From: mxg77@po.cwru.edu   
      
   Well, as Lisa pointed out, it only took 27 (more like 27 and a half) years to   
   do a live thing. Many shows seem to enjoy doing a "live episode" and now this   
   one has too. Hooray? It's obviously a bit more of a challenge with an animated   
   show (insert 4F12    
   reference about the animators' wrists), but apart from the minorly impressive   
   technical feat of making Homer's mouth (and body) move, it's still very   
   limited; having the whole live segment be based on just a little Q&A with the   
   obvious direct contact    
   with the audience, as opposed to doing a scene, doesn't seem to do much, and   
   there wasn't really a chance for it to open up to even include any other   
   voices or scenes, so apart from a few funny quips by Dan Castellaneta, what's   
   the point? It's just a    
   weird gimmick. And now I have to try to find what aired in the west, see what   
   airs on repeats and in syndication (and other delivery methods)... I don't   
   think it's worth the hassle. (The Cleveland Show's "live" episode played   
   around with live TV subjects    
   in a different way, and wasn't particular profound either but seemed to not   
   make a big deal of it.) As for the plot, while it's nice to see Homer being   
   competent at something, as I have often said, the improv thing was decent at   
   best, and the treehouse    
   subplot was bizarre, with weird gags throughout. On the other hand, nice to   
   see a full-length episode for once.   
      
   In the East, by the way, the calls were about Lenny vs. Carl, apparently   
   prompting Homer for how to sleep while paying attention like in 1F19, what   
   kind of car he drives, and what his favorite job was (astronaut/1F13). Full   
   transcript not being typed by    
   me at this point, nor am I noting how each act started (with prompts to call   
   in) for now.   
      
      
   DYN:   
   ...the fancy treehouse had something labeled "Treehouse of Horrors: The   
   Complete Collection" (I can't help but think of fans who mistitle the   
   Halloween episodes with the plural "Horrors")?   
   ...Homer's live animation has an oddly season-1-or-2 look to the mouth shapes   
   and teeth?   
      
   Previous episode stuff   
   1F19: One caller seemed to be prompting Dan to describe the glasses he wore in   
   the jury box (East)   
   4F02: Don't blame me; I voted for Kodos (I'm guessing the random characters   
   popping in and out during the live section stay the same in all airings)   
   1F13: Homer asked what his favorite job was, and he answers astronaut (East)   
      
   Not referenced, but:   
   4F12: Very few cartoons are broadcast live   
   BABF22: I somewhat expected the live segment to be more full-body   
   motion-captured (possibly in a different "look" like cel-shaded 3D, which   
   would have been fine if it opened up opportunities) like the suit we saw from   
   Animotion   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)