In college I had to take a few courses in which I had absolutely no interest. One of those courses was a European history course which spanned the period from sometime before they crucified the jew (happy good friday everyone!) until the 11th or 12th century A.D.. I don’t remember much of it at all.  I do, however, remember wondering what Rome must of looked like for the last week or two before Alaric had his way with it.  My question was answered over the last few days as the local channel which syndicates Simpson episodes in my area chose to air “Trash of the Titans” and “Bart Carnie” both of which are from season 9.

On the days I get home from work before the local broadcasts I turn the TV on to prove to myself that no matter how shitty middle management is, my life can always be worse. And I am usually vindicated as some season 16 or 17 zombie comes storming through my television. But the last few days have been different. Now I am not defending these particular episodes or anything, as they are most assuredly bad, but as they are close to where the plane ran out of fuel there are still some funny things in them. For instance at the end of “Bart Carnie” when the Simpsons get their house back there is a quick shot of Lisa spraying down the chair. Funny Stuff. This of course doesn’t make up for Homer becoming a carnie and following the code. In “Trash of the Titans” (which I believe won an Emmy) Homer gets the garbage water in his slipper, and we’ve all been there. But unlike this episode’s zombie descendants, Homer didn’t break down and sob and ants didn’t come out of nowhere and carry Homer’s garbage soaked foot off into the horizon or anything like that. But this doesn’t make up for the stupid garbage man song. Why do they always have to sing so fucking much? Oh, one more thing in that episode: When Homer is in the debate with Ray Patterson and he says “Animals are crapping in our houses, and we’re picking it up. Did we lose a war??”  That’s probably my favorite line from all episodes after season 8.  Which is pretty bad, because it’s not that funny, but still funnier than anything else has been for more than a decade.

With any luck the station will continue air the “bitten but not yet zombified” simpons so that others can see how shitty the new ones really truly are.  But I doubt it.