Pool 41-44 results were just posted (scroll down or click on the "previous" link).
(See the category archive for other results.)
Thanks to the week's hiatus, this is the only pool currently open.
Pool 46 ETA sometime Wednesday.
As usual, I let a pseudorandom number generator choose six episodes, then post my on-the-spot rankings and observation. You comment, ideally with your own rankings. A week later I post my revised rankings, reserving the right to be autocratic (though in practice I almost always go with the consensus).
NOTE TO SELF: =INDIRECT("A"&(FLOOR(RAND()*(335-COUNT(C2:C336)),1)+COUNT(C2:C336)+1))
Numbers...
273: CABF18 (SI-1218 / S13E04) A Hunka Hunka Burns in Love
Homer's new job as the author of fortune cookies assures Mr. Burns that love is on the horizon. Mr. Burns finds it in a woman named Gloria, whom he loves so much that he wants to marry. But as he proposes to Gloria, her ex shows up - which happens to be Snake, and he's just broken out of prison. Guest stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus and George Takei.
106: 2F33 (SI-633 / S06E03) Another Simpsons Clip Show
A romance novel prompts Marge to have a family meeting to discuss the values of love and past romances.
17: 7F01 (SI-201 / S02E04) Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish
In order to keep his nuclear plant from being closed down due to numerous violations, Montgomery Burns decides to run for governor.
139: 3F07 (SI-707 / S07E11) Marge Be Not Proud
Bart manages to keep a failed 'four-fingered discount' trip a secret from Homer and Marge. But unfortunately, Marge finds out when the family returns to the store to have the family Christmas photo taken. Lawrence Tierney guest stars.
331: FABF14 (SI-1514 / S15E18) Catch 'em if You Can
[...] Marge and Homer look forward to taking a vacation away from the kids and going to see Uncle Tyrone. But on a whim, Marge and Homer decide to go elsewhere. When Uncle Tyrone's town is wiped out by a tornado, [...] the kids then chase Homer and Marge around the country [...].
245: BABF16 (SI-1116 / S11E19) Kill the Alligator and Run
[...] beloved alligator [...] Guest starring Kid Rock [...]
My first impressions:
I liked "Burns in Love" (had no idea about the guest stars). Probably best described as "zany." I have no pretentions that it'll be at or near the top, but I liked it. Just saying.
I don't remember this particular clip show one way or another but almost by definition it'll be at the bottom unless the pool has something worse.
What's the appeal with "Two Cars"? It's ham-handed and ridiculously unsubtle. I've never known whether my intense dislike for this episode is politically motivated or just reflecting that it actually does suck. Best test for this is my opinion of "Bob Roberts" (not as high as Paul's but I do like it; my initially putting that one at #2 has far more to do with "Delilah" than with itself). Probably this episode sucks and my political leanings cause me to underrate it.
"Marge Be Not Proud" is a solid #1 even though you wouldn't think of it without being reminded of it (at least I wouldn't). Still, both Lisa's sibling resentment at the end and Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge are priceless.
Isn't "Catch 'Em" almost exactly "Natural Born Kissers" only far inferior and with loads of gratuitous travelogue? Does the extended artsy sequence near the end save it? (I'd cite what that cultural reference is, but after Julia pointed it out to me I promptly forgot.)
And we close with another #6-with-a-bullet early frontrunner for the race to the bottom. Words can't adequately express my distaste for this episode, to the point that I'd been waiting with dread for the pool it would blight.
Okay, #1 is obvious. #5 and #6 are obvious. And I claim that the middle are obvious relative to each other. "Obvious" all around, though your mileage may vary (though I'll lose a lot of respect for you if you disagree with me about #1, #5, or #6). Weak pool (#2 thru #6 are all conspicuously at least one tier overrated) but when you come off a hiatus, gotta ease into things, right?
Preliminary rankings:
1. Marge Be Not Proud
2. A Hunka Hunka Burns in Love
3. Catch 'em if You Can
4. Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish
5. Another Simpsons Clip Show
6. Kill the Alligator and Run
With the side claim that the bottom four are all inferior to all 12 of {Pool 42 and Pool 43}.
Posted by Matt Bruce at April 12, 2005 03:42 PMI would only flip three and four from your original ranking.
Posted by: Mark at April 13, 2005 08:16 AM1. Marge Be Not Proud -- I think my proudest moment in Trash was when I succesfully pulled Gavin's name for a bonus part.
2. Catch 'em If You Can -- I think the comparison to NBK is unfair, since this is really about the chase. And that chase sequence really is inspired.
3. Two Cars In Every Garage -- Possibly the most brilliant thing Marge has ever done.
4. Hunka Hunka Burns In Love
5. Another Simpsons Clip Show
6. Kill the Alligator and Run -- Oh, the stench.
I'm with Mark... though it saddens me that I can't give clippy the beloved #6. It'll just have to wait, I guess.
And actually... I'm saddened that Catch 'em if You Can can't be a #6. It's at least bad enough to drop to the 5th tier.
As for ol' Blinky, I've always loved Lisa's "My brother's using worms, but I, who feel the tranquility far outweighs the actual catching of fish, am using nothing." And, err... umm. I don't know, there are some great bits ("Interesting strategy") and I like the ending (Marge, Burn's campaign manager rubbing his stomach and smiling) but yes, this isn't as good as it seems. This is, however, a shallow pool.
Posted by: John at April 13, 2005 11:45 PM