Rate/Review: Das Bus
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Willmak5389
Why you so stupid, stupid?
Great parody of Lord of the Flies which I just read in school. Our teacher even said we could watch it, but no one had it on tape.
B+
B+
FuriousGeorge
Pray for mojo!
Excellent episode 
A-. Always a fairly funny episode, although it is pretty ridiculous. And of course, it has Homer's line, "Oooohh, they have the internet on computers now", which, strangely enough, is the perpetual Quote of the Day on thesimpsons.com.
TerrorK
Not an Al Jean butt-kisser
One of the last of the true greats, a fantastic parody of Lord of the Flies and an amusing little subplot from Homer as well.
This episode kicks off with another great Troy McClure moment, and has some great lines from the get-go, such as Skinner's "Do kids want to act like the real UN, or do you want to just squabble and waste time!" as well as several great moments from Ralph ("Oh Canada!", "Go banana!", "...taste like burning!", etc) and puts the kids into a rather non-believable situation in a strange, but effective, way.
Homer's subplot had some good moments too. His trying to think up a company name, the way CBG somehow found Homer's ad despite him not even being connected at all, and the great "Buy him out, boys!" finale with Bill Gates.
That's not to detract away from the kids though. Bart, Lisa, Milhouse and Nelson were all particuarly in fantastic form. Bart's imagination and role as "leader" was very fitting, and the whole trial sequence is great. Of course, there's the nods to Lord of the Flies, such as the conch, Nelson using Milhouse's glasses to light the fire, Nelson's "society blows!", the overall turning of some kids against others, the chant of "kill the dorks!", the pig, etc. All great stuff.
Overall a solid episode, and despite some of the wackier traits of Scully slipping in a little bit with the kid's plot, it's not enough to ruin it. The "cop out" ending was a first for the staff too, at least in that style, though sadly one that would pop up too often later ("Surf's up!", moving town, Moe's face, etc), none of which would be as effective as this one.
Indeed, one of the last of the true classics.
Grade: A
This episode kicks off with another great Troy McClure moment, and has some great lines from the get-go, such as Skinner's "Do kids want to act like the real UN, or do you want to just squabble and waste time!" as well as several great moments from Ralph ("Oh Canada!", "Go banana!", "...taste like burning!", etc) and puts the kids into a rather non-believable situation in a strange, but effective, way.
Homer's subplot had some good moments too. His trying to think up a company name, the way CBG somehow found Homer's ad despite him not even being connected at all, and the great "Buy him out, boys!" finale with Bill Gates.
That's not to detract away from the kids though. Bart, Lisa, Milhouse and Nelson were all particuarly in fantastic form. Bart's imagination and role as "leader" was very fitting, and the whole trial sequence is great. Of course, there's the nods to Lord of the Flies, such as the conch, Nelson using Milhouse's glasses to light the fire, Nelson's "society blows!", the overall turning of some kids against others, the chant of "kill the dorks!", the pig, etc. All great stuff.
Overall a solid episode, and despite some of the wackier traits of Scully slipping in a little bit with the kid's plot, it's not enough to ruin it. The "cop out" ending was a first for the staff too, at least in that style, though sadly one that would pop up too often later ("Surf's up!", moving town, Moe's face, etc), none of which would be as effective as this one.
Indeed, one of the last of the true classics.
Grade: A
Rest your giant head
Formerly Mladen
"Das Bus"...Always liked it! I love adventures! So,I gave this episode an A+. I especially liked the ending.
"And who saved the kids? Lets just say...Moe".
"And who saved the kids? Lets just say...Moe".
Drunk Barney
Stonecutter
Very good episode. Extremly fun from start to finish. The ending was probably an easy way out, but it didn't bother me too much. But there's something I couldn't quite put finger on, and then someone said it. The only other complaint from me, was that I found Milhouse to be a bit annoying. Could someone shed some light on why? I just can't really explain why, but I know something wasn't right...
A- btw
A- btw
TerrorK
Not an Al Jean butt-kisser
Drunk Barney said:
This might not be it, but he did seem a little more smug and selfish sometimes in this episode. The way he rolled the grapefruit, the way he turned on Lisa during the trial, the fact he didn't throw the swinging vine back to Bart and Lisa, the fact he did steal some food in the end, etc. I personally wasn't bothered by it, because it wasn't too extreme, but Milhouse did seem a little more of a jerk here than normal.
Channel Surfer
Stonecutter
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2002
- Messages
- 3,184
I don't really have a problem necessarily with the episode trying to parody "Lord of the Flies". But the episode, save for maybe the last line, really does a terrible job of it. Essentially it's just a collection of references to the book (conch, glasses, monster, ect, as well as select characters sorta matching the kids in the book) without any real actual spin, parody, or subversion on the source material. Couple that with the kids' unfunny juvenile dialogue passing as humor and a lot of lame cartoonish nonsense and it almost comes off as a lame Saturday Mourning cartoon. Homer subplot only makes it worse, typical Scully era Homer-get-rich-quick-scheme garbage with some of the most obvious, banal, easy satire the show has ever done (seriously, name an easier way to parody Bill Gates than this, just try). Jammy is right, tedious is the word. C-
DotheBartman
SuperFriend
I enjoy this more than Jammy and Surfer, but their criticisms aren't far off. In fact, Surfer's comment about this feeling like a lame Saturday Morning show is particularly striking considering I've always sort of felt that way about it. The episode is basically funny, but the story defines pointlessness, including the subplot which never goes anywhere and then is abrupted by a very cheap and (as Surfer said) easy Bill Gates parody. The U.N. stuff is funny, but the rest of it just doesn't go anywhere and doesn't even make much sense (shouldn't Homer and Marge have noticed Bart and Lisa weren't around/hadn't called? Wouldn't someone, anyone, have looked for them?). Like a lot of season nine, this episode is basically just saved by the fact that most of the humor is at least okay. As an episode in the following three seasons, it probably wouldn't be so lucky, and even now I can't say (even after having not seen this episode in several years now) that I'm not really really looking particularly forward to seeing this again on the dvd. Pointless, decently funny, and entirely forgettable. C+/B-
Joel Duffman
Thrusting in the Direction
The beginning of this episode was pretty good, the model UN scene was a bit too stereotypical, with Milhouse as the representative from Poland etc. The idea of the school children getting stranded was a good premise but the idea seemed to stall half way though second act.
The best line in the whole episode: "I didn't get rich writing a lot of checks."
The best line in the whole episode: "I didn't get rich writing a lot of checks."
Thats A Paddlin
Back but still forgotten
A-
One of the last true greats. It dosnt have the best plot ever...but alot of the jokes are pricless.
"Dont let the haircut fool you, im extremly wealthy."
One of the last true greats. It dosnt have the best plot ever...but alot of the jokes are pricless.
"Dont let the haircut fool you, im extremly wealthy."
grissom
something clever
Eh, it's not bad. The main plot's okay, but I think Homer's internet company subplot is funnier. Overall a B or B- I guess
coltonwiggum
Stonecutter
A+
simplysimpsons
3 years late, but meh!
A-. I'm surprised about the negative reviews this gets, it's consitently funny and fresh without being too crazy. Both the main and subplot were excellent, and yeah Bill Gates is an easy target, but that moment was hilarious!
Gay4Moleman
Banned
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2006
- Messages
- 93
It's hard for me not to love this episode, as it parodies one of my favorite books ever. A
yeahbutnobut
Hypertechnometalfiend
"And eventually, the children were rescued, by, oh, let's say...Moe."
I've wondered about the ending of this episode - was it simply a copout on the part of the writers, or was it actually a sneaky dig at LOTF, which I think was criticised by some for the rescue at the end, which could also be seen as a copout?
As I haven't read LOTF for ages, I'd be very interested to hear what fans of the book (and the episode) think. I've had a quick look online for LOTF criticism but so far findings are "inconclusive"
I've wondered about the ending of this episode - was it simply a copout on the part of the writers, or was it actually a sneaky dig at LOTF, which I think was criticised by some for the rescue at the end, which could also be seen as a copout?
As I haven't read LOTF for ages, I'd be very interested to hear what fans of the book (and the episode) think. I've had a quick look online for LOTF criticism but so far findings are "inconclusive"
The story, humor and the plot were all great. But problem was the ending...
While I was watching this episode, to be honest, it was too good that I didn't know the time passed by and was dissapointed at the ending... (y'know what happened...). It's not an ordinary episode though. I say, it reminded me of the two movies (Swiss Robinson Family and Lord Of The Flies) that I really liked.
B+
While I was watching this episode, to be honest, it was too good that I didn't know the time passed by and was dissapointed at the ending... (y'know what happened...). It's not an ordinary episode though. I say, it reminded me of the two movies (Swiss Robinson Family and Lord Of The Flies) that I really liked.
B+
No offence guys, but it annoys me when people assume that because you don't like this episode, or something like The Great Money Caper or The Frying Game, that it's because of the ending. I actually think the ending to this is ok, and it's probably the only effective parody of the source material in the first place. The rest of the 'parody' is blunt, childish and tedious. You may as well spend half an hour watching real eight year old kids argue because it would probably be just as entertaining.
TriforceBun
*RIP Marcia Wallace*
Yeah, the ending is most likely a reference to the book's ending (incidentally, I was one of the people who thought LotF's ending WAS a cop-out).
Anyway, a pretty hollow episode, but one with some good humor regarding the kids. For the most part, it works as a lighthearted romp. Yep, romp.
B
Anyway, a pretty hollow episode, but one with some good humor regarding the kids. For the most part, it works as a lighthearted romp. Yep, romp.
B
(Considerable bump - made because of my atypical opinion of this episode)
Before reviewing, I must state that I have never read the Lord of the Flies, which I understand is an allegorical novel. I also noticed that others have been reviewing this episode based on its correlation to the novel. I cannot do that, so I will review the episode based on the qualities which it presents. Besides, I do not give extra credit just because an episode acts as a parody of a source (see my review for that episode based on Mary Poppins).
Without further ado, I thought that the first act started off reasonably well. Troy McClure, as per usual, livens up the act by constantly misinterpreting God's words. I also found Homer's 'smallpox' joke quite funny. Aside from this however, the act was mostly flat (I found little of the UN Model Club sketch funny), although it got a belated shot in the arm when the bus drove off a bridge and the children got stranded on an island. To be honest, though, I don't know who thought the idea of enslaving Otto would be funny. Damn you Scully.
I felt that the second act meandered and took too long to build up any kind of excitement. For too long, the segment consisted of the kids wondering how to survive and moaning about the lack of food. I didn't find this to be particularly enthralling, although both the 'collapsed treehouse' gag and the "They taste like...burning!" line were gold. The trial of Milhouse was also entertaining, albeit in a sadistic way.
The third act wasn't too bad. The chase scene kept my eyes glued to the screen, although there was probably too little humour and too much uncharacteristic violence. Maybe this is appropriate to Lord of the Flies, I dunno. It doesn't really seem appropriate to the Simpsons. I did like the part where Lisa was made to lick slime...oh dear god! Do I HAVE to strain this badly for positives? :-O And oh yes, the ending was just pathetic. Was it meant to be funny? It sure wasn't; just weird.
By the way, the subplot was mostly inconsequential, although I did laugh at Bill Gates' idea of 'buying out' Homer's faux-internet company.
In the end, this episode didn't do that much for me. It had its moments of course, but I expect more out of a Simpsons episode than that, even though I love that show. Any show (even ones as contemptible as Family Guy) have their moments. While there were few lowlights (except most of the subplot), when you have to strain ya noggin for highlights, it makes an episode hard to recommend. C
Before reviewing, I must state that I have never read the Lord of the Flies, which I understand is an allegorical novel. I also noticed that others have been reviewing this episode based on its correlation to the novel. I cannot do that, so I will review the episode based on the qualities which it presents. Besides, I do not give extra credit just because an episode acts as a parody of a source (see my review for that episode based on Mary Poppins).
Without further ado, I thought that the first act started off reasonably well. Troy McClure, as per usual, livens up the act by constantly misinterpreting God's words. I also found Homer's 'smallpox' joke quite funny. Aside from this however, the act was mostly flat (I found little of the UN Model Club sketch funny), although it got a belated shot in the arm when the bus drove off a bridge and the children got stranded on an island. To be honest, though, I don't know who thought the idea of enslaving Otto would be funny. Damn you Scully.
I felt that the second act meandered and took too long to build up any kind of excitement. For too long, the segment consisted of the kids wondering how to survive and moaning about the lack of food. I didn't find this to be particularly enthralling, although both the 'collapsed treehouse' gag and the "They taste like...burning!" line were gold. The trial of Milhouse was also entertaining, albeit in a sadistic way.
The third act wasn't too bad. The chase scene kept my eyes glued to the screen, although there was probably too little humour and too much uncharacteristic violence. Maybe this is appropriate to Lord of the Flies, I dunno. It doesn't really seem appropriate to the Simpsons. I did like the part where Lisa was made to lick slime...oh dear god! Do I HAVE to strain this badly for positives? :-O And oh yes, the ending was just pathetic. Was it meant to be funny? It sure wasn't; just weird.
By the way, the subplot was mostly inconsequential, although I did laugh at Bill Gates' idea of 'buying out' Homer's faux-internet company.
In the end, this episode didn't do that much for me. It had its moments of course, but I expect more out of a Simpsons episode than that, even though I love that show. Any show (even ones as contemptible as Family Guy) have their moments. While there were few lowlights (except most of the subplot), when you have to strain ya noggin for highlights, it makes an episode hard to recommend. C
