Animation on FOX Talkback 2018-2019 (Spoilers)

DecaTilde

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Getting back to the subject of Family Guy's "Dead Dog Walking", you should have already known that Brian died in Season 12, and was brought back shortly afterwards. He referenced that episode when he said that the Internet was going to freak out if he was euthanized.
 

Daffyfan2002

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Yeah. I was surpised that Stewie's matricidal tendencies returned, but the way Lois has been lately, it's understandable.

Brian doing Michigan J. Frog was hilarious, hahahahahaha:p.

That was classic. RIP: Chuck Jones.

Sorry to fall an episode behind. It's been a while since I had a chance to read these things.

But about that ep, it does seem like Seth has been getting lazy about coming up with endings so he's just doing the first thing he thinks of. (Ex: Having a character die for no apparant reason during the commercial break.) That's kind of the way it's been for the last few seasons it seems.
 

Dantheman

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They could've just said something like Jess' illness came back, plus gaining weight, is what killed her. Heck, that's probably what did it, I came up with that off the top of my head. I put more thought into it than the Family Guy writers did.
 

Daffyfan2002

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They could've just said something like Jess' illness came back, plus gaining weight, is what killed her. Heck, that's probably what did it, I came up with that off the top of my head. I put more thought into it than the Family Guy writers did.

Well, I'm glad someone did. Maybe you should be a writer for the show. :)
 

Fone Bone

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They could've just said something like Jess' illness came back, plus gaining weight, is what killed her. Heck, that's probably what did it, I came up with that off the top of my head. I put more thought into it than the Family Guy writers did.
It was funnier the way they did it. The fact that they put no work into the plot twist was part of the joke.
 

ToonsJazzLover

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Late post since I had a busy month, but parts 1 and 2 of Brian's miserable marriage was okay. Not the best way to start off the season, especially since most of us are tired of Brian dating women plots. I hate how erratic Jess' character was going from a person with cancer, to a female Peter Griffin (complete with fart jokes) to a dog killer. They also need to stop putting Brian into danger, because no one wants to see Life of Brian 2.0 (and that stupid scene of Brian dying has been memed to death by the cartoon community). Part one was fine, but part 2 was mediocre. Both episodes had promising beginning, but once act three rolls around, they start to fall apart. The Alec Sulkin era is notorious for having insulting endings.

And Pal Stewie seems like a love letter to all old school Family Guy fans, even though it was written by writers that joined the show after season 3 (Finally, John Viener wrote an episode again instead of hearing his voice for the umpteen time, which he voiced Tony Robbins here) - including writers assistant Matt Pabian, who joined during season 12. Main plot was great all the way through and yes, Brian did something bad again, boo hoo, but I'm not going to make a scene about it. Subplot had a slow beginning (even though all the Tony Robbins part were amusing), but it picked a bit, using a similar plot that American Dad! did last season with the person talking on the car.

Also, just to note: most of the recurring voices in this episode are children voices. Hudson was voiced by the same boy who is currently voicing Clyde on the Loud House. Even one of the current Disney Channel stars did a voice role in this episode.
 

LinusFan303

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I am not as much of watching new Simpsons episodes viewer as I used to be , but did watch the TreeHouse of Horror XXX.
I liked the nice callback to the old style of Halloween intros with the grave stones, The mini segment at the start was funny and glad it wasn't a main segment so it didn't outstay any welcome. The first segment, They did a "Invasion of the Body-Snatchers" thing with a commentary on how "the tech is making us the real zombies" Lisa's dying sequence had some nice throwback Easter eggs. It was alright but the ending was kind of weak , I didn't make too many laughs in the segment though.

Of the three segments I think would memorable in this episode is the 2nd one. I liked Lisa having all those personalities it was pretty funny. The reason of why Lisa going crazy was so Lisa and funny too. The ending was a little weird but I think it was the best of the three.

And the Third one, so they do a parody of Jurassic Park surprised they held off this long, but it was other wise, weak. I did like that Lisa's idea worked and thought it was sweet. There's not much else I can really say about this one though.

I think overall, it was underwhelming for a Halloween Simpsons, the one thing these episodes have even the more modern ones have something memorable in them but this one really didn't grab that for me. I also didn't find alot of laughs from this episode either.
 

Radical

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Big Trouble in Little Quahog was pretty great/funny, I enjoy Brian/Stewie crazy adventure episodes,

Brian bullying poor Stewie for being small, Brian still unlikable as usual.
Tiny Tom Cruise's return, cool to see him, hehehe.
Stewie's payback on Brian shrinking him was awesome, go Stewie.
Brian getting shrunken small and chased by a rat was satisfying, always good to see Brian get his comeuppance:D.
Brian/Stewie's small crazy adventure.
The booger trapping Brian was satisfying.
The talking fly, hahahahaha.
Brian/Stewie talking about 80s movies, love Ferris Bueller's Day Off/Home Alone:D.
Peter/Lois's Terminator gag, hahahahahaha:p.
Vernie/the water bears, great/funny tiny creatures.
The Microcity is cool.
The Exterminator was funny.
The dust mites are dangerous/vicious.
Brian/Stewie back to normal size, but the two dust mites got bigger, they look cool though.
Tiny Tom Cruise being an anti-hero saving Brian/Stewie was awesome.
Poor Chris.
Cool to see Prince, he'll be missed:D:crying:.
Poor Stewie accidently killed the poor water bear creatures.
 

wiley207

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Sweet, another Treehouse of Horror by the show's current Number One Top Writer!
(leaves, but opens the door and peeks his head in) Oh, by the way, I was being sarcastic.

So the Simpsons and Bob's Burgers had Halloween episodes last night, but not Family Guy? Geez... No wonder Family Guy's popularity keeps sinking.
 

ShadowBeast

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The Simpsons Halloween episode was just weak this year. The first segment had the biggest promise with the pod-people, but it ended so weakly. I love the Jurassic Park films(except the 3rd one), but even that couldn't help the third segment for me. It just felt like all three segments were about Lisa too. Even when the focus was on other characters, it felt like all three segments were about Lisa. Which hurt this episode for me.
 

Fone Bone

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The Simpsons "Treehouse Of Horror XXIX"

Opening:

Scary Tombstones are back! I guess after 25 years they had time to think of some new ones.

For the record, actually seeing a whale on a whale-watching tour is exactly as valuable as the show is painting it as. That and immortality are pretty much equal and equally rare gifts.

For the record, you are NOT as scary as Kavanaugh, James L. Brooks. Better luck next year. ****.

Intrusion Of The Pod-Y Snatchers:

I love Planet Express Ship being destroyed by The Orville. That's the producers correctly reading the current mood of Fox and Comedy Central, and giving credit where it was due. I give Al Jean a lot of crap for the amount of unfair smack he talks about Family Guy and Seth MacFarlane. I can recognize him being magnanimous when I see it.

Also the cameo of Luci from Disenchantment felt relevant too.

Yay! A happy sci-fi ending! But is it really? Are any endings really happy when you gets right down to it? Deep stuff.

Good segment. *****.

Multiplisaty:

Oh, my GOD! I'm gonna be THAT Guy! And nobody hates That Guy more than me. And if I wasn't That Guy before this moment, I'm gonna be. Buckle up. I'm about to wreck your buzz and harsh your mellow. But apparently I'm That Guy now. Because there is no other Guy I can be when commenting on this.

Dissociative Disorder, more commonly known as multiple personalities, is NOT good fodder for entertainment. Because I knew a woman with it and it sucked. And for most people, the other personalities are not evil or anything. Hollywood and this episode suggest that this is something that happens to a person who finally snaps, and that they were a terrible person deep down, and this is their way to indulge those impulses without their conscious mind having to take responsibility for it. Hollywood seems to think people who have this specific disorder are violent people deep down, who go crazy so as not to have to examine that part of themselves. And Hollywood likes using it as a nifty high-concept, and it's not that. It's about as depressing in reality as an A.A. Meeting.

People who have that disorder, usually woman, develop it after suffering trauma or abuse, violent and often sexual, and often by a family member. It's the way the person survives the hell they live in. And if they are ever taken out of that abusive hell, they are stuck with the disorder when they are in regular society.

But it's not not something a person's mind invents because they are mad at somebody. It's having a different and often stronger personality take control to withstand rapes, and incest, and horrific tortures that the person suffering the abuse cannot rationally process. It's the next best thing to actually not being there. And all of these movies like Split And Psycho think it's like a horror film for the people who know the person. It's not. I was not frightened of my friend. I was frightened FOR her whenever she got triggered into retreating into that because it meant something so bad just crossed her mind and I half thought it was my fault. I'm not gonna say jokes about it should be more off-limits than Holocaust, 9/11, or AIDS. But it's ultimately about as entertaining a scenario those three things. It's just that most people don't know it.

I actually like the sequence of Miss Hoover being unimpressed by Duffman the morning after. This is the kind of joke Mrs. Krabappel was used for, and I don't mind the role being transitioned to her at all. But that was the only thing in this literal tragedy of a segment I liked.

So my advice to you upon finishing this section of the review, is don't drink the punch. I left a turd floating in the bowl. **.

Geriatric Park:

You know your Treehouse segment is bad when the premise is based upon a random word pun that has nothing to do with anything. Those are specifically the worst segments and this was no exception.

I will grant it this. Grandpa Dinosaur's dentures falling out was a funny, and cute, and charming moment. But that's all I'll give the segment.

Why DID Jurassic Park have doors anyways? Now that will always bug me from this point forward. Which is not something to love the episode for. Quit being That Guy, Al Jean. That's my job. *.

Episode Overall: ***1/2.




Bob's Burgers "Nightmare On Ocean Avenue Street"

Ganking candy on Halloween is a total d-word move. So of course it turns out to be Dr. Yap who is the totalist of total d-words.

I love Linda telling the kids Bob won't pick the candy next year, and giving another set of kids a jar of sugar as consolation. I don't say it enough, but Linda is a pretty good adult to the kids on the show. At least compared to all of the other adults besides Bob and Teddy.

Speaking of Bob he only would have said the guy's body is the only thing that made him handsome if he had actually noticed. He's not fooling anyone.

I love Louise telling the bus-driver to chase after the skateboarding gorilla. And I love that he actually does it until he realizes he possesses dignity and tells the kids to get lost.

Good Gene Deepness:

"Money is just candy that hasn't been born yet."

Bad Gene Deepness:

"Newt Gingrich was right!" I'mma call b.s.. How does Gene even know who Newt Gingrich is? Bad joke, show. Bad joke.

Love Regular-Sized Rudy's Paul Rudd costume. It just perfect and funny because he think it's iconic rather than ironic. Which is what I love about Rudy.

Good episode. ****.




Family Guy "Big Trouble In Little Quahog"

A good week. Seriously. I don't ask for much. And while the episode didn't deliver much, it actually delivered all I needed. I'm not a quality hog. A little bit of good stuff will do me.

The 80's movie lattice thing is the precise reason I watch the show. It was magnificent. When the show isn't doing lavish musical numbers, the observational moments are the only real reason to watch. It sounds like a true statement that there were a lot of lattices in 80's movies, but the best, immediate example is Home Alone, and Brian is movie savvy enough to point out that came out in 1990. See, I actually knew that. But I love the show because it ALSO knew that and also knows the different between a manatee joke that sounds true, and a manatee joke that IS true.

Water Bears A.K.A Tardigrades are amazing creatures. I learned from Neil DeGrasse Tyson that these weird lookin' things can survive in space and are the only species on the planet to survive all five of Earth's extinction level events. They look goofy and gross but you can't argue with those results.

What IS with the gay names in recent Tom Cruise moves? Granted the show only had two examples, but considering the rumors that have plagued Tiny Tom Cruise for years, he's the precise guy who should be more careful about that. I love that they avoided the lawyers by calling it the Church of Spaceship Beep Boop. For the record, South Park having everyone in the end credits go by the pseudonym "John Smith" or "Jane Smith" is a funnier gag, but this is funny for the precisely same reason. Another reason for South Park to hate this show.

Are petting zoo animals getting erections really a huge problem for parents? The farm animals that freaked me out were the ones who literally pooped in front of me, but I never noticed that other thing before. Maybe because I wasn't enough of a weirdo to look?

I'm sure there are young kids who don't quite understand WHY an action star like Jean-Claude Van Damme is considered the punchline he is. If they ever ask, point them to this episode. The only bigger joke of an action star is Steven Seagal. And after seeing that dance I hope you understand what a statement that is.

The writers on Family Guy are probably the only people on the face of the Earth who actually miss Alan Thicke. I don't wanna be crass, but the first weepy tabloid headline I saw mourning his passing made me say "So?" Maybe I'm a bad person, but Thicke was involved in a LOT of bad television, so he left the world in the state it was. Came up with a couple of catchy theme songs though. I'll give him that.

I have no complaint this weeks. ****.
 

wiley207

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The Simpsons Halloween episode was just weak this year. The first segment had the biggest promise with the pod-people, but it ended so weakly. I love the Jurassic Park films(except the 3rd one), but even that couldn't help the third segment for me. It just felt like all three segments were about Lisa too. Even when the focus was on other characters, it felt like all three segments were about Lisa. Which hurt this episode for me.

The trouble is, many of the Treehouse of Horrors this decade have been written by Joel H. Cohen. Perhaps Al Jean must think Cohen is their number one best writer on the staff? (Yeah, right!) Though at least last year, we got a THOH written by John Frink, and it was a refreshing change of pace. And I heard next year's THOH is to be written by J. Stewart Burns.
 

jasonnguyen2606

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The Simpsons Halloween episode was just weak this year. The first segment had the biggest promise with the pod-people, but it ended so weakly. I love the Jurassic Park films(except the 3rd one), but even that couldn't help the third segment for me. It just felt like all three segments were about Lisa too. Even when the focus was on other characters, it felt like all three segments were about Lisa. Which hurt this episode for me.

I know. It’s really sucks now!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
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ShadowBeast

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And I heard next year's THOH is to be written by J. Stewart Burns.
Next year's better by written by someone who didn't write this year's THOH. Because next THOH will be the 666th episode. That will need to be written as a really special episode, fitting of THOH.
 

wiley207

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Next year's better by written by someone who didn't write this year's THOH. Because next THOH will be the 666th episode. That will need to be written as a really special episode, fitting of THOH.

I agree. The trouble is, most of the THOHs this year have been written by Joel H. Cohen, whom wrote this year's. Al Jean or someone else at FOX must think Cohen is their top writer on the staff, despite his tendency to turn out mediocre content. At least last year's was written by John Frink, and it was a noticeable improvement.
 

Radical

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Regarding Carter was great/funny,

Lois's birthday, sweet.
Joe's great funny moments.
Carter mentioning Kids In The Hall, hahahahaha:p.
Neflix gag, hahahahaha.
Peter the gun target, hahahaha.
Chris on The Voice, hehehe.
Peter hating The Orville, hahahaha, I so love The Orville.
RUSH gag.
Poor Carter accidently shot by Lois.
The parrot breaking the 4th wall was funny, hahahahaha:p.
Peter/Carter playing Super Mario Kart, hahahahaha.
Joe happy to see another wheelchair person, hehehe.
All of Carter's awful crimes from Lois, wooooooow.
Carter changing to be a better father for Lois was sweet:D, but Old Carter will come back though.
Lois Safari gag, hahahahaha.
Tricia the comedian, hahahahaha, love Tricia:D.
Peter the unlikable selfish creep as usual, both Peter and Brian are so the worst:shrug:.
Stain Glass Peter, hahahahaha.
Shaquille O'Neal joke, hahahahaha.
Lois and Carter's nice sweet father/daughter moment.
Peter's fake lesson, he'll still be awful further episodes.
Angry Babs at the end shooting Carter was funny for me.
Old Carter is back for Babs.
Peter mentioning Stan Smith, hahahaha.
 

Fone Bone

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The Simpsons "Baby You Can't Drive My Car"

I love this show. I used to love this show, but then I stopped loving it for the longest time. And now I love it again consistently. At least ONE thing is right again in the world.

To be embarrassingly honest, I expected to hate the episode based on the description. And I feel a little shame and regret at my skepticism. But I understand why I felt it. If the show had written an episode with that exact premise ten years ago, it would have totally sucked and probably wound up one of the worst episodes of the season. Now that the writers know what they are doing again, they can pleasantly surprise me. Which this episode did repeatedly. And I loved it each time.

Ten years ago the job would have been driving a wedge between Homer and Marge. Instead is affirms how well they work together, and how good they are for each other. Homer being the conscientious objector worked perfectly too. Because with Homer right, he's not as mad at Marge as she would be him if their positions were reversed. He doesn't feel hopeless and bummed that she doesn't feel the same way. He just hopes she'll come around soon. And that was the perfect way to have them get into a conflict in this scenario, without either making me angry at Homer and / or Marge, or lessen my enjoyment at how happy they were earlier in the episode. In fact, the only reason Marge is still on the Darkside is BECAUSE she and Homer were so happy. She's sad now because deep down, she knows Homer's right. And I freaking love that. I love that the show set up a legit conflict without forcing me to take sides or feel bad about it. Spouses disagree with each other all the time, even over big things. But that doesn't usually mean their marriage is crumbling. People are different, and the trick is learning how to compromise or get the other person to your way of thinking. Ten years ago, the solution would be to kick Homer out of the house. And it's the fact that the show doesn't do that crap very often anymore which is why I love it.

I didn't love the implied suicide of the guy in the car with the bad music. But I'll allow it. Because the episode used the light touch when it should have : the goat sacrifice. Instead of dying, the goat bites the cultist in the nards and escapes. And because they did that, I'll forgive the guy in the car.

For the record, the fact that Homer doesn't even get up for THAT says he's the right person for the job.

How do you know the song in the end credits is sexy? Homer isn't singing any of it. I laughed at them ending up at the Church bathroom again. I also loved the Krusty Coke joke, and the car driving Skinner and Agnes to the assisted suicide hospital. When he says, "Look, Mother! They take our insurance!" I'm rolling.

Do you another moment that made me totally happy? When the hockey thing wasn't clicking because the nerds were out of shape, Marge brought in rolling chairs to make it fun in a way the nerds COULD navigate. Which is another thing I loved about how the episode said Homer and Marge worked well together. I freaking loved that moment.

I cannot say enough good things about this episode. And it's one where Homer gets fired and has a major ethical disagreement with Marge! I am as shocked I loved it as anyone. *****.




Bob's Burgers "Live And Let Fly"

I love that they won a blender. It's not a total victory, but it's a moral one, so everyone's happy.

For the record, those are some good kids right there. I would not have backed off the Frond revenge plot for any reason. Not only because he deserved it. But because a sick, sociopathic part of me would want to see how it played out. I am not a freaking saint. I mean, he gave the kids SUCH good ammo. I'd want to rubberneck that particular carnage. Who wouldn't?

What's so great about the revenge plot is that the kids are not only smart enough to pull it off, but they are smart enough to do something they'll know will actually work, and is a just punishment. When they have to talk down a guy from cutting the wires in his sister's plane, you realize how much better at this they are than he is.

I love the scene with Bob at the art store with the quality paper. Her and Harold are drinking wine out of bottle tonight! It's in a glowing briefcase. Because of course it is. It the kind of paper Marcellus Wallace uses.

I love Jimmy Junior saying he felt bad for Tina and wanted to donate to a charity that would help her. The worst part of him saying that is that by putting it that way, he clearly isn't insulting her. He's just simply too disgusted to want to deal with it himself. It's his sincerity that is so damning in that moment, not his barbs.

Funny episode, but I think Louise was a little too soft in the end for her own good. ****.




Family Guy "Regarding Carter"

Good night for Fox cartoons. The Simpsons won the night, but Bob's Burgers was also great, and Family Guy finished strong.

I think I liked the episode so much because I was very unclear on where the observational humor started and ended. Were they making fun of Kids In The Hall? Or were they making fun of stuck-up cynics who looked down on Kids In The Hall? I personally LIKED Kids In The Hall, but I absolutely will tolerate Family Guy's slams against it because they were accurate. Sketches never seemed to have funny stopping points or real endings, and just ran out of steam and trailed off. Normally, the problem with Family Guy's mean humor is that it comes from the place of not actually understanding or appreciating the thing it is making fun of. The fact that the show knows THAT sketch show's biggest weakness decades later says they at least know what they are talking about, which is quite refreshing.

The Netflix runner was also very meta, and I wasn't sure what was a slam on Netflix and what was self-deprecating. Was the fact that Cleveland had a special a simple slam on the fact that Netflix gives a special to everyone? Or is it saying that Cleveland's show was so unsuccessful that now he has to slum on Netflix? It could be read either way.

A similarly perplexing burn was the Peter with a not-Peter voice saying he hated The Orville because it keeps Seth MacFarlane from doing his job on Family Guy. And no lie, the last two seasons have been the worst the show has experienced in years. And yet, The Orville is amazing, and I enjoy it every week. Neither of those things were ever true of Family Guy at any point during its run. If the continuation of The Orville hinges on whether or not Family Guy sucks, I'll make that trade in a heartbeat.

And it didn't suck this week. That whole scene of them planning on how to make Carter mean was a genius helping of observational humor. When Peter tells Meg he's upset that his daughter came up with that idea right out of the gate, the scene is already hilarious, and it only gets better from there. You REALLY want to make Carter mean? Give him Peter's kids. When Brian is surprised by the book suggestion I love that Chris says, "Do you know what you should read? The room." That was genius, and the whole scene was a perfect comedy of ill-manners from top to bottom.

I almost didn't like the episode because of Peter and the gun, and I knew it would lead bad places. But it wasn't as bad as it could have been. And that includes him getting his son to point it in his own face and pull the trigger. Which should tell you how badly it COULD have gone.

For the record, Uncles That Voted For Gary Johnson are precisely that dangerous in real life. Protect your sack.

It amuses me that Hill Street Blues' main claim to fame for realism is that a lot of the actors were ugly. That's a pretty freaking low bar, and if your actually know the kind of claptrap Steven Bochco routinely brought to the screen on LA Law, Doogie Howser, and NYPD Blue, it's a pretty unacceptable one in hindsight. Unlike LA Law and NYPD Blue, I never watched Hill Street. A few years before my time. But if Bochco's other work is any indication, it must be overrated dreck. Or maybe it was simply having David E Kelly and David Milch as wingmen that made him suck. But I'm pretty sure he came up with Hooperman, Capital Critters, and Cop Rock on his own. What was I talking about? Oh, yeah! Get off my lawn! Music is too loud now!

Babs shooting Carter for giving away the money was a genius ending. That way Peter doesn't have to be the bad guy. Why doesn't the show do that more often? The show doesn't have to end with Peter apologizing for making a mess. Maybe it's okay if he learns the lesson before the mess is made if there is another way to write themselves out of the problem. My main objection about Peter's horridness, and this goes all the way back to the first episode of the first season, is that the only reason Peter is as horrible as he is is because the writers are lazy, and don't want to put in the effort to give him plausible family problems for him to deal with and learn a lesson from. Therefore the writers can have him air a revenge porn commercial on television, and have Lois forgive him at the end of the episode, instead of murder him like he deserved and any sane wife would have done. And this episode proves with a little clever writing, you can set up the horrible ethical dilemma for Peter, and not make him unforgivable for going through with it. If the show did that every week it would be in really good shape. Yes, Brian would still be a problem. But his role is different than Peter's. Peter is supposed to be The Protagonist. Brian has turned into The Cautionary Tale, and the more deplorable they make him, the better he fits the role. But Peter is only as bad as he is because the writers are lazy. I liked and noticed them trying for once.

Weren't his age jokes at the beginning just awful though? I felt sick at myself for laughing at them. But they were legitimately clever.

Look what Joe started! I liked him trying (and failing) to put the hat back on his head with dignity. But there is no dignity to be had after that. Good. He sucks.

Unusually strong episode. If the show did THIS every week, no-one would resent The Orville. Now, no-one actually SHOULD, but that would definitely shut the whiners up. ****1/2.
 
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Dantheman

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I think the Netflix jokes were about how they'll just give anybody a comedy special.

That's how it seemed to me.
 

Fone Bone

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The Simpsons "From Russia Without Love"

Hoo boy! I thought the premise sounded interesting when I read the episode description, but midway through I realized how bad things could get and FAST. And it reminds of a true saying about television (that I happened to come up with myself). Every great television show is two episodes away from being a terrible television show. The writers of the greatest show that ever existed can mess something up so bad in two episodes that the show can never recover. A shark jump is not just one moment for it to be ruined. A arc has to START off bad for the shark jump. That's a given. But it's what happens in the episode afterwards which is what is the final nail in the coffin and destroys the show. And it could have happened this week. Although if I'm being honest, I might have considered it strike 2 after Al Jean's absolutely gutless reaction to the Apu controversy last season. Let's just say I'm glad cooler heads prevailed.

Because once I saw the wedding, I was like, "They aren't actually going to pull a Manjula, are they?" An arranged marriage is one thing, but if the show actually tries to normalize mail-order brides from the dark web, suddenly it's the worst show that ever existed. If they DID get married, it would destroy not only the show, but the show's credibility to take shots at disgusting targets like Trump. As long as it was normalizing sex slavery, it would have no leg to stand on on any future ethical stance it took.

Instead, I'm relieved it's a scam. A stupid scam, even, done by a person too moronic to notice how destitute Moe is to begin with. And basically everyone is made to feel a little more terrible at the end, which should be the end result of any episode featuring a mail-order bride. Thanks to Bart becoming fluent in Russia due to frequenting the dark web, and Milhouse knowing everything about marriage contracts because of his pathetic dad, she would have gotten away with it if not for those meddling kids. Or should I say Moose and Squirrel? That was a quality joke right there too.

Also funny was Bart instantly accepting the terms of agreement upon seeing the animation he did. But I guess sociopaths gotta sociopath.

The Nelson tag was unnecessarily cruel. Now you could argue the entire episode is cruel, and you wouldn't be wrong. But that crossed a line for me. Basically mail-order brides and kids being abandoned on an empty planet push my buttons. Suffice it say, most weeks I'm easy to please.

Cool we got flashbacks to both Maya and that Broadway chick I totally forgot dated Moe. I would have also brought up Moe's girlfriend from like season 11, but that probably would have dredged up Helen Hunt issues for Hank Azaria. But she and Maya were the closest Moe ever got to happiness.

That WAS an incredibly lame prank phone call. Nobody has been named Ima for over a century. Is this the first prank phone call to backfire since Hugh Jass? What a nice, young man.

I loved the animation on Drunk Caveman Homer. The mannerisms for Heartbroken TMZ Krusty were similarly great.

For the record, Columbus is a beautiful city. Maybe Ohio as a whole ain't so great, but Columbus is amazing. The show is out of its mind.

Moe said something to Homer that I found interesting. He grouses that Homer had to the nerve to disinvite him to Thanksgiving in person, with a lot of notice, and in a comforting manner to make sure his feelings weren't hurt. And it's a funny joke. But what I like is that it's true. Homer did everything right, and is both a good friend and a good husband. And I like that about Homer, that he balances those things so well at times. He's a good guy. Although he won't let Marge pop the sex doll because it's bad juju.

Bart changing Grandpa's diaper reminds of an interview I read with one of the producers a few years back, (I forget who) who claimed they make fun of old people because they don't watch the show. And you know what? There aren't too few old fans enough to justify that level of degradation for Grandpa. Family Guy does that joke with Joe and Carter all the time, but if Al Jean is looking to Family Guy for what is and isn't out of line, he's living his life wrong. That was a despicable moment for the show. Not because I hadn't seen it before. But because the show was better than that moment before it had it.

So maybe abandoning a kid on an empty planet, mail-order brides, and Bart changing Grandpa as a punishment. I seem to be taking an awful lot of stands this week I didn't know I'd have to be taking. But honestly? That could have wound up MUCH worse than it ultimately was. I'll get over this. **1/2.




Bob's Burgers "Bobby Driver"

That was terrific. Bob's Burgers won the night on Fox.

Okay, this is the point in the average good show's run where it becomes mediocre. For some crazy reason, this show never did. I'll take it for however long it lasts. Because I can't see how it can last forever.

This episode not only shows again that Louise is a terrible judge of character, but she's also incredibly dull-witted. How could any kid whose parents threw them a party based on The Great Gatsby actually be happy? His parents don't even know what "23 skidoo" means, and yet they STILL put him through that party. They don't have a son, they have a prop. And Louise not seeing that immediately is why she is not the criminal mastermind she thinks she is.

But truthfully it does sadden and anger me to realize Bob never buys the kids toys. Usually you think Bob's a great father. But as long as that's true, he actually isn't.

I laughed hard at Edith saying she was gonna take off the seatbelt because it was chafing her honkers. The line delivery was sublime, especially because I never expected her to say it, and it was said in reality by a man. I also loved Harold grousing about how hard it was for him to get in and out of cars.

Bosco was great too. He's not going to shoot somebody just because him mother tells him to... again. He'll just drive around for a few minutes, and leave Bob, Edith, and Harold someplace really inconvenient. Let that be a lesson to them.

I wish we had seen more of Linda. I thought that was some great comedy when she tells the customers (in her restaurant no less) to let her get a pencil to get their sushi orders straight. But when she asks if they should be a sushi restaurant instead, I am pretty much rolling when she decides that's what they are doing, and is at the stage of wondering whether or not Bob will even notice.

Frond warning about potential Con Air spoilers on his quilting square pretty much proves that he is the most pathetic character on the show.

I freaking loved this. *****.




Family Guy "Stand By Meg"

You know, I would be offended on dishwasher repairmen's behalf if the Family Guy writers also hadn't taken that shot at themselves. They aren't better than anyone else and they know it.

The Michelin Man came from tires, Ma! Great line reading.

Why WERE Tony Danza's characters all named Tony? It's like the guy gravitated to the laziest and least creative people he could find. I would never have thought to describe the creators of Taxi that way before I saw that joke, but part of the reason Tony Danza sucks, and is the worst part of so many of the mediocre projects he is in, is because Hollywood LETS him suck, and be in those projects. And that's not actually on Tony Danza. That's on people dumb enough to think Tony Danza can actually carry a series. So yeah, Taxi, you popularized Andy Kaufman and Danny Devito. Good for you, and good for pop culture in general. But you are still as much to blame for Who's The Boss? as anyone. And that's not something a society should just forgive.

The bread sandwich runner was a bit more cringey than funny, until Chris asks how the sandwich shop answered the phone. That gave me permission to laugh at the entire thing under the understanding that it was all ludicrous and dumb. I can work with that.

I have to say the ending to the Meg story bothered me. Why on Earth should I wind up feeling bad for a jerk like Kevin at all? But my first worry was that he was going to set himself on fire again. I don't know why the writers chose to have him do that in an episode he was dumped for being a loser, and we aren't made aware of how he reacted to that. Family Guy is one of the laziest written shows on television. But no show should actually be that lazy. And neither should Family Guy almost 20 years later.

The whole thing with Neil and the Sabbath was creepy. It being Thursday made it moreso, not less.

Do you know what I like? That Mila Kunis is a good enough of a sport that she is now willing to sing her own musical numbers, even if she's the only one singing. Good for her. I hope Seth MacFarlane encouraged her. Because you do not actually have to have a good singing voice to sing or enjoy singing. That is an unrealistic expectation society has that I don't agree with at all. Singing brings people together, and shows camaraderie and vulnerability. And I think it does that even moreso for people who aren't good at it, and sing in public. Basically the only reason I think William Hung is a loser is because he actually thinks he's talented. If he actually knew that he sounded bad and didn't care, I would never agree with people taking the shots at him they do. It's his delusion, not his singing, that makes me dislike him. Mila Kunis knows she isn't a great singer. But she does it now because she feels comfortable enough to. And I like the idea that the show lets her feel that way. If that IS on Seth, that is a true kindness he has given her. Maybe he isn't the total sociopath I always say he is.

I liked more than I didn't this week. ****.
 

Dantheman

Gee, I never thought about that...
Joined
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I heard the whole "Tony Danza playing characters named Tony" is because he wasn't able to respond to being called anything other than his birth name, which speaks more to a problem with him as an actor than anything.
 

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