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You know it's rare I watch the Simpsons these days, but now and then I still catch an episode. While watching last weekends episode I think I finally realized why the show does not interest me much anymore.

Is it just me, or did the writers of Family Guy and The Simpsons switch places as a huge prank sometime a few seasons ago?

The Simpsons used to be, for the most part, very story driven. Each episode felt like a story with gags rather then a story trying to weasel it's way between the gags, which was more what Family Guy used to do.

Now with Family Guy having more story driven episodes, The Simpsons seem to have gone the random gag route with very little story.

Example, the last episode, the first 7-8 minutes is a Radioactive Man Comic that Bart and Milhouse are reading. This section existed just to make fun of the funny energy/power based villains and take a jab at cleaner energy sources. It was something that could have been a quick 1 minute establishment of the comic book store dragged out way too long.

Finally we get to the story, only to endure a two minute mock musical number, followed by a quick "Stan Lee" gag. A five minute "awkward nerd trying not to be awkward around the girl" event which ends with them falling in love after the first date, followed by the father showing up to take her back home. After that, we spend the rest of the episode following HOMER (not comic book guy, why have him solve his own story?) and the father stumbling through a gag filled Miyazaki-style scene before the father changes his mind and the comic book guy and his Japanese sweetheart get married.

This seems to be the new format of every episode. It not only makes it less interesting, but makes the episode feel like it's over before anything can really "begin". Am I wrong on this?

No your not the only one, the show IS more gag oriented than plot nowadays. The jokes can be funny hell downright hilarious, but it does not cover how weak the plots can be at times. Like the media pirating episode two weeks before, it hardly felt like a plot but a string of jokes about the movie industry and the show suffers for it.

An animated political cartoon? Say it ain't so!

--Patrick

You're not wrong. It has thrown a lot of plot away.

The Simpsons is the rare show that might be the best of all time and also the worst of all time.

stienman said:

Only because it's been on for all time.

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This is pretty much spot on. When a show has been on as long as the Simpsons, this is bound to happen. Hell, there are so few shows that HAVE been on as long outside of news/talk shows and soap operas.

You get cancelled a hero, or you're on air long enough to become a villain - Sideshow Bob

Only Gunsmoke has had a similar run.

And Doctor Who.

Bowielee said:

And Doctor Who.

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For the American Market, it has been on for 7 years.

sixpackshaker said:

For the American Market, it has been on for 7 years.

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PBS stations were airing it since at least the early 80s.

DarkAudit said:

PBS stations were airing it since at least the early 80s.

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In reruns.

What does the country of origin have to do with the longevity of a series?

Y'know, it's funny that I still think of Matt Groenig as the creator of the indie comic "Life In Hell". Had the man been born 30 years later, we'd be posting on his forums about this awful idea for a web series he had where all the characters were yellow and the dad was completely clueless.

Bowielee said:

What does the country of origin have to do with the longevity of a series?

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Because Brit's are easily entertained?

Dr. Who would not have lasted in America the way it did in GB.

sixpackshaker said:

Because Brit's are easily entertained?

Dr. Who would not have lasted in America the way it did in GB.

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There's plenty of shit on American TV isn't there? But I guess you can just restate your argument as 'Brits have different criteria to keep a show on air' (BBC being public and all that) and I'd find it acceptable.

jwhouk said:

Y'know, it's funny that I still think of Matt Groenig as the creator of the indie comic "Life In Hell". Had the man been born 30 years later, we'd be posting on his forums about this awful idea for a web series he had where all the characters were yellow and the dad was completely clueless.

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I had a GF buy "Love is Hell" for me around the time the Simpsons came out. I think I had it for a little over a year before the series came out. So yeah, I too think about him as the creator of Life in Hell.

I think I still have my dad's "Life in Hell" books, good reads all of them.

Today I learned that there is a metal cover band where everyone dresses like Ned Flanders and the lyrics are Ned quotes.
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--Patrick