[8.3/10 on a post-classic Simpsons scale] A good episode! I enjoyed the timeliness of this one, something The Simpsons has had trouble hitting in recent years. This one tackles automation and the changing economy from a lot of different angles, managing to build to a solid punchline and some nice observations throughout.
It’s also...kind of weird? I don’t mind that though. The show’s been on for more than three decades. Finding strange or different places to go is almost mandatory. The odd, indie movie vibe to The Sea Captain’s story that opened the episode was definitely out of the ordinary, but I kind of liked that about it. And the town nigh-instantly building a futuristic school that gets burned down, thereby restorying the status quo, by the episode’s end, is a little far fetched, but works within the context of the episode.
The premise is solid too. Lisa enjoying the fruits of a STEM-focused education, while worrying that her less-gifted peers are being trained to be nothing more than pawns in the gig economy is a good conflict. By the same token, making Bart enjoy his new schooling thanks to the gamification of his classes and tasks (and skins!) creates a natural inflection point between the two.
Along the way, there’s good pointed and funny observations about what that new economy would mean, from gags about algorithms, to star-rating app jokes, to DJ sessions. It’s not the most novel take in the world, and the “elder care” punchline is a little easy, but it’s all solid and entertaining along the way. (And Zach Woods is a good guest voice actor to boot).
I also enjoyed the B-story about Homer fearing automation and trying to “John Henry” his way past a Remix soda machine. It gets a little goofy in places, but I liked Homer’s misaimed crusade, and the tag about a future where soda machines rule the earth is a fun button to put on things.
Overall, this is one of the better outings this season, with a salient and funny take on a current issue.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2020-02-19T20:33:19Z
[8.3/10 on a post-classic Simpsons scale] A good episode! I enjoyed the timeliness of this one, something The Simpsons has had trouble hitting in recent years. This one tackles automation and the changing economy from a lot of different angles, managing to build to a solid punchline and some nice observations throughout.
It’s also...kind of weird? I don’t mind that though. The show’s been on for more than three decades. Finding strange or different places to go is almost mandatory. The odd, indie movie vibe to The Sea Captain’s story that opened the episode was definitely out of the ordinary, but I kind of liked that about it. And the town nigh-instantly building a futuristic school that gets burned down, thereby restorying the status quo, by the episode’s end, is a little far fetched, but works within the context of the episode.
The premise is solid too. Lisa enjoying the fruits of a STEM-focused education, while worrying that her less-gifted peers are being trained to be nothing more than pawns in the gig economy is a good conflict. By the same token, making Bart enjoy his new schooling thanks to the gamification of his classes and tasks (and skins!) creates a natural inflection point between the two.
Along the way, there’s good pointed and funny observations about what that new economy would mean, from gags about algorithms, to star-rating app jokes, to DJ sessions. It’s not the most novel take in the world, and the “elder care” punchline is a little easy, but it’s all solid and entertaining along the way. (And Zach Woods is a good guest voice actor to boot).
I also enjoyed the B-story about Homer fearing automation and trying to “John Henry” his way past a Remix soda machine. It gets a little goofy in places, but I liked Homer’s misaimed crusade, and the tag about a future where soda machines rule the earth is a fun button to put on things.
Overall, this is one of the better outings this season, with a salient and funny take on a current issue.