"Lisa's Wedding": Brilliant!
SCOTTHOL
This was not only the best episode of the season (rivaling if not
surpassing "Itchy & Scratchy Land"), but it's one of the best
Simpsons period. Loads of hysterical humor, of both traditional
Simpsons and surreal flavors, plus a real, warm-hearted story
focusing on the show's most well-rounded character.
The Springfield Renaissance Fair was hilarious in and of itself.
Bart's reaction to the excitement of the loom: "Meh." (rendered
incorrectly, and humorlessly, in closed-captioning as "Nah.")
Lunch Lady Doris in period costume, tending a pig on a spit, which
Homer mirrors, complete with apple in mouth. "The Happy Leech!"
("Bleed while you wait.") Lisa's tarot reading--if the Death
card can actually be good, then the Happy Squirrel card is really
bad news!
But the best bits had to do with the Springfield--and Simpsons--
of A.D. 2010. This was an amazing bit of wish fulfillment: just
a couple of weeks ago, I, unknowing, posted a message here expressing
the wish that we see a glimpse of the future Simpsons, and here it
is! It was most appealing seeing Lisa as a liberal college student.
I liked the co-ed dorm ("Dr. and Mrs. Dre Hall"! Ha!) where it was
apparent that some things never change--satellite dish on the roof,
but books still sit on a makeshift shelf.
I don't want to go through a laundry list of every funny detail,
but a few especially tickling highlights were:
* Big Ben's clock being converted to digital--and blinking 12:00
* Carl and Lenny being promoted to upper management while robots
do most of the grunt work (except for Homer's position)
* The "flashback" to a bewhiskered, pimply Milhouse taking Lisa out
* Every single appearance of Maggie, now a morose, rebellious
teenager (just as I predicted!)
* Dilapidated Springfield Elementary, with an aged Troy McClure
teaching arithmetic live via satellite--sponsered by Pepsi
* Martin Prince as the Phantom of the School, playing "A Fifth
of Beethoven" on the organ (and sounding more like Rex than himself)
* Kent Brockman's List of Arrested Celebrities (including Sideshow
Ralph Wiggum and "Madonnabots, Series K")
* Bart and another guy having a virtual brawl in Moe's--and being
reprimanded electronically by Moe
* The river near the nuclear power plant, featuring not only a
Blinky-type SIX-eyed fish, but also a cow-fish and a Professor
Brink fish! (complete with trademark circular specs and "Nnghey!")
* The various familiar wedding guests, including a wheelchair-bound
Krusty, spinsters Patty and Selma, Nelson Muntz Sr. and Jr., and,
if one looks carefully, a balding, grey-haired Apu.
Most of all, though, this was a terrific, poignant story addressing
one of the show's lingering paradoxes: what makes Lisa a Simpson.
Offered the man of her dreams, a life of riches both material and
intellectual, she still loves her family, particularly Homer, and will
stand by them no matter what.
--
Scott Hollifield * sco...@cris.com * http://www.cris.com/~scotth/
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"I've always liked elevators. A magic room. Doors open and you're
always somewhere else. Just not fast enough." -- Madman
le...@qnet.com
> Well, we're back!
>
>
> Most of all, though, this was a terrific, poignant story addressing
> one of the show's lingering paradoxes: what makes Lisa a Simpson.
> Offered the man of her dreams, a life of riches both material and
> intellectual, she still loves her family, particularly Homer, and will
> stand by them no matter what.
Great Post Scott. And thats why I feel the Simpson's has gottent better over the years and not worse.
The hilarious one liners and sight gags are great but what continues to surprise me is the level of real
human feeling I get out of this cartoon that I never seem to get out real people tv shows.
Travers Naran
So you mean I'm not alone? :-) I have to agree with Lewis completely on this
point. I get a better sense of family love and feilty with the Simpsons than I
do with the Cosby show. The show still manages to make me laugh (albiet not as
hard as it used to), but it has added some amazing depth of character for a
cartoon. Bart has grown from being a brat to a troubled young man who isn't
totally evil. Homer is a simple man trying to make it in this world. Marge is
a woman trying to achieve something she really wants: A United, Happy Family.
Lisa is trying to just be herself and she has come to realise that despite her
family's short-comings, they are supportive and willing to let her be herself
(Although I am sure Homer would wish she cut out that damned racket.). Maggie
is just maggie, but a highly imaginative child and the writers have managed to
really develop Maggie as a character without her uttering a word (well, there
was that ONE word, but that doesn't really count. ;-) ).
All in all -- this is a strong family unit. What was George Bush talking about
then? :-)
Bradley Lascelle
Scott Hollifield Wrote:
SH> This was not only the best episode of the season (rivaling if
SH> not surpassing "Itchy & Scratchy Land"), but it's one of the
SH> best Simpsons period.
Firmly agreed on that point... In fact, I feel it blew 'Itchy &
Scratchy Land' out of the water. I mean, aside from making this
episode longer if only to squeeze in everyone's favourite characters in
a shining 2010 moment, what more could one ask from this episode?
It was superb in every key Simpsons area, combining hysterical
humour, ironic zest, and a touching storyline. I'll be surprised by
any serious complaints with this episode, 'cause I sure can't come
up with any major sticking points.
SH> This was an amazing bit of wish fulfillment: just a couple of
SH> weeks ago, I, unknowing, posted a message here expressing the
SH> wish that we see a glimpse of the future Simpsons, and here it
SH> is!
Well, I'm sure you're not alone in that regard. A glimpse into
the future of The Simpsons has been long overdue. For any fan who's
always complained about why the characters have never been aged
along with the series, or has always been intrigued as to where
their trademark exploits would lead them down the road, this was a
dream episode. It was a touch of freshness that the show so
desperately needed, and is certainly a key pinnacle of six seasons
of quality entertainment. If only I could reexperience a first
impression of this episode again... it put a smile on my face that
refused to leave.
SH> * Kent Brockman's List of Arrested Celebrities (including
SH> Sideshow Ralph Wiggum and "Madonnabots, Series K")
Already enamoured with this episode, I decided to scroll through
those celebrities several hours later on tape. As soon as I saw
George Burns, I broke into hysterical laughter for ten minutes
straight. Never has a series stood out like this one in terms of
providing laughs on repeated viewings, and providing treasures of
laughter to those who take the time to tape the episodes.
SH> Most of all, though, this was a terrific, poignant story
SH> addressing one of the show's lingering paradoxes: what makes
SH> Lisa a Simpson. Offered the man of her dreams, a life of riches
SH> both material and intellectual, she still loves her family,
SH> particularly Homer, and willstand by them no matter what.
I couldn't have said it any better myself. In fact, Homer's
pre-marriage speech to Lisa was so touching that it moved me to
a few tears... even if he WAS babbling. :)
----------------
-- Brad Lascelle
Homer: 'Little Lisa... Lisa Simpson. You know I always felt you
were the best thing my name ever got attached to. Since
the time you learned to pin your own diapers, you've
been smarter than me.'
Lisa: 'Oh, Dad.'
Homer: 'No, no, let me finish. I just want you to know I've
always been proud of you. You're my greatest
accomplishment, and you did it all yourself. You helped
me understand my own wife better and taught me to be a
better person. But, you're also my daughter. And I
don't think anybody could have had a better daughter
than you...'
Lisa: 'Dad, you're babbling.'
Homer: 'See, you're still helping me.'
___
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