The Simpsons

[Kotowboy]

A proper artist wouldn't care about the money. If he's got like $100m in the bank - it's just a number after a while if he doesn't live lavishly.

[Kotowboy]

EDIT - He's 71 . Even more reason to leave and to do something new.

[sneakyblueberry]

like the new spinal tap movie where they reunite and go on a final farewell tour with the rolling stones

[El Barto]

They all seem to be worth around 50-60 million. I have no idea if they're taking in royalties from syndication or not, but at that point it hardly matters.

And I gather they do the work because it's fun. It's not about art or money anymore. Hell, Sam Simon spent the last years of his life trying to blow through his Simpsons money a la Brewster's Millions.

EDIT - He's 71 . Even more reason to leave and to do something new.

Yeah, something new like buy an island and go full on Caligula.

[BlobVanDam]

A proper artist wouldn't care about the money. If he's got like $100m in the bank - it's just a number after a while if he doesn't live lavishly.

An "artist" would have left a decade ago. But it's a job, not about art. Art is for people who don't make money. Until either of us has that amount of money, we couldn't really say how important it is to keep making it.

[emblempride]

And I gather they do the work because it's fun. It's not about art or money anymore. Hell, Sam Simon spent the last years of his life trying to blow through his Simpsons money a la Brewster's Millions.
/

I dunno as others have said, for Shearer at least, he hasn't seemed to give a damn since like Principal and the Pauper. For him, I'd say money was the key factor, especially since this is over merchandising, and the artistry factor was something that was always nagging at him. It could also be that he's knowingly asking for an unrealistic amount so that they'd get rid of him. Though, with the billions Simpsons rakes in as a franchise, it's not totally crazy. He's said something about this really being about his vocational freedom, but he's still been able to do the Christoper Guest movies, the Spinal Tap stuff, and run a decent podcast. And nobody seemed to toss and turn when he didn't do that Simpsons ride thing. He's 71, what the fuck else does he want to do? It seems difficult for him to just say, "This is all shit, I'm out.", which is well within his rights imo after 17 years of piss. That's like, almost my whole life. From what he's said the last decade or so, it seems like he didn't enjoy being on a show he doesn't think much of. See SNL. Don't think he's as involved with the rest of the cast either. Read somewhere that as far as table readings go, Shearer only pops up via conference call, then they record separately, then they all fuck off with their millions until the next session, and considering how long each episode's production is, this is, what, a few hours a week?

[King Postwhore]

I guess Harry is going back to synchronized swimming.

[JRundquist]

So what was the first thing I thought of when I heard about this, just as the shock wore off?

A very memorable line:

[El Barto]

LOL. I had forgotten about that.

[Ben_Jamin]

What episode is that one?

[El Barto]

What episode is that one?

Seems to be Homer to the Max. I think that was when he was Max Power.  Here's the clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cHaXdl20Prg

I still watch the first 8 seasons here and there. I'm thinking I might download the next twentywhatever and let them run while I'm at work. It just seems strange that as big a fan as I was I've never actually seen 2/3 of the series now.

[Ben_Jamin]

Thanks. Man, I think I lost that disc.

[Sycsa]

A proper artist wouldn't care about the money. If he's got like $100m in the bank - it's just a number after a while if he doesn't live lavishly.

An "artist" would have left a decade ago. But it's a job, not about art. Art is for people who don't make money. Until either of us has that amount of money, we couldn't really say how important it is to keep making it.

[dparrott]

Just thought of this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSy5mEcmgwU
 

[El Barto]

Actually watched the show last night and thought it was pretty good. First time I can say either of those things in ages. A take on something called Boyhood, covering 15-20 years of Bart growing up. Some pretty good gags, Homer as the aging pothead, Sherry and Terry being similarly (but apparently quite differently) slutty and Milhouse as the ripped ex-con. But rather than simply trying to be a string of gags it was slower paced, looking to maintain reverence to a deeper story about his rivalry with Lisa and Homer's abandonment. It's refreshing to see them get back to a deeper relationship between Bart and Lisa, like the earlier episodes, rather than just the nonstop hostility that's been present since season 10 or so.

[Nel]

There was a Halloween episode they did (this season I think) that wasn't a treehouse of horror and it was really damn good.

[BlobVanDam]

There was a Halloween episode they did (this season I think) that wasn't a treehouse of horror and it was really damn good.

I saw some thing recently that involved the aliens that apparently wasn't a treehouse of horror, and from what little I saw it was awful. And then they ended with some tired overused Star Trek copy.
Every time I see part of any episode from the past 5-10 years, it just confuses and enrages me.

[Nel]

I only ever catch an episode a season if I happen to be home on Sundays. They're usually pretty awful and just a reaffirmation that I was right to stop keeping up with the show over a decade ago, but the Halloween one I saw was nice. I think the aliens showed up at the end but it turned out to just be two of the townspeople in costume or something.

I think I might have seen part of the one you mentioned and just kind of passed over it with the remote the second I realized how nonsensical the plot was. Only other episodes I've actually heard about in recent years are the Lego one and the Futurama crossover, which I'd like to see, but beyond that my interest in the show has fizzled.

[BlobVanDam]

The Futurama crossover was watchable due to the Futurama crew, but it was wrong to see it in a Simpsons episode aside from fan service.
I saw the Lego one, and that was alright from what I remember, which for modern Simpsons would easily make it the best one I've seen in a decade.

[Progmetty]

I always knew they'll pass Gunsmoke
This has taken me a couple of years to binge watch at the rate of 3 to 5 episodes a week, I started watching The Simpsons back around the time ADToE came out. I'm currently on season 25, watched episode 16 titled "You Don't Have to Live Like a Referee" last night, it was hilarious actually.

[BlobVanDam]

Shouldn't they say this is the American scripted series with the most episodes? And even then, do things like soaps count? (Or do they not have scripts? Because I'd easily believe they don't).
Still a mighty impressive run by any measure. It's even more impressive when you think that only the first 1/3 of that run is any good.

[Progmetty]

To me it had it's ups and downs from the beginning, I still enjoyed it all though. Some of the teen seasons were weak but still averaged 2 or 3 decent episodes per season.

[ReaperKK]

I always knew they'll pass Gunsmoke
This has taken me a couple of years to binge watch at the rate of 3 to 5 episodes a week, I started watching The Simpsons back around the time ADToE came out. I'm currently on season 25, watched episode 16 titled "You Don't Have to Live Like a Referee" last night, it was hilarious actually.

I want to do this, after I finish my Star Trek marathon.

[Mladen]

Seasons 1 - 8: classic
Seasons 9 - 12: good
Seasons 13 - 16: still solid
Season 17 - 21: some good episodes, I guess

I started following the series afterwards, although I really want to catch up. At some point I will.

[fadetoblackdude7]

Seasons 1 - 8: classic
Seasons 9 - 12: good

I'd argue that the classic era is 1-10

[Kotowboy]

Yeah The Simpsons pretty much went from one of the funniest shows of all time to one of the least funniest.

[Mladen]

Seasons 1 - 8: classic
Seasons 9 - 12: good

I'd argue that the classic era is 1-10

Season 9 has it's share of classic episodes as far as I'm concerned, but the season 10 episodes, although still very funny, show a slight drop in quality. Mike Scully and the gang probably thought the end is near, so they weren't trying so hard.

[El Barto]

One through seven constitute the golden era, in my book. And that includes One and two, which are excellent for very different reasons. Eight was the beginning of the end. It was a very good season and had a ton of great episodes, but was beginning to show a lot of the problems that would eventually drag it down. After that it was just a string of crappy episodes with a decreasing amount of really good/great ones thrown in each seasons. Even now they can do excellent episodes when they want to (sweeps week). But most of what they do is a string of occasionally funny (and even great) jokes in an episode with almost none of what made the Simpsons great when it was.

[Ben_Jamin]

The problem also is the time. They began switching writers and staff. The network cut their show time, and also certain things weren't allowed on TV anymore.

[Kotowboy]

When it started it was a good comedy show / sitcom with great jokes and stories.

Now it's almost exclusively the most predictable jokes / pop culture references and self awareness.

[El Barto]

The problem also is the time. They began switching writers and staff. The network cut their show time, and also certain things weren't allowed on TV anymore.

The last time I watched a Treehouse of Horror I was astonished at how short the vignettes were. Cutting one full minute from each ~7 minute segment is huge and it shows in the quality.

Coincidentally, I set out to download the first 10 seasons from DVD rips recently (I own the sets outright, but don't feel like ripping the damn things). Some of the syndication edits are pretty awful, cutting out some of the best jokes at times. It's a hoot watching an episode you've seen dozens of times and seeing a scene you're unfamiliar with. It's like listening to NotB and being surprised when Total Eclipse starts rather than HBTN.

[BlobVanDam]

The problem also is the time. They began switching writers and staff. The network cut their show time, and also certain things weren't allowed on TV anymore.

The last time I watched a Treehouse of Horror I was astonished at how short the vignettes were. Cutting one full minute from each ~7 minute segment is huge and it shows in the quality.

Coincidentally, I set out to download the first 10 seasons from DVD rips recently (I own the sets outright, but don't feel like ripping the damn things). Some of the syndication edits are pretty awful, cutting out some of the best jokes at times. It's a hoot watching an episode you've seen dozens of times and seeing a scene you're unfamiliar with. It's like listening to NotB and being surprised when Total Eclipse starts rather than HBTN.

I remember yonks ago in the early days of file sharing downloading crap quality TV rips of some of my favourite episodes (this was before they were even released on DVD), and noticed so many missing sections. You just can't cut anything out of those old episodes without sacrificing classic jokes.

[El Barto]

The problem also is the time. They began switching writers and staff. The network cut their show time, and also certain things weren't allowed on TV anymore.

The last time I watched a Treehouse of Horror I was astonished at how short the vignettes were. Cutting one full minute from each ~7 minute segment is huge and it shows in the quality.

Coincidentally, I set out to download the first 10 seasons from DVD rips recently (I own the sets outright, but don't feel like ripping the damn things). Some of the syndication edits are pretty awful, cutting out some of the best jokes at times. It's a hoot watching an episode you've seen dozens of times and seeing a scene you're unfamiliar with. It's like listening to NotB and being surprised when Total Eclipse starts rather than HBTN.

I remember yonks ago in the early days of file sharing downloading crap quality TV rips of some of my favourite episodes (this was before they were even released on DVD), and noticed so many missing sections. You just can't cut anything out of those old episodes without sacrificing classic jokes.

One of my favorite jokes from the entire series fell victim to a syndication cut.

Legs: Hey boss, I thought you said Troy McClure was dead?
Fat Tony: No. I said he sleeps with the fishes. You see. . .

[BlobVanDam]

How can you cut that out?! That's just wrong. I don't think you could cut a second out of that episode though. One of the best.

[Progmetty]

I gotta share this, I laughed so hard at it. It's so funny and perfectly delivered by the voice actresses, especially Nelson's line, I was laughing so hard I actually woke up the guy who sleeps in the upper bunk bed heh
It's S28E14 Fatzcarraldo. In this scene Lisa was the school journalist.

Lisa: Here at Springfield Elementary, detention has many names.
Purgatraz, The Skinner Sheraton, Spitball Alley, The Bully Pen, 311 Worth, Little Devil's Island and Dead Man Chalking. And I am here with the legendary Nurple Purpler Nelson Muntz.
Nelson, let me get right to it. "Haw-haw!", Where did that come from?

Nelson: Um... wow. First of all, great question. I guess I just saw a jerk doing something lame, and I wanted to make the dope feel like a dingus.
Lisa: Well, Mr. Muntz, I just happen to have one of those "dingai" right here. Milhouse, how does it feel to get a full Nelson?

Milhouse: The first haw isn't that bad. But the second one is devastating.