It Begins With a Pitch
October 27, 2015 2:59 AM   Subscribe

 
...and more often than not in the latter seasons - - it ends with a strike, or at best a walk.
posted by fairmettle at 3:27 AM on October 27, 2015 [1 favorite]


...or a hit batter, who then charges the mound, causing the pitcher to swallow his plug of chewing tobacco. Both dugouts empty, and a general carnage ensues on the playing field, with even long-time teammates failing to recognize each other in the throes of their blood-rage. The third-base umpire strips naked and contorts himself in obscene poses, to the delight of absolutely no one. Drunk fans throw bottles into the melee while vendors eagerly supply them with more beer. Vin Scully howls wordlessly into a dead mic.

Everyone agrees it was a good game.
posted by logicpunk at 4:06 AM on October 27, 2015 [7 favorites]


WHY COME SIMPSONS CONTINUE FOR SO LONG AFTER PEAK BUT KING OF THE HILL END EVEN THOUGH IT CONSISTENTLY GR8 UNLIKE BIG MAN SIMPS AN
posted by ACair at 4:38 AM on October 27, 2015 [1 favorite]


Yes but why is an episode of the Simpsons made
posted by clockzero at 4:39 AM on October 27, 2015 [6 favorites]


@clockzero: when was the last good one? I have seen some of the later ones (I'm totally out of the loop as to how far along, because I watch quite rarely now, and I live in the UK) and have actually found them quite amusing. Today's Guardian newspaper though seems to back up the idea that it is now really rubbish
posted by Myeral at 4:53 AM on October 27, 2015 [1 favorite]


Wait, someone on the internet is of the opinion that the quality of current Simpsons episodes does not quite meet the quality of former episodes? Could someone please explain, giving concrete examples and personal commentary?
posted by mittens at 4:58 AM on October 27, 2015 [4 favorites]


(But seriously, I wonder why so little information was available about the Akom part of the process? I really wanted to hear more about that part!)
posted by mittens at 5:01 AM on October 27, 2015 [1 favorite]


@clockzero: when was the last good one? I have seen some of the later ones (I'm totally out of the loop as to how far along, because I watch quite rarely now, and I live in the UK) and have actually found them quite amusing.

Well, I may not be the best person to ask because I'm a big fan of the 'classical era,' but I'd say 1997 or so
posted by clockzero at 5:13 AM on October 27, 2015 [1 favorite]


Some of the recent guest artists' couch gags are still worth watching.
posted by Paul Slade at 5:22 AM on October 27, 2015 [1 favorite]


Those storyboard panels are awfully clean.
posted by bonobothegreat at 5:25 AM on October 27, 2015


This current season has been great.
posted by girlmightlive at 5:55 AM on October 27, 2015


At what point is the episode rasta-fied by 10%?
posted by entropicamericana at 6:24 AM on October 27, 2015 [2 favorites]


Uh. I expected it to be "take two folders from the episode archive, pick story A and B, update references to %CURRENT_YEAR, check Buzzfeed to check which celebrity should be booked"
posted by lmfsilva at 6:38 AM on October 27, 2015 [1 favorite]


entropicamericana: At what point is the episode rasta-fied by 10%?

The tape is flown to Jamaica where technicians apply Bob Marley records and a fat spliff until the desired effect is achieved.
posted by dr_dank at 6:43 AM on October 27, 2015


A couple of points in the article I'm having trouble grokking.

Aside from the pilot (and the pre-series shorts) South Park was not animated with cardboard and paper for a fast process that allowed topicality -- article author is definitely confused there. I don't know what the process is now, but in 1997 South Park was put together in SoftImage on NT. This was an actual way to streamline the production process, not an imaginary way as the author favours. Doing the show with cardboard and paper is a much slower process than digital.

Also, the layout note sheet in the article seems to suggest that The Simpsons is drawn at 15 frames per second ("animating on twos" for 30 fps TV frame rate (really 29.97 but who's counting?)), but the author repeatedly claims they work to 24 fps, a cinema frame rate. It's true that many classically-trained animators are taught to draw 12 fps, but would they really carry that over to a show broadcast at 30 fps? If they would, then why do the frames on the sheet seem to be labelled 1 - 15?
posted by Construction Concern at 6:47 AM on October 27, 2015 [2 favorites]


entropicamericana: At what point is the episode rasta-fied by 10%?

The tape is flown to Jamaica where technicians apply Bob Marley records and a fat spliff until the desired effect is achieved.


Of course you would say so, dr_dank.
posted by clockzero at 7:22 AM on October 27, 2015 [1 favorite]



. . . generally, a 60Hz hum, followed by an almost subliminal 15kHz whine.
 
posted by Herodios at 7:38 AM on October 27, 2015


Under 20 comments at this point. Imagine how many comments there would be on an insider look at Simpsons production post on MetaFilter '99.
posted by thecjm at 8:06 AM on October 27, 2015 [4 favorites]


While I haven't watched the new Treehouse of Horrors episode, the previous week's Halloween episode was one of the best Simpsons in recent memory. "Now I'm not the smartest man, or the bravest, or the smartest..." "Lisa, I have lied to you more time than there are stars in the sky..." "I'm the Mozart of Halloween and this is my Super Bowl!"
posted by fremen at 9:04 AM on October 27, 2015


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