FYI I still watch the new seasons but I also agree that they're quite bad.

What I really hate is that the new episodes seem like they're made up of several episodes. For example, Homer might do something bad early on and for the next 4 minutes he solves the backlash from, say, Mr. Burns. Then the writers completely forget what just happened by including something else.

That cheap plot device then brings us on another episode for another 4mins and so on. THERE IS NO LINEAR STORY anymore. In the old episodes whatever happened at the start would be dealt with until the end. A linear story.

So I think that the issues come from sloppy writing for the most part.

I gave up watching new episodes regularly 10+ years ago when they became so abysmally bad that I started to find the experience genuinely depressing. Decline in something that was once great is always sad.

Since then I'll (very) occasionally give a new episode a chance. Always a waste of time.

In my opinion, the main problem is that the characters became too unlikable. I can't remember the episode, but there's one with Homer actually beating Bart with a baseball bat, and another episode has him pouring bleach into his eyes. I'd expect that kind of thing from Family Guy, not The Simpsons!

Bart used to be a troublemaker, yet at heart he was still a 10-year-old kid, he knew when he'd crossed a line and would try to fix his mistakes if he did. In New Simpsons he acts like a destructive teenager with absolutely no morals whatsoever.

Lisa...well, we all know what her character is like now.

The animation. I know it's a small point but A LOT of people hate the stiff sanded-down newer animation compared to the old animation, which was far more fluid and had a lot of charm to it.

The Homer gets a job storylines have been done to death.

Many of the jokes don't work. It's hard to explain but they just don't have the same 'feel' as they did before.

One thing I miss the most though is the emotional impact the episodes used to have. I know they still try sometimes, but think about all the episodes that everyone remembers the most....And Maggie Makes Three, Mother Simpson, Lisa's Pony, etc....they just can't live up to that.

I know what you mean. I bought the first five seasons and they are spectacular. The Halloween eps are fresh and quite good.

Today you may get a good opening or at least one good segment.

Homer and Marge felt like a living couple who spent time together or did things to prove they love one another. Now Homer is a jerk and Marge regrets marrying him.

Lisa was a sweet heart who loved her family and was sympathetic. Now she's bossy and takes out her resentment.

Bart was the bad boy and the star of the show. Now he is only annoying.

None of the characters are the same as they were and everything that could be done has been. Its not the same show with fresh ideas. Just recycled family guy plots.

I watched a YouTube video that did a really good job of breaking down when and how The Simpsons jumped the shark. I won't rehash it except to simply say all of you who have noticed that the show has changed are right - it has, for the worse.

I'm most saddened that the producers haven't had the integrity to put this show of its misery years ago, and I appreciate so much the more that shows like Seinfeld, The Sopranos and Mad Men felt they'd told the story and wrote a finale to the show, going out while the audience still wanted more.

The Simpsons is a dead horse they need to stop flogging.

@diamonddaisy said:

Before I start, I know I could just stop watching, but I still like keeping up with The Simpsons episodes despite the negativity of this post.

What do you think is the problem with the newer episodes (or why did you stop watching)? I still watch some of the episodes, but a good episode is maybe once or twice a season (surprisingly some of them are better the second time on FXX.)

New episodes are plagued with guest stars (the worst being the Elon Musk episode where the whole episode is about him), entire episodes that are nonsubtle homages to shows like Homeland(the show has made references before but you could still enjoy the episode if you've never seen the show/movie they are referencing. Though I did like the 24 episode), Homer gets a new job (these use to be fun, but now are annoying and he's so much stupider and mean sprited too),and episodes that you don't know what it is leading to (The Simpsons go to a museum or other small trip then something happens, then something else and it takes forever to get to the conflict/the point of the episode). These are just a few of the problems. Please add your own.

It just became a lowbrow sitcom. That's why I stopped watching it anyway. Not too long ago I watched one I hadn't seen and thought, "yeah, that was alright." So maybe they're coming good again. There's no reason they can't.

It would be interesting to know why they suddenly became bad. What changed?