[saganus]

There's a very interesting YouTube video that has a bit more of an explanation on why The Simpsons had a decline.

I liked how they analyze the show and IMO it does a great job explaining why lots of people loved the show up until season 9-10.

Personally I think I enjoyed up to season 12 or so, but definitely after 10 I noticed the shift in style/quality/whathaveyou.

Could never put it into words why it felt like that, until I watched this. [0]

[0] https://youtu.be/KqFNbCcyFkk

[ashrk]

See also: Dead Homer Society, if you prefer reading.

https://deadhomersociety.com/zombiesimpsons/

Pretty compelling argument for the end of the golden age being season 9, maybe 11 or 12 if you're being very generous, including analysis of writer and other personnel changes, and an attempt at explaining what exactly is different about the earlier seasons compared with the later ones.

Seems like the video's making similar points.

[saganus]

Actually, while re-watching the video, I realized that they reference the Dead Homer Society in minute 16:03!

[saganus]

I wasn't aware of this.

Very cool!

[lordnacho]

Just watched this, thanks. My summary:

1) Staff turnover roughly around season 8 caused the writing to change. Jokes got simpler, not as much about the characters' invariants (for lack of a better term).

2) The show was originally successful because it parodied the sitcom era of the mid 1980s. That changed so the context disappeared.

[saganus]

I think your summary is correct, although I would add to point 2 (or a third point) about the complex nature of the jokes.

They weren't just one liners but instead would build up gradually.

That's what I like about this analysis, it got me to understand something that I somehow felt but had no idea that it was actually happening.