Warning: full spoilers for The Simpsons: Season 27 follow.
I'll skip the obligatory preamble about how The Simpsons is a shadow of its former self and instead say that Season 27 was far from the worst of the show's modern era. Yes, there were plenty of instances of dull, formulaic humor and plots that rehashed older, better episodes. But there were also episodes where the show took risks, tried new things and succeeded in recapturing some of that old magic. Those episodes were enough to make the overall journey worthwhile.
If anything, Season 27 got its worst offering out of the way immediately. The season opened with the much-hyped "Every Man's Dream," yet another episode revolving around Homer (Dan Castellaneta) and Marge's (Julie Kavner) marriage troubles. The premiere was notable for the fact that this conflict escalated more than usual, resulting in the two splitting up and Homer moving in with his new hipster girlfriend, Candace (voiced by Girls' Lena Dunham). "Every Man's Dream" could have been a successful rehash of a age-old premise, but the story was far too cynical in its exploration of the Homer/Marge relationship. It felt more like the sort of spat one would find on the more mean-spirited Family Guy. Not to mention the revelation that the whole thing was just a dream sequence within a dream sequence. That was both a predictable and a simplistic way to wrap up the episode.
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I'll skip the obligatory preamble about how The Simpsons is a shadow of its former self and instead say that Season 27 was far from the worst of the show's modern era. Yes, there were plenty of instances of dull, formulaic humor and plots that rehashed older, better episodes. But there were also episodes where the show took risks, tried new things and succeeded in recapturing some of that old magic. Those episodes were enough to make the overall journey worthwhile.
If anything, Season 27 got its worst offering out of the way immediately. The season opened with the much-hyped "Every Man's Dream," yet another episode revolving around Homer (Dan Castellaneta) and Marge's (Julie Kavner) marriage troubles. The premiere was notable for the fact that this conflict escalated more than usual, resulting in the two splitting up and Homer moving in with his new hipster girlfriend, Candace (voiced by Girls' Lena Dunham). "Every Man's Dream" could have been a successful rehash of a age-old premise, but the story was far too cynical in its exploration of the Homer/Marge relationship. It felt more like the sort of spat one would find on the more mean-spirited Family Guy. Not to mention the revelation that the whole thing was just a dream sequence within a dream sequence. That was both a predictable and a simplistic way to wrap up the episode.
Continue reading…
Continue reading...