It's about frickin' time. If memory serves, save for the annual ToH specials and the first episode of last season (showing Springfield recovering from their time under the Dome, depicted in the movie), this is the first top-to-bottom revamp of the titles in the show's 20 years. The characters in the titles have been off-model since season 2 (save for the replacement tracking shot following Bart on his skateboard, intersecting with Marge & Maggie in the car, which was added about 10 years ago), and for many their walk/movement cycles were all wrong (Homer fleeing through the garage, for instance). The new title sequence goes a long way to correct this.
This open also better represents how much more of an ensemble comedy the show has become (every major supporting character, and most minor ones, are represented in the new sequence). Although I wonder if the billboard near the elementary school (which reads "Krusty - now doing funerals!" in this version) will change weekly, like the chalkboard & couch gag (or the screen Leela flew into at the end of the Futurama titles). I didn't so much care for the fact that the Simpsons suddenly have a flat-screen HDTV (unless its presence in the opening title, and by extension the extravagant new title sequence, is somehow paid off in the episode*), although it was clever that the TV has a set top box and the old rabbit ears. Perhaps KBBL & Channel Ocho turned off their analog signals already? *If so, it wouldn't be the first time this season The Simpsons broke the 4th wall - see the "San Francisco people mover" joke from "Homer & Lisa Exchange Cross Words". On Feb 13, 4:54 pm, "Mark J." <[email protected]> wrote: > From the screen shots, much like the original titles, only with more > freeze-frame sign gags and in Glorious Fox High Definition: > > http://www.tvweek.com/news/2009/02/sundays_simpsons_goes_hd_updat.php --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ TV or Not TV .... Smart (TV) People on Ice! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
