REVIEW: Mona Leaves-a

Topic: Sometimes the voices tell me to change the topic.

Users: @SuzyQ

irc.simpworks.com

[Stretch Dude]

Spoiler (hover to show)

They...partially pulled it off!

The first act was great. Bart working Homer into a rage was hysterical. Homer's reaction to Mona's return felt just a bit forced, but still made sense. And the act break...jeez, emotional sucker-punch.

The second act continued well. I liked the little continuity nod with Seth and Munchie there. The bit with Flanders and Apu was pretty funny.

There was no third act, and don't you dare try to tell me otherwise.

Not quite brilliant, but all in all a wonderful (if strangely short) send-off.

[Officer 1BDI]

...Hoah boy.

I will admit to feeling some semblance of an emotional tug at this point:

Spoiler (hover to show)

When Homer shook Mona and her head lolled forward, and then the camera cut to the overhead house shot and all you can hear is him asking "Mom?" in that shaky voice....

But overall, I didn't like it.  There were too many little things that bugged me, too many things I wish they'd done, period; or wish they'd done instead; or wish they'd done away with.  Some things felt very tasteless to me

Spoiler (hover to show)

Abe's sentiment that he no longer wanted to dance on Mona's grave was overshadowed by those damned tap shoes, Bart's "reassurance" to Homer that Mona thought he wasn't that much of a jerkass, implying that she still thought he was such (I can't remember exactly what was said there), the entire family basically disregarding the climb up the mountain to spread Mona's ashes at various points, Lisa stealing her earrings because she wasn't satisfied with inheriting "her rebellious spirit", etc., etc., etc.

  The entire third act was just... ugh.  I would have vastly preferred that they sacrificed it in exchange for some more scenes with Mona and the family.  I was looking so forward to seeing her (re)develop a relationship with Lisa, who sees her as one of the few people she can relate to, and they completely dropped the ball there.

Spoiler (hover to show)

In fact, that's one of the things that bugged me the most about the episode: the lack of interaction between Mona and everyone before her death.  She doesn't explain her sudden change of heart and why she decided to return to her son (and her "I gave up my hippy lifestyle" excuse becomes moot in the 3rd act), and what little interactions she had with Homer didn't feel adequate enough to explain the tension that built up between them.  It all felt too quick to me, and given that they used that extended couch opening (which, granted, is one of my favorites in the history of the show) and several flashbacks in the montage at the end, I don't think the writers can fall back on "we didn't have the time to properly develop that sort of thing." 

Oh, and nevermind that Mona used Homer to allow her to do the very thing that she promised him she was done getting involved with.  Nevermind that it was the source of the tension between them to begin with.  Bravo, staff, I actually lost respect for Mona.

About the ONLY thing I enjoyed from this episode was the Lenny and Carl cell phone joke.

And Glenn Close... I was sure they'd just gotten a different VA for Mona until I saw the credits because she sounds so different from "Mother Simpson" (and I assume "My Mother the Carjacker," since I don't remember it being so off when I saw that episode).  I love her as Homer's mum but she was almost unrecognizable here.  I'm not sure what happened....

Someone tell me when they bring Herb Powell back so I know in advance to avoid that trainwreck.

[A Spy in Mancunia]

Sounds awful.

Spoiler (hover to show)

She is dead, then? It is as I feared.

[gkscotty]

Spoiler (hover to show)

Not seen the ep, but by the sound of it Mona used Homer to fake her own death. Amirite?

[Crimson Light Blue Heat]

Spoiler (hover to show)

It would be hard to say why and how without giving up a major plot point, but it's very, very unlikely that she faked her own death.

Spoiler (hover to show)

There is, however, the uncomfortable question of whether she committed suicide.  While I don't think that's what they want most people, especially kids, to think, I believe they left that answer deliberately vague.

Spoiler (hover to show)

EDIT:

[gkscotty]

This is why Steve should be forced to preview his posts.

[Lisabella]

Spoiler (hover to show)

I've got mixed emotions about this one - I'll have my feelings sorted out by Wednesday.  I am, however, glad I'm not alone in having gotten the impression Mona may have committed suicide.  That would have been touching had it been addressed as such (Mona had a free spirit, she didn't want to be chained up to conformity, etc.), but the way they did it smacked of her jerking Homer around to accomplish one last protest mission.  I don't like that.

ETA: And is it me, or the Homer Mona left in the new flashbacks seem older than the Homer she left in "Mother Simpson"?

Non-spoilery note: The episode got a 6.2 in the ratings.  A SIX POINT TWO.  That's the worst rating for a new Simpsons ever.  In the history of the show.  So either people simply aren't watching The Simpsons unless there's a new Family Guy coming on later in the night, or the entire animation block is crashing.

[Officer 1BDI]

Spoiler (hover to show)

I didn't get the impression that she killed herself (it seems really cold of her to do so in her son's living room right after he said those things to her, almost like petty revenge), but I can't disregard it, either.  I did come out of the first act with a very strong "she knows she's going to die soon" feeling.  I was fully expecting them to reveal she had terminal cancer or something along those lines to explain why she really came back to see Homer again ('Hey, maybe that's the reason her voice changed!'), especially when she looked so wistful after saying that Homer needed more time.  When they didn't reveal what she died from, I felt cheated.

And I definitely thought Homer looked older in the "new" flashbacks.  His hair changed color, too, something that was blatantly obvious in the montage.

[Lord Kingsley]

I must see this.  I've always wanted to see OFF do a "Very Special Episode."  And it sounds very love-it-or-hate-it, as most of OFF seems to be these days.  BUT the apartment complex I live in got rid of the TV Room.  D'oh.  D'oh, I say!

[A Spy in Mancunia]

Homer looks older in the new flashbacks? But that's entirely against the stupid way they normally handle time differences!

[D.B.]

I must see this.  I've always wanted to see OFF do a "Very Special Episode."

Non-spoilery note: The episode got a 6.2 in the ratings.  A SIX POINT TWO.  That's the worst rating for a new Simpsons ever.  In the history of the show. 

  : "Now, when you say special..."

[Lisabella]

I must see this.  I've always wanted to see OFF do a "Very Special Episode." 

Spoiler (hover to show)

Unfortunately, it isn't even much of a "very special episode".  No one learns any lessons, no big public service announcements - just Mona dying in an unexplained way (possibly on purpose) and a big ol' James Bond Parody.

...Okay, I admit that last part makes it extra-nifty, not that the show hasn't parodied Bond before...