REVIEWS: "24 Minutes" & "You Kent Always Say What You Want"

Topic: The Matrix...It's like it's from another millennium

Users: @SuzyQ

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[Stretch Dude]

Wow... Just...wow. Two great episodes in a row.

24 Minutes:

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Man, I don't even watch "24" and I found this episode hilarious. Much like "Springfield Up," deviating from the normal format seems to have helped a LOT. All the different stuff going on at once was just...wow. And it was so funny. The "Previously on..." bit, Homer and Milhouse's Dumpster ride, Bart stealing Skinner's car, Marge beating up Helen, the bits with Jack Bauer... It was all so much!

This and "Springfield Up" are definitely my two "YOU MUST SEE THIS" episodes of the season.

You Kent Always Say What You Want:

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Another good one, and a terrific jab at the media nowadays. This episode goes back to the standard format, but it still works. The first act does little but set up the main story, but the jokes are quite good. (The Skinner scene...classic Bart.) Then the story starts, and it just keeps going. Flanders' fanaticism, Arnie Pye getting his revenge, Krusty attempting to "voice" I&S...gold. Third act: Also good! Kent's webcam rant was absolutely wonderful. And the jab at how many characters have stayed with the Simpsons was good, but Homer's line ("Apu sang a song. What are you gonna do?!") made it great. Plus we got a return cameo by Birch Barlow, the Springfield Republican Party, and Fox-bashing. Evil is always fun. And the ending...oh, how I laughed.

Also: I loved how they used an Ullman-era short as the intro/couch gag. Nice touch.

Great way to end the season, I must say. Now to sit back and wait for the movie. ("This film has not yet been rated. Or finished.")

[gkscotty]

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Well, I took a look. I definietly enjoyed the 24 one, even though I've never seen the show. Not a great story but plenty of funny moments and nothing horrible. B+

The Kent story was OK, but suffered from the whole dentist first plot. It took way too long to get to the point of the episode. (even though Marge's dash was very entertaining) Pretty much all the stuff at the dentists could have been skimmed over. Some more meat on Kent's firing and protest would have made it much better. (Did definietly appreciate the Good Night and Good Luck reference though. B-

[Officer 1BDI]

I thought "24 Minutes" was the best episode I've seen in ages.  I haven't laughed that hard at a Simpsons episode since season 9, and I've never seen more than half of an episode of 24.  This should have been the 400th episode, IMO.

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Did anyone catch the "swear word" that Skinner told Bart?  He said it later in the episode at Jimbo's house, and I could have sworn it was "beach ball," but Skinner claimed it was only a swear if used as a noun, and "beach ball" is a noun by default.

Or maybe that's just part of the joke and I'm reading too much into this.

"You Kent Always Say What You Want": It's certainly one of the better episodes from this season, but I think parts of the dentist scene should have been sacrificed for the main plot; I felt like the episode, or at least Kent's plot, ended too early and abruptly.

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I admit: the Tracy Ullman beginning made me melt with nostalgia (even though I was still in diapers when those were airing 20 years ago); I'm so glad they used that to introduce this episode.  The ending was rather obvious, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.  I thought the anti-FOX/anti-Conservative media message was rather biased, even though I agree with much of what they were trying to say.  If they want to make a point, fine, but they shouldn't have to shove it down our throats in the process.

[Lisabella]

BOTH of these episodes were positively delicious: "24 Minutes" was a dead-on parody of "24"

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They even mocked Jack's tendancies to use heavy force to get information by having Bart wedgie his way into the stinkbomb information.  Martin as a mole was about perfect, as he's always been searching for popularity.  Marge trying to bake a cake and one misshap after another preventing

However, I thought the Homer/Milhouse in a runaway dumpster part was a little precious.

Great use of the extended cast.  My favorite moment was probably Skinner's "swear word" and Bart's delighted reaction to it, and Skinner explaining it's only a curseword if it was a noun.

Never, never prank phone Jack Bauer, people!

General grade: B+

"You Kent Always Say What You Want" was a refreshing change of pace from last week's ep as well:

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The cold open using the first-ever Simpsons sketch from Tracy Ullman was beautiful - I actually wish they'd saved that for the final episode, whenever it happens, because it would've been perfect for "look how far we've come!" nostalgia sniffling.

Marge's run across Springfield just to get there in time to say hello to the kids was lovely.

My ABSOLUTE FAVORITE MOMENT THIS SEASON had to be Krusty's dull-voiced rendition of the dialouge in the Itchy and Scratchy cartoon.  Also wonderful was the kids hearing the word and Bart spelling it out on an etch-a-sketch, then his and Marge's panicked reactions when they couldn't get rid of it fast enough.

I liked having a Kent-centric episode, loved how he ended up getting suspended from the airwaves AND the callback to how many people have stayed with the Simpsons over the years.

The dentist stuff felt far too overlong and unecessary.

Rating: A-

[Meghan]

 I can't believe I missed 24 minutes, now I have to to go on YouTube to catch up on it....

 But the other episode I saw and it was hilarious espically When Rod and Todd told Ned that "Daddy, I think its time for you to get a new mommy" when he was on a message board promoting fanatical censorship. LOL!

[sabrina_diamond]

Jack Bauer was hilarious and I loved the whole dramatic edge the episode took... hey, they even replaced the couch gag with 'Previously on 24... I mean the Simpsons)! now that was cool! Although... why does Marge seem to have a new rivary with Helen Lovejoy recently in this season. A decent and hilarous parody of 24 (and I don't even watch that show.)

Now, If only they did Heroes