Matt Zimmer (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
matt_zimmer) wrote2025-05-19 08:27 am
matt_zimmer) wrote2025-05-19 08:27 am
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Doctor Who "The Interstellar Song Contest" Review (Spoilers)
Also reviews for the season finale of The Simpsons, the latest episodes of Family Guy, Bob's Burgers, and Law & Order: Organized Crime, and the season finale of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Doctor Who "The Interstellar Song Contest"
I didn't much like it. Yeah, Susan Foreman got me excited, and so did the Rani (although it's been so long I've actually forgotten her entire deal) but the episode itself is a mess.
Demerits for turning the sunniest modern Doctor dark for bullshit dramatic reasons. He didn't write the episode, but Russell T Davies is why we aren't allowed nice things.
Another annoying Davies specialty is modern British celebrities immortalized in a future setting. I don't believe I've complained about it in ANY previous review, but it's SO freaking tacky. It just is.
The best parts of the episode involved future plot points. The fact that Davies is almost never able to stick the landing makes me dubious at best. I want him to do right by Susan SO much. But I have no faith in the show left. And that saddens me. **1/2.
The Simpsons "Estranger Things"
Man, I did NOT like that!
What bugs me is there are a couple of elements I DID like (like Bart being a good caregiver) but I fucking HATE future episodes. And can I be blunt? Itchy & Scratchy are a really disturbing concept that has never been funny. Out of ALL of the things on the show that have aged badly, that probably comes in second after Apu.
The thing that's always bothered me is it's a parody of cartoon violence. But NO cartoon is that violent, so its essentially horrible for the purpose of putting nothing that actually exists in its place.
Am I allowed to think Itchy & Scratchy suck? Because I think the same thing about Moe.
Not on-board this week. *1/2.
Family Guy "The Fat Lotus"
I don't like that they killed off Jeffrey. Mostly because there was no need to do it.
I am always annoyed when this show or The Simpsons does a super in-depth parody of something I haven't seen. Back in the day I would often check out those new shows myself just to get the jokes, but I have stopped remotely feeling the need to ever do that. The White Lotus doesn't interest me and I won't be watching it.
I loved Chris being unhappy Meg is trying to impress him.
Counterpoint to the idea nobody is named Mel anymore. It's true no MEN are named that anymore. But it's become a pretty popular name for younger women (often as a nickname for Melanie). Family Guy usually is canny enough to know things like that in these specific kinds of anal joke. So this feels like a failing.
Brian's Mushroom Surprise actually sounds like the only book of his I'd ever want to read.
Stewie's vacation bitchiness to Brian was hysterical. I also loved Brian rubbing his ass all over the room.
Toby Huss shout-out. Yes, he's a King Of The Hill voice actor, but as far as character actors go, that's a pretty deep cut.
Speaking of which I LOVE F Murray Abraham, Marry Murray Abraham, and Kill Murray Abraham. The best F Murray Abraham joke before this was on The Simpsons during Homer's kidney episode. Homer killed it saying the name. Hilarious. That has just been dethroned. Perfect joke.
I don't much like parodies I don't understand, and I'm mad about Jeffrey, but I am little surprised that I didn't really have much else to complain about. ***.
Bob's Burgers "Mr. Fischoeder's Opus"
I loved it.
The episode also proved to me why I prefer this show to The Great North. That show's recurring celebrity is Jane Lynch as Aunt Dirt. Lame unfunny character. This has Kevin Kline as Mr. Fischoeder. Amazing.
I thought that was an amazing arc for the character. And I loved that both the orchestra and the audience preferred it up-tempo. I also like that Bob still got the two months rent.
I love when the kids are about to do the puppet show Felix insists he's not into any played-out Multiverse stuff.
I am glad the show is back. The Great North has been struggling after only being on the air for a few years and Bob's Burgers still finds new ways to delight me. Bob's Burgers won Fox Toons. ****1/2.
Law & Order: Organized Crime "Red, White, Black And Blue"
Unusual episode for this show in that it's entirely self-contained. I appreciate that about it. We need those once in awhile.
Reyes was impressing me all throughout the episode. I'm not shocked Bell disliked McKenna but I'm kind of impressed Reyes did. That guy is a giant red flag.
The cops Stabler used to work with were bastards.
Pretty horrifying teaser.
Good week to sort of reset. ****.
Law & Order Special Victims Unit "Post-Rage"
Good last episode for Valasco.
Rare good runner bit in the franchise. Bruno's reaction to the guy jumping to the other building was really funny.
Honestly, I distrusted the Gary dude so much, so it's refreshing I was wrong about him, and he turned out all right.
Good episode. ****.
Doctor Who "The Interstellar Song Contest"
I didn't much like it. Yeah, Susan Foreman got me excited, and so did the Rani (although it's been so long I've actually forgotten her entire deal) but the episode itself is a mess.
Demerits for turning the sunniest modern Doctor dark for bullshit dramatic reasons. He didn't write the episode, but Russell T Davies is why we aren't allowed nice things.
Another annoying Davies specialty is modern British celebrities immortalized in a future setting. I don't believe I've complained about it in ANY previous review, but it's SO freaking tacky. It just is.
The best parts of the episode involved future plot points. The fact that Davies is almost never able to stick the landing makes me dubious at best. I want him to do right by Susan SO much. But I have no faith in the show left. And that saddens me. **1/2.
The Simpsons "Estranger Things"
Man, I did NOT like that!
What bugs me is there are a couple of elements I DID like (like Bart being a good caregiver) but I fucking HATE future episodes. And can I be blunt? Itchy & Scratchy are a really disturbing concept that has never been funny. Out of ALL of the things on the show that have aged badly, that probably comes in second after Apu.
The thing that's always bothered me is it's a parody of cartoon violence. But NO cartoon is that violent, so its essentially horrible for the purpose of putting nothing that actually exists in its place.
Am I allowed to think Itchy & Scratchy suck? Because I think the same thing about Moe.
Not on-board this week. *1/2.
Family Guy "The Fat Lotus"
I don't like that they killed off Jeffrey. Mostly because there was no need to do it.
I am always annoyed when this show or The Simpsons does a super in-depth parody of something I haven't seen. Back in the day I would often check out those new shows myself just to get the jokes, but I have stopped remotely feeling the need to ever do that. The White Lotus doesn't interest me and I won't be watching it.
I loved Chris being unhappy Meg is trying to impress him.
Counterpoint to the idea nobody is named Mel anymore. It's true no MEN are named that anymore. But it's become a pretty popular name for younger women (often as a nickname for Melanie). Family Guy usually is canny enough to know things like that in these specific kinds of anal joke. So this feels like a failing.
Brian's Mushroom Surprise actually sounds like the only book of his I'd ever want to read.
Stewie's vacation bitchiness to Brian was hysterical. I also loved Brian rubbing his ass all over the room.
Toby Huss shout-out. Yes, he's a King Of The Hill voice actor, but as far as character actors go, that's a pretty deep cut.
Speaking of which I LOVE F Murray Abraham, Marry Murray Abraham, and Kill Murray Abraham. The best F Murray Abraham joke before this was on The Simpsons during Homer's kidney episode. Homer killed it saying the name. Hilarious. That has just been dethroned. Perfect joke.
I don't much like parodies I don't understand, and I'm mad about Jeffrey, but I am little surprised that I didn't really have much else to complain about. ***.
Bob's Burgers "Mr. Fischoeder's Opus"
I loved it.
The episode also proved to me why I prefer this show to The Great North. That show's recurring celebrity is Jane Lynch as Aunt Dirt. Lame unfunny character. This has Kevin Kline as Mr. Fischoeder. Amazing.
I thought that was an amazing arc for the character. And I loved that both the orchestra and the audience preferred it up-tempo. I also like that Bob still got the two months rent.
I love when the kids are about to do the puppet show Felix insists he's not into any played-out Multiverse stuff.
I am glad the show is back. The Great North has been struggling after only being on the air for a few years and Bob's Burgers still finds new ways to delight me. Bob's Burgers won Fox Toons. ****1/2.
Law & Order: Organized Crime "Red, White, Black And Blue"
Unusual episode for this show in that it's entirely self-contained. I appreciate that about it. We need those once in awhile.
Reyes was impressing me all throughout the episode. I'm not shocked Bell disliked McKenna but I'm kind of impressed Reyes did. That guy is a giant red flag.
The cops Stabler used to work with were bastards.
Pretty horrifying teaser.
Good week to sort of reset. ****.
Law & Order Special Victims Unit "Post-Rage"
Good last episode for Valasco.
Rare good runner bit in the franchise. Bruno's reaction to the guy jumping to the other building was really funny.
Honestly, I distrusted the Gary dude so much, so it's refreshing I was wrong about him, and he turned out all right.
Good episode. ****.
no subject
What bugs me is there are a couple of elements I DID like (like Bart being a good caregiver) but I fucking HATE future episodes."
- I tend to actually really like most future episodes. Like "Lisa's Wedding" "Holidays Of Future Passed" "Barthood" (which granted isn't a full future episode and much more a Boyhood parody but I think counts) "Mr. Lisa's Opus" "Mother And Child Reunion" are good. Granted there are bad Future episodes like "Future Drama" and "Days Of Future Future" (seriously WHY the team thought "hey everyone loved that Future episode actually having some humanity showing though a not perfect ending for our favorite family a somewhat still stable enough one showing new issues the kids are going through... let's make a super even more bitter and mean spirited follow up to that and ruin that potential arc line just cause we think being super miserable equals funny right now") but I don't feel a majority of them even the current ones are usually bad.
"And can I be blunt? Itchy & Scratchy are a really disturbing concept that has never been funny. Out of ALL of the things on the show that have aged badly, that probably comes in second after Apu."
- Honestly I see your point more about how obnoxious a stereotype Cletus STILL is and how that's a character that really shouldn't work anymore more then Itchy and Scratchy who I do feel have been funny and have worked well a lot of times. I will say sort of a failing of this episode as it's one of those "the show is only selective with it's continuity" concepts is that Itchy and Scratchy really haven't been used as a focus in ages. Since what "Bart Vs Itchy And Scratchy" was still years ago and I still like THAT episode but even in the following half decade we haven't seen much of the cat and mouse duo. Like yeah in the classic era there were a lot of Itchy and Scratchy bits even in episodes not around them but a big point of this one is how it's always been a thing for Bart and Lisa which again feels lacking with what the show is currently doing.
"The thing that's always bothered me is it's a parody of cartoon violence. But NO cartoon is that violent, so its essentially horrible for the purpose of putting nothing that actually exists in its place."
- Okay no KIDS cartoon is that gory and violent which yeah obviously Itchy and Scratchy are based on Tom and Jerry who never went to that extreme and also stuff like Squeak the Mouse an 80's European based comic book which go to that extreme but there's a difference between TV violence and foreign comic book violence. And yeah like the Simpsons themselves when the show was first on the air there wasn't really anything to that level of violence on TV at all (at least something viewable by the general public) so I get that complaint. And since yeah Itchy and Scratchy in universe is meant to be for kids but doesn't really have those restrictions a kids show WOULD have that is an issue but like that is built into the show and quite frankly something like Krusty The Clown within the show even when it started out wouldn't pass as a kids show so it's not something you can really attack. Yeah it is clear that between stuff like this or Happy Little elves that even if the animators and writers are more aware of what kids cartoons are they don't know HOW to write for them at all but I don't know it's part of the cartoon out there aesthetic that separates this show from regular reality that was built into the DNA of the series considering Itchy and Scrtachy are part of the Ulman shorts era before there was even a regular show.
I will say though if you are trying to objectively say NO cartoon of any kind on TV is that violent not just extending to kids cartoons... well clearly you've forgotten how violent stuff like South Park can be. Not to mention most of series on Adult Swim. There's a joke in this episode of Bart watching a show called Screaming Friends that is a parody of AS's "Smiling Friends" and man there are bits on Smiling Friends far far FAR more violent then anything Itchy and Scratchy can muster. Honestly if you think about it considering how violent some adult swim and general adult cartoons can be in goofy over the top ways that actually makes something like Itchy and Scratchy more a tendsetter still being sort of followed today. Again I&S aren't something that ever would pass for an actual kidsd cartoon but let's not act like Violent cartoons haven't risen past this level nowadays.
"Am I allowed to think Itchy & Scratchy suck? Because I think the same thing about Moe.
"
- I mean this is YOUR opinion so you have every right to say what it is and why you feel that way and no one can complain. Again to me the only objective fact I feel you're wrong on is if you are trying to say there are NO cartoons more violent then Itchy and Scratchy. Since again no KIDS cartoons sure but adult cartoons in general have gotten a lot more extreme then anything I&S can make.
"I don't like that they killed off Jeffrey. Mostly because there was no need to do it."
- The thing is Family Guy "kills off" characters only for good if they know they are disliked or can't get any mileage out of them. But they'll just randomly off people for a gag or part of an ep and bring them back again. And considering how much they still like and use Bruce I don't think they're going to just off Jeffrey especially in a full parody of another show episode that I'm not even sure is fully canon to FG... however much canon and Family Guy you can even mix together.