Season 8 is The Best Season Of The Simpsons
The ‘Golden Age of The Simpsons’ is not just the show’s peak, but it’s also the most successful run of any television program in history, an unassailable summit to which all others must strive. Today and in the future, writers will refer to Matt Groening’s animated sitcom, which has been running for over a decade, as the standard by which they hold everything else.
The fabled “Golden Age” is generally referred to as Seasons 1-10. While the consensus may vary depending on who you ask, it’s always expressed in the same passionate, passionate terms. Fans tend to pick 3-8 as their favourite season, which is undoubtedly the show’s best.
The Simpsons would begin a long and gradual decline before it reached an unassailable peak, marking it as the best term in the finest period of The Simpsons if not the greatest show ever made. Season 8 of The Simpsons could be considered one of the greatest seasons of television in its generation.
It faces fierce competition from other seasons: Season 5 saw Homer’s journey into space and paired Bart and an elephant with him, Season 6 was about Homer’s attempt to pair Bart with an elephant with its rampaging nature, and Season 7 brought out the best in Homer and Lisa as they reconciled with their mother, and Lisa asked her why she would eat innocent lambs .
Season 4 was perhaps the strongest contender for the crown. It blended humour and tragedy as Marge fought against the Monorail. Lisa broke Ralph’s heart, and Homer angered the Almighty by going to church. What can Season 8 offer to defeat such formidable competition?
Season 8 is perhaps the best example of The Simpsons’ ability to create timeless characters in a short time. The Simpsons writers have a remarkable ability to create classic characters at will. This includes Lyle Lanley, Phil Hartman’s charlatan huckster, and Jessica Lovejoy, the devious Meryl Steep-voiced hellraiser. These two classic introductions lasted less than ten minutes each.
This capacity is more clearly displayed than in Season 8. The sterling 1997 season includes Rex Banner, a hilarious Mary Poppins parody of Sharybobbins, Johnny Cash’s talking coyote and Ned Flanders’ determined but kind therapist Dr Foster and John Waters’ charming, kitsch-loving bachelor John.
Albert Brook’s German beer-loving and shoe-throwing Hank Scorpio is the greatest character to ever appear in yellow. Season 8 doesn’t revolve around bizarre storylines or wacky adventures. It is based on brilliant, brilliant characters.
The Simpsons’ best season is not just for one-timers. It also treated its central characters with respect, which would eventually fade and die as the show ran. Season 8 is built on the belief that these characters must quote Dan Harmon’s story circle structure and ultimately follow a coherent narrative arc in their quest for satisfying episodes.
The Simpsons have always avoided moral preaching and naked didacticism. But what is striking about Season 8? The writers use progressive character arcs to achieve the best resolutions to their stories. While Mr Burns attempts to learn humility could eventually lead him to be “even eviler,” it is Lisa’s refusal to accept the ill-gotten cash from Burns’’recycling facility’ that gives her the opportunity for spiritual growth, and ultimately, a place in the family’s moral compass.
These arcs are a lot less obvious in the brilliant “Homer’s Phobia”. Homer’s attempt to masculinize Bart out of fear of John’s homosexual influence is hilariously misguided. However, it’s a satisfying conclusion for Homer that many of his homophobic ideas were woefully misguided. John’s final remarks to Homer, “I won you respect, and all that I had to do was to save your life”, serve as a humorous reminder that homosexuals shouldn’t be required to perform such feats to gain acceptance.
The surreal, ayahuasca-inspiring tripel Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer’ is, however, more of a reaffirmation of one of the show’s evident truths. Its third act is dedicated to Homer worrying about Marge being his soulmate. Although it isn’t as satisfying as Homer’s revelations about homosexuals to the audience, it shows how the writers are trying to anchor each narrative within their central characters.
The series can explore its best stories by being rooted in its characters without becoming too sentimental or losing its comedy strengths. Some last series was criticized for being too easy to get into caricature or throwaway stories that focus on Homer’s crazy antics and Bart’s errant behaviour. Season 8, however, sees The Simpsons strike a perfect balance in a time when fans will see it as a transition from sincerity towards silliness. Season 8 is, it seems, perfectly in the sweet spot.
