10 Exact Moments The Simpsons Stopped Trying
It's strange to think The Simpsons used to be good after watching these episodes.
For years and years, The Simpsons was one of the greatest shows TV had to offer. The Golden Years are still looked back on as some of the best ever animated television, but those days are long behind Matt Groening and co.
There are very few shows that could last for 30-plus seasons and keep their standards as high as they always were, but the fall from grace of the Springfield family is legendary. The gulf in class between its highest points and its lowest points is nothing short of astronomical.
It's difficult to tell exactly when the show began its downfall, though most agree that as early as season nine the show's best days were in the past. Since then it has seemingly gotten worse and worse, however there are some moments that stand out far more than others.
There are certain episodes, stretching back even as early as season four, where it's clear the writers had simply given up. From poorly thought out stories, to selling out for sex appeal, these moments are some of the best examples of the once loved show at its absolute worst.
10. Kill The Alligator And Run
The Simpsons have traveled all across the world throughout their time on TV, and in season 11, they journeyed to Florida. After Homer found himself plagued by crippling insomnia, the family headed to the Sunshine State for him to get some well needed rest.
However, what followed was one of the least thought out episodes ever, having no real story. It just seemed to jump from one random situation to the next, from insomnia to Spring Break and a poor Kid Rock cameo, to killing an alligator to helping host a posh party.
As soon as the family arrived in Florida, Homer's insomnia was almost instantly forgotten about, with the second half of the episode never even referencing it again. A good Simpsons story always has the ability to tie everything from the episode together, but this just wasn't thought through well enough.
Simply put, this wasn't a good episode, and even though the general quality of the show had declined by season 11, there was still some good writing and solid episodes to be seen. Just not in Florida.