-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Harry Shearer (Mr. Burns, Smithers, Flanders, Skinner) leaving The Simpsons?
- Thread starter EmCeeGramr
- Start date
- Status
Langdon Alger
Banned
Wow. And I thought Bonfire of the Manatees was bad.
unpopularblargh
Member
They have more than a few good to great episodes each season nowadays. Like I thought Bull-e, this past week's episode, was really good. I don't know why if you say you haven't watched an episode in almost a decade you'd care that the show was still on the air.
Most of Shearer's characters are voices that are pretty easy to do, to be fair.
NHarmonic.
Member
But the thing is, it really sucks. New episodes are mostly boring, uninspired and usually go nowhere.
imitating the voice is one thing, but bringing life to the character and the comedic timing is really the important part i'd imagine. though you could argue harry has been phoning it in lately himself (that clip above of modern burns sounded really lazy). at the same time though he's irreplaceable and contributed enormously to the show.
Neff
Member
The show literally cannot go on without Shearer. He's woven himself into the iconography of the most successful television show in the world to the point where if you remove him, you damage it without the possibility of repair.
I don't normally go along with the kind of 'this should end rather than continue' assessments which typically accompany spurned fan expectations and too-finite levels of forgiveness. But in this case, I can't help but agree.
Not only will The Simpsons be Shearer-less, but it traded in its big heart, satirical bite, and sincere, effortlessly skilled storytelling years ago for gratuitous references, slapstick and shock value. It did the unthinkable and became Family Guy. And now they want to either write out or replace half the voices of the show.
Contract Shearer for one last double parter or movie, just to give what was once a piece of fucking untouchable art a decent sendoff, and call it a day. If they plan on going ahead as per their official statements, it's going to be very awkward, ugly and depressing to watch.
I don't normally go along with the kind of 'this should end rather than continue' assessments which typically accompany spurned fan expectations and too-finite levels of forgiveness. But in this case, I can't help but agree.
Not only will The Simpsons be Shearer-less, but it traded in its big heart, satirical bite, and sincere, effortlessly skilled storytelling years ago for gratuitous references, slapstick and shock value. It did the unthinkable and became Family Guy. And now they want to either write out or replace half the voices of the show.
Contract Shearer for one last double parter or movie, just to give what was once a piece of fucking untouchable art a decent sendoff, and call it a day. If they plan on going ahead as per their official statements, it's going to be very awkward, ugly and depressing to watch.
Jean pls
It is "the most wonderful vehicle for satire ever", but unfortunately, the wheels fell off 15 years ago.
E the Shaggy
Junior Member
SpacePirate Ridley
Member
In Spain the voice actors of Homer (who was also the series voice director), Burns, Smithers, Otto and other minors characters all died nearly in the same season (the one after behind the laughs episode).
Even if the series was just going to the shitters in terms of quality writting, those voice changes made it even worse, if thats possible.
If shearer goes, america is going now to experience a similar thing, and I wouldnt reccomend that not even to my worst enemy.
Fox would do better just to cancel it before its to late. Do a final episode with the original writers and call it a day.
Even if the series was just going to the shitters in terms of quality writting, those voice changes made it even worse, if thats possible.
If shearer goes, america is going now to experience a similar thing, and I wouldnt reccomend that not even to my worst enemy.
Fox would do better just to cancel it before its to late. Do a final episode with the original writers and call it a day.
Hello. Smithers. You're. Quite. Good. At. Turning. Me. On.
IceDoesntHelp
Banned
Moe Goes From Rags to Riches from Season 23
Although I've been sorely tempted to swap those two in my worst ever rankings.
This is still worst episode ever. I don't use it sparingly, it really is a steaming pile of shit.
Lovely Salsa
Banned
What? 250k dollars an episode isnt enough?
What id do for that kind of money
What id do for that kind of money
I don't think I've seen it. Anybody mind sparing me the 20 minutes of watch time to tell me why it's considered the worst? Because not a lot can top that Miss Hover thing.
Daniel Jackson
Member
Moe Goes From Rags to Riches from Season 23
Although I've been sorely tempted to swap those two in my worst ever rankings.
What's that even supposed to be? The sorting hat from harry potter?
The Miss Hoover thing is a quick joke, and certainly not the first time that has implied Bart getting it on with one of his teachers. The rags episode is an entire episode about a rag.
E the Shaggy
Junior Member
I would argue that the Lady Gaga one is FAR worse (also the worst).
When you're that big a part of the cultural landscape satire often turns into self-parody. You can navigate around that problem if you're good enough. IF.
The problem is The Simpsons have been making fun of the fact they ran out of ideas since season 4.
crimzonflame
Member
Plus, they can replace them, and no one can tell the diddley-ifference! - Ned Flanders
Wouldn't it be funny if the show never ends?
Like, for the "last" episode, the Simpsons move out of Springfield, but a new family (all new voice actors), with the same exact last name, moves into their old Springfield home and the show continues on, but with the new Simpsons family.
Like, for the "last" episode, the Simpsons move out of Springfield, but a new family (all new voice actors), with the same exact last name, moves into their old Springfield home and the show continues on, but with the new Simpsons family.
Thornton Reed
Member
booo erns!
Ivan Amiibo
Banned
It's real. From Season 25's Days of Future Future.
I did leave out the punchline of the joke, though.
I personally consider this to be the 2nd worst episode of all-time.
Homer died, replaced himself with a bunch of clones, Marge committed suicide in front of her kids at Moe's to spend the rest of her life with him when he was nothing but a digital hologram.
Bart had an orgy with Krusty and a bunch of clowns. And Milhouse became briefly undead and Lisa kept him in that state because necrophilia turns her on.
I wish I was making this stuff up. But I'm not.
that image is funny and that episode sounds hilarious.
CreeperBlocks
Banned
E the Shaggy
Junior Member
They were never the Simpsons at all! They were the Tamzarians!
Cymbal Head
Banned
I believe it was a boaking accident.
systematic
Unconfirmed Member
Can't really blame him for wanting to leave, it's outrageous that to this day FOX refuses to let any of the voice actors share in the profits the show is generating in syndication. From the last time (2011) he had contract issues:
'Simpsons' Co-Star Speaks Out On Contract Negotiation Stalemate
theSlacker
Member
It's real. From Season 25's Days of Future Future.
I did leave out the punchline of the joke, though.
I personally consider this to be the 2nd worst episode of all-time.
Homer died, replaced himself with a bunch of clones, Marge committed suicide in front of her kids at Moe's to spend the rest of her life with him when he was nothing but a digital hologram.
Bart had an orgy with Krusty and a bunch of clowns. And Milhouse became briefly undead and Lisa kept him in that state because necrophilia turns her on.
I wish I was making this stuff up. But I'm not.
How does it make you feel that that is probably the cannon future timeline for the Simpsons since it has been referenced and used in a few episodes?
howtoplayscout.gif
Edna is alive in this future, Homer and Bart try to seduce her and Miss Hoover in the prequel to that episode. So that future has been written out of existence.
Looks like Simpsons is coming to a close, I doubt they'll be able to push much beyond these 2 seasons. I think they could probably make some new characters (something they've needed for a while since they keep recycling the go-tos) but the probability of doing this successfully is very low. Still, it'd at least make it interesting.
super-heated plasma
Member
Eventually they will have the big Simpsons finale episode. How the hell can you have that without one of the people most responsible for the shows longevity be there? ffs
Mac the KNife
Member
FOX will cave. Their only options are to pay the man or replace him, making an inferior version of an already bad tv show.
Since FOX won't outright cancel it, here's hoping Harry gets his big, fat paycheck.
Since FOX won't outright cancel it, here's hoping Harry gets his big, fat paycheck.
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked