santifersan Reviews

Family Guy: A Lot Going on Upstairs (2016) Season 14, Episode 15

Review of "A Lot Going on Upstairs"

[8/10 · 23 April 2024]

At first, it feels like a difficult episode to follow and the music playing during the monster's appearances in Stewie's nightmares sounds louder and more annoying than usual.

However, both the music and the direction of the episode improve astonishingly from the scene in which the neighbors of Quahog have dressed up as others to convince Stewie that monsters are good, as it is a scene presented in a very cool way precisely because of the notes of the score that has been presented, not only for the clever and fun of the scene.

The second plot, on the other hand, becomes brilliant when Peter and his friends are locked in the attic by Lois. The brilliant direction of the main plot starts to stand out in that plot as well from then on.

The parts that I liked the most were the reference to the Bristol Stomp song and the musical composition that was built during the scene in which it dawns in Quahog just before Brian and Stewie woke up connected to the machine, as well as the impressive musical construction that sounded when the machine was being activated.

Family Guy: The Giggity Wife (2013) Season 11, Episode 11

Painful introduction, painful humor, satisfactory development and a great ending

[4/10 · 17 April 2024]

During the introduction of the episode, you don't understand anything that is happening or the jokes. Humor is nonexistent throughout almost the entire episode.

When the main plot finally begins, the story is merely interesting, but it feels like a repetition of an episode in Vegas of The Simpsons. However, fortunately, it evolves for the better as the character of the prostitute acts and speaks in a natural and very real way, but the story still feels very conventional and unoriginal.

However, the episode gives us a brilliant idea to end an unwanted marriage, so for that valuable idea, it gains quality.

The way the episode concludes is the best and of the highest quality. The character of the prostitute learns the valuable lesson of what true love really means.

It also leaves us with a fresh impression of how far Peter and Quagmire's limits can be pushed.

Overall, it's an episode with a painful introduction, but a satisfactory development and a great ending.

The final rating I gave it is due to the lack of good humor and the painful introduction weighing more in total than the positive parts.

Family Guy: Our Idiot Brian (2015) Season 13, Episode 8

It has helped me cry

[7/10 · 2 April 2024]

It has helped me cry. The episode provided me with an unexpected emotional release. Despite its intended comedic tone, I found myself resonating deeply with the portrayal of the new Brian's foolishness, a reflection of my own pre-existing feelings of inadequacy and the futility of trying to gain recognition for my abilities from others.

That's why I'm writing this, to note it down when I need it if I want to recover the key scene that made me cry, which is when Stewie resigns himself at one point to recover the old Brian. It may be useful for me to revisit that scene in more moments of self-pity in my life.

Family Guy: The Peanut Butter Kid (2016) Season 14, Episode 11

Brian's Good Side Discovery

[9/10 · 16 March 2024]

I loved it. I enjoy seeing in this episode that Brian has a good side to his personality, which is recognizing the wrongdoing of others towards his friend Stewie and attempting to first resolve the issue with words, although later when words fail, they resort to dirty tricks, which I find very fitting.

Undoubtedly, a unique and charming episode to watch because of that. Additionally, the Godzilla joke is the funniest joke I've seen in all the episodes I've watched so far within my special viewing method.

I haven't found that therapeutic touch in this one that I look for in works to definitively give it a ten out of ten, so I'll only give it a nine out of ten. With my special viewing method, I can already see that the series is improving, within my special viewing method.

Family Guy: Are You There God? It's Me, Peter (2018) Season 16, Episode 20

They only addressed the atheist perspective, when they could have addressed both at the same time

[4/10 · 29 February 2024]

God in Family Guy is treated differently than in other shows where he is portrayed.

In those shows, the plot serves to explain why God has done things the way he has, but in Family Guy, the theme is used humorously to poke fun at the absurdity of religious history.

However, that's why I prefer to watch stories that are more oriented towards explanation rather than humiliation, because critical thinking is used more in addressing the issues raised by the religious question. Perhaps the problem isn't so much that, on the other hand, since in The Simpsons they also used Family Guy's perspective, the difference is that in The Simpsons they actually used both perspectives, while Family Guy only sticks with one.

The Simpsons: Mothers and Other Strangers (2021) Season 33, Episode 9

Patch for the contradiction

[2/10 · 8 February 2024]

If we imagine that Mother and Other Strangers happens chronologically before the episode where Homer reunites with his mother for the first time, in a way the contradiction can be rectified. However, I must emphasize that these types of things exemplify that Disney only produces the series for mere economic interest, neglecting the creative aspect of the program. Now the episodes feel like something trivial that doesn't make sense, added to other flaws that I won't mention since I receive negative votes when I talk about them. I'm only writing this review to have a backup of my patch for the contradiction.

Family Guy: Start Me Up (2020) Season 18, Episode 16

Imbalance between the Plots

[6/10 · 6 February 2024]

I really enjoyed the crowdfunding plot in the "Start Me Up" episode of Family Guy, as there were hilarious moments like the speech delay and other amusing details. The comedic elements within this plot resonated with me, contributing to an enjoyable viewing experience.

However, the Peter Griffin sweat plot was starting to include too many exaggerated situations that felt rather forced. While almost all the jokes in the crowdfunding plot appealed to me, there were many jokes in the sweat plot that I felt were forced and exaggerated.

I would have preferred a more extensive development in the crowdfunding plot, as it was less absurd and allowed for greater opportunities for hilarity, from what I've seen.

The Simpsons: The King of Nice (2022) Season 34, Episode 4

Krusty the Clown's Character Damage in a Millennial Narrative

[1/10 · 21 January 2024]

Disney's version of The Simpsons is like a nightmare I had of an episode with ultra-high definition quality, where one side of the face was clear and the other was drawn with the typical simple digital shadow seen in recent episodes, featuring a secondary character who is a kid with reddish-brown hair that had nothing to do with the Simpsons I remember and liked and whose way of speaking seems oversmart, but because in reality, without you realizing it, every sentence he say is a pathetic attempt at a joke, as it is based on a stand-up comedy script. The show used to have rough but more attractive drawings, and didn't need to create new secondary characters for each episode that spewed affection for the terrible current culture, music, and way of life.

That nightmare has become reality, and the show now feels like it belongs to a team of millennial writers who want to make it into millennial-style soft humor and soft storytelling, naively thinking that style will appeal to someone looking for something softer than Family Guy. But there are no humorous moments, and the show is not about a funny Homer entertaining us with his antics as it used to be or uttering messianic or ridiculous therapeutic phrases that do not align with his ethics or way of life, nor spontaneous humming or belching as in real life, no, now the show it's about millennial characters trying to understand how to fix their flaws in the millennial world they've been thrown into, and that's what the show has become in the Disney era, folks. The episodes are now terribly produced since the switch to Disney, the narrative structure is always vague and naive, and for the current production team, the show's fascinating past is just a rumor that doesn't really exist. The current production team thinks that The Simpsons are a tool for promoting feminist ideologies and other millennial values. If you fast-forward through each episode produced now, you'll realize that many of them are attempts at typical situational comedy stand-up jokes about people who can't adapt to the new times, rather than the powerful character-driven style of the show's popular era. Reminding us that the new times are the best makes the viewer feel bad about themselves. The first three seasons had a therapeutic value, while the recent ones have the opposite effect, destroying the self-esteem of fans and other viewers.

There's one future prediction that The Simpsons couldn't have made: their writers would become millennials in the future.

Now they are resorting a lot to telling feminist stories around the characters, and this episode is an example of that. It is also an example of how to damage a character who was a favorite of some fans, like Krusty the Clown, by fitting him into a millennial narrative style that doesn't fit with The Simpsons that we remember and would like to see. In this episode, he dances to an obnoxious and aggressive music of the current times, that is, they praise horrible music that in the future will be the music that was playing fifty years ago, right? Instead of promoting the recovery of beautiful works of art that are on the verge of extinction from the past for not having achieved fame. And aside from that, it is such a bad episode, within the abhorrent style that has destroyed the series and made it more infamous, that you end up disconnecting and not understanding what is happening.

The Simpsons: Pretty Whittle Liar (2022) Season 33, Episode 16

Empowering Secondary Characters

[2/10 · 21 January 2024]

Disney's version of The Simpsons is like a nightmare I had of an episode with ultra-high definition quality, where one side of the face was clear and the other was drawn with the typical simple digital shadow seen in recent episodes, featuring a secondary character who is a kid with reddish-brown hair that had nothing to do with the Simpsons I remember and liked and whose way of speaking seems oversmart, but because in reality, without you realizing it, every sentence he say is a pathetic attempt at a joke, as it is based on a stand-up comedy script. The show used to have rough but more attractive drawings, and didn't need to create new secondary characters for each episode that spewed affection for the terrible current culture, music, and way of life.

That nightmare has become reality, and the show now feels like it belongs to a team of millennial writers who want to make it into millennial-style soft humor and soft storytelling, naively thinking that style will appeal to someone looking for something softer than Family Guy. But there are no humorous moments, and the show is not about a funny Homer entertaining us with his antics as it used to be or uttering messianic or ridiculous therapeutic phrases that do not align with his ethics or way of life, nor spontaneous humming or belching as in real life, no, now the show it's about millennial characters trying to understand how to fix their flaws in the millennial world they've been thrown into, and that's what the show has become in the Disney era, folks. The episodes are now terribly produced since the switch to Disney, the narrative structure is always vague and naive, and for the current production team, the show's fascinating past is just a rumor that doesn't really exist. The current production team thinks that The Simpsons are a tool for promoting feminist ideologies and other millennial values. If you fast-forward through each episode produced now, you'll realize that many of them are attempts at typical situational comedy stand-up jokes about people who can't adapt to the new times, rather than the powerful character-driven style of the show's popular era. Reminding us that the new times are the best makes the viewer feel bad about themselves. The first three seasons had a therapeutic value, while the recent ones have the opposite effect, destroying the self-esteem of fans and other viewers.

There's one future prediction that The Simpsons couldn't have made: their writers would become millennials in the future.

Now they are relying a lot on telling feminist stories centered around secondary characters of the series, and this episode is about that.

The Simpsons: Marge vs. the Monorail (1993) Season 4, Episode 12

Fading Platinum Era, But Very Good Humor

[9/10 · 5 January 2024]

The problem I see with this episode is that the platinum era of the series, which comprises the first three seasons, is already starting to fade here. The first three seasons had a therapeutic value, which declined in the fourth, and by the fifth, it had disappeared entirely.

The plot now serves solely for humor, which is why some people complain that it has a simple plot. Honestly, there are episodes of The Simpsons much more valuable than this one; the only thing is that this episode has some very good humorous moments, a well-crafted villainous secondary character and the portrayal of Leonard Nimoy's character is very amusing here. However, the direction of the episode is not as masterful as in other episodes of the series.

The Simpsons: Deep Space Homer (1994) Season 5, Episode 15

The End Of The Platinum Era Of The Show

[7/10 · 3 January 2024]

The reason why this episode is considered a classic is due to its well-directed scenes, being released during a time when the series was well-produced and well-directed, allowing the humor to thrive.

However, unfortunately, I found some flaws. The plot begins with an absurd justification compared to what we are accustomed to, and this time the guest star cameo by James Taylor hinders the enjoyment of the episode. There are many instances where it's done well to not disrupt the plot. Unfortunately, here it has not been done well to avoid disrupting the plot.

With the viewing method I invented, I found a platinum era within its golden age. For me, that platinum era ended in season 4 when the therapeutic value of the series began to decline. From then on, the series experimented with increasingly fantastical or implausible plots. This episode, belonging to season 5, clearly shows that it is outside the platinum era of the series.

It still has great moments of brilliance, but they are characteristic of the golden era, not the platinum era, such as the portrayal of Barney's inner monster wanting to resurface to lead him back into drinking. However, in season 4, this was portrayed in a more masterful way, imitating Spencer Tracy's Dr. Jekyll and with Clausen's music imitating that of the film.

The best part of this episode is the training sequence and Homer opening the bag of potato chips and speaking of it as if it were our Mother Earth.

The Simpsons: Last Exit to Springfield (1993) Season 4, Episode 17

The Golden Era Brilliance

[8/10 · 3 January 2024]

"Last Exit to Springfield" is an episode that meets the masterful standard of the golden era of the series, with impressively directed scenes, as I have mentioned in previous reviews.

This episode features those well-directed scenes, and I have discussed in other reviews why the classic era of the series was superior to the modern one, so I won't repeat the keys to that brilliant direction here. Also, because it was a time when the series not only directed well but also produced well, having composer Alf Clausen to contribute immersive musical quality that added a lot to those well-directed scenes. To give an example and better understand what I mean, consider the moment when Burns is about to press the button to cut off Springfield's electricity. At that moment, a masterful camera movement is simulated accompanied by Clausen's immersive music. There are many details apart from those, like the camera hidden in the beer barrel, which, when moved, triggers Clausen's immersive music, but that is an example for you to understand what I am talking about without boring you by repeating the same thing in every review.

Then there's the comedic aspect, here, aided by that brilliant visual and musical narrative and parodies of impressively directed movie scenes, it greatly enhances the humor's impact and emotion on the viewer.

However, the reason I don't rate this episode a 10 is because, despite good humorous moments from the dentist and "The Big Book of British Smiles" and that brilliant portrayal of Mr. Burns as a potential villain, the plot can be difficult to follow due to abrupt scene changes, which in this episode happen more hastily than usual.

The Simpsons: The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson (1997) Season 9, Episode 1

Detailed analysis of what is missing in modern episodes to reach the level of "The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson."

[10/10 · 3 January 2024]

"The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson" doesn't just belong to the classic era of The Simpsons; it goes beyond, surpassing it. It stands as the pinnacle of the series, rising above most episodes from the golden age, thanks to crucial details that we'll analyze now.

The episode starts brilliantly at Moe's bar. A majestic scene unfolds where each character receives an egg as a test to determine who will be designated as the driver. This scene, reminiscent of a cinematic masterpiece, is accompanied by tense music anticipating the revelation of the black egg. Such details, cherished in the early seasons of The Simpsons, like the use of Clausen's orchestral music to create cinematic tension instead of conventional comedy series, gave the sense of witnessing something truly impressive. Unfortunately, these details have been lost in the modern seasons.

When Duffman enters, making his first appearance in the series, another moment of tension unfolds for Barney. This character genuinely and believably displays his desperation. In contrast to more recent seasons, lacking that deep and authentic emotional distress, the new seasons lack the realism in their despair, often appearing forced and exaggerated for comedic purposes. Here, in contrast, we see Barney genuinely soaked in sweat.

The introduction of a new secondary character is done with wonderful anticipation, making Barney's peanut bowl dance to the rhythm of Duffman's music. This example highlights the masterful use of anticipation in the narrative, something often absent in the modern and declining seasons of the series. Barney's frustrating evening concludes with an impressive stage set, portraying a crazed Barney due to alcohol abstinence against a black backdrop with floating beer mugs. Even the stage sets were elaborate in these magnificent episodes of The Simpsons' golden age.

Upon arriving in New York, the city is impeccably portrayed visually, achieving an authenticity that makes you believe you're truly in New York. From awnings to the subway, graffiti, and Chinatown, every detail has been carefully crafted to capture the unique and faithful style of the big city, especially New York. Even the portrayal of the subway's movement is faithfully reproduced. The frustrating and cruel scene where Homer tries to remove the boot from his car with the pneumatic hammer faithfully portrays the ironic and cruel behavior of physics, with the hammer deflecting and perforating the car's body.

The sunset in New York, frustrating Homer for not having solved his problem, adds a spectacular touch of color to the urban scenery, achieving impressive drama. Even the use of color and shadows to achieve this effect was meticulously worked on in these masterful episodes, something that has disappeared in the modern seasons. The tense music accompanying Homer as he looks at the threatening sun, as if it were a scene from an apocalyptic movie, suggests the possibility of them parodying a similar movie scene.

But the best part is that it not only faithfully portrays the city of New York but also the psychology of its inhabitants when they get angry with Homer or interact with him. Additionally, it captures Homer's genuine desperation at not finding a nearby place to urinate in the midst of the desolation of a big city like New York.

In conclusion, "The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson" stands as an epitome of excellence in The Simpsons' history, surpassing even the acclaimed golden era of the series. The meticulous attention to detail, from the choice of music to elaborate stage setups, sets a standard that, unfortunately, has diluted in the modern seasons.

The sunset that frustrates Homer becomes a visual masterpiece, a nod to cinematography that adds emotional depth to the narrative.

In summary, this episode not only represents the pinnacle of The Simpsons but also serves as a valuable reminder of how the expert combination of music, stage setups, and the use of color can transform an animated series into a true audiovisual masterpiece. The decline of the modern seasons involves not only a change in technical and artistic quality; there are other negative and more serious factors that have accumulated, leading to the complete destruction of the series. However, the disappearance of those specific details I mentioned marked the beginning of the decline in the earliest modern seasons of The Simpsons.

The Simpsons: Lisa the Vegetarian (1995) Season 7, Episode 5

Higlighted episode because of a highlighted lesson

[8/10 · 2 December 2023]

In the episode "Lisa the Vegetarian," Lisa Simpson embarks on a journey of self-discovery that culminates in a valuable lesson for both her character and the viewers. As she embraces vegetarianism, the episode humorously navigates the challenges Lisa faces in a meat-centric world, ultimately leading to her realization about the ethical and moral aspects of her dietary choice. Highlight moment when the scientist is about to speak on the Troy McClure tape but Troy interrupts him. Troy's argument seems fallacious from both a philosophical and scientific standpoint.

The narrative cleverly weaves humor into the storyline, using satire to shed light on societal norms and expectations.

Lisa learns a valuable lesson at the end of the episode. Definitely, I would use it to educate children before they become the aberrant individuals of the snowflake generation who bark like wild beasts on the internet and in other untimely places.

The Simpsons: Lisa the Veterinarian (2016) Season 27, Episode 15

Artificial humor and narrative, more than spontaneous, for the most part

[4/10 · 1 December 2023]

"Lisa the Veterinarian" is an episode that, despite its slow start, manages to deliver around five excellent jokes, unfortunately, only in the last minute. The plot initially unfolds at a rather leisurely pace, focusing on Lisa's journey to become a veterinarian. While the narrative builds up, the humor is somewhat artificial, and viewers may find themselves waiting for the comedic payoff. The secondary storyline where Marge takes the lead is not more interesting; it's equally artificial.

In general, the episode mostly relies on the characteristic artificial humor of the show in its modern era, rather than the valuable spontaneity of the golden age of the series.

For instance, the veterinarian character is artificial, and what he says does not align with the reality of the viewer's fictional Simpsons universe. This didn't happen in the golden age of the show, where the logic of the fictional world of The Simpsons matched the logic of the viewer's world.

Later on, Ralph's lines no longer feel spontaneous; they seem artificial and unbelievable, which doesn't amuse me, as well as in other cases. However, as I mentioned, in the last minute, I burst into laughter with around five jokes or so.

The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror XXVI (2015) Season 27, Episode 5

Hit or Miss

[5/10 · 29 November 2023]

The first segment starts well, but then it turns into too much fantasy nonsense. The second segment is the same, it starts well, but for some reason, they lose control and break the fourth wall. Also, in Japan, they respect elderly people, here they portray it like in the U. S. Honestly, the stories had a lot of potential, but to fit the dumb humor of the modern era of the series, they had to mess up the plot...

Then, the third one's problem is that if you understand the parody, it might make you laugh, if not, it may not, but in any case, it's interesting to watch, and I loved the joke about the French guy, it filled me with immense pleasure, the French joke was fantastic.

The Simpsons: The Girl Code (2016) Season 27, Episode 10

Well, is it really so difficult to make a Simpsons episode like they used to?

[1/10 · 29 November 2023]

Firstly, an episode that features an unlikeable and cruel character as the protagonist, portraying it as normal, is not likely to be well-received, to begin with.

Secondly, it is an episode where characters express their emotions artificially and without any acceptable logical sense. The children's reaction to the feminazi character and Marge's concern about a trivial internet matter may come across as uninteresting, giving the impression that the characters are not on par with the audience's intelligence level.

Thirdly, Lisa's current role is not only artificial but also irritating. The current pattern in modern Simpsons episodes, where she takes center stage in a plot with little interest, merely to showcase her desperation to do something intelligent in life, is both annoying and dull.

What I'm trying to convey is that those currently producing and scripting the series will never understand that the show's early success was rooted in therapeutic humor, featuring characters relatable to the audience and plots that had logic and interest.

Nowadays, this is not the case because the businessmen who saw the series as a cash cow never needed therapy; they needed money.

Who finds it amusing that these businessmen are getting rich by creating an episode where they believe the audience will laugh at Homer dancing a Greek dance in a Greek restaurant? Congratulations, businessmen. I hope you're stuffing a lot of bills into your pockets while laughing at the audience.

Before Homer became a dishwasher, I was already waiting for this senseless episode to end.

The Simpsons: Fland Canyon (2016) Season 27, Episode 19

Finding Laughs and Lags

[7/10 · 27 November 2023]

"The Fland Canyon" episode of The Simpsons features a mix of humor, with some well-executed jokes that stand out. However, it takes a while for the comedic elements to hit their stride, particularly in the first half of the episode where the jokes feel a bit forced and lengthy. One standout moment involves Homer humorously misinterpreting Flanders' sniffing as a reaction to the scent of his mustache, evoking a genuine LOL moment.

Unfortunately, the episode suffers from a rather straightforward narrative that lacks complexity. The simplicity of the storyline fails to engage the audience, making it challenging to invest the necessary attention to fully comprehend and appreciate it. While the humor eventually finds its footing, the overall lack of a compelling narrative may leave viewers wanting more depth and substance from the episode.

The Mission (1986)

The Journey of Life, Even Within the Church

[8/10 · 24 November 2023]

The Mission is a unique and unconventional film. It is advisable to find the right emotional moment to better understand and enjoy it. It's recommended to view it from the perspective of life, life's challenging trials that permeate even the Church's endeavors and overwhelm us with difficult decisions. The script shines in certain moments with metaphysical phrases that hit the mark. Perhaps the best part is that, in reality, the character of God is behind the story, on the side of the Jesuits, and it deeply moves with the marvelous piece of 'Gabriel's Oboe' in the meantime.

Humans suffering for having made the world this way, it's true. The issue with the film is that it becomes languid in some scenes, and that can be exhausting once the one-and-a-half-hour mark has been surpassed.

The Simpsons: The Last Temptation of Homer (1993) Season 5, Episode 9

Navigating the Shadows of Possible Early Decline

[7/10 · 23 November 2023]

While this episode meets the quality standards of the show's golden era, the story leans more towards humor than realism. It becomes challenging to believe that a woman like Mindy would be attracted to someone like Homer.

To emphasize this point, the episode starts with Homer already thinking that Mindy is interested in him, and all he does is avoid encountering her. In the end, we're left unsure if Mindy felt anything special for Homer throughout the episode. The focus seems to be more on comedic aspects than on the narrative.

That's why when I say the first three or four seasons were truly the best, I mean it. In my view, ever since I devised my experimental viewing method, it becomes increasingly clear to me that the series started its decline around season four or five.

The Simpsons: Simpson and Delilah (1990) Season 2, Episode 2

A Heartfelt Symphony of Emotions

[10/10 · 27 October 2023]

"Simpson and Delilah" is a heartwarming episode that stands out for its beautiful use of music. Throughout the episode, the music enhances the emotional moments, even reacting negatively to certain events, such as when Homer meets the pharmacist in the alley.

A particularly beautiful scene involves a ringing bell, with Homer joyfully running in slow motion and then collapsing onto a bed of flowers. His children express their love, a moment reminiscent of a heartfelt movie scene. While I can't pinpoint the exact film they're parodying, the way they make the scene their own is stunning.

The emotional depth of the episode reaches its peak with Marge consoling Homer in the touching final moments. Additionally, the introduction of Karl, Homer's new assistant after his promotion to executive, is brilliantly conceived. The character adds a unique layer to the storyline, making "Simpson and Delilah" a standout episode in the series.

The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror II (1991) Season 3, Episode 7

This is why the first three seasons were the best

[10/10 · 25 October 2023]

The episode begins with a scene that was unfortunately removed in the seasons that followed, where Marge emerges from red theater curtains, warning parents that the show they're about to watch isn't suitable for children.

The removal of this scene might have been due to the realization that the show was enjoyed by kids as well. However, it was a charming moment that helped set the stage and create a relaxed atmosphere of anticipation.

In these early Halloween episodes, it was revealed that these fantastical stories were, in fact, the characters' fantasies. In less fortunate times in the series or in less well-received classic episodes, which were, in fact, non-canonical episodes for storytelling, like episodes centered around tales, they often started with what seemed to be a normal episode about the Simpson family's problems, only to disappoint when it turned into a tale. This episode follows that pattern, leading to the omission of such introductions in future Halloween episodes.

However, this episode is not bad; in fact, it's excellent. Here are some details that make me see it this way:

Firstly, the music, the orchestral television music used in the early seasons of the series. I'm not sure if Alf Clausen was the regular composer at the time, but in the early seasons, the music resembled that of tension and horror films rather than being the kind of music you'd expect for a satirical comedy like The Simpsons.

This choice of music makes comical scenes stand out, and it was a quality that disappeared in the modern era. In fact, in the first six seasons of The Simpsons, it was a recurring feature and added to the enveloping sound quality.

This use of music allowed for the portrayal of comedic situations but with an eerie undertone due to the cinematic background music. For example, when the monkey paw closes a finger, a scene adapted in an original way since older TV shows didn't show the paw closing the fingers, you can hear the background music reacting negatively to this simple event.

In the second segment, something similar happens with the music. It imitates the style of music from The Twilight Zone, which it's parodying. It instrumentally mimics the music used in horror fiction from the 1950s and 1960s. Again, the music reacts the same way to simple events, such as Homer becoming a jack-in-the-box. It imitated the way the music reacted in the original episode, extending the last note of terror during the new body's swinging motion. There's also a percussion roll, popularly used in the 1950s and 1960s, as in the original episode when a child turned someone into a monster. It was an effort to parody and, as you can understand, it was virtuosic. One of the reasons for the series' decline is the disappearance of these details, as it's the details that make life interesting. People often don't pause to analyze them as I have just done, and that's why they struggle to understand why the series declined.

On the other hand, the third segment has a weaker story but is of normal quality. It's a parody of Frankenstein, but not exactly, as this time, it's about bringing a robot to life. However, the humor in this segment is excellent. This was a time when Mr. Burns was an evil old man, not insane, but an evil, out-of-touch person. This made it funnier, along with his way of speaking and reactions to unexpected events due to his outdated expectations regarding people's current behavior.

Expecting great episodes like "Who Shot Mr. Burns" and "The Springfield Files," well, they are, but... only two? In comparison to the great episodes of the early seasons that are more in number, like "Homer Alone," "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish," "Lisa's Pony," "Bart The Daredevil," "Stark Raving Dad," this very Halloween episode, "Brush With Greatness," "Homer's Odyssey," or in the fourth season, "Mr. Plow," etc.

The Simpsons: Bart Gets an F (1990) Season 2, Episode 1

That's why the first three seasons of The Simpsons were the best.

[10/10 · 24 October 2023]

The early Simpsons are undoubtedly the best phase of the show. They had relatable dramatic and therapeutic storylines for the viewer.

Iconic is the way the music unfolds in the scene where Homer, as unruly as ever, disregards the words of the school psychologist. Almost imbued with tension, the score masterfully harmonizes the shadows that lie in Homer's genetic roots, thus conveying its undeniable murkiness.

I, being from Spain, learned about the origins of the USA thanks to this episode and The Simpsons in general, and I find it very interesting.

Lastly, when I was in high school, the religious studies teacher showed us this episode because it mentions God, and is relatable to the student who, in the face of desperation and frustration from striving for good grades in school, ends up seeking divine help and intervention.

It is an example that the early Simpsons had a therapeutic function and sociological interest that was later lost.

The Simpsons: Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk (1991) Season 3, Episode 11

Therapeutic and very funny for those of us who may feel incompetent at work.

[10/10 · 23 October 2023]

You open your eyes, look at the sky and know that you are in the world. A seemingly non-hostile world for life and seemingly one in which you are free to do whatever you want. You are a living being, you can eat from what the world offers you, have fun and enjoy yourself, but of course, that's only in appearance.

In reality, what you're doing is wasting your time and youth sitting in the chair of a nuclear power plant office, thinking about what to say to get hired or not get fired by your bosses, and you can go blank, when what you really want to do at that moment is get out of there and find the Land of Chocolate.

I relate to Homer in this episode, and surely more people do too, but they don't want to admit that deep down they hate their jobs, as they prefer to go back to being a minor playing with toys in a Daycare Center rather than working.

These are the episodes I liked, the ones that showed the imperfection of human beings, slaves to themselves and their beliefs, with meticulous detail and creating a realistic atmosphere. And Clausen's use of music in Homer's fantasies was great, not only in the fantasies, but also when it turns into suspenseful music when Homer is angry with Burns or when Burns is seeking revenge on Homer, as if he were a villain. That's why, friends, the first three seasons were the best.

But what really makes this episode standout is the fact that we all know Burns' power plant is a disastrous mess, but they portray it as a caricature in later seasons without any realistic basis. Here, the funny thing is that they add a realistic basis to the fact that they show it as a ruinous nuclear power plant that actually exists to the concern of the Germans who have just acquired it.

The Simpsons: Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire (1989) Season 1, Episode 1

The Episode that Best Illustrates It

[10/10 · 21 October 2023]

This episode best exemplifies my perspective that, in reality, the first and second seasons were the best of the series, and also the most underrated. I've been just like you; I used to prefer the classic episodes over the primitive or modern ones. But as time has passed, I've come to appreciate the beauty of these early episodes, as they portrayed recognizable scenes from real life and family in an interesting and therapeutic way.

This episode represents the first season, and it's crucial to understand what the first season was about since the style doesn't correspond to the time when the series acquired its recognized form. In the first season, Homer Simpson was just an ordinary family man with the same flaws as anyone else, but he also misunderstood that his neighbor, Ned Flanders, was not bragging about his family but simply trying to be friendly. He wasn't the sanctimonious character we would later know but rather a comedic device to show that Homer was jealous of his neighbor. Ralph wasn't yet the Ralph we know, but rather a confident, normal kid. Barney wasn't the town drunk but a friend of Homer who lived a less-than-perfect life but knew how to get by, and so on. It was a different universe with a distinct style. However, the fact that it portrays Homer fighting against adversity to make his family happy and not feel like losers is a human element that's added and genuinely therapeutic for the viewer. That's why, for me, the best seasons are the first two or three.