[5.8/10 on a post-classic Simpsons scale] The first two-thirds of this one aren’t bad. I’m not saying the episode’s riffs on teacher talent shows, or car salesman, or road rage are the most well-observed bits of social commentary the series has ever deployed, but it’s all pleasant enough, if not necessarily a laugh riot.
But then, in the third act, the episode falls off a dang cliff. Almost the entire final third of the episode involves Homer, Bart, and Lisa being attacked by a herd of runaway rhinos, which Marge has to defeat using her SUV and road rage skills, aided by the local zoo’s pale Steve Irwin knockoff. It is beyond Loony Tunes, verging into dumb 80s action cartoon shtick. And then rather than any real closure or conclusion, the whole rigamarol ends with a pitch for NBC and then the implication that Homer gets shot and killed over the credits. What unmitigated garbage. Those last seven minutes take a decent-if-not great episode and bring into something that will leave you with your face in your hands.
That, admittedly, makes it a tough episode to grade. There’s still good to be had here in the first couple of acts. Skinner’s terrible emceeing of the teacher talent show is worth a laugh. Homer being swindled by a car salesman and then blanching over something ridiculous like the fact that he bought a “girl’s car” has some solid bits in it. And I even like the premise of timid Marge finding a new confidence thanks to her new ride that spins over into road rage when it goes too far. The anger management class is, again, not as good as similar support group and educational training gags the show has done before, but contains its own chuckles.
Still, Homer is abysmal in this one: shoving Marge out of the way so he can snack on the drive home, hotwiring her car, and just generally being a jerk. Wiggum’s not great her either, going beyond incompetence into just ridiculous stupidity. And then all you’re left with is the garbage fire that is the last act.
Overall, you should probably just turn this one off after the first fifteen minutes. You’d end up with a watchable, if not overwhelming bit of Simpsons fun, and avoid the dumb, rhino-themed dumpster clump that comes after.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2019-06-06T02:20:15Z
[5.8/10 on a post-classic Simpsons scale] The first two-thirds of this one aren’t bad. I’m not saying the episode’s riffs on teacher talent shows, or car salesman, or road rage are the most well-observed bits of social commentary the series has ever deployed, but it’s all pleasant enough, if not necessarily a laugh riot.
But then, in the third act, the episode falls off a dang cliff. Almost the entire final third of the episode involves Homer, Bart, and Lisa being attacked by a herd of runaway rhinos, which Marge has to defeat using her SUV and road rage skills, aided by the local zoo’s pale Steve Irwin knockoff. It is beyond Loony Tunes, verging into dumb 80s action cartoon shtick. And then rather than any real closure or conclusion, the whole rigamarol ends with a pitch for NBC and then the implication that Homer gets shot and killed over the credits. What unmitigated garbage. Those last seven minutes take a decent-if-not great episode and bring into something that will leave you with your face in your hands.
That, admittedly, makes it a tough episode to grade. There’s still good to be had here in the first couple of acts. Skinner’s terrible emceeing of the teacher talent show is worth a laugh. Homer being swindled by a car salesman and then blanching over something ridiculous like the fact that he bought a “girl’s car” has some solid bits in it. And I even like the premise of timid Marge finding a new confidence thanks to her new ride that spins over into road rage when it goes too far. The anger management class is, again, not as good as similar support group and educational training gags the show has done before, but contains its own chuckles.
Still, Homer is abysmal in this one: shoving Marge out of the way so he can snack on the drive home, hotwiring her car, and just generally being a jerk. Wiggum’s not great her either, going beyond incompetence into just ridiculous stupidity. And then all you’re left with is the garbage fire that is the last act.
Overall, you should probably just turn this one off after the first fifteen minutes. You’d end up with a watchable, if not overwhelming bit of Simpsons fun, and avoid the dumb, rhino-themed dumpster clump that comes after.