Season 29 Information Thread

[jbauer]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="es"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/TheSimpsons?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheSimpsons</a> Today's read by <a href="https://twitter.com/Rlazebnik?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Rlazebnik</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/dcguzzler?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dcguzzler</a> and Dan Vebber! <a href="https://t.co/r1ZsN7EIms">pic.twitter.com/r1ZsN7EIms</a></p>— Al Jean (@AlJean) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlJean/status/994621799907246080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">10 de mayo de 2018</a></blockquote>
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YABF07: 101 mitigations
Written by Rob LaZebnik, Brian Kelley and Dan Vebber

I'm positive this is yet another case of a separate story/teleplay credit. It has precedence, seeing this is how Al first announced the writers for Left Behind nearly a year ago.

Brian Kelley has plenty of shared teleplay credits from in his Newsradio days (that show was room-written). I'm assuming this upcoming episode's teleplay is attributed to both him and Rob LaZebnik, based on Vebber's story.

 

[SchemingMinor]

I'm positive this is yet another case of a separate story/teleplay credit. It has precedence, seeing this is how Al first announced the writers for Left Behind nearly a year ago.

Brian Kelley has plenty of shared teleplay credits from in his Newsradio days (that show was room-written). I'm assuming this upcoming episode's teleplay is attributed to both him and Rob LaZebnik, based on Vebber's story.

Simpsons scripts in the past with shared teleplay credits usually indicate a major plotline, correct?

 

[jbauer]

Simpsons scripts in the past with shared teleplay credits usually indicate a major plotline, correct?

Not necessarily. I don't think Bart the Fink was that kind of episode. It was essentially a Krusty rollercoaster with a clear reset to basics at the end (The ever reliable Swartzwelder made a fast teleplay out of Kushell's story).

And Black Widower was basically a Sideshow Bob throwback mystery plot (they brought in a mystery writer to come up with the story, co-shared with Simon; teleplay by Vitti).

Round Springfield and Left Behind are the only ones that could be considered major emotional cornerstones for main characters. Granted, the only reason Round Springfield was divided into separate story/teleplay credits is because they seriously considered it to be an awards contender (Sternin and Ventimilia would have been solely credited, otherwise). As for Left Behind, we'll see come awards season.

Otherwise, it's pretty rare for The Simpsons to even have this kind of writing credit assignment (24 and NYPD Blue, on the other hand, drowned in hundreds of story/teleplay scenarios).

 

[That Don Guy]

Round Springfield and Left Behind are the only ones that could be considered major emotional cornerstones for main characters. Granted, the only reason Round Springfield was divided into separate story/teleplay credits is because they seriously considered it to be an awards contender (Sternin and Ventimilia would have been solely credited, otherwise). As for Left Behind, we'll see come awards season.

If the episode is submitted for a writing Emmy, Jean won't be eligible under the 60/40 rule - to be eligible for a writing Emmy, you must have at least 50% of the writing credit, counting teleplay as 60% and story as 40%. I think that since Cohen and Frink have an "ampersand credit" (as opposed to an "and" credit), they are considered a single person for purposes of the rule, so they would be eligible but Jean would not.

 

[Brad Lascelle]

Promo shots for Throw Grampa from the Dane...

... and Flanders' Ladder...

 

[jbauer]

If the episode is submitted for a writing Emmy, Jean won't be eligible under the 60/40 rule - to be eligible for a writing Emmy, you must have at least 50% of the writing credit, counting teleplay as 60% and story as 40%. I think that since Cohen and Frink have an "ampersand credit" (as opposed to an "and" credit), they are considered a single person for purposes of the rule, so they would be eligible but Jean would not.

Where did you get the idea that story credits count as 40%? There have been plenty of Emmys given to shows that separate teleplay and story credits, every single one of them eligible.

Case in point, look at NYPD Blue's emmy history. 90% of its episodes had writing credits assigned in this manner and plenty of them won writing emmys. The episode titled Lost Israel part 2 won the emmy, and Bill Clark was included with only 50% of a story credit.

Another example is LOST. The original writer/creator, Jeffrey Lieber, sought the guild for arbitration and won his case. He got co-credited for creating the show (plus a shared story credit for the pilot episode), and when it was nominated for the awards, he was present right alongside Abrams and Lindelof (and Lieber had 60%, Abrams and Lindelof shared the remaining 40%).

 

[That Don Guy]

Where did you get the idea that story credits count as 40%? There have been plenty of Emmys given to shows that separate teleplay and story credits, every single one of them eligible.

For the writing categories?

I get this information from the Emmy Rules published by The Television Academy:

Entry rules pertaining to team size restrictions are applicable in comedy and drama series.
Entrants must have, either by themselves or in conjunction with other story or teleplay writers, at least 50% credit-share of the entered program.
Some possible combinations:
Sole writing credit = 100% for sole writer;
2-person shared writing credit = 100%/2 = 50% for each writer;
Teleplay credit for 1 writer and story credit for 1 writer = 60% for teleplay writer and 40% for story writer

 

[Szyslak100]

Average of nohomers R&R updated to date.
King Leer: 4.05
Gone Boy: 4.00

Homer is Where the Art isn't: 3.88
Forgive and Regret: 3.87
Mr. Lisa's Opus: 3.87
Left Behind: 3.65
Springfield Splendor: 3.63

Three Scenes Plus a Tag from a Marriage: 3.29
Treehouse of Horror XXVIII 3.24
Fears of a Clown: 3.22
The Serfsons: 3.03

Frink Gets Testy: 2.91
The Old Blue Mayor She Ain't What She Used to Be: 2.90
Grampy Can Ya Hear Me: 2.90
Whistler's Father: 2.86
Haw-Haw Land: 2.85
No Good Read Goes Unpunished: 2.69
Lisa Gets the Blues: 2.60

Singin' in the Lane: 2.41

----

+ Season with more good episodes of the HD era (+3.5): 7
+ Season with more great episodes of the HD era (+4.0): 2
+ Season with fewer bad episodes of the HD era (-2.5): 1 (like 21 and 27)

 

[jbauer]

Throw Grampa from the Dane is the first episode that has Megan Amram as part of the writing staff. Credited as a consulting producer (which makes sense credit-wise, given her ongoing commitment to both The Good Place and her new Emmy for Megan show).

 

[MDB]

 

[ataeaf]

Season 30 is set to premiere September 30.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">currently scheduled 9/30 episode TBA</p>— Al Jean (@AlJean) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlJean/status/996875385529810944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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[ComicBookGal]

Season 30 is set to premiere September 30.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">currently scheduled 9/30 episode TBA</p>— Al Jean (@AlJean) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlJean/status/996875385529810944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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it's usually at the end of september these days

 

[That Don Guy]

it's usually at the end of september these days

Fox might move it to 9/23. Here's why I think that:

First, the Emmys are on Monday 9/17 (since it's NBC's turn, and it shows football on Sunday nights), so starting on/before then is pretty much out of the question.

9/30 would have made sense had Bob's Burgers still been on at 7:30, since Fox has football on until 8:00 on 9/23, so the Bob's Burgers premiere would have to be a week later.

However, now that it has been moved to 8:30 (and the entire 7-8 hour on Sunday will be repeats when it's not a Fox football doubleheader day), it would make more sense to cash in on the NFL lead-in on 9/23.

OOPS - Fox announced that the season 2 premiere of 9-1-1 will be on Sunday 9/23 at 8 PM. Looks like 9/30 it is, then.

 

[MDB]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="es"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/TheSimpsons?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheSimpsons</a> Today's read by Jeff Westbrook <a href="https://t.co/OILFeBgOrh">pic.twitter.com/OILFeBgOrh</a></p>— Al Jean (@AlJean) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlJean/status/997186725196644352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">17 de mayo de 2018</a></blockquote>
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[Szyslak100]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="es"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/TheSimpsons?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheSimpsons</a> Today's read by Jeff Westbrook <a href="https://t.co/OILFeBgOrh">pic.twitter.com/OILFeBgOrh</a></p>— Al Jean (@AlJean) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlJean/status/997186725196644352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">17 de mayo de 2018</a></blockquote>
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OK. We already have an episode of Koh, one of Castellaneta & Lacuste and two of Westbrook. In addition, Treehouse of Horror was written by Joel H. Cohen. Very low illusions for the season 30. I hope it is not the farewell

 

[Brad Lascelle]

We were due for a let-down post-Gunsmoke record after how decent this season has turned out (provided you don't ask Phil Payton who considers this season to be the most underwhelming he's covered).

 

[MDB]

OK. We already have an episode of Koh, one of Castellaneta & Lacuste and two of Westbrook. In addition, Treehouse of Horror was written by Joel H. Cohen. Very low illusions for the season 30. I hope it is not the farewell

Yeah, but we also have:
one episode by Matt Selman,
another one by his wife (so pretty much showran by him),
an episode by Al Jean (He's still a pretty good writer despite his showrunner record),
another by Michael Ferris (who wrote "Paths of Glory" which is a great episode imo)
one episode by Jane Becker (who wrote an pretty decent Rick and Morty episode, although I'm a little worry because she also wrote two episodes of all that Final space nonsense)
And finally two episodes by Megan Amram (but probably we're a going to see just one of them next season)

there you go, I'm hopeful for at least six episodes of the upcoming season

 

[pilcrow]

yeah but we also http://www.nohomers.net/showthread....edits-don-t-matter-an-unnecessarily-long-post

 

[Szyslak100]

You're right, [MENTION=46032]MDB[/MENTION], I was very pessimistic this time. But I feel obliged to say that Rickmansing the Stone is one of the worst episodes of Rick & Morty (it's a personal opinion, of course)

[MENTION=62459]peyrin[/MENTION] I have also thought about the case of Jeff Martin. And also in David Stern's. No doubt the creative team and showrunners influence the quality of an episode. But the script credit definitely matters. Some reason must exist for the episodes accredited to J. Stewart Burns or Selman to be so, so superior to those of Westbrook or Long. Unfortunately, I do not know what it is. But I do believe that if a scriptwriter has received so many terrible credits, it is very likely that the next one will be like that too. My expectations for your episodes will always be very low, because it marks their record.

 

[Brad Lascelle]

Yeah, but we also have:
one episode by Matt Selman,
another one by his wife (so pretty much showran by him),
an episode by Al Jean (He's still a pretty good writer despite his showrunner record),
another by Michael Ferris (who wrote "Paths of Glory" which is a great episode imo)
one episode by Jane Becker (who wrote an pretty decent Rick and Morty episode, although I'm a little worry because she also wrote two episodes of all that Final space nonsense)
And finally two episodes by Megan Amram (but probably we're a going to see just one of them next season)

there you go, I'm hopeful for at least six episodes of the upcoming season

6 quality episodes is all I hope for out of any season. Season 29 gave us 7 and it's not even over yet.

I'll be happy with that even if the rest of the season is the level of mediocre we've come to expect. Heck, I'd be happy with that even if we wound up with a staggeringly bi-polar season like Season 23 where the highs were great and the lows were abominable.

As for the Stern and Martin arguments mentioned above, great writers don't STAY great writers if they don't remain active. Your skills regress. Just like your abilities will regress if you don't speak a different language or ride a bike for 20 years even if you were great at doing those things in your prime.

So I don't care what amazing classic era episodes Stern and Martin delivered... if they come back to the show for a cup of coffee script after being away from it for ages (even if they've been writing other stuff) they're not going to be anywhere close to their standard of quality they were back then. And they're going to largely defer to the wisdom and guidance of "the room" for pretty much all their gags. That would even go for the all-time greats like Vitti, Swartzwelder and O'Brien. There have been only two writers from the Classic era who've actively demonstrated they can write decent scripts for the show today and those writers are Al Jean and Dan Greaney.

 

[Brad Lascelle]

Bold prediction time... tonight's season finale will feature a scene between Fat Tony (formerly Fit Tony) and the ghost of his deceased cousin, Classic Fat Tony.

EDIT: Well, I blew that call. Should have called Shary Bobbins vowing revenge against jet engines instead.
And as much as I appreciated the parade of Snowballs (plus Coltrane) I'm fairly certain Bart never even met or interacted with most of those cats.