The second is that, amidst the discussion of what the "golden era" of The Simpsons is, I found myself extremely underwhelmed in some of the years considered "golden". Season 2 is by no means a season that is universally considered among peak Simpsons, but seasons 3 and 4 are on every list. It's not that I didn't like them, but I so clearly enjoy seasons five through seven over the previous two that I feel I'm missing something. Hell, I rewatched seasons three and four to make sure I didn't miss anything.. and pretty much the same feeling as before. I caught more jokes, but overall I didn't experience some sort of leap in quality or enjoyment that I was hoping I would get.
So I'm a little more amenable to the idea that season eight might not have been the decline people make it out to be. Or I was when I started the season. There's definitely a dip in quality. I wish I could explain it well, or even at all, because I watched the majority of this season a few months ago. Looking over the previous episodes, the episodes I remember or ones that stick out, are ones that are considered classics. But I distinctly remember at the time watching them - though not the specific episodes - that this is somewhat of a downgrade from before.
So I'm of two minds going forward at this point. On the one hand, I am clearly an unconventional Simpsons viewers with varying tastes from the consensus. As such, I shouldn't assume things that the consensus tells me are simply true. I should find out for myself. From that perspective, I absolutely need to watch season nine and possibly season 10 (as both are lumped together as similar in quality). I probably won't watch season 11 as of now, but I'm willing to amend that depending on how much I like or dislike the next two seasons. At most, I'm watching until season 12 and I've considered having sort of a "greatest hits" collection of episodes post season 10 on to the present day. Skip the bad ones while still getting a feel for modern Simpsons.
On the other hand, season eight really feels like a series ending type of season, doesn't it? You get the sense that they are wringing every possible type of comedy that is left in their creative brain. This is everything that they have left and everything they've got for the rest of the series. Now that may or may not be true, but this season features changing the status quo more than once (Milhouse Divided, Grade School Confidential), off-the wall ideas (El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer, Spinoff Showcase), and unfortunately narrative shortcuts and some lazy ideas (The Springfield Files, Simpsoncalifragi. yeah not typing more of that).
The last three episodes, for my money, are some of the greatest episodes to end The Simpsons. I'm not saying they are the best episodes, but that it's a damn great way to stop watching. "Homer's Enemy" IS one of the greatest episodes of the season, features some extreme meta commentary on the show, and after watching it, it's kind of hard to continue forward. The show is pointing out how ridiculous it is and that seems like a thing you do when you end the show. "The Spin-off Showcase" is a creative and original idea, and while not all three segments are great, it helps, well, showcase both its originality and the vast crate of characters. The last one is a return to classic Simpsons: simple story, emotional, and funny. Seriously, I want my last memory of The Simpsons to be that so bad that it's going to be difficult to watch season nine, which I pretty much assume is worth watching if not essential.
(Short review, but I watched most of this season a while ago so you get what you get)
Playlist
1. "NWA" - Miguel feat. Kurupt
2. "Them Kids" - Sam Roberts Band
3. "Long Way Down" - Robert DeLong
4. "Endors Toi" - Tame Impala
5. "Hood Took Me Under" - Compton's Most Wanted
