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vovatI haven't been getting very many comments at all on my most recent entries. Maybe I really HAVE run out of interesting things to write about.
Hey, is anyone interested in a free trial month of Netflix? I have these two cards that I'm supposed to share with friends and family, so if you want one of them, let me know.
Okay, on to my weekly cartoon reviews, which won't be forthcoming for a few more months, seeing as how the season finalés aired tonight. And whoever does the scheduling made the odd and laudable decision of ending the current seasons of The Simpsons, Family Guy, and American Dad with episodes that were actually good. With the first Simpsons episode, I probably missed some of the jokes because I've never watched 24. I mean, I was never really a regular viewer of The X-Files, but I saw enough episodes to get the jokes when they did a crossover in "The Springfield Files." That wasn't the case with the 24 crossover, but I enjoyed it anyway. The part with Bart trying to find his way around Jimbo's house with drawings that Jimbo had made in second grade was great. And while I missed the very beginning, I later learned that Dolph and Kearney's last names were revealed. It seems like the current writers are eager to give the full names of every regular character. I guess after the Comic Book Guy finally got a real name, they figured they might as well go all out. They still have some work to do, though. I don't think the Old Jewish Man has ever been named, and Disco Stu still needs a last name.
It kind of seems like, when they air two new Simpsons episodes in one night, the first one will receive more hype, but the second will be better-written. I don't remember all of the episodes that were aired this way, though, so it's possible that this rule doesn't hold up at all. But in this particular case, I think I did like the second one somewhat better. Like "Homerazzi" earlier this season, it was formulaic, but it worked quite well within its formula. I suppose it could be argued that the satire was a bit blatant and heavy-handed, but (as anyone who reads this journal regularly probably knows) I'm so simultaneously disturbed and fascinated by Fox News and fundamentalist media watchdog groups that pretty much any humor directed and them would have worked for me. And there were a lot of good incidental jokes as well, like the Luda-Crest video and the wall of casual acquaintances who stayed with the Simpsons (which I believe was actually fairly complete, although it didn't include Chester Lampwick or Roy). Honestly, I think this wouldn't have been a bad way to end the show--a nice round number of episodes, some nice bashing of Fox at the end, and the movie coming out in the summer. But I've seen descriptions of episodes for next season, so I know this isn't the case.
I liked the extended Back to the Future parody in FG, especially the bit at the dance with Brian playing the Rick Astley song. I do think it might have worked a bit better if, instead of the kids in the photograph fading away entirely, they had changed into the Quagmire versions of themselves. But that's probably over-analysis of a simple reference, isn't it? {g} The idea that Death can travel through time makes me think of Discworld, but I'm pretty sure that's not really where they got the idea. And American Dad continued with its recent spate of clever episodes. While it was criticized in the early days for being a case of Seth MacFarlane ripping himself off, I think they've been doing a better job of differentiating it from FG as of late. While FG's humor is primarily gag-based, AD's is more character-based.
Hey, is anyone interested in a free trial month of Netflix? I have these two cards that I'm supposed to share with friends and family, so if you want one of them, let me know.
Okay, on to my weekly cartoon reviews, which won't be forthcoming for a few more months, seeing as how the season finalés aired tonight. And whoever does the scheduling made the odd and laudable decision of ending the current seasons of The Simpsons, Family Guy, and American Dad with episodes that were actually good. With the first Simpsons episode, I probably missed some of the jokes because I've never watched 24. I mean, I was never really a regular viewer of The X-Files, but I saw enough episodes to get the jokes when they did a crossover in "The Springfield Files." That wasn't the case with the 24 crossover, but I enjoyed it anyway. The part with Bart trying to find his way around Jimbo's house with drawings that Jimbo had made in second grade was great. And while I missed the very beginning, I later learned that Dolph and Kearney's last names were revealed. It seems like the current writers are eager to give the full names of every regular character. I guess after the Comic Book Guy finally got a real name, they figured they might as well go all out. They still have some work to do, though. I don't think the Old Jewish Man has ever been named, and Disco Stu still needs a last name.
It kind of seems like, when they air two new Simpsons episodes in one night, the first one will receive more hype, but the second will be better-written. I don't remember all of the episodes that were aired this way, though, so it's possible that this rule doesn't hold up at all. But in this particular case, I think I did like the second one somewhat better. Like "Homerazzi" earlier this season, it was formulaic, but it worked quite well within its formula. I suppose it could be argued that the satire was a bit blatant and heavy-handed, but (as anyone who reads this journal regularly probably knows) I'm so simultaneously disturbed and fascinated by Fox News and fundamentalist media watchdog groups that pretty much any humor directed and them would have worked for me. And there were a lot of good incidental jokes as well, like the Luda-Crest video and the wall of casual acquaintances who stayed with the Simpsons (which I believe was actually fairly complete, although it didn't include Chester Lampwick or Roy). Honestly, I think this wouldn't have been a bad way to end the show--a nice round number of episodes, some nice bashing of Fox at the end, and the movie coming out in the summer. But I've seen descriptions of episodes for next season, so I know this isn't the case.
I liked the extended Back to the Future parody in FG, especially the bit at the dance with Brian playing the Rick Astley song. I do think it might have worked a bit better if, instead of the kids in the photograph fading away entirely, they had changed into the Quagmire versions of themselves. But that's probably over-analysis of a simple reference, isn't it? {g} The idea that Death can travel through time makes me think of Discworld, but I'm pretty sure that's not really where they got the idea. And American Dad continued with its recent spate of clever episodes. While it was criticized in the early days for being a case of Seth MacFarlane ripping himself off, I think they've been doing a better job of differentiating it from FG as of late. While FG's humor is primarily gag-based, AD's is more character-based.
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no subject
Date: 2007-05-21 06:05 pm (UTC)I haven't been getting very many comments
Date: 2007-05-21 09:24 pm (UTC)Re: I haven't been getting very many comments
Date: 2007-05-22 02:50 pm (UTC)Re: I haven't been getting very many comments
Date: 2007-05-22 05:22 pm (UTC)Re: I haven't been getting very many comments
Date: 2007-05-23 02:05 pm (UTC)Okay, I should probably stop with the punning now, shouldn't I?
no subject
Date: 2007-05-21 10:10 pm (UTC)>>especially the bit at the dance with Brian playing the Rick Astley song<<
OH man that was the best part to me!
I didn't pay attention to American Dad last night. 'Show is still hit & miss with me.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-21 10:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-22 02:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-22 05:22 pm (UTC)I missed both Simpsons (which seems to be usual for me -- I've missed most of this season), but I did dig the Family Guy episode, even though the Quagmire versions of the kids were really disturbing. Particularly Meg. MAAANG.
I am good at not feelin' well, apparently. Blegh.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-23 02:08 pm (UTC)Yeah, and I'm apparently not very good at it, since I've only managed to give away one. I'm even less successful than the door-to-door preachers!
I missed both Simpsons (which seems to be usual for me -- I've missed most of this season)
Well, you probably didn't miss that much. :P It wasn't a great season. There were a few good episodes in the mix, though, and I'm such a completist that I'm glad I saw even the weaker ones.