The Song Fight Bulletin Board

By the way, I've always wondered if anyone possibly agrees with me that Futurama is better than the Simpsons. I can't help but think it's so.

I would say, I prefered it personally, but it wasn't as good, in terms of this discussion, because it didn't speak to as many people on a personal level.

I am Dr Zoidberg.

j$

j$ wrote:...after Trapper John left MASH [it] became ... maudlin crap.

Ah. I've only watched the earlier stuff.

j$ wrote:I mean really - think about what you're saying: which is funnier, the entire run of The Simpsons (to date) or the entire run of MASH?

Well, J$, as I said I've only watched a bit, so I can't make any claims about "the entire run" of MASH. What I have seen has been much better (and funnier) than your average Simpsons episode. If a Simpsons episode I haven't seen is on at the same time as a MASH episode I haven't seen, I'll switch to MASH without hesitation.

i think it's tough to judge MASH in it's context today as opposed to when it was running in prime time. i'm old enough to remember, and it was a force on TV. I don't watch the reruns, mostly as i've seen them all before and the show itself is dated in the way that say the mary tyler moore show, or all in the family are dated. but there are some brilliant episodes of MASH, and that what makes it a great series in the history of TV.

the simpsons never grow old. bart, lisa, and maggie never grow up. still the writers keep things fresh and topical by focusing on current events and pop culture. still it's like comparing apples and oranges to compare a cartoon to real actors, in terms of longevity. MASH did suffer as the actors left and were replaced but that happens to all good shows really.....ER is a good current example, or the west wing (with alan alda!). The simpsons will only suffer when the writing suffers.

Simpsons does seem to be turning just generally bizarre more often than they used to... dunno if that means anything, but there are definitely more points in it lately where I say, "huh?"
I enjoyed MASH... haven't seen it in ages, though. Used to watch it with my grandma.
-bill

j$ wrote:There are none after Trapper John left MASH.

Totally agreed. This comes up time to time, all of these cast changes coming around the same time (with some overlapping going on: )

*Trapper John being replaced by a totally vanilla B J Honeycut, who even made Hawkeye Pierce less funny.

*Laugh-a-minute Col Henry Blake being replaced by Col Potter who was only good for one-line expletives (Horse-Hockey!) Also - they killed off Blake in a helicopter crash (there weren't no survivors) after he was replaced which I thought was unnecessary.

*A very funny Frank Burns being replaced by a very unfunny & monotone Charles Emerson Winchester III. I guess Charles had his moments but Frank & the pranks played on him could not be replaced.

*Radar O'Reilly being replaced by Max Klinger, this ones a wash.