I re-read parts of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and found it fun to see the differences between it and later books, both stylistic (there's a bit - beyond the first chapter - that is not told from from Harry's perspective; the structure is much more episodic in the middle) and especially in tone. It's much…

Well, of course "stinker" is relative when talking about Golden Age Simpsons (even the worst episode is like, a B?). From memory, that one has some of the more annoying Homer characterizations of the earlier seasons and that painfully on-the-nose meta gag at the end that feels like it's from season 20 or something.…

I just remembered that "inanimate carbon rod" was translated as "seelenloser Stahlbolzen", which is actually a little more ridiculous and thus funnier (seelenlos = soulless).

At least "Santa Claus" keeps the joke being about Homer's childishness. In the German version he talked about Claudia Schiffer, uuurgh. And Tim Taylor was voiced by a woman for some reason.

I'd consider a few seasons better overall, but for sheer joke density the heights of season 5 can't be beaten.

Mirkin's decision to remove all of the threatening aspects of Burns' character and just make him completely insane eventually led to that character's downfall, but it was worth it just for the hilarity of this line and the jade monkey one.

That was definitely intentional. Clinton had a reputation as a horndog long before Paula/Monica, didn't he?

The moment when he dials again at the end might make it the very best one.

I think the VP lends himself better to fictional portrayals because he's in such a high-ranking position without actually having much to do. 95% of his job description is literally "be ready for when the President dies", so there's something inherently mysterious and possibly sinister about that office, and it's…

Aw. I thought we could add another fail to the list of the other Michelle Williams. #poormichelle

Arrietty wasn't eligible for the Oscars.

Second half of the album seems much better than the first on first listen.

Why are all the songs so long?

The film wasn't terrible - some good jokes, some nice pathos, about the best you could've hoped a post-classic era Simpsons film to be - but it felt so generic and focus-grouped. Somebody on Nohomers I think nailed it who wrote something like: I don't understand why they wanted to make a movie for people who've never…

Yes. But with how the season began, it wasn't unreasonable to think it might actually go somewhere. As I said I just don't get why Oliver is being attacked so harshly on this.

First, I don't get why this makes you so angry.

I don't really know why Oliver gets so much shit for this, considering the show was very much hinting at that being a possible development with the Stuart stuff earlier in the season (even upgrading Kevin Sussman to regular). People treat him as if he pulled the possibility of Raj being gay and in denial out of thin…

I thought that was already the case with the first, actually. For a comedy, that film is so weirdly free of jokes. There's just lots of randomness that is presented as funny, somehow, but without any actual humor to back it up.

Not to mention the legal difference (14 would be the age of consent in Germany, for example).

Wow, I just had a flashback: while this pilot was airing I slipped on the rug in my room and badly twisted my ankle. I totally remember how I rolled around on the floor in pain while the two main characters were chatting in the coffeehouse. That probably was the reason why I didn't start watching it regularly.