This is it, the finale. Whose cuisine will reign supreme…oh, wait…wrong
competition. We only have the one
matchup this week, so I’ll make the argument for Looney Tunes (though I picked
the Simpsons to win from the beginning, I have come around to the power of Bugs
and Co. in the subsequent weeks) and Nik will plead the case for The Simpsons
(who was his favorite to win from the beginning). I know, their resumes speak for themselves,
so very little in terms of an argument is really necessary. If you are on the fence though…let’s have a debate!
VS
Matt: There
are so many aspects of both cartoons that are similar. They both are merchandising juggernauts
(though I would have to give a slight edge to Looney Tunes based on the fact
that there are still people buying Tweety Bird shirts fifty years later – and
not just at yard sales) and the longevity of both shows is astounding.
Looney Tunes is a series that had
no fear in a time when fear was a mainstay of living. Fear of war, fear of the Russians, fear of
nuclear Armageddon, these were all commonplace, not to mention fear of being
labeled as a communist and finding yourself out of work and out of prospects
for the rest of your life. Looney Tunes
didn’t care and they continued to make jokes and poke fun at people that in a
more sensitive time may have backfired terribly.
Oh, The Simpsons does that
now? Looney Tunes did it first.
That’s the main argument that can
be made for Looney Tunes over damn near everything, they were there first, and
they did it first. This is the same
reason that you will not see Family Guy winning accolades over The Simpsons, or
as South Park so eloquently put it: “The Simpsons already did that”. What they don’t realize is that Looney Tunes
did it before them. A multi-generational
cartoon that united both adults and children in its hilarity: check, social
satire: check, memorable and lovable characters: check, a simpleton, a
curmudgeon and a smartass: check, some of the best “villains” in cartoons:
check, slight digs at their own existence (on a network or as a business in
general): check.
While both cartoons hold up
relatively well in syndication, Looney Tunes is one of the rare shows with the
longevity that it had that actually got better as it went along (not just in
terms of animation and character design).
As the writers introduced new characters and got even more comfortable
with the characters that they had, they got funnier! Staleness never creeped in, even when they
recycled jokes (wabbit season-duck season) they were able to keep them fresh
and hilarious. This is also a show that
had multiple “stories” per episode. It
is widely acknowledged that The Simpsons writers write two stories for every
episode (the one that they open with and the one that that eventually turns
into) but Looney Tunes was a show based on “shorts” which means that an hour
long episode was comprised of eight to ten shorts, which means eight to ten stories. Stretch that over the life of the cartoon and
you are looking at a lot of different stories, many times telling different
angles to the same basic plot (hunter and prey) and yet each one has its own
voice, and is hilarious in its own right.
That’s the true hallmark of the greatest cartoon of all time.
Nik: Well
said, Matt. Very valid and poignant argument in favor of Looney Tunes. It’s
down to a matter of classics/nostalgia vs. a more modern day power house of
comedic and cartoon brilliance. Both titles saw very long and successful runs.
They enjoyed plenty of off-shoots, such as video games, movies, music, and
butt-loads of merch. I can’t even make a for/against argument based on voice
acting. Both shows exhibited the powerhouses of their day, really setting an
incredibly high precedent for the other cartoons around them.
What I
think it’s going to boil down to is overall societal influence. However, that
being said, if we were polling a larger group of the populace, I’d say Simpsons
take it, hands down. The way this crowd has been running, though, I’m seeing a
favor towards a lot of the old school, a lot of that with which we grew up. I
think the Tunes could definitely take this. After all, Looney Tunes was
probably one of the first/most influential cartoons that most of us remember
experiencing.
The
Simpsons plays to a variety of crowds. I remember watching it as a kid and
laughing at plenty of it. And upon watching it now, I’m finding new and
different places to laugh. It can play to both the lowest and highest common
denominator. It’s no Futurama, my preferred Matt Groening masterwork, with its
both subtle and blatant nerdy humor, but it still packs a helluva comedic blow.
Like Matt said, it has a great way of providing cultural reference and commentary
while still staying true to the absurd stories and characters that were created
so long ago. As culture has adapted and evolved, so has the Simpsons, even
moreso than Looney Tunes has, in some ways. Looney Tunes has refreshed its
image along the way, never becoming completely obsolete, but Simpsons has
proven that it can do more than just up its definition and renew its voices
(Billy West, my all time favorite, (Red M&M, Cheerios Honey Bee, Phillip J.
Fry, and so many, many others) is actually the new voice of Bugs a la Space
Jam).
The
Simpsons, very much like Southpark, though not as blatantly thrown in your
face, provides a constantly refreshing look at what’s going on in our modern
culture, albeit in some pretty bizarre ways, but it’s a bit more topical and in
some very loose ways, intellectual than you’ll find in Looney Tunes.
Now it
seems like a point of taste. Do you like the silly frivolities of falling
anvils and doping ones opponent with word-play? Or is it more a solid,
culturally referenced story that tickles your bones? Both can entertaining, and
one can argue that either can be stronger in terms of comedic effectiveness.
But, in terms of overall cultural significance and staying-power in our modern
times, I think Simpsons has it moreso than Looney Tunes. After all, they’ve
been around forever too, at this point, and are still potent in their delivery.
Think of it in terms of respecting
ones elders. I love my grandma. She’s got so much experience and knowledge to
pass on. I learn from her whenever I see her. But I don’t hang out with her
every day. I hang out with my brothers more. Newer versions of my grandma.
…right?
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