

"I should be able to run over as many kids as I want!"

And so on.

[Spark Of Spirit]

"Way to go, Lisa."

"Wait, there's still more spacedust on here!"

"Nevermore-
WHY YOU LITTLE!"

The first THOH is awesome to me.

[Speedy]

^ It's not awful but I liked the second THOH much better.  Still, there are some good lines:

"You know what would've been scarier than nothing?  ANYTHING!!"

[LumRanmaYasha]

The Simpsons marathon has made me think about what my favorite episodes were, so I decided to make a list. I managed to make a pretty solid top 25, which is kinda much, but since the show is 25 years old anyway, I figured why not (though, most of the episodes on my list are from seasons 4-9).

25 - Trilogy of Error
24 - Lisa the Iconoclast
23 - Treehouse of Horror VI
22 - The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson
21 - Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily
20 - Marge Be Not Proud
19 - The Springfield Connection
18 - $pringfield (or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)
17 - Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment
16 - Krusty Gets Cancelled
15 - Treehouse of Horror IV
14 - 22 Short Films About Springfield
13 - Treehouse of Horror V
12 - Who Shot Mr. Burns Parts 1 & 2
11 - Lisa's Wedding
10 - Homer at the Bat
9 - The Simpsons Spinoff Showcase
8 - Bart Gets an F
7 - Cape Feare
6 -  Marge vs. the Monorail
5 - Last Exit to Springfield
4 - Lemon of Troy
3 - Mother Simpson
2 - Radioactive Man
1 - Lisa's Sax

[Daikun]

I just finished watching the movie during the marathon. I skipped out on its theatrical run since I was burned out by The Simpsons long before then.

The movie is surprisingly better than I was expecting. It beats out most of the episodes in the post-shark-jump seasons. The Alaska sub-plot seemed kind of weird, though.

I also liked the intro to the season 18 premiere, showing what Springfield looked like right after the movie ended.

[Kiddington]

You know what's weird to me?

The Simpsons never really had a rebound or true second wind like King of the Hill did; once 11 hit (which was such a backbreaker for this show), it just kinda flatlined for good. Like, 11 and 12 are definitely the worst, and while everything after that is a marginal (if not outright) improvement, it's hardly anything to write home about. KOTH, on the other hand, had some of it's best episodes in the final 3 seasons.

[talonmalon333]

What do you guys think is better, modern Simpsons or modern SpongeBob?

[LumRanmaYasha]

Modern Simpsons. At least there's some good episodes every now and again. Can't say the same for the Sponge these days.

[gunswordfist]

sponge from what i've seen.

[talonmalon333]

I think they are both equally mediocre. As in, if I watch a new Simpsons or SpongeBob episode, I might get a few laughs, but I'll forget about it the next day. Neither has made me willing to watch it in years. And when, for one reason or another, I do end up watching a new episode, neither convinces me to change that pattern.

[Speedy]

It's a bit old, but I listened to the Animation Guild's interview with Mark Kirkland last night.  It's a lengthy interview (split in two parts!) but worth the time for a Simpsons fan, especially when he starts discussing his work on The Simpsons:  http://animationguildblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/mark-kirkland-converses-part-i.html

[talonmalon333]

http://www.avclub.com/article/simpsons-showrunner-has-idea-how-end-it-should-eve-208456

My idea for last episode -- ends w/arrival at Xmas pageant (beginning of first episode).  Whole series a continuous loop.

[LumRanmaYasha]

That would actually be a pretty neat meta-ending for the series. By having the series be a continuous loop, The Simpsons will just go on and on forever, never ending.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Too bad the shorts would be cut out of that loop, but I agree. It's a fitting place to end it.