Behind the Laughter

Yes, this episode is completely out of canon, but it's also a very funny episode, that pokes fun not only at Hollywood and celebrity culture,but at 'The Simpson's' itself.

There's loads of great lines and visual gags, with the writers I think enjoying writing for the characters in a slightly different way.

In a series of not so great episodes this is a reminder that when it is at the top of its game 'The Simpsons' can still be great.

This episode should have been the last of the show, a great best of that could have been a unbelievable ending

Although I watched a lot of The Simpsons when it came to the UK, I think around this time in the run was when I lost touch, since in this period of rewatching the series, it was now that I found myself watching the majority of the episodes for the first time. This chance was, if I recall, because I lost Sky (or the show moved to Sky from Channel 4 – I don't remember), and I just never watched it again due to it not being accessible. Having watched the eleventh season now, I do think that there was an element of good fortune to this, because by far the most memorable aspect of this season is how far and how fast it falls from the quality of the seasons before. I had of course read of the decline of the show, but I had assumed it would occur nearer season 20, not so close to the glory days I remembered – but here it was.

There are still some laughs, but generally the plots are silly and do not have the charm or wit needed to sell them in the way the show at its best did. Many feel lazy and really lacking in the level of crafting and finesse that they should have. I'm not meaning to ignore everything that has gone before because, like the last episode of this season highlights, the show has never had the most realistic plots – in particular putting Homer through a lot of punishment; however this season is different as there is not that strong foundation of smartness, character, charm, and wit. It is hard to describe, but having watched these first eleven seasons in a comparatively short period, I was really surprised by just how jarring the drop in comparative quality was here. Needless to say the animation remains very good, and the voice cast have their usual great timing and delivery, but the material is really below the show's high standard and it is this that does it in.

The reason I started watching through the seasons from the first one, was mainly to catch up on a show I stopped watching around season 10. This eleventh season made me consider whether I should just call it a day at this point and, although I will continue and give it a chance, it was surprising to see the drop-off.

Behind the Laughter is one of my all-time favorite episodes of The Simpsons. It's a brilliant parody that completely shatters the fourth wall, reframing The Simpsons as a fictional, staged show with a cast of real actors. The episode is presented like it's a behind the scenes VH1 special, complete with all the drama. It's a completely over the top episode, but incredibly hilarious and clever. The episode is a parody-commentary on the celebrity self aware culture itself.

The humor within the episode is elevated by its commitment to the parody, with absurd "real-life" conflicts like Homer's addiction to painkillers and the family's eventual breakup, all narrated with a serious, dramatic tone. The appearance of special guest Willie Nelson, who gets involved in their reconciliation, is a perfect, absurd touch that makes it even funnier. The way it lampoons the very idea of a behind-the-scenes celebrity special is what makes it so memorable.