"The Simpsons" Undercover Burns (TV Episode 2020) Poster

(TV Series)

(2020)

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6/10
David Harbour steals the show.
szyslak-6130329 September 2020
Right now, with a sole watch, with the fresh image of Fred episode in my retina, and with all the hype still around, I have to say it was the strongest season premiere since The Falcon and the D'ohman, aired nine years ago.

David Harbour, the guest star, has great scenes and his actuation was outstanding. Fred was an entertaining, captivating character. Most of his entries were goddamn funny. His first interaction with an employee where he angrily decides to fire him, his presentation to Homer, Lenny, and Carl where he passes from being apathetic to kinda friendly, and his experience at Moe's stand out for me.

I really appreciate the evil role Mr. Burns performed here. The beginning of the fake fair used as an excuse to make children work was perversely cruel and it's an action worthy of the classic villain of the show. I enjoyed the scene in the bathrooms where he notices everyone hates him. After that, we learn a lot about his obscure repertory through the severe commentaries of Homer, Lenny, and Carl about the mistreatments they receive from their tyranny boss. And I must say, it's a mind-blowing idea that Mr. Burns suffers the hostile actions of Mr. Burns with another face, another body, and another voice.

The lines that Lenny and Carl had speculating about Fred, and how casually he and Burns were never together, and that kind of jokes were abundant throughout the episode vary from decent self-awareness jokes to create an absurd atmosphere to desperate attempts to explain the audience what was happening, depending on my mood, so I can not say if I liked them or not in general. Homer played a friendly role. He invites Fred to join him and his friends to lunch and then all of them enjoy great moments together. I enjoyed both montages a lot. The first one shows the crew in diverse activities as the roller coaster or fishing, ending up in a nice session of karaoke. The second one goes over the flexible, enjoyable, and relaxing place of work that the Nuclear Plant became.

In conclusion, I think Undercover Burns was better than expected. David Harbour was fantastic and his character, Fred, is quite funny. Burns recovered a pinch of evil, and it was nice to have so many scenes at the Nuclear Plant. The animation was easily above Anderson's standards, too. So, it was an enjoyable episode and a nice first-kick in season 32. Season 32, for God's love. I'm so proud of this show.
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6/10
Pretty enjoyable
Analog_Devotee14 January 2021
In this episode, Mr. Burns must go undercover in his own business as one of the regular employees. It's an interesting concept and, for the most part, is pretty enjoyable. I think David Harbour did a great job as Undercover Burns, I only wish they'd done away with most of the scenes where they show Burns himself inside the suit and stuck with Fred (Harbour).

I'm surprised so many people didn't enjoy this episode. Admittedly, it's not a great one to kick off a season with, but it isn't terrible. Lighten up, people!
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8/10
Keep them coming.
rdoubleoc30 September 2020
There's only like 6 shows that I like and don't wish would ever end, and this is one of them.

This episode was pretty good, especially after so many years of making them.

Just please keep making them.
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The Simpsons is over
burteriksson22 October 2020
The Simpsons is now officially dead for me. It's a shame, as there were some pretty decent episodes on the previous season. No more Apu, Smithers is now Wayland Smithers and so on. How can female actors still do the voices of the boys on the show? How can Azaria and Shearer do the voices for Itchy & Scratchy - Hank Azaria and Harry Shearer are no mice nor cats.
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6/10
6/10.
zingbot-4115928 September 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This episode is ok. There's a few solid gags and the characterizations and pacing are both solid. It was kinda dull and I didn't like the bit where Fred had a mind of his own. Hopefully next week will be better, since it's a Selman episode.
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6/10
Good start, but some jokes fall flat
elliottsargent28 September 2020
I enjoyed the episode, as it had some moments. I'm glad that Mr Burns had an episode expanding on his relationship with Smithers, though it could have been a lot better.

For example, a lot of the jokes fell flat, I'll admit - I chuckled a few times, but not enough if it were, say, season 6.

The style is polished as usual, but the characters (the Simpson family in their short time for example) are just stereotypes of their old selves. The joke where Bart pretends to "love school" falls flat on its yellow face as Bart isn't really like this and would consider a more clever approach.

Other than that, 6/10, ready for next week.
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6/10
6
Edvis-199716 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This episode just wasn't it. As season start they coul've pick better option. This one was just whack with so many mistakes, I understand it's just animation but The Simpsons always tried to be as realistic as possible. Now, somehow, Mr. Burn's costume can be pushed with beer and in other scene this costume holds a car? Like srsly. Then, in one scene he can't lift costume in other he's throwing this costume in chemical. Just a meh from me.
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6/10
Not groundbreaking but decent
mahlicaajaib2 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This episode wasn't perfect, but it is a definite improvement over a winter of his monetised content. The episode had its fun enjoyable moments such as the fight scene and the scene mocking Lisa goes Gaga

As other reviews pointed out, the joke about Bart not going to school fell flat, but otherwise this episode was decent.
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8/10
One Of The Best SImpsons episodes in a while!
tylermerrigan28 September 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This was a great episode. It had a nice plot with Mr. Burns going undercover to see what everybody thinks about him. The Couch Gag was great. Most of the jokes were great, like the Moe's drive thru joke. And also the part while Burns was in the bathroom. The only bad joke in my opinion was the part where Bart wanted to go to school. That joke was not good but other then that it was a great episode with great references. This is my favorite show on the block! Please keep watching this show! It is doing a lot better sense season 30 and 29. Now a days all Simpsons episodes are either a hit or miss and this one was a hit!
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6/10
Ok
bobharler21 June 2021
The episode was ok. Nothing special for a premiere.
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1/10
OK episode, but Carl's voice actor is abysmal
nylentone23 January 2022
Not only is the voice nowhere near the same, Carl isn't even the same person. Completely different personality. If this is the direction the Simpsons are going, I won't be following.
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10/10
A good way to start off
mattmanzanarez30 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Just the references and the story is really good. I mean burns going under cover and seeing what his workers think of him is a very good plot
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3/10
I will always remember this one....
gina_gemini2 October 2020
....because it's the last episode of Simpsons I watched before giving up on this show after 30 years.

We have come a long way since 1989, we had a great ride with memorable episodes that should go down in television history. We also had these past few years, where you had to mostly tolerate the mediocrity with the hope that every once in a while they'll strike gold again.

Then came the MOMENT! The moment I had to pause, go back and listen to Carl again. Then google the incident and realize the great Hank Azaria had to part ways after 32 years of pure genius. That's when I realized I HAVE HAD ENOUGH.

They should've ended in a blaze of glory on a high note leaving behind a legacy. They didn't . But we can all have our own personal finale.

Farewell dear Simpsons, We'll always have Mr Plow!
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1/10
Awful infinite decline
simondelgadohuerta30 September 2020
Everybody knows the decline in quality of the simpsons since the older seasons, but it feels so weird for an episode like this one to exist in 2020. The main plot just seems so far fetched and simple that alot of kids shows have done it before, no originality. I didn't laugh not even once, nothing more than a smile for some little jokes well pulled. All they try to do are montages and little gags and signs, none of them succes in being funny. Not even the references to old simpsons lore can save it.
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4/10
Terrible way to start a season.
ttjmcollins29 September 2020
You'd hope that an episode like this is more in the middle of the season. You want to see more homer and bart in the first episode to get people excited on the first season. Not a good start.
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5/10
The Problem with Carl?
safenoe3 March 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This season 32 opener sees Carl being voiced by Alex Desert, not Hank Azaria. As a long-time fan of The Simpsons, I was astonished because with due respect to Alex, his rendition of Carl seemed like a bad imitation of Hank Azaria's version.

No Good Read Goes Unpunished, the famous Simpsons episode that was a harsh rejoinder to "politically correct" Indian-American Hari Kondabolu's The Problem with Apu, is an episode that came to mind immediately when I saw Undercover Burns. Because why on earth did The Simpsons producers cast replace the extraordinarily talented Hank Azaria as Carl's voice with that of Alex Desert (with due respect to Alex of course). Why can't the producers get an Indian-American to voice Apu?
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