Simpsons Round-up!

This one's a little long in the making, I realize, but hey, sometimes I try to have a life. In all seriousness, I've been busy plotting a children's novel for a writing course I'm enrolled in. It's for middle-grade readers, 9-12, and my (working) title is Flotsam. Eh? Eh?

Moving on.

Two Sunday's ago, The Simpsons celebrated black history month, (a long-overdue first for the family), with a flashback episode. Here's the synopsis, plus a few noted highlights.

"The Color Yellow"
02/21/10
When Miss Hoover asks her students to research their family history, Lisa is horrified to discover that most of her ancestors were a motley crew of horse thieves and deadbeats. But while rummaging through the attic, Lisa happens upon a diary kept by her ancestor, Eliza Simpson. As Eliza's story unfolds, Lisa learns that her family was part of The Underground Railroad, a group that helped slaves escape to freedom. Eliza recounts liberating a slave named Virgil, (guest voice Brown), but when Lisa presents her findings at school, some of her classmates refute it, leaving Lisa determined to exonerate her family's name.



A bit of a departure from recent fare, which is good as far as I'm concerned. This show has been around for 20 years, I expect them to be taking huge risks at this point. Why not? What have they to lose? Their legacy? That is firmly cemented, even though many believe they're way past their prime, (which they may very well be), in time, all that will matter is their influence on both TV and popular culture as a whole and noone can deny that with a straight face.

That being said, the episode, while fairly high on story, was a little low on jokes. Again that's ok. There was a time when this show could weave a thoroughly satisfying yarn. I particularly enjoyed seeing our characters in the civil-war South. Here's some other stuff I liked:

- Colonel Burns demanding they switch the waltz's tempo to 4/4 cause he didn't like these kids and their modern dances. Pure Simpsons.

- All the kids at Springfield Elementary preparing thier Obama speeches.

- The scene in the attic with all sorts of Simpsons memorobelia, including Homer's space suit and Mr. Plow jacket, Extopolopikettle (or whatever), funzo, and...shit, I need to see it again...

- The Canadian flag, (again!) Even though that particular flag did not exist until 1963, (0r maybe 4) Worst continuity ever! (ok, not even close). I'm positively tickled yellow the show went to Canada two episodes in a row! Why not just move Sprinfield over the border, baby? Maybe next year.

- The fairly big revelation about the Simpson family delivered, of course, by Grandpa. Yes, folks, the Simpsons have African-American blood. Why the heck not?

Here's a good quote to illustrate it, for those of you who missed it.

Lisa: We're 1/64 black!
Bart: So that's why I'm so cool.
Lisa: And that's why my jazz is so smooth.
Homer: And that's why I earn less than my white co-workers.

And here's a few others of note:

Homer: If i were you I wouldn't take it to the past. I lived in part of that past, and I got out for a reason.

Ralph: Mr. Luther King had a dream. Dreams are where Elmo and Toy Story had a party, and I went there. Yay, my turn is over.
Principal Skinner: One of your best Ralph.


Next week it's the oscars so no round-up. However, I may just have a few other things in store... mwoo-ha-ha-ha-ha!

D.A.