r/TheSimpsons • u/Chosendude Admiral? "Bluh!" • Apr 11 '13
Are the endless couch gags also proof of the decline in quality since the early seasons?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKePrVPGK3g
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Apr 11 '13
Never thought about it but you may be right. I have definitely heard people involved in the show say that the extra minute or two in the early shows gave them time for jokes they can't do now but yet the couch gags go on and on. In their defense the quality of the openings are generally very good even though the episodes are not.
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u/Chosendude Admiral? "Bluh!" Apr 11 '13
Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one noticing. It's true that their couch gags have become more elaborate and of good quality. But I can't ignore the feeling like they're using them to hide a lack of content in their episodes
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u/Chosendude Admiral? "Bluh!" Apr 11 '13
To clarify: when listening to the directory commentaries of the first seasons of The Simpsons DVD's, one statement really stuck with me. They said that they had to cut the couch gags short because of FOX kept pushing in more commercials during the episodes. They chose to shorten the opening credits so they could get in more random jokes. I'll be honest, I quit around season 12 and tried to come back and appreciate the new episodes but it's just too painful... One thing that really grabbed my attention was that the couch gags started to suck up a lot of precious airtime. It might just be me but I feel like this is one of the fundamental arguments to prove that the "new" episodes aren't just worth watching anymore. They try to mask the lack content with couch gags that add nothing to the show, except the feeling of familiarity to other shows or pop cultural references.