Yes, I know that this was supposed to be the pilot episode but thank goodness it was pushed back due to animation concerns. It's not pleasant. Having Homer (Voiced by Dan Castellaneta) & Marge (Voiced by Julie Kavner) having marriage troubles. With one of them threating to leave is not the best way to introduce this cartoon sitcom family. To add onto that, having the kids left with a dangerous criminal babysitter while the parents party is downright upsetting. I know Fox Channel at the time was aiming for edgy something risqué humor content to seen different from the other television networks, but a lot of viewers would have been turn off by this episode directed by Kent Butterworth and David Silverman. Especially if this was aired before Christmas 1989. Writers for most of the first season Matt Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon also the executive producers made the right decision with 'Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire' which slowly ease audiences into the Simpson concept. The episode opens with a much more family friendly tale of a man trying to make enough money to put gifts under the tree. It had the right amount balance of dysfunctional adult-driven humor with a strong heartful message of family bonding. It's a wonderful episode. Sadly 'Some Enchanted Evening' doesn't tackle any of its own themes that well. For example, the moral dilemma of the parents having relationship troubles in the first half of the episode was better confronted in Season 1 Episode 9 "Life on the Fast Lane", also known as "Jacques to Be Wild" with Marge forgiving her husband for his past mistakes. So, seeing this subplot again felt recycled. The same goes with the sinister figure impersonating as a child friendly figure. While actress/director Penny Marshall was amazing in guest voice performing as Ms. Lucille Botzcowski. We just saw the Simpson children in danger in the previous episode 'Krusty gets Busted'. Nevertheless, I kinda wish Ms. Botz would return in the future to take her revenge on Bart (Voiced by Nancy Cartwright) and Lisa (Voiced by Yeardley Smith) rather than overusing the titular villain from Season 1 Episode 12 for so long. That really got tiresome. I also really hate that Lucille escape in this episode and never got her comeuppances with the law even do she had brief non speaking background cameos later on. Sadly, with the death of Penny Marshall in 2018. That day may never come. Another thing that I really dislike about this episode is the fact that the children never once try calling 911. Look I get that the Springfield cops are total idiots. Still, it's quite a horrible message to tell children to call the producers of a crime show over the local police. As for humor. It was a mixed bag. While the episode has a chalkboard gag. It didn't really have an unusual opening couch gimmick because of the pushed back. Jokes were supposed to follows this. Still humorous sequences like Marge calling a local show about Pedro with her characteristic gravelly voice kinda work. While the running gag with Bart's prank calls to Moe's Tavern felt already running out of stream. Despite that I kinda dig the homage to cultural references to such horror films as 1955 'The Night of the Hunter' and 1960 'Psycho' as well as a musical nod to 1954 'A Star Is Born'. As for the animation from Klasky-Csupo, the animation studio that produced the earlier Simpsons shorts & South Korean animation studio AKOM. The episode had continuity goofs with character's leg dangling oddly, ropes disappearing, lip shaped stain and the interior of the Simpsons house keeps changing designs between shots. The biggest complained with the animation come with the color arrangement. Not only does background props change colors between shots, but the early supporting character colors designs are just jarring to look at. Honestly there is only one series of frames that animator Dan Haskett work on that really looks sharp in which Ms. Botz threatens Bart about a video tape. The scene caught me off guard because how not subpar it looked. A lot of other scenes had to be deleted because how lousy the animation was. The redone remains were sloppy edited together and it shows. The pacing was way off. At least this poorly-animated episode made a hilarious meta joke about its situation by showing a parody of an even poorer animated show on the Simpson's television with 1 frame per second. As for the voice acting. Since dialogue wasn't recorded with the new animation. Voices don't really match that well. Then there is the ever so changing voice for Homer. Castellaneta start off the episode sounding like actor Walter Matthau, but by the end turns into the traditional normal tone for the father. Overall: As a season finale. This 13th episode doesn't really sum the season up at all. In the end, the story and animation weren't that remarkable. It was a Doh.
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