Board 8 > What is the last truly worthwhile season of The Simpsons?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Despite all of the (terrible, non-4:3 aspect ratio) episodes being on Disney Plus, I still like to have the season DVDs of The Simpsons and am thinking of finally rounding out my collection. But where do I cut things off?

I know the argument can be made that the series started going downhill after season 8 and lost its "greatness" after season 10. But as I scan each season, I definitely think there are enough gems scattered throughout seasons 9-12 to make each of them worthy of my collection.

So the question is when does the proportion of inferior episodes become too much to consider the show good anymore? Season 13 is supposedly an uptick in quality, but I don't really see it. And I think I stopped watching after Season 14, but I remember enjoying the rock camp episode when it came out so who knows.

Also my hot take: the series should have ended with "Behind the Laughter" (season 11 finale).

---

I just checked and season 15 had krustys bar mitzvah so I was definitely still watching then (fun fact: it aired the same weekend as my own bar mitzvah). but season 15 also already was into bad celebrity cameo land with Simon Cowell so this season is probably where it crosses the line into not so good overall

none of the descriptions of season 16s episodes look familiar although I was probably have still watching then so they must have been pretty bad
---

I stopped my collection at 9 for now.

---

MoogleKupo141 posted...

I just checked and season 15 had krustys bar mitzvah so I was definitely still watching then (fun fact: it aired the same weekend as my own bar mitzvah). but season 15 also already was into bad celebrity cameo land with Simon Cowell so this season is probably where it crosses the line into not so good overall

none of the descriptions of season 16s episodes look familiar although I was probably have still watching then so they must have been pretty bad

I feel like I watched "Pie Man," but season 15 definitely was at the point where I didn't watch religiously every Sunday.

It looks like I watched maybe half of Season 14 episodes (god some of these descriptions are cringe-worthy), so I think Season 13 was definitely the last one I watched in full.

---

oh also I think the simpsons trivia night I went to a few times cuts off at season 11 so maybe thats the accepted classic period
---

Great_Paul posted...

I stopped my collection at 9 for now.

Hmmm, looking through the episodes, this might be the right call. These are the ones I'd consider good, bolding the ones that are true greats.

10
"D'oh-in' in the Wind"
"Homer Simpson in: "Kidney Trouble""
"Viva Ned Flanders"
"I'm with Cupid"
"Make Room for Lisa"
"Maximum Homerdrive"
"Mom and Pop Art"

11
"Beyond Blunderdome"
"The Mansion Family"
"Bart to the Future"
"Behind the Laughter"

12
"A Tale of Two Springfields"
"Lisa the Tree Hugger"
"The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"
"HOMR"
"New Kids on the Blecch"
"Hungry, Hungry Homer"
"Trilogy of Error"
"Simpsons Tall Tales"

Yikes.

---

Does 13 even have any classics? At least 12 has certified greats like the 'NSync episode, Linguo, and Tall Tales.

---

"worthwhile season" is more than a few great episodes. I remember when I considered season 8 to be the last great season, downfall beginning there (ie chilli hallucination episode), and season 9 is when the stinkers start coming in abundance. Maybe a bit too harsh but the dropoff is evident at that point.

I know a lot of people considered season 10 to be the quality cutoff but as the show goes on, the season cutoff seems to stretch up with it...

10 or earlier is the safe pick.

MartinFF7 posted...

"worthwhile season" is more than a few great episodes.

Okay let's define it as if there was an apocalypse and your DVDs were the last remaining collection of Simpsons episodes, which season would be the last one you'd want future generations to see?

That means anything after your final season essentially didn't happen, meaning the world would never know how disappointing the series has gotten. But if you cut off the series too soon, the world misses out on some of the last vestiges of greatness (ie, "New Kids on the Blechh") forever.

---

Nelson_Mandela posted...

Does 13 even have any classics? At least 12 has certified greats like the 'NSync episode, Linguo, and Tall Tales.

its been a long time since ive seen any of the episodes, but looking at the list I remember most of them and actually like specific bits from some of them so they were probably good? Specifically I remember liking Homer the Moe and the one where they go to Brazil.

I may just be generally more forgiving of the episodes in this period then you because (I think) Im a little younger than you are.

I was 10 or 11 when season 13 was airing so those episodes have nostalgic appeal and at the time I was seeing a lot of reruns and wasnt even really aware of which seasons different episodes were from.
---

Nelson_Mandela posted...

Does 13 even have any classics?

I like Homer the Moe quite a bit, but that's probably it for me.

---

I went to S12 and have no regrets.

---

Ngamer64 posted...

I went to S12 and have no regrets.

Where do you wish you stopped?

---

They only have up to S20 on DVD anyway

I dont even think 19 is out yet
---

Bumpo

---

I actually think up to 15 will still do you good

---