It’s the all-animation edition!

The Simpsons concept of Bart getting a cell phone didn’t sound very funny in principle, but the execution of the show was very well done, I thought.   Until of course things sort of unraveled in the third act with the family going to Machu Picchu.  But even then I was still laughing, and even though it’s only two episodes in, I’m enjoying the season so far.  And there’s been some good early buzz about the Halloween episode.

Family Guy has had its moments this year, but overall I’ve been sort of bored.  There have been too many jokes that they just don’t let go of that don’t work that well, and the real laugh out loud moments the show used to be so good at.  And while it was funny seeing Peter befriend Jesus, it felt very similar to the time he befriended Bill Clinton, and the time he befriended James Woods, etc.  Also, watching a very heavy Cleavland episode made me wonder how that character will survive on his own.

I dig the new American Dad opening credits, but the first two episodes were also underwhelming.  Roger is a fun character, but they really used him too much in the episode with his alter-ego.  Sure, the nod to Little Shop of Horrors was nice, but both episodes were a little light on the satire.

Clearly the highlight of recent television was last week’s South Park.  I know I had criticized the spring half of this season, but the fall season got off to a hell of a start.  Our DVR missed the opening credits, and when the show began, I at first thought I had missed something important; what the hell were Stan and Kyle talking about that they watched their friend got raped?  But when I saw they were talking about Indy IV, I had to pause the show I was laughing so hard.  Absolutely brilliant.  I can’t wait to see tonight’s episode.

(I still haven’t gotten to The Clone Wars episodes, but I’ll try to get to them soon…)