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What if classic Simpsons episodes were made today

But that already happened. Don't you remember "My Mother The Carjacker?". That's essitantly "Mother Simpson" done in the modern Simpson writing era. And yeah it did have a lot of screw ups in it. (Like the really contrived way Homer met Mona in the beginning, not to mention the whole trial and Mona becoming a criminal again parts).



That's a good point actually as even in the commentaries the writers will admit mistakes/things they could of done better in certain episodes (I remember a lot of comments like that in season 4 though in later seasons it seems to be less and less critquing of they're work and more and more needless praising). The thing is though that even through the sum of some kind of iffy parts, the overall episodes were a lot more enjoyable then the ones nowadays. Which I think is what most people are asking.



Speaking of Season 4 I think that's around the time the show stopped the slightly more emotinal/ "awwwy" type plots you'd see more in the early seasons and do more humorous/nonsencial stuff not seen as much on TV. They even made fun of the awwwy TV moments in "$pringfield" so obviously they knew better then to just give into them (except for some endings of the show and where it was approriate.. at least classic season wise anyway).



Looking at the very latest seasons though (specifically since Comic Book Guy's real name was revealed in "Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass") CBG isn't really used for the meta-slams though. I mean yeah he makes one or two but it's still mostly nerd/sci fi humor. Other characters make just as many meta-jokes nowadays (like the Simpsons themselves. See Bart's crique on Homer's intellegence in the latest ep "Midnight Towboy") so it's not like that's just what CBG's character degraded into.

I really couldn't see how Classic episodes could be made now and the now episodes made then. I mean would those episodes have really made the show even popular or would they have been considered too "out there" and had just lead it to an early cancellation? I mean the Simpsons started around the late 80's/early 90's and eased it's way into being more weird and offbeat then other shows. If it started out that way I don't think the general auidence of the time would of really watched it, so we wouldn't of gotten the classic episodes now as we wouldn't of even run through all the modern episodes then.

What if classic Simpsons episodes were made today

Comic Book Guy was always a very broad take on the typical geek, more so the kind of out of touch store owners who are obsessed with having things in mint condition rather then actually reading them. He works fine for that. However, he has increasingly been used as the in-show face of the show's own fanbase. The first real use of this, in the Poochie episode, was fine. However, as seen in eps like Saddlesore Galactica, the writers will now very bluntly make this connection. It was shown very bluntly there when they had him point out the show had done a very similar plot and had everyone else say they didn't care what he thought.

Ribbing the fanbase is fine. Acting like fans who don't just shut up and accept anything they're given are lifeless geeks....I expect better from the writers.

What if classic Simpsons episodes were made today

CBG was and has always been a parody of the comic book fans/Geeks. and what's the problem with using him as a face? it's a representation on how people on the internet complain for every little thing these seasons pull, yet they overlook the fact that early episodes of the simpsons were never perfect and had their share of crapfest.

Besides, the style of the old seasons filled with "awwww" moments, that's so 90's.

What if classic Simpsons episodes were made today

In the early episodes, Comic Book Guy was clearly more of a general slam against the kind of guys who run comic stores and such. It was only in recent seasons where they started using him as the face of their fanbase.

What if classic Simpsons episodes were made today

What was Comic Book Guy originally intended for?

What if classic Simpsons episodes were made today

I like season one. It's good entertainment. Not hilarious but I enjoy it.

What if classic Simpsons episodes were made today

Well, the first season episodes were crap.

What if classic Simpsons episodes were made today

What HellCat said.

One of my favorite Homer lines is from the original Christmas episode: HOMER: If you want [a tattoo] you'll have to pay for it out of your own allowance...

Season 2's great as well---the episode with the Simpsons stealing cable's a classic. ;-)

-B.

What if classic Simpsons episodes were made today

Personally I enjoy the first season, although I admit that it's not at the same level as the ones that followed. The only reason I even mentioned it though, is because I was trying to point out that even the tamest episodes in the show's history were considered shocking when they first came out-- if some of the modern-day racier episodes were created then, the show would've been even controversial, and I don't think anybody, even the makers of the Simpsons, were actually interested in being that edgy then (of course, it's not really that 'edgy' anyway).

EDIT:
Once again, I agree with you, Hellcat.

What if classic Simpsons episodes were made today

I find season 1 underappreciated. Sure, the show was still finding its footing, but I think it has genuine charm. I can still go back and enjoy those episodes far more then I could anything in the last few years. The show's humbleness and desire to play it safe is nice after having to put up with "We'll say what we like and if you disagree, we'll just make jokes about you with a character who was originally intended for something else (Comic Book Guy)"