Initially, the counseling helps. Buck starts playing better and Tabitha performs better. Then the misunderstandings start. Homer shares some chicken with Tabitha only to be interrupted by Buck who, obviously, misinterprets the situation. Buck blows up and Tabitha wants to leave Buck.
Homer, needing Buck to play better, plots a lie to make him think his marriage is working while Marge does the real work. The episode ends with everyone getting back together and being happy.
I don't know; the show has just lost a lot of its funny over the past few years. This episode was not all that funny. I can only think of two brief moments that were funny. The first was during Tabitha's opening number. Moe gets up and asks Buck how it feels to have a weird guy being turned on by his wife. The other funny was when the blimp crashes, the announcer speaks of it as a dirigible disaster, and a voice calls out "Too soon!" Outside of those two moments, this didn't do much for me.
Earlier this year I watched the first few seasons of the show again. Doing this really hit home just how much better those early years were. Those episodes were so much funnier than the workmanlike output that we have been getting. I can only hope it gets cancelled or it has a turn around in the funny department.
There's always next year.
Article comments
1 - anonymous
I agree that the quality of the Simpsons has declined over the past 5-6 seasons, but it still consistently entertains me. I'm confused by some of the comments in this piece. If the show should have ceased after the sixth season, why has it been in the author's viewing rotation for the last 11 seasons? Obviously, it is not as weak as he purports. Also, who can possibly think that seasons 1-3 were stronger than seasons 7-10? Sure, the plot lines made more sense, but who watches the Simpsons for a strong plot line? I watch the Simpsons for one reason: to laugh, and it makes me laugh because of its irreverent, referential humor, which I believe didn't fully develop until season four, with episodes featuring the musical Streetcar! and, of course, Lyle Lanley. Jesus Christ, I can't believe I'm ranting about the Simpsons. I'm truly a pathetic dork.
2 - Chris Beaumont
It hasn't always been in my rotation. There have been a few seasons that I only watched a handful, at most, of episodes from. Also I said it peaked around 6, shows rarely get cancelled at their peak, but somewhere during the decline. I cannot commen on 7-10 at the moment, as I have not seen them in some time, but the first 5 seasons, which is what I watched, are infinitely better than anything over, at least, the past 2 or 3 seasons.
3 - Matt B.
Chris,
I respect your opinion, but I whole-heartedly disagree with it. I do agree that the new episodes are no where near the quality of the early ones, but that's only because the earlier ones are perfect. You can't top perfection and we all need to know that. We can't watch these new episodes and expect the old ones, nothing will ever be as good as they were, but oh well. The new episodes still make me laugh. I was like you for a while and stopped watching the new episodes about 4-5 years ago. However, I'd still watch an episode here or there, but wasn't impressed. That is, until last year. To me, last year was a turning point for the show. I started watching the episodes regulalrly, once again, and was consistantly entertained. I laughed out loud again and my love for the show was rebuilt. This season, like last, has given me little reason to complain. I get on the internet every monday to get the common consensus of the last night's episode and I've found that every week, a host of people feel like the episode they'd just watched the night before was the best in years. The show is clearly on its way back up. It's much funnier than it was 4-5 seasons ago and, believe it or not, the plotlines are a bit better as well. Sure, they're not as good as the early episodes, but it's still a step in the right direction.