The Simpsons - Clown in The Dumps - Review: "A Broken Clown"

Please note: I will not be doing weekly reviews of the show , only occasional ones for specials , crossovers etc.

In the milestone 26th season opener of THE SIMPSONS, the unthinkable happens: a Springfield resident dies!

This is the first episode of The Simpsons I have seen in months , I don't watch it regularly as I have fallen out of love with it since like season 17. I have to say though you got to love the Simpsons intro , the intros they provide are much better than Family Guys and American Dad. They are always different and unique to the episode. This intro for the premiere was the best one I have seen, especially the part where Homer was a jellyfish and bart some form of ... well I don't quite know what he was.

The episode has a fitting title as Krusty was literally down in the dumps. He is on a show called "Roast Krusty the clown" They are slating him , saying he is past his prime and unfunny. He eventually has had enough of them all laughing at him and ups and leaves the show. Krusty soon after goes to visit his Dad to get some advice. He asks him if he thinks he is funny. His dad doesn't say much and when he is about to say something that seemed meaningful to Krusty , he dies. "He didnt even live to see me become successful". I have to say I was a little sad when he died , I did expect it to be someone more "Big" on the show though after all the hype over the imminent death on the premiere. From what I have seen of his dad though , I did like he made me laugh on a couple of occasions with his whole Jewish culture and his own ways of life.

He was a well rounded character which I would have liked to have seen more of. In particular the episode "Like father like clown" where after many years of silence between the two they reconciled and put aside their differences. His father accepted that there was a place for entertainers in Jewish culture. An Emmy well earned for the actor Jackie Mason for his portrayal in that episode.
To cut a long story short , Krusty retires from his show he has been doing for 50 years, after nobody finds him funny anymore. Not even he can bare himself to laugh at his own jokes. He binge watches his shows which lead onto more depression for him, he literally drinks himself to death. He was practically dead for so many minutes. He got revived after visiting Jewish heaven for the second time. He then felt accomplished and whole again as he sat in a Jewish temple and listened to another Rabbi say his jokes , which meant his father respected him.

Favorite Moments

When Lisa was in the back yard with Homer , She wraps him in bubble wrap to protect him so he doesn't end up dead. He says "I could last till I'm 100 or get him by a bus tomorrow , that's why I don't plan more than 4 seconds ahead" I couldn't stop laughing at that as a bus then hit him. Plus he looked so funny wrapped in bubble wrap. I love how The Simpsons always makes every scene funny with just the smallest of gags.

When Krusty and Bart are in the temple. He hears a Rabbi , his father's favorite I should add, tell some jokes. Turns out they were Krusty's jokes. Krusty felt whole again as he knew his father must of loved his jokes. What was funny when Bart says "I suppose , he must of just hated your delivery". Way to hit a clown while he was just on the mend and on a high. I do love the Simpsons one liners. They always make me chuckle.

When Krusty at the end thinks off the proper Jewish heaven where his father respects him. They start singing and you see what I believe is Noah which is funny because I wanted to see him as Noah 5 minutes ago in the other Jewish heaven. It was a great end to a great episode! Bring on another musical episode I say!

Favorite episode quotes

"I threw up watching you"

"He's not a rabbi , he's a flabi"

"Put your hands together for the man who is falling apart , krusty the clown"

"I have learned that all religions are equally boring"

"Who's a hooker? , with me it's easiest to say which ones aren't hookers"

There you have it folks , the season premiere of The Simpsons. What did you think of it? What were your favorite moments?

Check back on Halloween for my Halloween Special Review of the Simpsons!