I have an undying love for The Simpsons. There are innumerable pages both good and bad devoted to them, this being the most comprehensive in my opinion. I tape every new episode on Sunday nights, although I missed last weeks due to the fact that I was in Arizona.

A few months ago, the New Yorker did an article called, The Funniest Man in Television about a Simpsons writer named George Meyer. He now has the title of executive producer, but still contributes to the writing of the show. The article's author described his contributions as the kind of jokes that make you both guffaw in shock and laugh at the same time.

With this in mind, last night's episode had a priceless moment that I attribute to Meyer with no knowledge that it was his doing. An environmentally conscious Springfield has hooked their electric chair to solar power. The scene cuts to a priest overseeing Snake (the town's resident petty criminal) being electricuted. However, the solar cells produce so little power that Snake is simply jiggling all over his body. Snake then says, "Dude, we've been here all morning, do you think you could at least moisten my head-sponge?"

I laughed all night and am still laughing now about that. My brother thinks the show is slipping in quality. Having missed last week's episode, I can only say that I think this season's installments have been as funny as the stock episodes from the 95-98 seasons. Not blockbusters but very funny.

- posted by levinson @ 11/20/2000 08:46:00 AM