In an attempt to fill the summer with love, hate and pointless Simpsons commentary we at the Dead Homer Society are going to spend some time overthinking Season 8.  Why Season 8?  Because Season 8 is when The Simpsons really began to deteriorate into Zombie Simpsons.  That’s why.  Because we’re cutting edge and ultra-modern we’re using a newfangled, information-superhighway fad called a “chatroom” to conduct our conversation.  This text has been edited for clarity and spelling (especially on “methadone”).

Today’s episode is 804, “Burns Baby, Burns“, click here for yesterday’s discussion of 803 “The Homer They Fall“.

Mad Jon: I am sure I’m not alone when I say this one is markedly worse

Dave: I’ve never found Rodney Dangerfield funny

Mad Jon: The first and biggest problem is Rodney Dangerfield.

Charlie Sweatpants: I always think of these two as being peas in a pod, basically because they were back to back and everyone was disappointed with them.

But I agree, Dangerfield was not the kind of guest you want to turn and entire episode over to.

Mad Jon: He was funny before I could get a boner.

Charlie Sweatpants: Well, his best work in this episode is when they basically rehash the dinner party scene from Caddyshack. Dangerfield insulting bluebloods is funny.

The rest of it gets real thin real fast.

Mad Jon: true true

Dave: yep

I thought the Yale jokes were inspired

Mad Jon: Yale could use an international airport

Charlie Sweatpants: Yeah, the total whorishness of it was great.

Mad Jon: This episode was almost as boring as the zombies are too

I just never feel like watching it, and if it comes on I ignore it or flip to the next one.

It’s like taking the second dose of methadone

Charlie Sweatpants: I wouldn’t go that far, there are some decent gimmicks, the “Gone Drinkin’” sign is pretty funny. But I can sum up in two words why it sucks: phony kidnapping.

Mad Jon: ugh

Dave: phony kidnapping, the cliched party resolution

Charlie Sweatpants: Oh yeah, if you thought the fan man ending was tacked on and pointless, welcome to the party for no reason.

Well, I guess they were still channeling Caddyshack, but that doesn’t make it a good reason.

Though the whole premise – long lost relative – is very television-y.

It feels formulaic.

And that’s before the phony kidnapping which Homer is oddly intent upon.

Mad Jon: I get the feeling they were trying to grab the same energy you got from Homer’s college pranks

He may as well of rolled Rodney up in a carpet and thrown him off a bridge

Dave: heh

Charlie Sweatpants: But those ended in immediate disaster, the phony kidnapping gets dragged out for the entire third segment.

Dave: Ludicrous kidnapping aside, I thought homer’s fatherly dialogue at the end (and the kids’ reactions) was solid

Mad Jon: I know the difference, you know the difference, that doesn’t mean someone who wrote his college thesis on ‘life experience’ knows the difference

They took their eyes of the ball because it was so easy to hit last time

Charlie Sweatpants: Homer’s dialogue when he’s insulting his kids, yeah that was good, but then it turns all mushy and serious. He counts on his kids love? Since when?

Dave: yeah, that got schmaltzy quickly

Charlie Sweatpants: But then Dangerfield doesn’t stick around, right?

I mean, it’s more shoddy storytelling. Oh yeah, he’s got a family of his own so now we’ll never have to see him again. It just feels so TV.

Herb Powell had two legitimate story arcs and they wrapped themselves up nicely. This was the opposite of that.

Mad Jon: Very good comparison

Dave: agreed

Charlie Sweatpants: So other than Dangerfield sucks (most of the time), the story is cliched and it still can’t find an ending, so we have anything else to throw at this one?

Er, that should be “do we have anything else”.

Beer is good.

Mad Jon: I like beer

Dave: hooray beer

beer I had earlier, anyway

Mad Jon: Until you spilled your water apparently

your glassware had it’s revenge for your traitorous barbarism

Dave: I’ve learned my lesson, trust me

Mad Jon: I got nothing else, watching this episode is like watching the town drunk sleep. I was waiting for something good, but then this happened.