This episode sees the return of a former Zombie Simpsons one-off character the documentary maker Declan Desmond who is once again played perfectly by Eric Idle. The 'Monty Python' star, as in his previous appearance, plays up to his British accent making great use of it to sound condescending to everyone and it works a charm. Homer even calls him Doctor Who at one point. (Imagine if Eric Idle really did play The Doctor... Does anyone have Steven Moffat's number?)
The whole episode spends its first two acts as if it were a documentary in which Declan Desmond interviews several elementary school students and returns to them every eight years. This is year 32 and it allows for some fascinating insight to the lives of several Springfieldians such as Wiggum, Frink, Lenny & Carl (sort of) and Marge & Homer but it's his brief montage of visits to the Crazy Cat Lady that stand out. It looks for a moment that we're being introduced to a new character and the realisation that it's her we're seeing is an excellent moment.
The third act breaks that trend as he follows Homer specifically and is not a documentary but rather it becomes a look behind the scenes. Homer realises he has not achieved much special outside his family and tries to deceive Declan and is invited to see what people have to say about him on film. It's a nice ending and it just feels right that it should have this kind of ending attached to such a unique episode.
The premise makes this a unique episode of The Simpsons and it all holds together nicely with several funny and touching moments alike. It's a surprise that The Simpsons waited for so long to do something like this but I'm glad they eventually did as it created one of the best episodes of the show - this side of the year 2000 at least.
8/10
The whole episode spends its first two acts as if it were a documentary in which Declan Desmond interviews several elementary school students and returns to them every eight years. This is year 32 and it allows for some fascinating insight to the lives of several Springfieldians such as Wiggum, Frink, Lenny & Carl (sort of) and Marge & Homer but it's his brief montage of visits to the Crazy Cat Lady that stand out. It looks for a moment that we're being introduced to a new character and the realisation that it's her we're seeing is an excellent moment.
The third act breaks that trend as he follows Homer specifically and is not a documentary but rather it becomes a look behind the scenes. Homer realises he has not achieved much special outside his family and tries to deceive Declan and is invited to see what people have to say about him on film. It's a nice ending and it just feels right that it should have this kind of ending attached to such a unique episode.
The premise makes this a unique episode of The Simpsons and it all holds together nicely with several funny and touching moments alike. It's a surprise that The Simpsons waited for so long to do something like this but I'm glad they eventually did as it created one of the best episodes of the show - this side of the year 2000 at least.
8/10
