8 replies to this topic

[InvaderNorbert]

From SNPP:

Marge and Homer's attempts to find Grampa after he disappears from Springfield Retirement Castle uncover a few secrets about him - for example, did he get married a second time?; Lisa gets a little too involved in online poker when she puts her college fund on the line

Jennifer Tilly is supposed to show up, too.

ETA: "I will not concede this election until I get Karl Rove's permission."

Freaking loved that couch gag. Wacky Races is one of my favorite cartoons. Wish it was longer, just about every character in the race was dressed as a character. (Homer was Peter Perfect, Marge as Penelope Pitstop, and no shock Frink was Prof. Pat Pending).

I can totally relate to the guilt of missing the day I was supposed to visit an elderly relative, and the assorted crap in Grampa's room. I think I actually felt emotion from the story of Abe's short marriage to Rita, and their meeting at the end.

Really liked Bart making that stupid face through the window, then Flanders doing the same thing.

So the show FINALLY tackles Online Poker. So now every Simpson has a gambling problem now? I do like how Lisa kinda acted like Homer with boxing money: instead of trading up with car washes, she upgraded college sweatshirts. I like that they let Sideshow Bob play online poker in prison, and the great irony of having HIM win all of Lisa's money. But I loved the twist of Bart using Bob's avatar the whole time. Again, I actually felt emotion!

Jennifer Tilly's cameo was actually pretty funny! "Time is money!" "Money is money!" We even had a posthumous cameo from Marvin Hamlish. That's the second time that's happened, Eartha Kitt appeared about a year after her death.

Man, I really liked this one much more than I thought I would! This was actually...good?

Edited by InvaderNorbert, Nov 11, 2012 @ 9:05 PM.

[beadgirl]

I thought the Abe storyline was sweet, too (and I appreciated the fact that the show didn't bother to comment on the interracial aspect), but I wasn't as crazy about Lisa's storyline. I feel like recently they are giving her way too many Homer-like flaws. Not that I want her to be perfect or anything -- I miss dorky, romantic, and occasionally cutely unreasonable Lisa of yore.

[braggtastic]

I was very surprised not to see an end card dedicating the episode to Marvin Hamslisch. I know he only had one line, but they've been doing that for so many performers who have died. I was also very impressed by Anika Noni Rose's performance. I couldn't figure out who voiced Rita, but I knew it would be someone I knew. I think I was trying to think of an older actress, like Diahann Carroll.

[Junkyard Dog]

Freaking loved that couch gag. Wacky Races is one of my favorite cartoons. Wish it was longer, just about every character in the race was dressed as a character. (Homer was Peter Perfect, Marge as Penelope Pitstop, and no shock Frink was Prof. Pat Pending).

And Mr. Burns, of course, was Dick Dastardly.

...but I wasn't as crazy about Lisa's storyline. I feel like recently they are giving her way too many Homer-like flaws.

I actually thought she was taking more after Marge and her gambling habit.

[beadgirl]

Well yeah, Marge's gambling problem is the first thing I thought of (and I haven't seen that episode in ages). I guess I mean her attitude more, or the more general boneheadness of getting sucked in and wrecking her college fund, rather than the specific gambling issue. I may not be making myself clear.

Edited by beadgirl, Nov 20, 2012 @ 11:01 AM.

[InvaderNorbert]

I know he only had one line, but they've been doing that for so many performers who have died.

They had a memorial for Andy Williams, who never even appeared on the show as himself, nor was he ever onscreen!

[Cberger]

Does no one on the Simpsons writing staff play poker? I know Jennifer Tilly does but I guess they didn't consult her. First of all, online poker is illegal in the United States, so if the alternate universe where the Simpsons takes place has different federal laws, I would have liked a heads up about that. Secondly, the end of the Lisa story, where she goes all in with Aces full, belies her supposed "expertise" in poker. With the second best of all possible hands, she shoves all in and is then shocked and dismayed when she is called. But if she has such a great hand, why would she make a bet that no one can call (not to mention the fact that she could easily have gotten called by a hand that she beats, like a flush or smaller full house)? The idea is to get other players to put money in when you have the best hand. It's when you have garbage that you want them to fold. This error is forgivable on the first hand Lisa plays, when she makes four queens, because she doesn't know any better. But one book on poker should have been sufficient for her to learn not to scare everyone away with a huge bet when you have a great hand. You're not going to make $360 grand playing poker THAT way.

Edited by Cberger, Nov 12, 2012 @ 10:11 PM.

[JTMacc99]

A wizard did it.

[Kel Varnsen]

Jennifer Tilly's cameo was actually pretty funny!

I liked her line about "first spend your Simpsons money". Jennifer Tilly used to be married to Sam Simon, and even though he hasn't been involved at all in the show since the mid 90's but he still makes something like 10 million a year on the show. So depending on how his divorce went with Tilly, she certainly could be playing poker with Simpsons Money.