The Simpsons Countdown

Bolivian musician and writer Petrus Silón sits down with me to discuss one of his favorite episodes... And, really, this shows up on a lot of fan favorite lists. Not just because it's a good source of memes, but because it's a very well-written (and acted) story with a lot of real heart.

And, of course, Homer and the swear jar...another one in a long line of classic Simpsons sequences.

Petrus and I talk about that, and a couple of other fun things in this breezy chat.

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Jason Pollock and I sit down to talk about this missed opportunity of an episode, which should be about Marge getting some much needed away time from her burden of a family, but is instead about Homer farting around the house and stuff while she's away.

And so, since the episode itself barely generates enough meat for scintillating conversation, we find ourselves drifting...talking about morning drive time DJs, and Indiana Jones movies, and popular genre TV shows that had surprisingly long runs... and so on.

It is, of course, a tangent-filled and very engaging little convo.

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Chris Prentice and I talk...FOOTBALL!!!

Well kind of...and I am referring to American Football, as opposed to what the rest of the world calls "Football," though we do name-drop that one too. We kind of talk about sports in general, and the audience interaction with competitive sports. In a word: gambling. And so on.

Because this is the episode where Homer discovers Lisa can always pick the winners. And they bond. Until Homer reveals he's a selfish ass. 

In any case, sit back for a talk that delves into these topics and some historical background about the Sports commentator who inspired the episode's title.

It's all in fun.

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The Pensky File's Clay McCormack joins me this week to discuss a classic episode that pokes fun at media circuses and charity singles - like "We Are the World" and what not. Sting guest stars as himself and gets to headline a catchy tune.

We talk about that, and we also talk about bad birthday experiences or crummy gifts from well-meaning adults.

We even discuss Live Aid, Queen and the motion picture sensation Bohemian Rhapsody.

It's a really fun, breezy talk.

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The second in the series of Simpsons flashbacks takes us back to the summer of 1980, as we see the circumstances that led to Bart's conception and the early days of Homer and Marge's marriage.

This is exactly the kind of episode Josh Fein and I tend to talk about and so here he is again, and we explore the series' approach to character development, attention to period detail, balance of sentiment and humor, and so on...

We also talk at length about the reality of being a young parent... And then we go off on tangents involving popular names for children, and the dangers of spoilers.

It's a chock-full episode, and so is our talk.

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Jim Laczkowski of The Director's Club joins me to talk about this episode, in which Homer Simpsons visits The Land of Chocolate. Well... that's not really the plot of the episode, but it's probably the one thing most people remember about it.

Jim and I discuss the ins and outs of this one episode, but we mostly discuss The Simpsons as a whole... Its cultural impact then and now, our relationships with it, etc... 

Jim's a good guy and this is a good talk.

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This week I'm joined by Sean Malloy of I Must Break...This Podcast, which is a great show about the career of Dolph Lundgren. But he's not here to talk about Lundgren, no, we're here to discuss a classic season three episode of The Simpsons, which features Aerosmith and an impossibly amazing drink taking the world by storm.

And then we go off on a tangent about Rocky IV, because yes - this is what we do.

In any case, it's an - as usual - fun talk.

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Saturdays of Thunder is probably a minor classic, with more than one memorable gag, and a heartwarming story about Homer connecting with Bart.

But, for Chris Prentice and I, it's an excuse to go off on several adjacent tangents about Henry Winkler, Joel Silver action films and - of course - Michael Jackson... The thing is, his famous (infamous?) "Black or White" music video (or short film, if you prefer) originally premiered right after this episode. So, of course we can't help ourselves and we talk about that...at length, which leads us into talking about Macaulay Culkin and stuff like that... 

Anyway, it is a good episode. That's what matters. And our talk is also good.

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Arianny Pilarte sits down with me this week, and we discuss Homer's very questionable parenting - which involves gross overcompensation after disappointing Lisa (again). 

It's a sweet episode that doesn't forget to be very funny as well. We discuss our favorite gags... We talk about neglectful, emotionally distant parenting. We also talk about The Crown, because we both like that show. And we talk about a disgusting NYC coffee shop called Serendipity. And you'll have to listen to see why I called it disgusting.

Anyway... Good times.

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The Pensky File's Clay McCormack sits down with me to discuss the second Treehouse of Horror special. We both agree that it is superior to the first. But, is it as widely celebrated as some of the more famous ones? It seems that maybe this one has somehow slipped through the cracks. Or maybe it hasn't.

In any case, we go into detail as to the episode's best qualities. A good story is a good story, and it's an interesting challenge for the writers to deliver a satisfying horror comedy in 8-minute segments.

It's a good talk, so check it out.

O Mein Poppa!

Chris Prentice and I sit down to talk about Krusty again. Namely, Krusty's tumultuous relationship with his dad - played by Jackie Mason. 

And so, we discuss this episode that, while possessing a fair share of laughs, falls more on the sentimental side. It's a good story, and it's well-written and acted. But, more than anything else, it shows The Simpsons really starting to tap into the universe they've established - experimenting with a story that doesn't really focus on the family at all, but takes advantage of its rich supporting cast.

We also talk, briefly, about Caddyshack II. So... Trigger warning.

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It's another very funny episode of The Simpsons! Maybe this is not quite as memorable or "iconic" as some of the more classic segments, but the laughs are definitely there.

Josh Fein and I go over our favorite bits and pieces and, as it is the nature of the podcast, we go off on a bit of a tangent far as the hidden banality behind great events throughout history, which somehow leads to us briefly discussing Quantum Leap, among other things.

Of course we're nowhere near the "breaking point" of the series. But we're not quite at the "golden age" just yet. 

It's a fun talk, in any case.

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Jason Pollock and I sit down to talk about arguably the first really funny episode of the series! Well, ok... Maybe that's an exaggeration. But it's the first genuinely good, funny episode that Pollock and I have talked about. And it's most definitely the first great episode of Season 3. 

Pollock and I talk about that and we also go off on a couple of tangents about how stupid it is in this day and age to rail against "PC culture" and "Cancel Culture," when you consider that an episode like this - which is about a 10-year-old-boy who is working for the mafia and is put on trial for murder - is allowed to stream in its entirety and free of any disclaimers on Disney Plus.

That's definitely something to ponder. But also worth pondering is how good this episode really is, how much fun Joe Mantegna has playing Fat Tony and, well, how The Simpsons was once upon a time truly a landmark comedy series, which this episode is clear evidence of.

It's a fun discussion.

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And so, the third season just rolls along... And we are still seeing the remnants of season 2's production cycle as the series struggles to find its specific identity amidst the landscape of TV comedy. Some people consider "When Flanders Failed" a classic episode, others hate it... I suppose we fall somewhere in between.

Troy Anderson of AndersonVision.com joins me this week to discuss this often funny, sometimes maudlin...ultimately rather bland episode. And we find ourselves trailing off and discussing the sociopolitical global landscape in the fall of 1991, a time that saw The Soviet Union come to an end... And we eventually devolve into discussing the MPAA -- or is it MPA now? Just MPA? Why? Does it matter?

Does anything matter?

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The Simpsons get political this week and, yes, so do we.

Josh Fein sits down with me to talk about this episode, which finds Lisa coming of age as she wakes up to the reality of corruption in the halls of DC. But the episode also gave us a chance to talk about political commentary in general...how media approached it then vs. how it approaches it now; and the intricacies of navigating discussions of global politics on social media, where not everyone is quite as informed as they claim (or wish) to be.

It's an engaging discussion.

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And so... 

Here we are with Season 3 of The Simpsons, which begins with the legendary episode that THEY don't want you to see! Whoever THEY are, and for whatever reason THEY care. But, in any case, we here at The Simpsons Countdown made a pledge to go back to the beginning and watch ALL of The Simpsons...and "All" cannot properly be considered "All," unless we include this episode... An episode that came to us at a more innocent time - the 90s, when life was simpler. And when it took more than just a series of tweets or a provocative documentary to erase a celebrity's existence.

In any case, for this particular episode I sat down with Mike Drew Flynn - who was kind enough to provide an MP4 file of its original 1991 airing (and from the NY Fox affiliate no less!) and my very good friend Ram Rojas, who I've known since I first moved down to Bolivia - almost thirty years ago. 

We sat down to watch the episode and discovered...that it's really only okay. A sweet-natured storyline, a couple of decent gags, and the novelty of Michael Jackson guest starring on his favorite show for the sake of a big TV event. 

We discuss that, basically... The pop culture landscape in the fall of 1991, a time in which MJ was still The King of Pop. And we DO NOT discuss the "issues." We don't go into any detail about the controversies over the years, the recent documentary... None of that. We don't even really give our opinions on the matter or on whether or not we believe the allegations. This is not that kind of show. We're just here to have some fun and reflect on better times.

If you want controversy and polemic, look elsewhere.

If you want a fun talk, dig in.

Well... Here we are at the season's end. And, as it was with season one, so too it is that Mike Drew Flynn is on hand... to discuss "Blood Feud," which although technically the "last" episode of Season 2, actually aired in the middle of the summer hiatus. And so, in essence almost serves as a kind of bridge into the next season...where The Simpsons really took off and began its tenure as the cultural benchmark and premiere source of social satire of the 1990s.

Flynn and I discuss this very funny episode, but more than anything we reflect on this particular time and place; and The Simpsons' place in the cultural zeitgeist. We reflect on the first two seasons of the show in general, and look forward to seeing where things take us in the seasons to come.

At this point, the podcast will go on a brief hiatus... But it will return (in its regular time slot of Thursday evenings) in mid December.

In the meantime, why not catch up with the first two seasons? 

It is my sincere pleasure to welcome The Pensky File's Clay McCormack to the podcast. We sat down for a balmy afternoon to discuss the episode "Three Men and a Comic Book," which was appropriate for us to discuss as longtime comic book aficionados ourselves (me as a reader/collector, him as someone who actually makes them).

The episode is very funny, of course, but it also presents an authentic portrayal of comic book fandom and accurately captures a young boy's obsession with procuring an elusive book - not as a collector, per se, but for the sheer thrill of the classic story contained inside. 

Clay and I discuss that; and we also discuss our own personal relationships with comic books.

Something else that comes up, notably, is the marked differences between "classic" and "modern" Simpsons. The tone, the style of the jokes, etc. We almost get at the "why" for the dip in quality, if not necessarily the "when."

We talked for an hour, folks! 

And it's a good talk.

Dig in.

Jason Pollock sits down with me to discuss "The War of the Simpsons," in which Homer makes an ass of himself and almost destroys his marriage, until Marge decides to forgive him even though he has done nothing to atone for his selfishness and all around failure as a husband.

The episode explores some serious themes, and so Pollock and I have a bit of a serious discussion. And we discover that for all the episode's highlights, good writing and several funny moments, it just isn't that satisfying. Maybe it hits a bit close to home? For me as a part time drunk and for him as a full time teetotaler... Or maybe the writers' ambition exceeded their grasp - with an episode that has to run the gamut from slapstick comedy to a cynical observation of a broken marriage to seriously exploring the reality of living with an alcoholic and compulsive patriarch.

In any case, I guess my point is we talk about a lot of stuff...and there's a whole bunch to dig into. 

So, dig in.

Josh Fein is back to discuss "Lisa's Substitute," a heartwarming episode guest starring Dustin Hoffman in the title role.  

The chief feature of the episode is that its a touching coming-of-age love story for Lisa, which gives Yeardly Smith the opportunity for emoting on a deeper level than she ever had up to that point in the series.   

We discuss the episode's dramedy aspects, which were clearly and heavily influenced by James L. Brooks. But, also, we delve into the episode's chief source of comedy - the B story- in which Bart and Martin compete in an election for class president, leading to unfortunate results that might feel uncomfortably real in today's environment.  

Do we get a bit heavy here? No not really. It's still a spirited discussion. So, by all means, dig in.

My good buddy Chris Prentice is back, to discuss "Brush with Greatness," which is a very funny episode about Marge painting Mr. Burns in the nude. 

There's more to it than that, of course. Primarily a poignant subplot about Homer wanting to shed a few pounds after getting stuck in a water slide.

Ringo Starr was the first Beatle to make an appearance on The Simpsons, as the object of teen Marge's affections, who comes in as a Deus Ex Machina to inspire her at the last minute to paint her heart out and make Mr. Burns "beautiful," even though he is a terrible man.

Chris and I talk about all of that...and the realities of being self-consciously overweight, and also about annoying DVD menus. And stuff.

Good times!

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Arianny chimes in once again from Jersey, and we talk about the episode "Old Money." 

We also discuss the differences in how we treat our elderly in the US vs. Latin America... Because, frankly, this episode brings up those thoughts!   

In any case, it is a spirited discussion. About The Simpsons. And, well, old people.  

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Jason Pollock is back this week, to discuss "Bart's Dog Gets an F," which originally aired in the US on March 7, 1991.

It is yet another slight, inconsequential episode for Pollock and I to discuss...and so we go off on tangents about a bunch of stuff, including the ever present fact that - as Gen Xers, we are able to spot (and scoff) at even the most "obscure" film and pop culture references in the series. We are also in the rather enviable position of living from the dawn of video games through the evolution of that medium to the megabuck industry it has become today...and so we can enjoy playing the latest Uncharted just as easily as we can enjoy sitting back and playing Yar's Revenge on the 2600.

And, in any case, even if you don't know what any of that stuff is, I can attest that it is a good talk.

So, dig in.

Troy Anderson is back to discuss one of his favorite episodes - "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou," which originally aired in the US on February 21, 1991.

This episode introduced Homer's half brother Herb Powell, unforgettably brought to life by Danny De Vito. It is rightfully a classic, which Troy and I acknowledge, while also talking a little bit about the episode's exploration of character and its deepening of the Simpsons mythology.

Meanwhile, we throw out some behind the scenes tidbits about the tumultuous relationship between Matt Groening and Sam Simon, and how often some of the most important creative forces behind a pop culture phenomenon such as this do not get the credit they're due.

It's a good, informative 40-minute talk.

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While you're at it, you might want to check out www.andersonvision.com for some terrific entertainment content.

Mike Drew Flynn joins me this week, to discuss "Principal Charming," which originally aired in the US on February 14, 1991.

Valentine's Day is an appropriate day, in any case, to air the sweet story of how Principal Skinner dates Marge's sister Patty... Flynn and I acknowledge this. We acknowledge that this is a charming, effectively romantic episode. 

But we also acknowledge that the Police Academy franchise is a good series of comedies. We acknowledge that the fifth entries in a horror series tend to be the worst. We acknowledge that Simpsons video games tend to suck...very much.

We acknowledge.

Dig in.

Chris (Moltisanti) Prentice is back on the podcast to talk about the classic episode "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment," which originally aired in the US on February 7, 1991.

It's another winner of an episode full of classic moments, witty gags, and basically all the good stuff you expect out of the series' golden age...proving the adage from a couple of episodes ago, that this show really began its uptick once they "jumped the gorge." 

And the episode gave Chris and I a lot to discuss for just about an hour. We reminisce about growing up in homes without cable and how that made us sympathize with Homer's plight. We talk about Phil Hartman and his genius. And, for whatever reason, we talk about James Woods. An actor we both admire very much, even as we can't quite abide his tweets.

In any. case... Good times.

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Josh Fein is back to discuss "The Way We Was," which originally aired in the US on January 31, 1991.

It's the first of The Simpsons' many flashback episodes...this time focusing on how Homer and Marge first met and fell in love. 

More than anything else, it got us thinking about the 17-year difference between 1974 and 1991 - how clear that difference was in aesthetics, culture, trends, etc... And it got us pondering on how unclear that difference is between 2020 and 2003. Of course things are different. Of course society has changed, and it will continue to change. But, if you look at a picture of a group of people from 2003 and put it side to side with a picture from 2020, can you really tell the difference?

Something to ponder.

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Natalia Castro once again calls in from Colombia, and we discuss "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish," which originally aired in the US on January 24, 1991.

Despite the dark subject matter, it's a very funny episode that balances its sentimental aspects with humor very well. And, besides, we know Homer's not actually going to die because this is not the series finale. It's not even the season finale. It's just another Simpsons episode - half way through a season on the uptick.

Natalia and I discuss the humanizing of Homer, and we also go off on tangents about Karaoke, our love (or lack thereof) for raw fish... We talk about that movie The Bucket List, and other movies about people who are going to die. Stuff like that.

Much like the episode itself, it's a spirited 45 minutes that never descends into mawkishness.

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Arianny calls in from New Jersey and we talk about "Bart Gets Hit By a Car," which originally aired in the US on January 10, 1991.

This episode has some historic firsts. Principally: Lionel Hutz makes his first appearance, which means Phil Hartman makes his first appearance and the wonderful funnyman would go on to be an almost mythical presence on the show from this point on. 

The episode itself is pretty funny until a maudlin, out-of-nowhere ending that all but ruins it. Arianny and I discuss the ins and outs of this, and we go off on gossipy tangents about the love lives of Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow...because these are the things that really matter.

Good times!

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Natalia Castro joins me this week, to discuss Itchy & Scratchy & Marge, which originally aired in the US on December 20, 1990.

The episode is funny and everything, with Marge taking on The Itchy & Scratchy Show after its violence influences Maggie to attack Homer with a mallet. But, above all, it is a strangely topical piece of television history...touching upon issues of well-intentioned censorship, which were relevant then and are relevant now - as we see people and corporations desperate to show their awareness of changing mores by engaging in some well-intentioned censorship of their own.

Natalia and I spend the better part of an hour reflecting on that reality, how we feel about it and what it all means.

And yeah, we do talk about The Simpsons. 

Dig in.

Petrus Silon is on the line this week, to discuss "Bart the Daredevil," which originally aired in the US on December 6, 1990. 

This is Matt Groening's favorite episode, and it's probably the first really "classic" episode of the series - certainly in the first two seasons - as it's one of the few episodes from those first two years that people in general remember; and was made even more of a perennial by continuous references within the show itself...right up until the movie. 

Petrus and I talk about that...about the episode's basic canonical importance, deconstructing its expertly delivered gags and getting to the heart of why it's so classic. 

Check out Petrus' band Oz on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ZQdHCcJNVYddE05HrM85k

Troy Anderson makes his Simpsons Countdown debut to discuss "Bart vs. Thanksgiving," which originally aired in the US on Thanksgiving itself in 1990, which was November 22.

The episode, despite some customarily "edgy" Simpsons humor, is basically a pretty traditional holiday special all things considered - with equal doses of sass and sentimentality, but making sure to end on a heartwarming note. It doesn't represent the series at its best quite yet, but it still gave enough fuel for a wide-ranging discussion that somehow found us reminiscing about the teen drama craze of the 90s.

It's a fun talk so go ahead and dig in. 

Petrus returns to the podcast, to discuss  - "The Call of the Simpsons," which originally aired on February 18, 1990. 

This is an episode he really cares about. Because, to be fair, when he sat down to talk "Homer's Odyssey," he was just doing Erix a favor. 

But this episode has a special place in Petrus' heart. It's the first one he remembers watching...way back when he was just a little tyke. And that's rather appropriate as the episode - a wilderness adventure starring The Simpsons - is actually very kid friendly. Arguably the most kid friendly of the season, if not the entire series. In any case, it's easy to see why this episode spawned a Burger King Kids Meal playset that probably costs a small fortune on eBay today. 

Erix and Petrus talk about that. They also talk about the genius of Albert Brooks and how his hilarious performance as sleazy car salesman Cowboy Bob is easily the best feature of the episode.

It's a fast-paced, focused discussion that will surely provide quite a bit of enjoyment. 

Please join us.

Also... Check out Petrus' music. 

Oz's Facebook Page

Erix is joined by Petrus (Pedro Pablo) Silón - lead singer of the Bolivian rock band Oz. 

They discuss the rather forgotten episode "Homer's Odyssey," in which Homer goes into a funk after being humiliatingly fired in front of his son. But, after briefly contemplating suicide, he finds a new purpose in life - becoming a crusader for safety. It's an odd episode with a surprisingly dark and heavy emotional core for a sitcom, more so for a cartoon.

It may not be a "classic," but it certainly provides for ample discussion. And much of it is centered around political correctness and the importance of context when looking at touchy subjects in humor. But also just in approaching the critical analysis of works created in a different age and under different circumstances.

If you're interested in Petrus' work, check out his band Oz. They're very good.