I have a Master’s Degree in Folklore and Mythology.
So I mentioned a few days ago that I was watching the early seasons of The Simpsons, and seeing as how I'm on my laptop in Melbourne at the moment without a DVD drive or a digital camera, I'm just gonna do a barebones post about my favourite Simpsons episode.
7421 - Three Men and a Comic Book
I absolutely love this episode. It is a masterpiece.
The image of Homer peering out the window to see the boys illuminated by lightning for a split second is seared into my brain, and remains my most vivid memory of The Simpsons. If you say Simpsons, I see that image.
I like the atmospheric feel to the animation. To me it seems that in those early episodes, it was always either overcast or raining. I used to think my love of cold weather came from The Empire Strikes Back, but I've been musing about The Simpsons a lot lately, and perhaps discovered the true origin of my winter fetish.
'Three Men and a Comic Book' is such a tight production. It's the perfect example of the three-act formula in Simpsons storytelling. To be honest, I don't know if the three-act dictum is still in effect, because I haven't really watched the last few seasons, and when I do catch an episode it's so goddamn convoluted and packed with junk that I probably couldn't discern the three acts if I tried.
Before The Simpsons became The Homer Simpson, You So Crazy Half-Hour, my favourite aspect of it was the feel-good representation of a generic Western childhood. 'Bart the General' is the best example of this. It's also in 'Three Men and a Comic Book', the yo-yo episode, and so many more in those early seasons. There was a time when I went off Bart and became obsessed with fringe characters like Professor Frink, Comic Book Guy, "hello-Human-fly-here", and more, but I've come back to the little guy in a big way. I know I'm not original in this analogy, but Bart is truly the Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn/Dennis the Menace of our generation. A caricature (but so much more than that) of pure boyhood.
The other story template I like is the flashback to the 60s and 70s of Marge and Homer's childhood and adolescence.
I listened to the audio commentary on 'Three Men and a Comic Book', and it was great to hear Jeff Martin talking about what he was going for in writing this episode. A celebration of his boyhood love of comics, with a healthy dose of Hitchcock, Lord of the Flies, and Humphrey Bogart.
Let's talk about this guy for a minute:
(Thank-you Google Images!)
I have a love-hate relationship with Comic Book Guy, as I'm sure most comic/sci-fi/whatever geeks do. I love getting the little in-jokes and nods to obscure pop culture, but I also hate the stereotypical portrayal of 'my people'.
I say 'my people', but actually I despise my fellow Star Wars and comics fans. I just want to be left alone to enjoy this stuff, not argue about it incessantly. It's worst with Star Wars fans, because I have a great resentment of Star Wars. It ruined my life.
But it's uncomfortable to talk about that, so back to CBG.
Watching an episode of The Simpsons with Comic Book Guy in it can be an awkward experience if you're watching it with friends or family, because you just know he's going to do or say something that will cause your brother or dad or someone to cast an accusing glance in your direction.
It's kind of like watching a movie with your parents that turns out to have unexpectedly explicit sex scenes. Not that the sexual content of this movie was unexpected, but I remember watching American Pie with my mum when I was about 15 or 16. I had the feeling she was glaring at me for the entire feature, but I couldn't be certain as I was too terrified to move my neck even a millimetre.
I have to go now, but I'll leave you guys with a Simpsons writing staff joke (the best kind!):
-Do you know why the Simpsons movie is taking so long?
-No, why?
-They're waiting for a few more Harvard classes to graduate!
(If you don't get that joke, picture this: a typical graduation ceremony, complete with Brahms's Academic Festival Overture. Students walk up to receive their sheepskins, and as they descend the steps we see a pointy arrow sign that reads 'This way to Simpsons writing room'.)
Should have known a deconstructions of the Simpsons was coming, lol.
I agree with you on a lot of points there. Its amazing how the show has gone from being a heartfelt prime-time animated sitcom to a hoary juvenile cartoon for the ADD generation over the last few years. James L. Brooks lent a lot of cadence to the human side of things when he was actively involved in the old days. Today’s showrunners seem bent on re-doing every plot point or milking every last drop of profit out of the show’s name.
One of my favorite episodes as well. And I agree with you there is something physically about the old ones that hits you with nostalgia- Maybe its the cheap, dark, grainy film or handrawn look but it definetly felt it had more life in it than the computer graphics and digital finish of today.
Or maybe I’m just getting old. lol
LOL! At the Harvard joke, I love Conan O’Brien’s work on the show (a Harvard grad) but it does seem that one of the reasons the show has taken a downturn is due to all the Ivy league writers with lack of real world experience and humor. Whereas the original writers were usually ones who had moderate educations (or less) and had a more real world sense of humor, If all that rambling makes any sense.
I see your point about wanting to enjoy it all alone. Its hard to explain but when you watch it that way it has more an innocence or magic about, but then when you watch it with someone else and get into an argument with them about certain things, you can never watch it the same way again by yourself.
That’s officially my longest comment I ever left here. Hope no one takes offense these are just my own opinions views so agree, disagree, or ignore them.
Thanks for taking the time to post your thoughts, Reap.
The Harvard thing is mostly envy on my part. I wish I was a quarter as funny as some of those guys who do the Harvard Lampoon thing then go on to SNL or The Simpsons or whatever. Conan O’Brien is the funniest man alive. Except when he slaps his wrists together and yells ‘Shazam!’. Then he swaps places with Dave Chappelle.
(By the way… I logged into Myspace yesterday just to see if any hotties wanted to hook up, and saw your messages. Sorry I never replied, cos as I told you- I don’t really use it.)
Conan’s great! I just love the Walker “Texas Ranger” lever. Pure Genius!
No problem about the messages, I sent them before you told me you never used it, So I’ll just PM you through RJ if I ever need to.
I have never thought that much about a Simpson’s episode ever, but I guess you get that when you’re not a lit student @ Melbourne Uni!
I choose to take that as a compliment, Sam.
How does one go about getting a Masters in Mythology. What degree did you get at an undergraduate level.
where did you get your master’s in myth/folklore? I’m actually in school getting my MLIS now and was wondering about getting another master’s in that. plus….where do you work to use that degree? Just curious about the latter
My son is intrested in a mythology degree. but what can he do with it. What type of jobs can he get. Can you please tell me more about this.
Thank you so much
Shonda