Today in class, we watched two different episodes of the longest-running prime-time show in American TV history: The Simpsons.
The first episode, "Stark Raving Dad," was from Season 3. It includes parodies of famous American films One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Silence of the Lambs, and Rain Man, as well as many references to celebrities and cultural phenomena such as Michael Jackson. The second episode, "The Springfield Files," is from Season 8. It includes parodies of and/or references to the movies Psycho and Waterworld, a Budweiser frogs Superbowl commercial from 1995, the Nintendo video game Donkey Kong, Leonard Nimoy/ the Star Trek series, the TV show Family Matters, and, of course, The X-Files.
Using the 'Comment' function on this post, please write a complete paragraph (introduction/topic sentence, supporting sentences, conclusion sentence) that answers the following questions:
1. Which of these two episodes did you think was funnier? Why?
2. What are some examples of American culture you can see in this TV show? What did you learn about American culture while watching these episodes?
You will need to post your comments before class on Friday, March 4. We have at least one more TV show episode to watch, and lots to catch up on/review before the MIDTERM*, so please come prepared and ready to work hard and (hopefully also) learn a lot!
* The midterm exam will take place in class on Monday, March 14.
i prefer the first episode, "Stark Racing Dad." i think it is touch me. it makes me laugh because i felt happy when i watched it. such as the man who names Michael Jackson. he likes to help people, he is nice. also, he is funny. at the end of the episode, his voice was different because it was his real voice, and Bart prepares gift to Lisa for her 8 years old birth.we can see many american culture in the tv shows. like Michael Jackson, his "mook walk ", the life style that american are living-simple, commen, and they can do anything they want.
ReplyDeletei like the second episode, "The Springfield Files," it is funny because Homer is silly and it reference to some tv programme. such as when he sees ghost in the forest, he run away. the trace that he run is the word "yahhh" .he looks so stupid. there are many american culture in this tv show, including it shows american family, job and people's culture. we can see something same in the american society. for example, they like eating popcorn while watching tv, they have easy life, they do not think too much about the life. they do not like and they do not want to change. and they are afraid of ghost. this tv shows is also reference to the tv programme "the x file" .it is the famous tv programme that talks about something mystic and scare. all of these show the american culture.
ReplyDeleteI think the first one is funnier, the "Stark Raving Dad". In this episode, everybody are look silly and I couldn't undrestand them at all. I was thinking, how can they being a people like that?!!!! I was confusing, why Homer doesn't buy a new shirt for work, why a pink shirt can make so many stories out, why Homer doesn't do the questions for himself, doesn't he know how serious is it?!!!! Because so many crazy and unnormal things happen in this episode so I think it was funnier. I saw many American culture appera in this episode. First, the smusenments are looking for famous people and gossiping. Second, the American mother always bad on launder, and they nerver used their hands to wash clothes. So the pink shirt accident happened. And, children always get hurt cuz the family foarget their birthdays. And, Dad always are laughing or angrying, buy for no reasons. --' I learned a lot of American culture from the episode, it is interesting haha~!
ReplyDeletein these towepisodes i like "Stark Raving Dad," there have some thing for fun. like when Homer need white short. but his short all the pink. beouse his son to the red hat and his clothes with washing. and becouse this he was also taken to a psychiatric hospital. i think his son always do some stupid things. i also learn some American culture, like when Homer went to psychiatric hospital he meet a guy, he calles himslef "Michael Jackson" but he is not Michael Jackson. he just parody. He finally found the end do return to their own. so i think do yourself is best in your life.
ReplyDeleteOf the two episode that we have seen, I think that the first episode we have seen, the Stark Raving Dad, is the funnier one. one of the scene that i think is funny is when he wear the pink shirt to work and his boss gives him a mental test to see if he is retard. Moreover, there are many american culture included in the episode, such as Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson is the pop king in the U.S therefore, i think he is one of the american culture for others.
ReplyDeleteI like the second episode, "The Springfield Files" when brother write on the blackboard, i am not a dentist. That was very funny, because it like a hint, which means we can imply other meaning. such as, we can imagine the view of how he was being a dentist. otherwise, when father met ghost in the forest after he drunk. that was the most funny part, I still remember there was a "DIE" on the wall, and he was screaming.
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