Following the departure of showrunner David Mirkin at the end of season 6, the show's reigns were handed over to the writing duo of Bill Oakley & Josh Weinstein, who had been on the writing staff since season 3 and began making a big mark during the Mirkin years of seasons 5 and 6.
Oakley & Weinstein were passionate fans of the show and a lot of their sensibilities felt more in line with the familial elements that were more on display during their first two seasons on staff (under Al Jean & Mike Reiss) and after resolving the Who Shot Mr. Burns cliffhanger in the first episode, you can start to see the shift back to things being a little more grounded.
In the second episode, "Radioactive Man", you still have a rather splashy backdrop of Milhouse getting cast in a film being made in Springfield much to the envy of Bart...but that friendship storyline still feels very much like something that would've fit perfectly in the world of season 3 but with more of a heightened edge.
The third episode, "Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily", really drives the family dynamic while also addressing a rather large elephant in the room (and, no, I don't mean Stampy): how the family's dysfunctional moments lead to a misunderstand that Bart, Lisa, and Maggie are being abused/neglected and they are taken away from Homer and Marge only to be placed with the Flanders next door. Perhaps a little convenient in a way, but it really sets up a sweet dynamic with how much the kids miss their parents...although Maggie might be willing to become a Flanders.
However, it is in the fourth episode of the season in which you really see that The Simpsons has reached a new level of greatness and thus it would set off a series of episode that would prove to be the final gasp of brilliance before things would slowly trickle away gradually over the next 3 seasons. I will discuss that in a much less vague way here in a bit.
I had made a comment in my season 6 essay that it may be the best season that the show ever produced...but I also feel like I admire so many of the creative choices made in season 7 that I could easily make an argument for it being the greatest season.
It was certainly a hard act to follow as Oakley/Weinstein would not be able to sustain their consistency level the next season...but they had something truly whimsical and delightful and, at times, bittersweet and thought-provoking with this season.
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TWO HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Who Shot Mr. Burns Part Two
Written by Bill Oakley & Josh Weinstein
*IF YOU CARE ABOUT SPOILERS FOR THIS EPISODE OR MAJOR PRIMETIME SOAPS, DON'T READ THIS...haha...*
I admittedly wanted to try to single out other episodes, but I did still want to discuss the follow-up to the cliffhanger.
I can still remember the summer waiting for this cliffhanger to be resolved. While there was "talk" about it, I do remember hearing a fair amount of people bemoaning how gimmicky it was to try to push the narrative to create a whole "Who Shot JR?" style phenomenon.
I think a lot of that culminated in when Springfield's Most Wanted aired right before the season 7 premiere in which America's Most Wanted host John Walsh went through all the suspects and the mayhem one by one. Even at my young age (and for the record, I haven't watched this special in almost 25 years), there was definitely something about that felt off. Looking back at the reviews, many deemed it tacky and far beyond what the episode required. Some even felt like it ruined any credibility that John Walsh may have had.
In the end, the final product that matters would be the episode itself.
THE SHOOTER WAS: Maggie Simpson.
Yep, the baby did it.
Even the Vegas betting pool had Maggie at 70-1 odds, but it just seemed like an implausible choice.
It was also a scenario in which no real comeuppance was felt within the show, but honestly, I kind of love the choice because it actually feels in line with Dallas too.
JR's shooter was revealed to be Kristin, his sister-in-law and mistress. While she was certainly a focal point on the show, she was also a secondary supporting character who wasn't featured in the opening credits. She was simply expendable.
The truth is that so many of these primetime soaps had cop-out ending to their cliffhangers:
Dynasty's Moldavian Massacre left the entire cast in a sea of blood after a coup occurs at a family wedding. The next season finds them all spared and seemingly not that injured aside from two minor character deaths.
Twin Peaks tried hard to create a Who Shot JR? cliffhanger at the end of its first season but that incensed people so much that they didn't even care about the resolution which was resolved well after Lynch/Frost were forced to reveal Who Killed Laura Palmer?
I could go on and on with this, but as it stands, I think the episode and the resolution works within the world of an animated sitcom.
And as a Twin Peaks superfan, I adore the Red Room sequence.
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The Simpsons' 138th Episode Spectacular
Written by Jon Vitti
Clip shows are some of the worst and most annoying episodes of any TV show you could watch...and by this point, we already had two Simpsons clip shows.
If there was ever a single clip show from any TV series in history that I would tell you to watch, it would be this one without hesitation.
The fact that I actually like this episode as much as I do is a true testament to this writing staff.
First, you have the idea that this is occurring as the 138th episode of The Simpsons as if that is a big milestone.
Second, the special is being hosted by Troy McClure, the washed-up actor voiced by the late great Phil Hartman which makes for easy laughs right there.
They also showcase clips not just from the show, but also the original shorts that aired on The Tracey Ullman Show.
Perhaps what truly helps it is how meta the whole thing is. They go all in on every critique and observation being made about the show at that point, like Homer getting stupider with every passing year or how horrible the animation was during the Tracey Ullman years.
Oh, and I do love that they portray Matt Groening as being a right-wing fascist for seemingly no reason.
Or, the bit where they do the quiz about beloved popular recurring characters who were killed off to which they say "If you answered Bleeding Gums Murphy and Dr. Marvin Monroe, you were wrong because they were never popular". Genius delivery by Hartman there.
I think no clip show will ever top this one in the history of television.
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And now...THE TOP 10!
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#10 - Bart the Fink
Written by Bob Kushell & John Swartzwelder
This episode originally aired in February 1996, and I can distinctly recall seeing the promos for it and being very concerned over Krusty's "demise" (which is depicted in the photo above).
Krusty the Klown is one of those characters that just worked so perfectly simply because he was the epitome of a hack who sold himself out over the power of a dollar.
And yet...Bart idolized him.
And Bart accidently leads the feds to arrest him for tax fraud.
When Krusty dies in a helicopter crash, Bart is left feeling even more guilt of not just destroying his hero's life, but having it end as well. Though with the help of Lisa, who was always there to help aid in solving a good mystery, Bart realizes that maybe Krusty has a plan up his sleeve.
Though the episode's storyline was pitched by Bob Kushell, the actual teleplay was scripted by longtime Simpsons mainstay John Swartzwelder, the reclusive conservative who remained on the Simpsons staff until season 15 and would be one of the best and most prominent voices the show ever had.
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#9 - King-Size Homer
Written by Dan Greaney
This has got to be one of the best examples of Homer scheming to buck the system in the show's history, and despite its over-the-top ending, they manage to find ways to ground the story and even give his marriage to Marge a fresh issue that they hadn't exactly tackled yet.
"King Size Homer" starts off with Homer loathing Burns' new exercise regimen at the nuclear plant and when he discovers that he only weighs 61lbs shy of being eligible for disability, he gains a total of 75lbs and gets the chance to work from home.
This is something Homer has always dreamed of...although the immense weight gain brings strain to his relationship to Marge.
If there is ever one well that the writers ran dry in terms of conflict, it is the marriage of Homer and Marge. Here, they don't focus too much on it but have a single moment that really shows the issue at hand. Marge simply is losing her attraction towards Homer...and you can tell this really hurts her deeply. You can also see Homer is hurt by it, but he is still so invested in his plan of being a better worker that he feels it should be enough to save their relationship in the end.
I also very much love the ending of the episode where Burns, after Homer saves the town from a nuclear disaster, tries to put Homer through another work-out regime only for him to realize the fruitless goals.
"Drat! I'll just pay for the blasted liposuction!".
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#8 - Bart on the Road
Written by Richard Appel
I have to admit, this episode always struck me as one of the more far-fetched plots from any season of the golden era...however, it is immensely enjoyable, and I love it for being one of the earliest examples of showcasing a sweetly quirky side to Nelson Mandela Muntz, the resident bully to pretty much anyone who crosses his path in the town of Springfield.
Nancy Cartwright, who also voices Nelson in addition to Bart, is always fantastic when she voices him. Nelson's trademark "Ha, ha!" is one of my favorite catchphrases from any TV show in history.
The fact that this foursome of Bart, Milhouse, Nelson, and Martin end up in, of all places, Knoxville so they can see the Sunsphere from the 1982 World's Fair is one of those storyline beats that only The Simpsons can really sell.
And once again, it is up to Lisa from afar to get her older brother out of another jam.
As much as they don't get along, I think the frequently unsaid affection that Bart and Lisa feel towards each other as siblings is one of the sweeter relationships you can find on a sitcom.
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#7 - Two Bad Neighbors
Written by Ken Keeler
George H.W. Bush infamously made a comment during his presidency that American families needed to be "a lot more like The Waltons and a lot less like The Simpsons". It is still crazy to think that there was a time when The Simpsons was seen as counterculture.
In "Two Bad Neighbors", the family discovers that Bush and his wife Barbara are moving in the mini mansion across the street from them. Their main reason of coming to Springfield was in hopes to avoid politics...and they saw that Springfield had the lowest voter turnout of anywhere in the country.
Everything about this setup is splendid.
Homer and Bush obviously don't get along, but the brilliant angle is that Bart gets to act as Dennis the Menace to Bush's Mr. Wilson.
I also love the bit where Homer uses cardboard cut-outs of George W. and Jeb to trick Bush into coming on the porch so that Bart and super glue a rainbow afro onto his head.
Then it all leads to a bit of a silly but brilliant ending where Bush moves out and Gerald Ford moves in, proving to be a perfect match to Homer's clumsy oafish demeanor.
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#6 - 22 Short Films About Springfield
Written by Richard Appel, David X. Cohen, Jonathan Collier, Jennifer Crittenden, Greg Daniels, Brent Forrester, Rachel Pulido, Steve Tompkins, Bill Oakley, Josh Weinstein and Matt Groening
#5 - A Fish Called Selma
Written by Jack Barth
What is even more delicious is when they pair him with the dry, droll, and lovelorn Selma Bouvier.
"A Fish Called Selma" was the perfect example of how The Simpsons was able to moderate certain side characters and only bring them out sporadically in larger doses. I do have to wonder what other brilliant episodes we could've gotten if it weren't for Phil Hartman's tragic murder in 1998.
Even though we've seen Selma be lovelorn before, including a marriage to Sideshow Bob back in season 3, this episode still feels very fresh thanks to the dynamic between the two.
Aside from the wonderful pairing, this episode also gives us the great highlight of Troy McClure performing in the fictional musical adaptation of Planet of the Apes in which we get the iconic Simpsons tunes "Dr. Zaius" modeled after the Falco hit "Rock Me Amadeus" and the rousing finale "They Finally Made a Monkey Outta Me".
Oh yes, who could forget that Troy McClure seemingly has a fish fetish?
This was actually a suggestion from Executive Producer/Co-developer James L. Brooks who deemed it "so perverted, so strange, that it was over-the-top" and would work on a comedic level.
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#4 - Marge Be Not Proud
Written by Mike Scully
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#3 - Summer of 4ft2
Written by Dan Greaney
Case in point: the infamous Lady Gaga episode that aired about a decade ago and is often considered a nadir of The Simpsons canon.
Here, we get an early example of Lisa trying to fit in only for it to fail...but it still has a happy ending because the people she meets end up realizing they like Lisa for being Lisa. It is better message...and it also shows how Bart can be endlessly cruel but that in the end, Lisa will persevere.
"Summer of 4ft2" is a classic of the "summer vacation" genre and also serves as one of the best Lisa-centric episodes, which sadly have become one of the more frequently tapped and reviled episode topics of recent years.
I also think it is one of the best season finales from the show's history, but it actually proves to be a bit of a saving grace for the season.
Despite my immense admiration for the season, I actually feel like some of the weakest episodes all occurred back-to-back leading up to this finale, like "Raging Abe", "Much Apu About Nothing", and "Homerpalooza"...but I shouldn't complain about those as pretty soon I will be getting to an era where I will even struggle to come up with a list of top 10 episodes I truly like.
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#2 - Mother Simpson
Written by Richard Appel
Perhaps one of the most important episodes in the history of The Simpsons, I feel like we learn a lot about why Homer is the way he is thanks to his mother...or rather, how the lack of her presence affected him deeply.
Starting out with an elaborate scheme of faking his death just to get out of cleaning litter of the side of a highway on a Saturday, the incident pulls Homer's long-lost mother out of hiding. He was told she was dead...but in fact, she is a fugitive who has been on the run from the law for the past 30 years.
"Mother Simpson" also gives us the first glimpse of how the women who are either of Simpson blood or married into the family have a strong sense of intelligence...which explains the intelligence of Lisa well before season 9's "Lisa the Simpson".
Mona is seen as being inspired by Bernadine Dohrn of the radical group The Weather Underground, who has strong and passionate beliefs about important issues, but her good intentions lead her to becoming sought out after making the poor mistake of helping Mr. Burns instead of running to escape from his Germ Warfare laboratory where he had planned to poison all of Springfield.
Mona's shown as being a very loving and caring mother with also having a bit of a silly streak...she is also the source of Homer saying "D'oh!", a bit we find out as she departs having to go into hiding again.
The ending of the episode which has Homer sitting on his car looking at the stars well into the night is easily one of the most iconic and touching images from the show's history.
After having seen this episode, I wondered how different Homer may have turned out as a human being had Mona not needed to run away to protect herself and the family. It really alters how you perceive everything with Homer, and it was a brilliant bit of character development relatively later into when most series would do so.
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#1 - Bart Sells His Soul
Written by Greg Daniels
You may recall in my intro that I discussed how the fourth episode of the season would signal a new shift in the series.
That would be "Bart Sells His Soul", which not only is my favorite episode of Season 7, but it is easily one of the best episodes of the entire series. I usually rank it within my top 10 at #4 or #5...so yes, this one is truly a classic in my book.
Even before getting into the episode proper, it starts off with one of my favorite Bart pranks ever...and easily one of the best intro scenes of the show's history.
Coming in hot at church, we see Bart gleefully handing out the Sunday hymn that is "fresh from God's brain to your mouth".
The hymn is, as Rev. Lovejoy recites, "In the Garden of Eden" by I. Ron Butterfly.
And on the pipe organ, we hear the opening strains of Iron Butterfly's "In a Gadda Da Vida"...but it takes a good several minutes (with time jumps, of course) for Rev. Lovejoy to make the connection: "Hey, wait a minute, this sounds like rock and/or roll".
Bart is found out thanks to Milhouse being a narc...and thanks to being a narc, Lovejoy decides to punish Milhouse, too.
While cleaning the pipes of the organ for their punishment, Bart admonishes Milhouse for ratting him out. Milhouse claims that he just wanted his soul to be clean so he wouldn't one day be sent to hell. Bart claims that is ridiculous because there is no such thing as a soul.
He finds so little meaning in the idea of a soul that he is willing to prove its lunacy to Milhouse by selling it to him for $5.
After he does so, he starts noticing a difference in life and how both he and others perceive it and him. The range from the more surreal (Automated doors won't open for him) to the more psychological (He no longer finds Itchy & Scratchy to be funny).
As often is the case with Bart storylines...as has happened a couple of times within this top 10...it will be Lisa who ends up both warning Bart at the idea of having sold his soul and it will also be up to her for saving the day.
"Bart Sells His Soul" is a surprisingly profound episode.
The concept of if a soul exists and what one might make of it is a topic that has been debated and studied for quite some time. In fact, this episode has become an important tool in various classes centered around religious education and even in psychology and philosophy.
This is simply an episode that was able to transcend more than just being a funny, classic episode of a truly landmark television series.
Lastly, the B plot may seem irrelevant in the grand scheme, but I think that is why it works so well. Sort of similar to how Bart running for class president in season 2's "Lisa's Substitute" worked as a nice palate cleanser to the bittersweet story between Lisa and Mr. Bergstrom.
Moe decides to turn his tavern into a family-friendly restaurant. If you know anything about Moe, you can probably already assume how well that works out for him.
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FINAL THOUGHTS:
Season 7 is, as I stated in the title, a season of whimsical beauty at times. Oakley & Weinstein managed to bring a certain charm back to the show that felt more akin to that of season 3. This isn't a surprise since both have been quoted as calling season 3 the best season to ever happen to a television show.
Mirkin's more cynical and brash tone helped keep the show alive despite its occasional erratic results, but Oakley & Weinstein brought that relationship-based feel back but with a deeper, emotional core at times.
This season truly does feel like a last gasp of the kind of series The Simpsons once was.
Season 8 may have still contained more successes than misses, but I can't help but feel like the rest of the series following this season just couldn't measure up to it.
The one-two punch of seasons 6 and 7 mark for the show's best creative peak along with seasons 3 and 4.
The admiration I feel for this era is simply unmatched.
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REVISIT THE OTHER SEASONS BELOW!
SEASON 1: Will be re-uploaded soon
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