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Pelle Parafins Bøljeband og automatspøkelsene (1981)
Not their best work but not bad either
This show is, as most shows are, very much a product of its time. Yes, it seems quaint and cheap now, and you probably won't "get" it unless you happen to be familiar with the cultural Zeitgeist and the political reality in Norway in the early 1980s. Oh, and you need to understand the language, obviously...
The group "Tramteatret" were radical leftists, which shines through in most of their work -- and especially in this one. Aside from that, they never did take themselves too seriously and so the low-production values here are actually quite fitting. It's a nice mix of "OK, I can see what they were going for" and "Were they even trying?" The humor is almost entirely over-the-top and tongue in cheek. That said, it doesn't always hit the mark in my book.
Nissene over skog og hei (2011)
A very good follow-up and a good show in its own right
This is a follow-up to "Nissene på låven" that manages to hold its own. I pretty much stumbled upon it in 2021, completely unaware of its existence until then, and of course I had to check it out. You will need to understand Norwegian to enjoy it (unless there is a version out there with subtitles).
The concept is this: a "Survivor"-type reality show where participants compete for the grand prize while being voted off one by one. Except that it's a parody. Several of the participants from the original series reappear in the same roles -- plus some new ones, which include some characters from Espen Eckbo's other shows. It is to some extent much of the same as before but Espen and Kristian have managed to keep it fresh without a lot of recycling. As before, lots of xmas-themed gags and hilarity.
It ends in a delicious twist. If you have seen the original, you probably think you know what I'm talking about -- but that's not it. By the way, the twist was nicely foreshadowed and if you pay attention along the way, you may see it coming. Still, it was very satisfying!
The Simpsons: Lisa's Wedding (1995)
Solid writing makes it work
Expertly written episode where we get a good look at the future of most of the main characters. Their future selves are fleshed out in ways that feel natural and true even if there are some surprises. Otto's transformation into a cleaned-up and responsible business owner may not be self-evident in the present, but it works here. Homer, of course, just gets older and fatter and is still stuck in the same job, and I don't think we should expect anything else. Or it wouldn't be Homer!
The Simpsons: The Principal and the Pauper (1997)
No, it's not THE worst...
There have been plenty of stinkers after this one (especially in seasons 10 and 11), and while this episode had some funny gags, the sheer chutzpah of uprooting everything about Skinner's life was a fatal flaw in my book. It might have worked as a Treehouse of Horror, since those episodes exist outside the normal continuity, or if they had deliberately showcased it as a "what if" or a bad dream.
The Simpsons: Lisa the Vegetarian (1995)
The satire is strong with this one
The plot is great and in perfect line with Lisa's character development; the gags are a-plenty and are both well-written and well-delivered; the satire manages to hit home and be funny at the same time. There's even a bit of nuanced realism at the end, so it avoids looking preachy.
Cannonball Run II (1984)
Sorry, but no.
I loved the first Cannonball movie. This one, however, delivered next to nothing. If you want to relive the zaniness of the first movie, watch it again instead of this one. It is just not the same.
The Simpsons: Throw Grampa from the Dane (2018)
Once upon a time, The Simpsons was the funniest, cleverest show on TV
....and that was at least 20 years ago. During "Throw Grampa From the Dane" I chuckled once. Once. The episode may appeal to the "America sucks, Trump sucks, socialism is great" crowd, seeing as that's basically all it was until that half-assed one-liner at the very end, which, I'm guessing the target audience either missed or won't remember. Sorry, Mr. Groening but The Simpsons ain't what it used to be, and tonight's propaganda piece was, for lack of a better term, the polar opposite of "groin-grabbingly good".