The Simpsons (TV Series) When You Dish Upon a Star (1998) User Reviews

Great Episode that makes Perfect use of it Guest Stars,

[lesleyharris30 · 8/10 · 3 February 2015]

When You Dish Upon a Star is a fantastic Simpsons episode with a very well written storyline that contains a ton of very funny scenes.It is a very different episode in which we see Homer working as an assistant to Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger,though Homer is,as always,the star,this episode did write really great dialogue for the three guest stars and makes several unexpected and hilarious references to their real lives.Ron Howard was certainly the best guest appearance in my opinion,I'm a huge fan of him as a director,and seeing him come on this and doing something so unlikely for someone who hasn't acted in years was very fun.The scene at the start where Homer goes parasailing is easily one my favourite moments of the tenth season,I've seen this episode many times and that scene always brings a smile to my face.Self aware and very clever,When You Dish Upon a Star is a very enjoyable Simpsons episode.

After a parasailing incident,Homer discovers celebrities Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger are living in Springfield.Homer becomes their assistant but struggles to hide their secret from his friends and family.

Just Not Very Funny

[Hitchcoc · 6/10 · 24 August 2022]

The only redeeming feature is what has been done before. It falls back on minor characters being extremely avaricious and stupid. Homer's landing in Basinger and Baldwin's home is too much, even for this show. Homer wants celebrity status. People keep talking about a transition to weakness in the series. That's a lot of seasons (what--25 more). I'll reserve judgment. There must be something there that makes people continue to watch.

Eight years before 30 Rock

[safenoe · 6/10 · 2 February 2023]

Anyway, eight years before 30 Rock the male lead star of the underrated series guest stars as himself in When You Dish Upon a Star, along with his then-wife, and also Ron "Happy Days" Howard who back then was a big shot director whose career trajectory was on the up and up for sure.

Okay, for me this episode was at the tale-end of the golden years of The Simpsons, which for me in my humble opinion is the first ten seasons. Others may disagree, but still.

The jokes about Hollywood fly thick and fast in When You Dish Upon a Star, and all credit to the guest stars who were happy to make fun of themselves.

A great episode, dont listen to some review

[nicofreezer · 9/10 · 6 April 2022]

People love to hate on a famous show, its now cool to find the moment the Simpsons start to lose a bit of quality, and i Can tell you its not at all in this one, this episode is not different at all than all the 200 before , its funny , Funny and funny. If the Simpsons did go downhill ( im not so sure it has happen) it is not before Season 20-25 at least.

Downhill from here

[studioAT · 3/10 · 31 January 2017]

Everyone disputes when the golden age of 'The Simpsons' ended, and i'm sure will for the rest of time, but for me, this is where the end began.

There was always some sort of reality within the show before this point. Yes, the characters did silly things, but there was always a heart. This episode features highly stupid things, with no real logic attached.

The change in Homer is noticeable. So much time has gone by since that we accept him as he is now, but before this point, yes he was dumb, but not to this OTT extent.

I'm a fan of the show, I still find newer episodes funny, but for me the standard of seasons 3-9 have never been matched.

This is where it starts to go downhill.

[jerekra · 3/10 · 23 March 2009]

I have thoroughly and precisely looked at the simpsons as a series in order. I did so to see where the series started to go downhill. I have found that this is the episode where things start to get really bad. This is the first awful episode in my opinion, and also the plot of this episode is often repeated in future episodes.

Basically Homer accidentally stumbles upon a hidden house belonging to Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin. He agrees to keep their hide out a secret and also does some errands for them. However soon he can not help but brag to his friends about them.

Basically too much of the episode is a completely un real plot. Before this episode the simpsons would do things that seemed somewhat realistic. But in this one Homer is hanging out with celebrities that nobody can relate to. I do not have a problem with celebrities appearing in the simpsons but in this one they are too important and also do not make the episode better. So I guess my main complaint is that there are too many celebrities in this film for too much and that it is a unreal plot that most people can not relate too. Also it is not funny. And the ending is lame, that also gets repeated in future episodes.

This is where the series gradually gets worse. A bad episode I do not recommend.

The first truly unwatchable Simpsons episode

[macsr-52636 · 2/10 · 16 October 2023]

The first episode where you change the channel if it comes on screen. The first episode where you don't just simply let it play through and ignore it, but actively fast forward through it to get immediately to the next episode.

In this episode Homer is exceptionally stupid and unlikeable, the scenario is so unrealistic that the suspension of disbelief required to even half enjoy it could induce a migraine, and the celebrity worship triggers a sense of second hand embarrassment so intense that I can't even look myself in the mirror after watching it in its entirety.

Before this there are many signs that the Simpsons is on its last legs, but this episode confirms without a doubt that the golden era has passed.

When you mess up someone's night

[arielsiere · 3/10 · 10 June 2022]

This episode is a rehash of the song called When You Wish Upon A Star a song from the Disney movie called Pinocchio which is way better and one of the worst Simpsons episodes next to The Boys Of Bummer, Lisa Goes Gaga, Homer Vs Dignity, The Principal And The Pauper, Homer's Night Out and Miracle On EverGreen Terrace.