Newsgroups: alt.tv.simpsons
From: jdonald@us.oracle.com (John R. Donald)
Subject: Re: I&STM
Organization: Oracle Corporation
Distribution: alt
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 03:52:52 GMT
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In article <BALDWIN.92Nov5162016@csservera.scs.usna.navy.mil> baldwin@csservera.scs.usna.navy.mil (J.D. Baldwin) writes:
>In article <1992Nov4.202847.1735@oracle.us.oracle.com>
>jdonald@us.oracle.com (John R. Donald) writes:
>
>>I thought this was easily the worst episode ever.  Simply not funny.
>
>How soon we forget the stain of "Colonel Homer."

Actually, I kind of like Colonel Homer....

... intelligent commentary deleted...

>>Star Trek.  ...Now, the Simpsons have done it, and they didn't do it
>>any better than anyone else.  Should have left it alone, and come up
>>with something original.
>
>Of course everybody has made fun of it.  It is an icon of our culture.
>That doesn't mean that there isn't fresh satire to be had there.  The
>only one of the list you provide that has specifically lampooned the
>age of the cast is "In Living Color," and their rendition wasn't
>nearly as funny as this one.  Shatner's toupee, the title "So Very
>Tired," the line "Again with the Klingons," etc. were all gutbusters,
>as far as I was concerned.
>
>Now, on the other hand, one may argue that satirizing the pointless
>and idiotic Star Trek movies is like satirizing professional
>wrestling:  there just isn't any way to make it significantly dumber.
>There is a case to be made for that criticism, but it's not the same
>as the one you make.
>
ok - is it too late?  i want to make that point too...

>>Homer being very familiar with Chief Justices.  [. . .]  Once in a
>>while, when Homer throws out something like that, it is funny.  Yes,
>>it is out of character for Homer to say anything too intellectual, but
>>[. . .] 
>>But we know that this is an aberration, Homer is simply not a bright
>>guy.  I can't believe he is that familiar with the names of the
>>Supreme court justices.
>
>You almost said it, and I think that you'd agree:  this device (having
>Homer suddenly pipe up with something intellectual) is funny if used
>S P A R I N G L Y.  If they overuse it, it will just become stupid.
>Twice in three years fits my definition of "sparingly."

exactly right.
>
>>And I didn't like the bit about 40 years from now, although I don't really
>>have an argument against it.  I just didn't like it.
>
>I was of two minds about this.  I thought it was a bit of a weak way
>out of the episode, but I got a big kick out of the "also with 'Beauty
>and the Beast'" gag and of course the movie footage itself.  Homer's
>assessment:  "Itchy's a jerk," made me laugh, too.
>
>>This episode was an appeal to the lowest common denominator.  It
>>exploited cliches instead of exposing them.  It twisted character
>>traits in order to go after laughs.  It relied on gimmicks that got a
>>laugh in the past.  It became a parody of itself.  I repeat, this was
>>by far the worst episode ever.
>
>I think you are judging it *way* too harshly.  It did "exploit" a
>couple of cliches, maybe (though the "Star Trek" bit is the only
>example I can think of, and that one isn't too strong).  I don't know
>that any character traits were "twisted," excepting Homer's brief
>rendezvous with intelligence.
>
>Besides, you've missed the point: you didn't once mention Itchy and
>Scratchy in your post!  We were treated to some of the funniest, most
>twisted Itchy and Scratchy footage ever, and plenty of it (though,
>once again, I will not rest until there is a 24-hour Itchy and
>Scratchy cable channel)!  How you can judge this episode so harshly
>without even a nod to everybody's favorite cat-and-mouse duo is beyond
>me.

I hesitate to criticize I&S for fear of being tarred and feathered...
but you are right about judging it too harshly.  i only watched it once, 
and the first time I watch a new episode I am usually disappointed because
my expectations are so high.  I'll try it again.
-jd

>--
> From the catapult of:              |+| "If anyone disagrees with anything I
>   _,_  J. D. Baldwin, Comp Sci Dept|+| say, I am quite prepared not only to
> _|70|___:::)=}-  U.S. Naval Academy|+| retract it, but also to deny under
> \      /   baldwin@usna.navy.mil   |+| oath that I ever said it." --T. Lehrer
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


-- 
"Good Idea, Boss."	- Homer Simpson

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