“So what’s your big idea, how do we end this?” – Roger Myers Jr. “Hmmm, let’s see . . . um . . . oh, couldn’t Itchy share his pie with Scratchy? Then they would both have pie.” – Marge Simpson “It’s different, I’ll give you that.” – Roger Myers Jr. This is the Sideshow Bob episode from Season 12 and by the rock bottom standards of Season 12 it’s not 100% terrible, more like 95% terrible. So while it has a couple of good lines (I like Bob asking to live in the storage unit) it’s still got a nonsensical plot that takes forever to get going; it stretches individual scenes past the breaking point in order to fill time, extensively uses the horns of suspense, and has no ending. Once again the commentators will laugh at a lot of these things. Only six guys this time, I think that’s a record. 1:25: Talking about the fact that they’ve done so many Sideshow Bob episodes over the years that it’s getting hard to come up with ideas. No shit. 2:15: Congratulating themselves because they recorded this right after the show got picked up for Seasons 21 & 22. Ugh. 3:45: Long silence broken by lone laugh at a poodle. 4:20: To general laughter: “I love how executives are always trying to explain to you why Seinfeld worked.” What a common frame of reference, I’m sure all of the audience will get it, like when your lazy butler washes your sock garters and they’re still covered with schmutz. 5:05: Exciting back and forth here about whether or not the pony-tailed executive was based off of anyone. “No, not really.” 5:20: Laughing about how they had to stretch out some of these scenes to the last second. Guys, much as I appreciate the candor, I figured that one out all by myself a long time ago. 5:40: This is actually about the fifth time there’s been a twenty second or so silence. They’re just long enough so that you know there isn’t much going on, but just short enough not to merit me typing “long silence”. 5:45: Weak, awkward, and forced laughter at Marge saying that shows should go off the air before they get stale and repetitive. Ever had a senile relative spill a family secret (e.g. cousin Eddy isn’t really Uncle Walt’s son, your aunt was having an affair with the UPS man)? The truth hurts and all you can do is pretend to laugh. 6:00: Another medium silence. Uncle Walt doesn’t look too happy. 6:05: Explaining the origin of “Krustylu”, followed by more silence, followed by more weak laughter. Mostly silence. 7:00: Mildly interesting note: the plot about Sideshow Bob’s shows being lost is loosely based on the fact that a lot of the old Johnny Carson Tonight Shows weren’t recorded for budget reasons. 8:00: Long, pointless story about the fact that they don’t remember how Sideshow Bob was originally designed. 8:40: Laughing that they’re in a Gil…
An ongoing ramble by Charlie Sweatpants . .