Digital Spy: Life After Cancellation

Over at Digital Spy today, you can read my article about some of television's greatest stories of revival. I look at why each show was axed, what happened while it was off-air, how long each show was gone for, and the circumstances of their unlikely returns. (If you have any others to mention, of which there are many, please leave a comment over there!)

Following bizarre blockbusters GoTG and TMNT, what other retro weirdness should Hollywood adapt?

Guardians of the Galaxy and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles both over-performed to become enormous hits at the August U.S box-office, so sequels were hastily ordered. Their success could also mean other studios take notice, and begin to order similar projects, as both are decidedly... well, weird. If huge audiences are ready to embrace sentient trees and talking raccoons, and still care about amphibians who know martial arts, what other crazy properties could, or should, be next?

'FUTURAMA' 6.1 & 6.2 - "Rebirth" & "In-A-Gadda-Da-Leela"

Geeks know the history: ignominiously cancelled by Fox in '04, revived for a quartet of DVD adventures (repurposed as a fifth season by Comedy Central) in '07, Futurama's now been fully reprised by the aforementioned network. It's been a turbulent decade for Matt Groening's follow-up to The Simpsons (which is frustrating because Futurama eclipsed its jaundiced sibling immediately upon arrival). As The Simpsons behemoth plods into its third decade, Futurama still has a youthful spring in its step -- probably because infinite Time and Space is naturally a more diverse sandpit to play in.

"Rebirth" continues from the climactic ending of fourth DVD adventure "Into The Wild Green Yonder" (which I'd totally forgotten about, such was its awfulness), with the Planet Express crew dying after being spat out of a wormhole to crash-land on Earth. Fortunately, Professor Farnsworth (Billy West) survived in a protective sphere, allowing him to resurrect his dead employees using stem-cells and a vat of pink goo. However, cycloptic babe Leela's (Katey Sagal) resurrection isn't possible, and her death prompts a grieving Fry (West again) to build a robotic version of his inamorata, only to wind up with two rivals for his affections when the real Leela wakes up during her own funeral.

It was classic Futurama silliness of doppelgangers and knockabout larks, delivered with enthusiasm but nothing we haven't seen before, done better. In contrast to The Simpsons, Futurama's ideas are its most successful ingredient, as I only have fleeting love for the characters. Absent-minded Professor Farnsworth makes me giggle and Fry's a likeable everyman, but I don't find dissolute robot Bender (John Di Maggio) particularly amusing, Leela's actually quite dull, and the supporting characters are just... well, there. I don't dislike the Planet Express crew, but I certainly don't settle down to watch Futurama with anticipation about what Fry, Leela and Bender will say or do each week... just what sci-fi tropes the writers are going to fool around with, in-between spotting trivia and sight gags.

In fact, a problem Futurama has is how it's so thick with detail and throwaway lines that I barely remember anything substantial about episodes afterwards. It's a problem shared by many "wacky" US comedies, even the live-action ones. When Del Boy fell through the bar in that Only Fools & Horses episode, a classic British TV moment was born. The cast of Scrubs pratfall every two-minutes, eliciting a half-smile and instant erasure from your mind.

If "Rebirth" was a fine but forgettable season opener, "In-A-Gadda-Da-Leela" was a genuine misstep; a Zapp Brannigan (West again) adventure where he partnered Leela in trying to defeat a "Death Star"-like fusion of two old satellites now calling itself "V-GINY" (a riff on Star Trek The Motion Picture) that's intent on censoring planets of nudity and foul language. Sounds like great fun, right? Sadly, what could have been a witty and insightful commentary on puritanical censorship was abandoned in favour of scenes with Leela and Zapp as a modern-day Adam & Eve after failing their mission and crashing on a primitive planet, giving Zapp the opportunity to impress an injured Leela with his gentlemanly kindness.

The show can afford to push the envelope on Comedy Central in ways it never could on Fox (the channel is the home of South Park, lest we forget), so why did an episode about censorship feel so limp and gutless? Certainly they have to keep in mind the younger fans, so I'm not expecting full-frontal cartoon nakedness, but it was still disappointingly conservative. In addition, the love-hate relationship between Leela and Zapp has totally run out of steam, and there wasn't much else going on worth remembering. The biggest laugh for me was a blink-and-miss-it sight gag that a planet called "Urectum" has been discovered orbiting the Sun. Those astronomers never learn.

Of overall note, the quality of animation appears to have dipped now Futurama's on a network with less financial clout. There appears to be online disagreement about how the budget's been reduced (some say the use of a live orchestra has been ditched for the music, others say the entire process now cuts corners to pay for the expensive voice actors), but I noticed a lack of fluidity with the animation in these two episodes -- particularly bodily movements, which could appear quite jerky, as if the animation was missing some key-frames. It gave movements a staccato "flick-book" feel whenever they tried to do something more ambitious than arm gestures. Thankfully, Futurama's general aesthetic and CG-enhancements were exactly as I remember them.

It's a shame there's been cutbacks, because Fox-era Futurama was the most visually appealing animation I've ever seen on TV. Naturally, it's the story, dialogue and characters that truly matter, not the visual splendor (or lack thereof), but these episodes weren't Futurama operating at full capacity... feeling more like reheated leftovers. There was enough pace and panache to keep you watching, but when the dust settles you'll probably feel disappointed. Regardless, it still makes current Simpsons episodes look like the irrelevant pop-culture carnival it's become.

WRITERS: David X. Cohen (story by David X. Cohen & Matt Groening) (6.1) & Carolyn Premish (story by Carolyn Premish & Matt Groening) (6.2)
DIRECTORS: Frank Marino (6.1) & Dwayne Carey-Hill (6.2)
TRANSMISSION: 24 JUNE 2010: COMEDY CENTRAL, 10PM

Poll Result: Your Favourite Pixar Movie

There was a fantastic reponse to my poll last week, with 167 people voting for their favourite Pixar movie. The results are above in a pie-chart, but let's break it down in reverse order below:

9. A Bug's Life

Only 3% voted for this early insect animation. I'm not surprised it's so low, but is it really the worst?

8. Cars

Most people consider Cars to be Pixar's biggest mistake, and only 4% think it's Pixar's finest. Mind you, I've heard it's really not as bad as you're expecting. But, to date, Cars is the only Pixar movie I haven't seen (ignoring Up, which I fully intend to watch...)

7. Up

Speaking of which, Pixar's latest comes disappointingly low. Just 5% of you think it's the company's best work, but I'm going to assume most people just haven't seen it. It was only just released in the UK a week ago, so while I do have a lot of American visitors, it perhaps isn't hogging DVD players in households yet.

6. Toy Story 2

Another mild surprise was how low Toy Story 2 came in, particularly as it's widely considered superior to the '95 original (but more about its predecessor later...) 6% of you say it's your favourite.

6. Ratatouille

In joint-sixth place is the often overlooked Ratatouille, which I never hear talked about that often. I think that's because it doesn't really stand-up to repeated play, as it's mostly a one-watch deal. Again, just 6% of you consider it a favourite.

5. Finding Nemo

A few years ago this would have been much higher, but it's a film that's been bettered since it opened. 11% of you have taken this to your hearts, however.

4. Monster's, Inc.

I think this movie gets better with age, actually. 12% of you agree, and it's certainly one of my favourites. The imagination of the climax is a thing of beauty.

3. The Incredibles

In third place was my personal pick, Brad Bird's superhero action spectacular. 14% of the voters rank this the highest, which I'm in full agreement with.

2. WALL-E

In second, narrowly missing out on the top spot, was the recent WALL-E. 18% of you believe this is Pixar's greatest achievement, which I'm certainly not going to quibble about. I even loved the second-half, which most people believe is inferior. It is, but not to a ruinous degree.

1. Toy Story

The winner was the movie that started it all back in 1995. The 22% majority voted this their favourite, even beating its own sequel (which is famously considered better than the original). But I wasn't asking "which is the best Pixar movie?", I wanted to know your favourite, and there is a difference. Toy Story has obviously been spun in DVD players the longest and was most likely people's first step into the world of CGI animation, so it holds a special place in most people's hearts.

Which is your favourite Pixar movie?

Toy Story has been re-released in 3D and Up is out this weekend in the UK (also in 3D), but which Pixar movie from the past 14 years is YOUR favourite? Be sure to register your vote in my sidebar poll, which closes on 17 October. The living toys, the talking ants, the friendly monsters, the lost fish, the cooking rat, the superhero family, the talking cars, the loved-up robot, or the adventuring geriatric? Vote now!

Super Obama

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Superb animation from the JibJab team, turning President Obama into a big-eared superhero. I used to visit their site all the time about five years ago, and this reminded me why. Fantastic animation and very funny.

Good news, everyone! Futurama is back!

Comedy Central/20th Century Fox Television have ordered 26 new episodes of Futurama, six years after Fox officially axed it. Recently we've had four feature-length specials that premiered on DVD/Blu-ray and were later chopped up into half-hour episodes for transmission on Comedy Central (and Sky1 in the UK). These specials and repeats have proven popular enough to make reviving the series a no-brainer...

Great news! Futurama is easily the funniest and cleverest animation around. Family Guy is just hit-and-miss gags for people with attention spans of goldfish; South Park always feels infantile and boringly "controversial"; and The Simpsons continues its emperor's new clothes trick on the masses, having been terrible far longer than it was ever excellent.

Gary Newman and Dana Walden, 20th Century Fox TV Chairmen:

"Futurama was another series that fans simply demanded we bring back, and we couldn't have been happier when Matt [Groening] and David [X. Cohen] agreed that there were many more stories yet to tell."

Ahem. I hear fans demand Firefly back, too. Joss Whedon has more stories to tell, see. Guys? Guys?

Matt Groening, co-creator:

"We're thrilled Futurama is coming back. We now have only 25,766 episodes to make before we catch up with Bender and Fry in the year 3000."

The new episodes will likely begin broadcasting on Comedy Central mid-2010.

TRAILER PARK: Toy Story 3 (teaser), Dead Snow & Torchwood - Children Of Earth (extended)

What is there to say? I love Pixar and I'm sure Toy Story 3 will be great, but I must admit that the previous Toy Story's have left me a little cold. Well, not cold, just less than ecstatic. I saw the first one in the cinema (way before the hype and awards) and the experience was rather flat. I don't remember their being much atmosphere in the theatre and not many people were laughing at the jokes. It felt more like people were just gawping at the graphics, to be honest. Of course, on DVD it's easier to appreciate the characters and interplay, and I've grown to enjoy Toy Story in time. Toy Story 2 was a marked improvement, but I actually prefer the original's story. But, as much as I love the Toy Story characters, I must confess that I'd prefer to see a sequel to The Incredibles or Monster's Inc over this. Anyone else agree? Either way, if you have kids, you'll be seeing this in the cinema next year -- if only for a quiet life. In 3-D, too.

Released: 18 June 2010 (US), 24 June 2010 (AUS), 23 July 2010 (UK)
HD Downloads: 480P (28MB) | 720P (82MB) | 1080P (130MB)

Forget trailers for the summer blockbusters, you'll see those everywhere over the next few months. No, it's time to champion the underdog or under-the-radar movies. Dead Snow/Død snø is a Norwegian horror-comedy about a group of medical students that become trapped in a mountain cabin, on land full of Nazi zombies. Yes, you read that right. Nazi. Zombies. Sold yet? I'm sure it will be good fun, but I'm a little fatigued by the abundance of movies with people fending off zombies. Shaun Of The Dead, [REC], Diary Of The Dead, the Resident Evil saga... Dead Snow will no doubt draw a cult crowd because of the Nazi Zombie element, but what else is there to say? Isn't it time zombies shuffled off for awhile? Anyway, check out the trailer above -- complete with Braindead T-shirt, Indiana Jones quote and Evil Dead tool-up sequence. It looks derivative, but... there are Nazi zombies. In the snow.

Released: 19 June 2009 (US, limited run)
HD Downloads: 480P (51MB) | 720P (122MB) | 1080P (177MB)
Website: www.deadsnow.com

The new, extended version of the Torchwood - Children Of Earth trailer. It looks very good, from what I can see. But is that anything to do with the fact there's barely any recognizable "Torchwood-isms"? This could be mistaken for an unrelated sci-fi chiller, as the only signifier it's a Torchwood story are the glimpses of Jack, Ianto and a brief speech by Gwen. I'm not ragging on Torchwood, really, but... this looks classier than their usual previews. Has the series finally come of age, or are we just being spared the cheesy, stilted action, and daftness to come? This trailer was made by BBC America, so do the Yanks just cut better trailers than us Brits? I remember when I went to America a few years ago and trailers for sodding Hex made it look like the best thing EVER, so...

TRAILER PARK: Up

What I really appreciate about Pixar movies is the care and attention that goes into each one. It takes years to make these CGI movies (although you don't always remember, considering the fact scheduling and manpower now delivers one, sometimes two, a year), so they daren't rush into things and get it wrong. I have yet to be truly disappointed by a Pixar effort -- a key reason why I've intentionally avoided seeing Cars, to be honest -- and even my concerns about Ratatouille (a rat that likes to cook?) proved unfounded.

Up is their latest offering this summer; a fantastical adventure where an elderly man takes to the skies in his house, pulled into the air by thousands of balloons, with a chubby boy scout as his unwanted sidekick. Oh, and there's a dog that can talk thanks to a translating collar. It all looks fabulous, as you'd expect. I'm sensing some Roald Dahl in the mix (thanks to the James & The Giant Peach similarity), combined with the kind of imaginative beauty Hayao Miyazaki dreams up. Indeed, if this was hand-drawn animation populated by anime characters, I can see this as the kind of material the Howl's Moving Castle director would be attracted to. Up's use of a house as its vehicle to globe-trotting adventure echoes Miyazaki's walking castle from Howl's, too.

Gorgeous animation, a sense of fun, and there were already three or four moments in the trailer that made me chuckle (the talking dog, the old classic of a fat kid squeaking across a window, etc.) And maybe The Saturdays could re-release their single "Up" to try and break America on the back of this? Or not.

HD Downloads: 480P (50MB) | 720P (122MB) | 1080P (176MB)

To play; download the file, but rename it "whatever.mov" to play.

"Oktapodi" & "Presto" [Short Film Saturday]

After last week's bizarre cartoon "Rabbit", we're sticking with animated animals for a special double-bill. First up, the 2007 French short "Oktapodi"; a Graduate Student Project from Gobelins L'Ecole de L'Image. This 2-minute animation is about a pair of besotted octopuses that become separated, but the one left behind goes to extraordinary lengths to be reunited with its mate. Comical, vibrant fun in the Pixar mould. You may also be interested to know that "Oktapodi" is one of this year's Academy Award nominees, in the short film category. As is our next short film...

Does it seem a little unfair to have this Pixar short competing with the likes of "Oktapodi" at the Academy Awards? Perhaps so. Regardless, Doug Sweetland's excellent short "Presto" (shown before WALL·E last summer) is absolutely wonderful: a snooty magician grapples with his disobedient rabbit and a magical hat on-stage. Can Pixar spearhead a return of Looney Tunes-style cartoon shorts like this? Pleeeease.

Rabbit [Short Film Saturday]

Our first animation this week, with the BAFTA-nominated "Rabbit", directed by Run Wrake. "A dreamlike but dark story of lost innocence and the random justice of nature, told with curious images from a distant childhood."

It was chosen to be part of the BBC Summer Of British Film (Shorts) Horror Season, and has won numerous awards, such as: a McLaren Award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival (2006), a Tiger Award at the Rotterdam Film Festival, and the Onda Curta Award at the Lisbon Independent Film Festival.

Incredibly bizarre and certainly not for everyone; but a strong, distinctive piece of work nevertheless. What's your reaction?

* Have you seen, or made, a short film you'd like featured on Short Film Saturday?
If so, please e-mail me the details, including an embeddable video-link. *

Christmas Catch-up

The Christmas edition of Radio Times has run out of pages, so I guess that's the official end of Christmas and New Year television. Here are some mini-reviews of shows I watched, but won't get around to reviewing properly...

I was disappointed with Wallace & Gromit: A Matter Of Loaf And Death, weren't you? Great animation, some fun moments, imaginative action scenes, a few good in-jokes (especially Ghost and Aliens), but it all felt too insular, predictable and repetitive to me. Wallace gets another love-interest, there's another killer on the loose (human this time), Wallace just gets dopier and needs rescuing again. The only notable change was having the obligatory dog turn out not to be the villain's accomplice. After the Curse Of The Were-Rabbit feature-length movie (shown earlier that afternoon to highlight this point), Loaf & Death felt like a step backwards for Nick Park. Why not create some new characters, instead of sticking to the safe bet of W&G? Oh well, 15 million people watched, which will hopefully bankroll a BBC-funded movie before Peter Sallis snuffs it.

The Peter Serafinowicz Show Christmas Special was surprisingly good fun, given the fact I disliked the original sketch show when it aired earlier last year. The quality control was definitely higher (although the next-day midnight extended repeat reinserted a lot of grot) and I was glad it didn't just put a festive spin on old sketches. A good 85% of it was new stuff -- and I'm still giggling at the intimidating estate agent ("did I arks you?") and the insane job interview ("you passed the test!") Let's hope a second series builds on this upswing in quality.

Contrarily, the QI Christmas Special was... well, just a regular episode of average quality. I can understand they've run out of seasonal trivia, but this "fire and freezing"-based special wasn't worthy of the Christmas Special tag in the slightest. A big disappointment on that count, but I thought Dom Joly showed promise as a new panellist and Rob Brydon was very funny. I loved his recurring gag of explaining obvious things as if they were secret gems of knowledge.

The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special was background sparkle for me on Christmas Day. The second "voting scandal" for Strictly in as many weeks overshadowed it, too. This time, four couples tied with 39 points after the judges scores were added up, so the studio vote was entirely redundant, meaning Len Goodman had to put the top four into order of merit before voting could continue. But it was all nicely edited to look like this was the accepted way of handling the situation. As for the show itself: well, Kelly Brook was robbed.

Mock The Week Christmas Special? Nope. Mock The Week repeats all edited together, I think you'll find. Bah, humbug!

I caught bits of Alan Carr's Christmas Ding Dong. I hated the first series of this gameshow (with Carr mistreating "civilian" people in front of his chummy celebrity pals), so it was no surprise the second series quickly changed the format to a celeb-versus-celeb competition. This panto-themed special seemed quite fun, but the only thing I can remember is Paul Daniels planting a smacker on Alan Carr.

The Have I Got News For You? Christmas Special was okay, even though it was just another normal episode, masquerading as a festive special because of fancy dress. I just wish they'd give Alexander Armstrong the hosting job full-time and ditch the annoying guest-host idea entirely.

The 25th anniversary Blackadder Rides Again documentary was fifteen minutes of worthwhile information and footage, separating clips that sometimes didn't even last to the punchlines. G.O.L.D's Blackadder documentary a few months ago covered most of the bases here, so this was a bit tiresome for me. For fans, there wasn't much to get terribly excited about -- unless you liked to be reminded how dour and humourless Rowan Atkinson is in real life (he admits it himself), wanted to see a clip from the original pilot episode (is the whole thing available as a DVD extra?), and that terrible last shot of Blackadder Goes Forth (before a bit of slo-mo and piano music transform it into one of British comedy's greatest moments.)

ITV really didn't have a good Christmas, did they? Did they have anything worth watching? Oh yes, Affinity. Shame I missed that. Harry Hill's TV Burp Review Of The Year seemed like a safe bet, but I think I can feel a backlash coming on for Mr. Hill. After winning two BAFTAs this year, I'm kind of expecting more from this show now. And, truth be told, it all looks a bit too half-baked, formulaic and childish to me now. Maybe it always was? The clever, eagle-eyed observations are being swamped by desk-set slapstick. There are still some laughs, but this special wasn't much fun. I hope Harry manages to recharge for 2009, but ITV are flogging their only comedy hit to death with this extended run. A breezy seven episodes every three months is enough for me.

Charlotte Church's Nutcracking Christmas Special was on in the background, so I caught bits and pieces. For me, Charlotte's still a damn terrible presenter who should stick to singing. And the full-on celebration of Wales over the past five years is beginning to annoy me (with Ruth Jones and Rhydian flying the Welsh flag here.) Want proof that Charlotte Church should just disappear, or get back in the recording studio? Check out her unfunny secret camera stunt with Jeremy Edwards (feeding him ideas as he auditioned panto actresses) A terrible moment in Charlotte's hand, rescued completely by James Corden grabbing her mic and ad-libbing funnier ideas than anything Charlotte's feeble mind could improvise.

While hardly in the festive spirit, Top Gear's Vietnam Special was great, blokey fun. Clarkson, Hammond and May pootling up Vietnam in clapped-out scooters, aiming to complete the journey in eight days. Torrential rain, unexpected natural beauty (a good advert for the Vietnam Tourist board, funnily enough), war memorials, silly games, a daft driving license challenge, and more staged comedy interludes (the transporting of cumbersome gifts was particularly strained.) As usual, you're never sure what genuinely happened, and what was orchestrated by the production team weeks in advance... but when it's all this entertaining, I really don't care enough to complain. Catch it on Dave in 2009, every two hours.

I also saw BBC Four's Crooked House three-part chiller from writer-actor Mark Gatiss, and thought it was very good. In fact, I liked it enough that full review will hopefully be along next week.

What about you? Did the Christmas TV schedules impress you this year? Too many repeats? Were the specials not really special enough? Did anyone care about the return of oldies like The Royle Family, Rab C. Nesbitt and Jonathan Creek?

TRAILER PARK: Star Trek, Monsters vs. Aliens, Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince & Watchmen

Oh. My. God. The long, long-awaited trailer for J.J Abrams' STAR TREK reboot has finally touched down, and it's a thing of high-octane beauty with amazing special effects. Clearly, this film is a sexed-up fusion of old-Trek and Star Wars – a big alien monster, an onslaught of space battles, Uhura in her bra, all manner of phaser craziness, alien worlds, future cities, the iconic Enterprise being built, Kirk having sex, big explosions, etc.

Absolutely wonderful stuff that has me very, very excited – not only for this movie, but for Trek in general. It genuinely feels like the show is moving into a new era, while ironically embracing its '60s origins. Chris Pine looks great as Kirk, Zachary Quinto seems like a perfect Spock, Simon Pegg already has me smiling as Scotty, and it's just a pleasure to feel tantalized by the possibilities this film will open up. And yet it still feels respectful to what's gone before – I actually grinned at things like the Enterprise going into warp and the iconic red alert klaxon. Sad? Maybe. But Star Trek just got cool and bad-ass, people. Warp speed ahead for summer 2009!

HD Downloads: 480P (40MB), 720P (87MB), 1080P (159MB)
Release Dates: 7 May 2009 (AUS), 8 May 2009 (US & UK)


The title MONSTERS VS. ALIENS is all you need to know about this CGI animation, which essentially trades on its B-movie inspirations. After the world is threatened by alien invaders, the US government unleash their last line of defence: monsters. The trailer is bright, zippy and certain to appeal to kids and geeks alike. Above all, with CGI animations usually involving talking animals, it's just nice to see some out-of-the-box thinking. Celebrity voices come courtesy of Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Hugh Laurie, Will Arnett, Reese Witherspoon, Kiefer Sutherland, Rainn Wilson and Stephen Colbert – so quite a fashionable line-up of credible stars. Could be fantastic. Could be a great idea, poorly realized.

HD Downloads: 480P (42MB), 720P (98MB), 1080P (171MB)
Release Dates: 27 March 2009 (US), 3 April 2009 (UK) & 11 June 2009 (AUS)


There are some kids alive who don't remember a time without a Harry Potter movie on the horizon. Stop and imagine that for a second. Yes, the sixth movie, HARRY POTTER & THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE has its theatrical trailer out now – to try and compensate Potterites for the fact it's been pushed back from November '08 'to summer '09. With only one more book left to adapt (and two films, because The Deathly Hallows is being split), this film is now firmly enveloped in the darkness that began to creep in three movies ago with The Prisoner Of Azkaban. The trailer itself is fairly jokey to begin with, but retains an air of mystery and chills, before a late explosion of spectacular-looking effects and the spine-tingling arrival of Lord Voldemort. I've never been massively excited about Potter movies, but I really can't wait to see the ending -- as I've managed to avoid spoilers from the books.

HD Downloads: 480P (37MB), 720P (86MB), 1080P (144MB)
Release Dates: 16 July (AUS) & 7 July 2009 (US & UK)


The full-length trailer for WATCHMEN was released last Thursday to widespread acclaim, particularly amongst fans who realize just how potent, intelligent and game-changing Alan Moore's original '80s comic was on its genre. Set to a Muse track, we get a better sense of the style director Zack Snyder is aiming for here, with some frankly stunning sequences that perfectly merge 300-style greenscreen with practical sets. The casting looks spot-on, and anyone who has read Watchmen will be salivating at the imagery ripped from the comic's pages. Just a few years ago it was unthinkable Watchmen could be faithfully adapted into a movie, given its sprawling story and uneasy sell to a big studio, so are we now just 4 months away from seeing the "impossible" happen?

HD Downloads: 480P (50MB), 720P (131MB), 1080P (184MB)
Release Dates: 5 March 2009 (AUS) & 6 March 2009 (US & UK)

(Note: to play -- right-click, "Save As...", rename
downloaded file to "whatever.mov" and double-click.)

Horton Hears A Who! (2008)

Directors: Jimmy Hayward & Steve Martino
Writers: Ken Daurio & Cinco Paul (based on the book by Dr. Seuss)

The day-glo colours, ugly characters and incessant rhyming of Dr. Seuss' children's books never appealed to me. It doesn't surprise me the author only really became a household name in America, where his back-catalogue is now being adapted by Hollywood -- first with the prolonged bore of How The Grinch Stole Christmas, then the vomit-inducing awfulness of The Cat In The Hat. Fortunately, Horton Hears A Who! is a marked improvement, mainly because it ditches live-action in favour of CGI animation -- undoubtedly the best medium for Seuss' tales on the big-screen...

Jim Carrey (in his second Seuss movie, following Grinch) voices Horton; an imaginative, good-natured elephant living in the Jungle of Nool. Steve Carell voices Ned McDodd; the Mayor of peace-loving Whoville, who has fathered 96 daughters and a son. The imaginative barrier between them is simple: unbeknownst to the citizens of Whoville, their planet exists on a speck of dust that Horton spies drifting through the jungle after hearing voices coming from it.

Trouble is, the talking animals of Horton's universe aren't able to hear anything from the microbial Who-speck, and villainess Sour Kangaroo (Carol Burnett) condemns Horton for his apparently idiotic insistence that a whole world exists beyond their comprehension. The other problem, for the Who's of Whoville, is that nobody believes the Mayor's claim there's a giant, invisible, talking elephant in the sky, or that their existence is threatened unless said elephant finds a safe place for their minuscule planet to reside.

The problem for the audience is that Horton Hears A Who! offers a very precarious mix of existential imagination, surreal designs, slapstick, and adult references (paraphrasing Apocalypse Now, impersonating Henry Kissinger.) Since Toy Story, CGI animation has cultivated a reputation for appealing to both kids and adults, but Horton doesn't quite pull off that difficult trick…

It's just too silly and meandering for adults (where the theological basis for the story wears thin quickly), and not nearly funny enough for young kids. Jim Carrey's animated elephant fails to get anywhere near the improvisational highs of, say, Robin Williams' genie from Aladdin, while the supporting characters are all quite bland, unimaginative and forgettable. If it wasn't for the retina-burning vivacity of the colour palette, coupled with Seuss' already oddball designs, there's every chance kids under-10 would be zoning out after 30 minutes.

Still, I appreciated the subtext of global warming and ecological disaster -- which appears to be a recurring theme in Blue Sky Studio's oeuvre, following their Ice Age movies. Credit too for the slightly religious undertone of "prophets" trying to persuade people to believe in something intangible, although both Horton and the Mayor obviously have to offer everyone incontrovertible proof by the end.

Horton Hears A Who! also does a decent job of expanding Dr. Seuss' rather thin fable into 88-minutes (something its live-action precursors failed to achieve), although it still drags slightly around the 45-minute mark. Overall, I can't see this becoming a cherished classic, and a lack of belly laughs won't endear it to much repetition, but there's intellectual worth behind the snappy, effervescent animation that's not to be sniffed at.


20th Century Fox / Blue Sky Studios
Budget: $85 million
88 minutes
www.hortonmovie.com

Voices: Jim Carrey (Horton), Steve Carell (Ned McDodd), Seth Rogen (Morton), Carol Burnett (Sour Kangaroo), Josh Flitter (Rudy), Jesse McCartney (JoJo McDodd), Selena Gomez & Samantha Droke (96 Daughters), Amy Poehler (Sally McDodd), Isla Fisher (Dr. Mary Lou Larue), Will Arnett (Vlad Vladikoff), Dan Fogler (Yummo & The Chairman), Jamie Pressley (Mrs. Quilligan), Laura Ortiz (Jessica Quilligan, Jonah Hill (Tommy), Joey King (Katie) & Joe Pasquale (The Dentist)

Ratatouille (2007)

Directors: Brad Bird & Jan Pinkava
Writers: Brad Bird (story by Jan Pinkava, Brad Bird & Jim Capobianco, with material by Emily Cook & Kathy Greenberg)

Voices: Patton Oswalt (Rémy), Ian Holm (Skinner), Lou Romano (Alfredo Linguini), Peter O'Toole (Anton Ego), Brad Garrett (Auguste Gusteau), Janeane Garofalo (Colette Tatou), Brian Dennehy (Django), Peter Sohn (Emile), Will Arnett (Horst), James Remar (Larousse), John Ratzenberger (Mustafa), Tedd Newton (Talon Labarthe), Brad Bird (Ambrister), Thomas Keller (Dining Patron) & Jamie Oliver (Health Inspector)

A rat with a love of food finds himself in Paris, and gets to live out his fantasy of cooking in a top restaurant, with the help of a kitchen dogsbody...

Following the blip of Cars (visually stunning, but without a decent story), Pixar hits back with a finely-observed and delicately told story about a rat who dreams of becoming a chef. Its premise is certainly "high-concept" – but quite tame in comparison to living toys, a family of superheroes, and a world of talking cars – and Ratatouille doesn't push the boundaries of animation as much. Or maybe we're just getting too blasé about these CGI marvels?

Rémy (Patton Oswalt) is a country rat living with his hundred-strong nest of siblings, most prominently his obese brother Emile (Peter Sohn) and old-fashioned dad Django (Brian Dennehy). While his rodent relations are content to skulk around country farmhouses, stealing leftover food, Rémy dreams of being a top chef like his human hero Auguste Gusteau (Brad Garrett).

After Rémy is separated from his family after their presence is rumbled by an old lady, he's flushed into the sewers, fortuitously finding himself directly beneath Gusteau's famous restaurant in Paris! Unfortunately, Gusteau has died and the restaurant is struggling to maintain its reputation without him, but Rémy soon forms a unique cooking "double-act" with inept kitchen worker Linguini (Lou Romano) to help Gusteau's regain its former glory...

This is perhaps the first Pixar film that aims slightly higher than the typical under-10 crowd. It's still entertaining for all age groups, but there's less emphasis on pure technical spectacle. Of course, Pixar's success has always boiled down to the care and attention they lavish on the script, before they power up their computers – so this is perhaps nothing new.

Ratatouille, being primarily kitchen-based, can't rely on extravagant sequences to pull it through any dry-spells – although the opening escape of hundreds of rats from a gas-mask wearing granny is quite exciting, and there's a nice chase through Parisian streets half-way through. But, other than that, it's the most down-to-earth, straight-forward Pixar movie yet.

But that's not a criticism. It just once again proves animation can trigger emotional response in audiences without relying on action/musical sequences that would cost a regular movie hundreds of million to reproduce in live-action.

The history of Ratatouille's production is possibly more heated than a week on Gusteau's hotplate. Originally being written and directed by Pixar alumni Jan Pinkava (who made their award-winning short Geri's Game), Pixar began to lose faith in Pinkava's ability to oversee the story in '05 – so they recruited Brad Bird (The Incredibles) to takeover and whip everything into shape.

Pinkava's virtual sets, character designs and basic storyline remained, although Bird made the rats less anthropomorphic, killed Gusteau (who now only appears as an imaginary Jiminy Cricket-style helper), and boosted the roles of villainous chef Skinner (Ian Holm) and sweet cook Colette (Janeane Garofalo). Pinkava retains a co-director credit for his 4 years of work – but only for the end credits.

You can't tell Ratatouille had such a problematic birth, as it's a very polished and efficient piece of storytelling. It probably won't be most children's favourite Pixar offering, as the characters are less iconic, there are fewer laughs, and the story is less epic and imaginative than their previous work. But it's still very enjoyable and should definitely hold the attention of adults -- who will be surprised by how well a conceptually-thin idea develops into tense and amusing territory.

The voice talent are all excellent, with Ratatouille continuing Brad Bird's penchant for using vocally-unrecognisable celebs in his films. Ian Holm and Janeane Garofalo both hide behind French accents, with only Peter O'Toole's marvellously plumy English brogue pricking an ear of recognition as vulture-like food critic Anton Ego. The two leads (Oswalt's spirited Rémy and Romano's amiable Linguini) might not be household names, but they're perfect for their roles. Likewise the rest of the cast.

I also have great affection for Michael Giachino's score, with the composer of Lost and The Incredibles really stepping up with some impressive, evocative, French-themed music. The highlight for me is the eminently hummable "La Festin", which has been floating around my head for days now.

Overall, only the stoniest of hearts could actively hate this film. Its characters may not be as memorable as those in Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., or Finding Nemo, but it more than makes up for it with a passionately told story that entertains every step of the way, and that's quite some feat for an idea that (at first glance) appears too thin to stretch beyond 30 minutes. Above all, Brad Bird is staking a claim as the best director of animation for over a decade, with Ratatouille following the emotionally-vibrant Iron Giant and the barnstorming Incredibles.


Walt Disney Pictures / Pixar Animation Studios
Budget: $150 million
106 minutes

PICTURE: 2.35:1 | SOUND: SDDS / DTS-ES / Dolby Digital EX
www.ratatouillemovie.net

FAMILY GUY PRESENTS BLUE HARVEST

Writer: Alex Sulkin
Director: Dominic Polcino

Voices: Mike Henry (Cleveland/R2-D2, Herbert/Obi-Wan Kenobi, Performance Artist, Greedo, Greased-Up Deaf Guy, various), Seth Green (Chris/Luke Skywalker, various), Seth MacFarlane (Peter/Han Solo, Stewie/Darth Vader, Brian/Chewbacca, Quagmire/C-3PO, Tom Tucker, various), Alex Borstein (Lois/Princess Leia, various), Mila Kunis (Meg/Dianoga), Adam West (Adam West/Grand Moff Tarkin), Johnny Brennan (Various), Danny Smith (Various), Ralph Garman (Various), Phil LaMarr (Various), Mark Hentemann (Various), Alec Sulkin (Various), John Viener (Various), Wally Wingert (Various), Kirker Butler (Various), Steve Callaghan (Various), Chevy Chase (Clark Griswold), Beverly D'Angelo (Ellen Griswold), Mick Hucknall (Himself), Rush Limbaugh (Himself), Helen Reddy (Herself) & Alex Thomas (Various)

"I have you now, young Skywalker. And with today's
gas prices, not a moment too soon!"

-- Darth Vader/Stewie (Seth MacFarlane)

Star Wars spoofs are ten-a-penny these days, which begs the question: is there really anything left to poke fun at? George Lucas' 1977 original has left an indelible mark on film history and a generation of fans, and it seems we still enjoy seeing it parodied for the umpteenth time.

Airing on US television in September 2007, this episode of comedy animation Family Guy acted as an extended season 6 premiere, but has now been repackaged as spoof movie Family Guy Presents Blue Harvest (the codename Lucas assigned to Star Wars' 80s sequels.)

After an electrical blackout one evening, the Griffins debate how to pass the time without their cherished TV, so dumb patriarch Peter (Seth MacFarlane) regales his family with the story of Star Wars – and we experience a 45-minute reprise of the movie, re-enacted by characters from the Family Guy cast.

The main things that stick in your mind about Blue Harvest are: 1, how the hand-drawn animations are sometimes indistinguishable from the real film's effects (indeed, some shots animated over real scenes); 2, the angle-perfect reproduction of key scenes; and 3, the expensive use of John Williams' wonderful music, which raises the excitement levels even in a TV-budgeted cartoon.

Beyond that, it's great fun to see which Family Guy character will play which Star Wars character – from the obvious (Chris as Luke Skywalker, Peter as Han Solo), to the amusing (Brian as Chewbacca, Stewie as a pint-sized Darth Vader), and the bizarre (Herbert as a perverted Obi-Wan Kenobi, Cleveland as a R2-D2 with an afro).

As with every Family Guy episode, there are lulls and moments that fall flat (like basketball star Magic Johnson's instructional video on how to destroy the Death Star), but it's otherwise a spirited and fun spoof. If anything, it reminds you how entertaining a well-constructed and intelligent parody can be -- in an era where crud like Epic Movie and Date Movie are stinking up cinemas. Blue Harvest even pays respect to legendary spoof Airplane! with a few reprisals of their jokes. Watch out for Leslie Nielsen.

It may be three decades "late" to the Star Wars spoofing party (Spaceballs was criticized for missing the bandwagon, and that was released in 1987!), but the guys behind Family Guy manage to squeeze fresh ideas and inspired gags from a supposedly empty well. I particularly laughed at the misplaced rambling about Angelina Jolie in the opening crawl!

For every moment of crudity and blandness, there's something to genuinely makes you giggle. It also helps that the brisk running time actually improves on the laborious slog of Lucas' source film, as it thunders through the set-pieces we all know so well. The 45-minutes seem more like 25.

It's not the laugh-a-minute experience it could have been, but Alex Sulkin's script pokes fun constantly and delivers an affectionate and beautifully-realized cartoon parody. Family Guy is well known for its abundance of pop-culture gags, but its non sequiters can be tiresome, so it's a relief that Blue Harvest forces the show to stick to a story without much diversion – beyond a Dirty Dancing musical sequence with Luke/Obi-Wan that should have been cut!

How can you hate a Star Wars spoof that unearths so many fresh nitpicks about the film, whilst clearing having fun and showing respect while it does it? A discussion about the Death Star's .1% vulnerability makes this worth watching just on its own, and how can you not chuckle over a cameo from the vacationing Griswold family!

A funny, entertaining and energetic merger of the Star Wars universe and the Family Guy cast. Blue Harvest should appeal to both sets of fans... but it helps if you have a passing familiarity with Family Guy's characters, for true geek nirvana. Ultimately, while it doesn't justify a self-contained DVD release, I can't wait for the upcoming Empire Strikes Back spoof sequel: Something, Something, Something, Dark Side.


* The DVD release includes several restored scenes, not shown when this episode aired on television.

TMNT (2007)

Writer & Director: Kevin Munroe

Voices: James Arnold Taylor (Leonardo), Mitchell Whitfield (Donatello), Mikey Kelley (Michelangelo), Nolan North (Raphael), Chris Evans (Casey Jones), Sarah Michelle Gellar (April O'Neil), Mako Iwarnatsu (Master Splinter), Patrick Stewart (Max Winters), Laurence Fishburne (Narrator), Zhang Ziyi (Karai), John DiMaggio (Colonel Santino), Paula Mattioli (General Serpiente), Kevin Michael Richardson (General Aguila), Fred Tatasciore (General Gato), Kevin Smith (Diner Cook) & Billy West (various)

The Turtles have disbanded in the wake of Shredder's defeat, but a new threat to New York means the heroes in a half-shell must reform...

I can't claim to have read the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 80s comic-book, but I was one of millions who loved the late-80s cartoon series, owned plenty of merchandise, played the video-games, and went crazy for the first two live-action movies, before the disastrous third movie destroyed the franchise...

Heading into my mid-teens, the Turtles phenomenon was consigned to history for me, although the franchise continued to bubble along with a live-action TV series. In 2007, the vogue for computer animated movies heralded a return for the heroes in a half-shell, with writer-director Kevin Munroe masterminded a "comeback" for Turtle Power...

TMNT (hip acronym, or a way to avoid the cheesy full title?) acts as a sequel to the live-action films, but animation immediately gives the film a scale and fluidity that Chinese acrobats in Jim Henson-made suits could never accomplish. That said, there was something delightfully insane and entertaining about watching live-action ninja turtles; and anthropomorphised CGI animals are rather humdrum in comparison.

For fans, Munroe's film will be an enjoyable trip down memory lane, and it's a fitting continuation of the series. Taking a cue from Batman Begins, this film doesn't even feature the Turtles' most popular nemesis – with Shredder confirmed as defeated in the opening titles.

Instead, we have original baddie Max Winters (Patrick Stewart), who comes with a typically bizarre back-story. It has something to do with an ancient prophecy, the alignment of stars, immortality, stone warrior generals and escaped monsters.

It doesn't make much sense (especially the monsters part), but the fact it's new material helps keep TMNT more interesting than yet another Turtles versus Shredder punch-up. I think we needed a break from that, although why none of the movies have used talking stomach-brain Krang as a villain is just beyond me.

As Winters' threat slowly builds in a subplot, we are shown that the quartet of Turtles have actually disbanded (shades of Ghostbusters II?), with Leonardo sharpening his leadership skills in South America, on the orders of Master Splinter, the team's talking rat sensei – voiced by Mako, who died shortly afterwards and has TMNT as his final screen credit. Raul Julia sends his sympathies, Mako.

Back in New York, geeky Donatello has become a one-turtle IT helpdesk, party animal Michelangelo is a children's entertainer (complete with fake turtle head), and cynical Raphael has surreptitiously become the "Nighwatcher" -- a disguised vigilante who stalks the city's criminals in the evenings.

Needless to say, the Turtles are soon brought back together and have to stop Winters' diabolical scheme, whilst tackling a variety of creatures, Foot Clan ninjas, and a group of stone warriors under Winters' control.

The sibling rivalry between Leonardo and Raphael is perhaps the film's best element, as the opposing brothers but heads (literally, in TMNT's most accomplished fight sequence atop a rain-soaked roof.)

Elsewhere, April O'Neil (Buffy's Sarah Michelle Gellar, unrecognizable) has been re-imagined as a sword-wielding heroine, with no mention of any news reporting, and hockey-masked vigilante Casey Jones (Fantastic Four's Chris Evans, huh?) shows up as her wayward "boyfriend".

Tonally, this is darker than the cartoon series, but lighter than the hardboiled 1990 movie. At 86-minutes, it's brisk and moderately entertaining, but never truly captivating. The only thing that hits the right buttons is the Raphael/Leonardo conflict, with everything else too undercooked or confusing to involve you.

It goes without saying that non-fans will be bewildered and bored throughout, as this is clearly aimed at people with at least a working knowledge of TMNT.

I didn't hate it, but it wasn't particularly memorable or exciting to watch. Its ambition eclipses anything the live-action films achieved, but the CGI doesn't look as special as the "real" actors were in the 90s. But, as a modern version of the 80s cartoon series, it's a slick update that will please fans and possibly rope in a new generation of fans.

It's just a shame the villain's plot is hackneyed and unclear, while Munroe's directing mainly consists of constant zooms, pans and camera pull-backs. TMNT is nowhere near as enjoyable as the cartoons, or as enticing as the early-90s films, proving to be a mixed bag for fans. But there is good stuff sprinkled about, and the Turtles' mutation into CGI could hit paydirt in a Shredder-based sequel with more punch and pizza.


Warner Brothers
Budget: $34 million
86 minutes

The Simpsons Movie (2007)

Director: David Silverman
Writers: David Mirkin, Mike Reiss, Matt Selman, John Swartzwelder & Jon Vitti

Voices: Dan Castellaneta (Homer Simpson/Grampa/Krusty/Quimby), Nancy Cartwright (Bart Simpson/Nelson/Ralph Wiggum/Todd Flanders), Julie Kavner (Marge Simpson/Patty/Selma), Yeardley Smith (Lisa Simpson), Hank Azaria (Moe/Frink/Comic-Book Guy/Chief Wiggum/Apu), Harry Shearer (Mr Burns/Lovejoy/Ned Flanders/Lenny/Kent Brockman/Principle Skinner), Albert Brooks (Russ Cargill), Tress MacNeille (Mrs Skinner/Cat Lady), Pamela Hayden (Milhouse/Rod Flanders), Marcia Wallace (Mrs Krabappel), Billie Joe Armstrong (Himself), Tre Cool (Himself), Mike Dirnt (Himself), Joe Mantegna (Fat Tony) & Russi Taylor (Martin)

After Homer accidentally pollutes the town's water supply, Springfield is encased in a gigantic dome by the EPA and the Simpson family are declared fugitives...

After 20 years and over 400 episodes (incredibly), a genuine pop-culture phenomenon makes its belated big-screen debut -- The Simpsons Movie; a decade late to the party, but still with enough cachet (and best marketing campaign ever) to make people forget the TV show has been limping since the 90s...

You can count me as a Simpsons fan, although it causes me physical pain to watch the show's pale shadow play out on television these days. But, the early years (seasons 3-7) were diamond, so the prospect of a film version crafted by writers from that "Golden Age" (David Mirkin, Mike Reiss, Matt Selman, John Swartzwelder and Jon Vitti) filled me with cautious optimism...

The Simpsons Movie can be considered a success, if not exactly resounding. There isn't much to challenge its TV glory days, and it's ultimately too played-out to excite, or make you bust a guy laughing, but it's amusing and entertaining.

After a series of nudge-nudge gags at the Simpsons' jump onto celluloid (Ralph Wiggum in the Fox logo, Homer belittling the saps who paid to see an Itchy & Scratchy film), and a fun way to open with Danny Elfman's iconic theme tune, the film slowly gets down to business...

Grampa Simpson has a premonition of doom during a church service, Homer rescues a cute pig from a Krusty commercial, before dumping said hog's excrement into the Springfield Lake – causing mass pollution, that forces incompetent presidential aide Russ Cargill (Albert Brooks; excellent) to contain Springfield inside a protective dome. With the Simpsons blamed for the ostracized town's misery, the family run away to Alaska...

As you'd expect, it plays like an extended episode -- although the film-sized budget allows for refinement in the animation, a few CGI-assisted sequences, glass reflections, an enormous crowd scene, a handful of action set-pieces, and even a nude scene! It doesn't betray its small-screen roots, just better realizes Springfield; expanding the TV world, whilst retaining its snug familiarity...

The vocal talent are as strong as ever, but it's particularly nice to see Albert Brooks return, as the actor guest-voiced some of the best characters in the old days -- most memorably affable master-criminal Hank Scorpio. Brooks is given another antagonist to chew on here as Russ Cargill, and while his performance doesn't rival his previous characters, he's still a fun diversion.

But is it funny? Well, it definitely has its moments, although the jokes aren't really the problem. The story takes it cue from the implausible high-concept style of later TV seasons (a giant dome over a town?), while you get the impression it should have gone with something more believable.

There's the inevitable difficulty in trying to have every character have a turn in the limelight, but only Ned Flanders has anything approaching a big supporting act, and even that only stretched to a listless play for Bart's affections. Every character does appear and most speak a few lines, although some fans will be disappointed popular characters like Krusty and Mr Burns are so neglected. In particular, nuclear power plant owner Mr Burns is a tailor-made big-screen baddie, so it's unfortunate he takes a backseat...

However, with something as cherished and dense as The Simpsons, a movie was always going to be a tricky proposition. For the most part, this succeeds in its aims, although it doesn't have the wow-factor and hit-rate you'd expect from the writing talent assembled.

It's a shame that, despite once leading the comedy herd, hundreds of Simpsons episodes have led to a decline in quality. So, while the long-awaited movie won't linger long in the memory, it's by far the best "episode" in years, and far from a disaster.


20th Century Fox
Budget: $75 million
87 minutes

BEST. SIMPSONS EPISODES. EVER. (Part 2 of 2)

So here it is, my personal Top 10...



10. MR. PLOW (Season 4, Episode 9
Writer: Jon Vitti
Homer buys a snow plow and starts a successful business, but faces competition from Barney, the Plow King...

Kent Brockman: Could this record-breaking heat wave be the result of the dreaded Greenhouse Effect? Well, if 70-degree days in the middle of winter are the "price" of car pollution, forgive me if I keep my old Pontiac.




9. ROSEBUD (Season 5, Episode 4)
Writer: John Swartzwelder
Mr Burns, yearning for his lost youth, searches for his childhood teddy bear, Bobo...

Smithers: Sir, look at all the wonderful things you have -- King Arthur's Excalibur... the only existing nude photo of Mark Twain... and that rare first draft of the Constitution with the word "suckers" in it.




8. TREEHOUSE OF HORROR VII (Season 8, Episode 1)
Writers: Ken Keeler, Dan Greaney & David X. Cohen
In the seventh Halloween special, Bart discovers he has an evil twin in the attic; Lisa creates a higher form of life; and aliens pose as Bill Clinton and Bob Dole.

Kang: "We have reached the limits of what anal probing can teach us!"




7. HOMER'S ENEMY (Season 8, Episode 23)
Writer: John Schwartzwelder
A new employee at the power plant, Frank Grimes, becomes bitter when he sees how successful an idiot like Homer can be...

Lisa: Can I go downstairs and see what Dad's doing?
Marge: I wouldn't bother him, honey. He's making some sort of model for a contest. He says it's really high-tech stuff that we wouldn't understand.
Homer: (opens basement door) Marge, do we have any elbow macaroni and glue-on sparkles?




6. HOMER THE GREAT (Season 6, Episode 12)
Writer: John Schwartzwelder
Homer becomes obsessed with joining a secret society, particularly after learning the perks members get...

Bart: What do they do there?
Homer: What don't they do? They do so many things, they never stop. Oh, the things they do there, my stars!
Lisa: You don't know what they do, do you, Dad?
Homer: Not as such, no.




5. HOMER THE HERETIC (Season 4, Episode 3)
Writer: George Meyer
Homer avoids going to church and becomes comfortable using Sunday mornings to lounge around, much to Ned Flanders' disappointment...

Insurance agent (to Homer, after the fire): "Any valuables in the house?"
Homer: "Well, the Picasso, my collection of classic cars..."
Insurance agent: "Sorry, this policy only covers actual losses, not made-up stuff."
Homer: "Well that's just great!"




4. LAST EXIT TO SPRINGFIELD (Season 4, Episode 17)
Writers: Wallace Wolodarsky & Jay Kogen
Homer becomes the power planet's union leader and becomes a tough negotiator, despite not knowing the first thing about the job...

Lisa: Do you really think you can get our dental plan back, dad?
Homer: Well, that depends on who's the better negotiator, Mr. Burns or me...
Bart: Dad, I'll trade you this delicious doorstop for your crummy old Danish.
Homer: Done and done!




3. YOU ONLY MOVE TWICE (Season 8, Episode 2)
Writer: John Schwartzwelder
Homer moves the family to a new town after he receives a better job offer, at a better nuclear power plant. But Homer is oblivious to the fact that his new boss is a Super Villain out to rule the world...

Homer: Mr. Scorpio says productivity is up 2%, and it's all because of my motivational techniques; like donuts, and the possibility of more donuts to come...




2. MARGE VS. THE MONORAIL (Season 4, Episode 12)
Writer: Conan O'Brien
A trickster arrives in Springfield and cons the citizens into buying a faulty monorail system...

Leonard Nimoy: A solar eclipse: the cosmic ballet goes on.
Man sitting next to Nimoy: Does anybody want to switch seats?




1. CAPE FEARE (Season 5, Episode 2)
Writer: Jon Vitti
Sideshow Bob escapes from prison and goes after Bart, forcing the Simpsons to enter a witness protection program...

Bart: Take him away, boys.
Chief Wiggum: Hey, I'm the chief here! Bake him away, toys.
Lou: What'd you say, chief?
Chief Wiggum: Do what the kid said.


In all honesty, I was debating whether or not to make this a Top 30 or 40, as there are still come classics missing from the list. But, there you have it! All of these episodes are worth watching again and again...

BEST. SIMPSONS EPISODES. EVER. (Part 1 of 2)

To celebrate the release of The Simpsons Movie last weekend, and the show's 400th episode, I thought I'd share my best Simpsons episodes with you!

Of course, The Simpsons started going downhill around season 8, so there are noticeably no entries from season 9 and onwards. I didn't do this intentionally to prove a point, either! That's just how it is.

So, without further ado, here's part 1 (#20 - #11):


20. BART'S INNER CHILD (Season 5, Episode 7)
Writer: George Meyer
The Simpsons attend a self-help seminar, where a lifestyle guru convinces Springfield that Bart is who everyone should model themselves on...

Troy McClure: Hi, I'm Troy McClure. You may remember me from such self-help videos as "Smoke Yourself Thin" and "Get Confident, Stupid."

Trivia: This episode marked the last appearance of Marvin Monroe until season 15 and Albert Brooks' third guest voice appearance as guru Brad Goodman.


19. FLAMING MOE'S (Season 3, Episode 10)
Writer: Robert Cohen
Homer invents a bizarre drink called a "Flaming Homer", but Moe steals his recipe and becomes an overnight sensation...

Mayor Quimby: Henceforth, this date shall forever be known as Flaming Moe's Day!
Advisor: Uh, sir, this is already Veterans' Day.
Mayor Quimby: It can be two things!

Trivia: This is the first time Lenny and Carl appear in Moe's Tavern.


18. RADIO BART (Season 3, Episode 13)
Writer: Jon Vitti
Bart uses a microphone to pretend a little boy has fallen down a well, leading to the entire town mobilizing to help…

Trivia: The producers originally wanted Bruce Springsteen to appear, but he refused and had Sting replace him. To this day, Springsteen is the one guest star the writers are still desperate to appear in an episode.


17. KAMP KRUSTY (Season 4, Episode 1)
Writer: David M. Stern
Bart and Lisa spend six weeks at Camp Krusty and discover the camp is not what it seems...

Bart: Well Dad, here's my report card. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Homer: A+!? You don't think much of me do you, boy?
Bart: No, sir.
Homer: You know a D turns into a B so easily. You just got greedy.

Trivia: The idea behind this episode was suggested as a possible movie idea by James L. Brooks.


16. HOMER GOES TO COLLEGE (Season 5, Episode 3)
Writer: Conan O'Brien
Homer is deemed under-qualified for his own job, so Mr Burns enrols him at Springfield University, where he befriends three nerds...

Gary: Oh, don't worry, Mr. Simpson, we can take care of ourselves.
Snake (jumps out): Uh, wallet inspector!
Benjamin (handing over his wallet): Oh, here you go. I believe that's all in order.
Snake: Wow, I can't believe that worked! (He runs away)
Homer: Hey, wait a minute… that's not the wallet inspector...

Trivia: This episode was intended to be the season 5 premiere, which would have made it the only premiere episode without a chalkboard gag in the opening credits.


15. $PRINGFIELD (OR, HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE LEGALIZED GAMBLING) (Season 5, Episode 10)
Writers: Josh Weinstein & Bill Oakley
Springfield gets its first casino, leading to widespread gambling problems...

Mr Burns: (holding a miniature wooden plane) Do you see this plane, Smithers? This is gonna help us to take the Spruce Goose, and take us outta here!
Smithers: Excellent model, sir.
Mr. Burns: Uh, model?

Trivia: The dollar sign in the title is a reference to 1978 TV series Vega$. The subtitle is a reference to Dr. Strangelove (Or, How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb).


14. HOMER BADMAN (Season 6, Episode 9)
Writer: Greg Daniels
Homer is wrongly accused of sexual harassment and faces harsh treatment by the media...

Homer: "Marge? Kids? Everything's going to be just fine. Now go upstairs and pack your bags. We're going to start a new life... under the sea!"

Trivia: Homer dancing under the sea is a parody of the "Under The Sea" dance in Disney's The Little Mermaid.


13. BART'S COMET (Season 6, Episode 14)
Writer: John Swartzwelder
Bart discovers a comet is headed directly for Springfield...

Kent Brockman: Over the years, a newsman learns a number of things that for one reason or another, he just cannot report. It doesn't seem to matter now, so… the following people are gay. (A list of names scrolls past very quickly.)

Trivia: Apu appears as yellow-skinned in the scene when the characters join Flanders on the hill!


12. LISA ON ICE (Season 6, Episode 8)
Writer: Mike Scully
Lisa is failing gym class, so she joins the pee-wee hockey league, and eventually faces competition from Bart's team...

Homer: Now that we’re all alone, Marge, admit it, you like Lisa best.
Marge: No.
Homer: Oh, so you’re a Bart-woman are you!
Marge: No.
Homer: Well you can’t possible like Maggie best. What has she ever done? Nothin’ for nobody!

Trivia: This episode marks the first time the criminal Snake appears in The Simpsons.


11. DEEP SPACE HOMER (Season 5, Episode 15)
Writer: David Mirkin
NASA recruits Homer into the space program to combat dwindling public ratings...

Reporter: Uh, question for the barbeque chef. Don't you think there is an inherent danger in sending under-qualified civilians into space?
Homer: I'll field this one. The only danger is if they send us to that terrible Planet of the Apes. Wait a minute... Statue of Liberty... that was our planet! You maniacs! You blew it up! Damn you! Damn you all to hell!

Trivia: NASA loved this episode and astronaut Edward Lu asked for a copy to be sent up to The International Space Station, where it remains for viewing today…


Tomorrow, my countdown continues from #10 - #1 (including video clips!)