Watched a new one the other day and didn't laugh once. It's fallen from quite a height.
Television We didn't all go to Gudger College
- Thread starter R.N7
- Start date
To be fair I just watched the episode of Tree House of Horror where Bart goes to hell and I quite enjoyed it.
It wasnt great, but thought the Simpsonrama episode was ok.
Some months ago, I went on a mission to see every episode of the Simpsons. Stopped for a bit after 21, and I tell ya, if you just forget about them after season 8, you're missing nothing.
Characters are assholes most of the time, Homer and Bart in particular.
Terrible.
Characters are assholes most of the time, Homer and Bart in particular.
Terrible.
Disagree. It starts to lose consistency from 9 onwards, but season 9 to 12 still has a number of classic episodes.
Fair enough, I might've went too far in the past.
Writing room, 1992.
Wish Conan never did late night tv, such a waste of talent.
(supposed to be a shocked face)Didn't even realise he helped write The Simpsons. Wow.
He didn't just help 'em out, he's the writer of at least two or three of the greatest episodes ever - Homer Goes to College and the Monorail one.
Be interesting to compare it to today's writer's room. I couldn't find a pic online for some reason. If it's how I imagine it to be there might be a correlation between floor and space and funniness.
I think they used to practically live in the writing room, long hours, not much pay in comparison. That's changed now.
"Free candy and soda for everyone"
Think I just saw a Christmas episode on Channel 4 which ends with Moe kissing Katy Perry's snatch. Either that or I'm very drunk.
Waste? TV writers are no-names in the broader sense. Being a tonight show or late show host in America is huge. Basically the biggest gig you can get for a non-actor/director.
TV writers are bigger names than TV directors tbf. The phenomena is reversed for cinema, for reasons I've never quite understood.
Not really. The only TV writers with big names are those who act as well. If you predominately write in TV, no one outside the business knows who you are apart from geeks. It's similar with TV directors but with movies, like you said, the director is a much bigger name than the writer. The difference with being a Tonight Show host and a TV writer isn't even comparable. Such a huge gulf. You also have to be way more talented to be good at the host gig. Especially if you're on 5 times per week.
Nah, the writers of big shows get their cred far more in TV. Aaron Sorkin, Vince Gilligan, Joss Whedon, Damon Lindelof, David Chase, even Chris Carter was a big name when The X Files were on. Even people like Mitch Hurwitz and Dan Harmon are names you known because of their shows.
Few if any screenwriters who don't direct are as well known in cinema.
Well the TV writers that create the shows, the roundtable writers who rotate credits are probably on par with directors for "big name" status until they branch out and get their own show greenlit of course as the now huge Gillgan, Simon, Chase, Milch, Whedon, Apatow will all attest too.
But even the directors are starting to get big films now.
But even the directors are starting to get big films now.
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They get more credit because they are the creators as well. Not the same being the TV writer and being a guy who creates and writes. When you throw that into the mix it's a different beast. I'd say they were more known for being the creators than they are for being the writers.
What is a writer if not a creator? We're all over the shop here.
Simpsons writers with some pop culture notoriety seem to be the ones who achieved the status of Executive Producer or showrunner/head writer.
Obviously Groening as creator has received lots of attention, Sam Simon as well and Brooks was famous before the Simpsons. People like Mike Scully, Mike Reiss and Al Jean have received a certain level of exposure, but are they well known outside the world of Simpsons fandom (that's not a rhetorical question either, I really don't know how well known they are)? One of the rare guys that remained a Simpsons writers and received some acclaim is Swartzelder, but he is as much a part of folklore as he is famous. Much of his notoriety seems to be second hand stories that are now somewhat legandary, rather than him actually seeking any sort of limelight.
It seems that Conan was well on his way to being a showrunner. Many writers from the Simpsons acknowledge that had he stayed, he would have been head writer. Obviously the public exposure from that gig pales in comparison to the exposure he received from his late night shows, but he probably still would have been a well known entity had he stayed with the show.
And Mockney is right, for whatever reasons, writers on TV shows seem to be far more well known than directors. They also seem to have far more creative control. The writers often act as the figure heads and they seem to be the ones the money follows, whereas the directors seem to be afterthoughts. Its all conjecture really, but look at the director credits for the Simpsons; very few names pop out. Mark Kirkland has directed more episodes than any other person. Look at the writer credits; Groening, Brooks, Simon (all executive producers, but still part of the writing process for much of the early years), Cohen, Swartzwelder, Bill Oakley, Al Jean; all somewhat recognizable names I would say.
Obviously Groening as creator has received lots of attention, Sam Simon as well and Brooks was famous before the Simpsons. People like Mike Scully, Mike Reiss and Al Jean have received a certain level of exposure, but are they well known outside the world of Simpsons fandom (that's not a rhetorical question either, I really don't know how well known they are)? One of the rare guys that remained a Simpsons writers and received some acclaim is Swartzelder, but he is as much a part of folklore as he is famous. Much of his notoriety seems to be second hand stories that are now somewhat legandary, rather than him actually seeking any sort of limelight.
It seems that Conan was well on his way to being a showrunner. Many writers from the Simpsons acknowledge that had he stayed, he would have been head writer. Obviously the public exposure from that gig pales in comparison to the exposure he received from his late night shows, but he probably still would have been a well known entity had he stayed with the show.
And Mockney is right, for whatever reasons, writers on TV shows seem to be far more well known than directors. They also seem to have far more creative control. The writers often act as the figure heads and they seem to be the ones the money follows, whereas the directors seem to be afterthoughts. Its all conjecture really, but look at the director credits for the Simpsons; very few names pop out. Mark Kirkland has directed more episodes than any other person. Look at the writer credits; Groening, Brooks, Simon (all executive producers, but still part of the writing process for much of the early years), Cohen, Swartzwelder, Bill Oakley, Al Jean; all somewhat recognizable names I would say.
A good director is the main artistic voice in cinema, in television they're essentially there to stage manage and make sure things get done.
Channel surfing this weekend watched two episodes back to back, with two of the greatest guest characters....Hank Scorpio and Frank Grimes.
Hank Scorpio is probably my fav non regular character. Loved that episode.
Watching some of the older episodes on C4 and Sky1 this week, you forget how good it really was...amazingly funny at times.
I still think from about season 2 to 8 (Although there's a couple of really good seasons after 8) it's the greatest tv show ever.
You mean there's a better way?!
This'll blow your mind, Pink Moon.
