Season Twentyone - Episodes 1-23

Time for one last run.

Episode 1: Homer the Whopper
This had strong Radioactive Man vibes. In fact, pretty much everything there is in this episode has already been done. Seems to be really common problem with these newer episodes. I loved CBG's characterization, he was actually somewhat likeable in this episode. Humor wasn't top notch, but decent enough and there was lot of good details. It was decently made episode but as there's nothing new, I can't go higher than 4/10 for this one.

Episode 2: Bart Gets A Z
For once we see something that hasn't been done before. Well kind of.. Bart getting Skinner's job back is a bit similar story and he has also helped Krabappel through many crisis. Still, it was original enough and it had a plot that kept me interested all the way through. It managed to deliver a few good jokes in the way along with a few bad ones. Characterizations were pretty good, but the ending was a bit of a cop-out. Still, it gets a 5/10.

Alright, new massive 40 episodes a day record. Day changes at this point, but I'm going to keep writing to this post.

Episode 3: The Great Wife Hope
The premise was so good that it automatically captured my interest for the whole duration. Marge fighting was something to look forward and they executed it fairly well giving us somewhat satisfactory ending. There could've been more good humor, but as it is it was decent. It's nothing too special but entertaining nonetheless, I rate this 5/10. Oh and I loved Lisa beating Bart in the end.

Episode 4: Treehouse of Horror XX
These really have gotten worse over the years. There was one worthwhile segment once again, the first one, but even that seemed to be in a hurry and could've done with minute or two more runtime. The second one was okay and the third was at least different, but to be honest I didn't care for it too much. 5/10 for this one.

Episode 5: The Devil Wears Nada
Oh, great. Another marriage on the rocks episode... Wait a minute, this one's actually good! This was actually top notch stuff from start to finish. There was good solid plot, perfect characterizations and some great humor - I especially loved those sex dice. There was plenty of great Marge fanservice and everything felt natural. The part with the Flanders... We knew that nothing was ever going out of it, and I'm glad it is that way. Those scene's weren't useless despite the fact that there never was going to happen anything as it explored both characters inner world a bit. Also I have to mention that animation was gorgeous. Top, top episode, I rate it 8/10.

Episode 6: Pranks and Greens
Overall there's something offputting for me in this episode, but when I look at it completely objetively I'd say it's a decent episode. I absolutely love Lisa calling Bart and Andy losers and then finally calling tv-writers losers. The subplot with Marge in search of healthy food was boring to me. There wasn't funny stuff and other people acted like jerks towards Marge who was as usual doing her best. Overall it's a pretty good episode, I rate it 4/10.

Episode 7: Rednecks and Broomsticks
I don't know what is wrong with this one - It's basicly well written piece and the premise is somewhat interesting, yet the episode is still somewhat dissapointing. Again it's not bad, it's in fact decent and very watchable, but it's low on laughs and never really catches my imagination. There was some contrived and outright weird lines as well. I'll go for 3/10 for this one

Episode 8: O Brother, Where Bart Thou?
Why do all of these episodes feel so bland? I'm beginning to think that there's something wrong with me. I mean I am a little jaded, I've watched over 100 episodes in 4 days, after all. This was genuinely good episode, but even it had some that certain dullness episodes for some reason have. There was good emotional potential, but I just didn't feel it. That said it had plenty of funny gags, South Park bit not being the least of those. Charlie was an okay character and speaking of characterizations, they were good. I guess I can go as high as 6/10. Nothing feels anything at this point, but I still recognize a good episode when I see one.

Episode 9: Thursdays with Abie
It's another one of those "meh" episodes. Plots aren't really that involving, but they're not completely terrible. At least they keep them relatively sane, then again Scully-esque wackiness is much more memorable than these kinds of bland plots. I kind of would've wanted some closure for the stuffed animal-subplot. I mean Larry was ripped to pieces, so Nelson ought to have gone mad? That would've been interesting, but someone decided that we don't need to see that. Mainplot was okay. Fair stuff, but nothing memorable, 3/10.

Episode 10: Once Upon a Time in Springfield
I can't believe that last line of text "Best is yet to come". What were they thinking? It just makes me cringe. Thanks for 20 years would have sufficed, no reason to make promises that are impossible to keep. The episode itself was entertaining, there was lot of things that induced a smile but nothing else. Plot was fairly good as well. It's another 4/10 for me, an episode that tries hard and is entertaining, but fails to really be memorable in any way and that last line just takes at least a point away, it's just baffling how such a big number of what should be intelligent people that is the Simpsons writing & producing staff would let something like that through the cracks.

Episode 11: Million Dollar Maybe
Well Homer finally becomes millionaire after being suckered out of it so many times during the series. Though he don't actually have million dollars at any point but $600k is a rich bitch anyway. I hated the whole tomato-potato song, but the episode itself was mostly okay. Bart's characterization went a bit too far in the end though. B-plot was a waste since nothing really happened. Lisa tried to help, it didn't work and that was it. Who writes anything like that? Lisa should've tried harder but then it might've been a mainplot in it's own episode. That's why I kind of prefer one plot shows to anything else. Overall it was okay once again, but there was flaws that drop it to 4/10.

Episode 12: Boy Meets Curl
An episode about curling is rather dull premise and for that this episode isn't that bad. It was an entertaining watch at any case. Lisa's subplot worked also quite surprisingly, but it wasn't nothing too special either. I was surprised to see Agnes accept Skinner and for that I can't complain, surprising but nice moment. Overall I could've cared more about the plot, but whatever, it worked well enough for me to rate it 3/10.

Episode 13: The Color Yellow
Well, compared to the episodes around it this was pretty good, but it's not anything amazing. Just a solid plot, fair characterizations some decent jokes and fine pacing. Still compared to classic eras basic solid episodes this one was a bit on the duller side. Overall it's good enough to be somewhere around average, I rate it 5/10.

Episode 14: Postcards from the Wedge
Kind of a mixed bag again. It had some good twists and turns, but Bart's characterization bothered me at times. Still, in terms of plot structure this is one of the better episodes so far. It's lot more interesting than episodes this season has been so far. That said there's some contrivity in the plot, like the whole idea of Bart and Milhouse just stumbling to abandoned subway system. For this season standards it was a good quality episode, butI'm going to give only the rating of 4/10.

Episode 15: Stealing First Base
This wasn't that bad. There was a sense of familiarity again since this type of plots had been made many times, but the main plot was okay. The subplot with Lisa on the other hand was not only done many times, it had such a stupid ending. There was plenty of good jokes, especially Nelson's interactions with that blind kid were a goldmine of good stuff. For this season, this was a good episode. Small improvement over the last episode, but still the same rating 5/10.

Episode 16: The Greatest Story Ever D'ohed
Quite a bad episode, even for a travel episode. Very little funny stuff and some really ankward spots. That guide was annoying and unfunny as hell. I always try to not concentrate on negatives, but there is nothing but negatives on that character. I absolutely hated the sequence where Bart fights his daughter. It was useless, unfunny and made me cringe. Plotwise this episode is unspectacular and bores me most of the time. Just too much bad to give this anything other than 1/10. Worst of the season and one of worst ever.

Episode 17: American History X-cellent
This was decent stuff. Premise was decent and the execution solid. Smithers' character development was especially interesting, though it could've done with a bit more depth. The Burns' part of the plot got a bit too much time and it caused some slower moments. Bart-Lisa subplot had some bizarre moments, but it was entertaining and cute in a way. Overall it continues the line of average episodes, 5/10.

Episode 18: Chief of Hearts
This was actually very solid. Funny jokes, well-built plot and mostly correct characterizations. Premise was interesting for a change and they pulled it off well. Bart's subplot didn't have much going on, but it had it's share of good jokes so it did it's part. There was moments towards the end where Wiggum's characterization was a little annoying, but it didn't matter too much. It is improvement from last episode, but I couldn't give it higher score as the episode still pales in comparison with pretty much any other episode I rated 6/10. It feels good with the episode around it, but it's at most just solid. 5/10.

Episode 19: The Squirt and The Whale
This was decent I guess, though the wind-plot was so long that I was kind of expecting that it would get some closure. All the sudden it just shifted to Whale-plot. It was okay, it had some sweet moments. I loved the dream-scene and those pictures at the end were kind of sweet. But once again the climax itself had to include life-threatening situation despite the plot not in general needing any. Besides, the real climax was already in the third act when Bluella died - anything after that felt just padding. There was some great lines and a couple of good jokes and overall it's an okay episode. 5/10.

Episode 20: To Surveil with Love
Let's start with the couch gag. Or lack it... I hated the beginning. I really want to like it, but I can't help it, it's horrible. The animation is great and there's good visual gags, but that is just wrong. As for the episode itself, it was surprisingly good but it's inevitably underrated due to the opening. Both plots were pretty good and something that hasn't already been made and it was peppered with actually funny jokes. Good solid stuff and it finally breaks the barrier to 6/10 rating.

Episode 21: Moe Letter Blues
This was a great episode - the effect is even stronger since we have had such a void of really good episods. There was a good premise that established suspense early that held to the end and the plot was well-constructed (that said, some people commented that Moe wasn't obviously running off with anyone - true enough, but it still was interesting to see how the end would turn even without Moe running out with anyone). Every flashback was tied to each other and characterizations were good. Besides, they managed to deliver good jokes meanwhile. It ended in a sweet montage of pictures of Springfield's mothers. Moe-episodes just seem to work, this was among the best of the season, 7/10.

Episode 22: Bob Next Door
Overall this was decent, plot was well-built for the most part and there was funny jokes again. But I didn't care for the ending. I guess there's always some degree of Deus Ex Machinae in the Sideshow Bob-episodes' endings and I just think that the explanation after the police popped up from nowhere was a bit unsatisfactory. It's a minor hitch, but hitch nonetheless. Overall decent, but nothing special. 4/10.

Episode 23: Judge Me Tender
Quite mediocre. I don't care for American Idol and I don't really care for this episode. Some obviously recycled jokes, that weren't that great to begin with were there also. Premise wasn't interesting and OFF was pushed aside to a boring b-plot. It wasn't all bad, just once again very very mediocre. 2/10

We're done, except for the new episode. There's still 40 minutes left in the month so I'll finish it with 465 episodes and the movie watched. I'll post short first impressions in a while.

Season Twentyone was pretty bad overall. It was consistent enough to be an improvement over Season Twenty and had a couple of great episodes to bring the average up. Still it's among the worst seasons ever. Kind of ironic for the season that had the line "Best is yet to come."

Final lists before the new season:
Averages:
Season Three 6.21
Season Four 6.18
Season Six 6.12
Season Seven 5.88
Season Fifteen 5.82
Season Five 5.73
Season Two 5.59
Season Seventeen 5.59
Season Eight 5.40
Season Thirteen 5.36
Season Nineteen 5.15
Season Sixteen 4.90
Season Nine 4.88
Season One 4.69
Season Fourteen 4.55
Season Eighteen 4.50
Season Twentyone 4.48
Season Twelve 4.29
Season Eleven 4.14
Season Ten 4.00
Season Twenty 3.95

Great episodes:
Season Seven 13 (52 %)
Season Six 12 (48 %)
Season Three 11 (46 %)
Season Four 10 (45 %)
Season Fifteen 9 (41 %)
Season Eight 9 (36 %)
Season Five 8 (36 %)
Season Two 7 (32 %)
Season Thirteen 6 (27 %)
Season Seventeen 6 (27 %)
Season Nine 6 (24 %)
Season Sixteen 5 (24 %)
Season One 3 (23 %)
Season Nineteen 4 (20 %)
Season Eighteen 3 (14 %)
Season Twelve 2 (10 %)
Season Fourteen 2 (9 %)
Season Eleven 2 (9 %)
Season Twentyone 2 (9 %)
Season Twenty 1 (5 %)
Season Ten 1 (4 %)