Current Events > Do you think Matt Groening overreacted over the episode A Star is Burns?

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Star_Is_Burns

Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, was a critic of the episode when it was first released. He felt that the crossover was a thirty-minute advertisement and blamed James L. Brooks, calling it an attempt to get attention for one of his unsuccessful shows. After he was unable to get the episode pulled, he decided to go public with his concerns shortly before the episode aired. He stated that his reasons for doing so were that he hoped Brooks would have a change of heart and pull the episode, and that "articles began to appear in several newspapers around the country saying that [Groening] created 'The Critic.'"[23] Groening had his name removed from the credits, so he does not receive his normal "created by" and "developed by" credits that air at the end of the opening sequence.[23]

In response, James L. Brooks said "I am furious with Matt, he's been going to everybody who wears a suit at Fox and complaining about this. When he voiced his concerns about how to draw The Critic into the Simpsons' universe he was right and we agreed to his changes. Certainly he's allowed his opinion, but airing this publicly in the press is going too far. [...] He is a gifted, adorable, cuddly ingrate. But his behavior right now is rotten."[23]

Al Jean and Mike Reiss, creators of The Critic, had previously worked on The Simpsons and had executive produced the third and fourth seasons. Brooks said, "for years, Al and Mike were two guys who worked their hearts out on this show, staying up until 4 in the morning to get it right. The point is, Matt's name has been on Mike's and Al's scripts and he has taken plenty of credit for a lot of their great work. In fact, he is the direct beneficiary of their work. The Critic is their shot and he should be giving them his support." Reiss stated that he was a "little upset" by Groening's actions and that "this taints everything at the last minute. [...] This episode doesn't say 'Watch The Critic' all over it."[23] Jean added "What bothers me about all of this, is that now people may get the impression that this Simpsons episode is less than good. It stands on its own even if The Critic never existed."[23]

Groening was criticized for going public with his complaints. Ray Richmond of the Los Angeles Daily News wrote "who's right? Well, Groening is probably correct in judging this an integrity issue. It's a fairly tacky bit of promotion, the kind generally beneath The Simpsons. But it's also true that little is accomplished by taking a gripe like this public. Quietly erasing his name from the credits would have been sufficient. [...] I admire the man's standing up for his creative rights. But I question the way he's gone about it."[24]

As a result, Groening was absent from the episode's commentary for The Complete Sixth Season DVD boxset.[25]

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It's understandable that he felt the way he did. Going public about it was a dick move though

He made the show, he can react however he wants.
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He can have his reservations, and ultimately it was advertising a failed show

But the episode was really good, so I disagree on that note

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What is this episode

sLaCkEr408___RJ posted...

What is this episode

Football to the groin, film fest, its fairly early in the series? Season 7 maybe

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The Critic didn't deserve to fail. It was genius.

GoodOlJr posted...

Football to the groin, film fest, its fairly early in the series? Season 7 maybe

Season 6.

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It was a great episode. I had no idea was even "advertising" anything and wasn't just making fun of them in general.
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https://youtu.be/_UiMXBNMcrU

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Blue_Target posted...

https://youtu.be/_UiMXBNMcrU

At least they were self-aware about it.

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