after almost 30 years you'd think the Simpsons would of reached a point beyond stagnant but no, the show still has strong signs of life every so often and this latest season proves a little effort can go a long way. Its almost as if, after the past few years which were in the kindest words possible, tired, the writers have dedicated themselves to working harder. The jokes are funnier, plots not on auto pilot and the animation, ever so slightly more interesting.
Strangely, 'The Burns Cage' of all the good to great episodes this season is animated more fluidly than any episode I've seen in a very long time. It's the little details with the animation which adds a whole lot of humour. A lot of people were distracted when it aired last night by the fact the main theme was Waylon Smithers coming out as gay which has been beyond obvious for probably 20 years which upset people but thats besides the point. They've never directly covered it until now and they made a sweet, funny episode.
When Milhouse and Waylon are both love sick and confiding in one another, there was a great sense of emotion. Emotion is the great weapon that no other animated adult comedy can handle quite like The Simpsons and its wonderful to be reminded.