The Simpsons (TV Series) Tennis the Menace (2001) User Reviews

Guest starring tennis legends

[safenoe · 6/10 · 24 March 2023]

Yes, for me I'm one of those who will always stand by The Golden Years of The Simpsons, being the first 10 seasons for sure. Anyway, this episode slightly falls outside the golden era, but still worth watching. Wonderful to see Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras appear, as they push aside The Simpsons. But I know some see these cameos as somewhat gratuitous.

I'd love to see cameos by John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg and some wheelchair tennis players for balance please.

The scenes with Homer attempting to rule the tennis court was quite hilarious and humiliating all in one.

Alternatively

[trevorbritvec · 10/10 · 6 May 2015]

Having only just watched this, I consulted google, expecting it to be an award-winning episode. I'm surprised to discover that the only review is from someone for whom "Tennis the Menace" signaled the end of The Simpsons.

Starting with the old man's stand-up routine, and the whole retirement castle's talent show being a blast. I can't think of a more depressing situation, but the flawless execution of ironic wit makes it bouncing and fun like a good tennis volley. Such silky comedy weaves through the dialogue at a Shakespearean pace, the jokes stacking together perhaps faster than certain viewers could discern.

"Tennis the Menace" is solid Simpsons comedy from the start, with the right amount of sap and guest stardom to make for very enjoyable viewing.

The best from season 12 so far

[nicofreezer · 9/10 · 5 May 2022]

A very funny little episode, its simple everytime the Simpsons do a sport episode its awesome., They did baseball, football and now tennis 9/10 for this one ,

A premature modern Simpson episode

[santifersan · 5/10 · 30 April 2023]

Before properly knowing the series in chronological order, I thought that Tennis the Menace was an episode from season 14, 15, or similar, but I would have never thought that it was an episode from season 12. (For me, the golden era of The Simpsons ended at season 14, with the episode The Great Louse Detective, which is when the animation style changed to high definition. Coincidentally, this episode, along with the Radioactive Man movie episode, were the only two that implemented that animation style before The Great Louse Detective.) So the fact that this episode has that animation style, which for me coincides with the decline of the series, and the quality of the episode being low, made me think that the episode was from a season later than 13. So for me, this is the first modern Simpson episode, although Fear of Flying also seemed like it to me at the time. However, I no longer consider Fear of Flying a premature modern Simpson, but I still consider this one as such.

As reasons we can consider:

1. Surreal jokes about modern technology in the funeral home.

2. The introductory plot of the funeral home is a bit boring, and some gags are presented in an implausible way.

3. The last part of the episode, with the cameos of famous tennis players, is irritating.

4. In general, it can be considered a banal episode that borders on boredom.

5. We do not recognize the character of Homer; his personality here is more like modern Homer Simpson than classic.

However, it also has good points:

1. It is a nice and enjoyable episode to watch, apart from the boring parts.

2. Homer's Oedipal dream is fun to watch.

3. Homer's antics playing tennis are fun to watch.

4. The retirement castle scene is a good start and is amusing.

5. It is original.

Ask not for whom the bell tolls...

[Mike Carroll · 1/10 · 5 November 2008]

This was the episode that killed The Simpsons for me.

Up to this one, I has happy enough to keep believing that The Simpsons was the greatest show ever. But thanks to this truly unfunny and pointless episode I was able to finally see that the emperor was, in fact, naked, and I'd been fooling myself for years.

Now, it's possible that there have been some excellent episodes since, but I wouldn't know because I don't care any more. Every couple of months I'll watch a new episode just in case, but it's been many, many years since I've seen one that contains actual jokes. Most of them are painful to watch - though of course that could just be because I'm remembering how good the show used to be, when it was genuinely funny and not merely "funny-esque" (that is: it has all the set-ups, punch-lines and slapstick of actual humour, but without all that tedious laughing and enjoyment).

I realise that The Simpsons is a cash cow for everyone involved, but I just wish that that Mr Groening and co. could see that said cow isn't producing milk of any noticeable quality.

There is an old comedy adage that goes "Leave 'em laughing" - the idea being that it's better to go out on top than to out-stay one's welcome. Too late for that now, of course, but perhaps it would be better if The Simpsons was to stop now and leave us disappointed, before it gets to the stage where we actually start to get angry at it.

Agreed

[ndmaclay · 1 February 2020]

This is also the exact episode that caused me to stop watching the Simpsons.

A so-so episode

[studioAT · 2/10 · 16 January 2020]

While I don't agree with the previous review that 'The Simpsons' should end, because I see many episodes that are still of very good quality being produced.

It can't be denied though that you have to wade through a fair few weaker episodes before you find the golden ones.

This episode, in which Homer sets up a tennis court, is full of enough decent moments, but especially in S12 I've found there to be too many moments of darker humour, which I do not enjoy.

You Nailed it

[emersondrain · 1/10 · 30 January 2024]

The Simpsons were once the greatest show on television. Seasons 1-9 1/2 are phenomenal and a perfect mixture of comedic genius still rooted in some form of warped wholesomeness. All of the characters were well written, but Homer encapsulated such a lovable character that could mess up, but still meant well. Although Season 8's episode "Homer's Enemy" was a great episode, it was also a turning point for the show, where Homer's character transformed from a lovable goofball (that although flawed most of us could relate to) into almost a caricature of himself. After "Homer's Enemy", Homer became less goofy but good hearted and instead became more obnoxious. There is no investment when characters have nothing to lose, and each of the subsequent episodes became less focused on the story and more focused on "Family Guy" style instant gags that had nothing to do with the plot. The rest of season 8 and most of season 9 (some of season 10) were still really good, but the series lost the charm from the earlier seasons.

Season 12 though...complete garbage. Being a fan of the series since the Tracy Ullman Show, I refused to give up on the Simpsons as I watched terrible episode after terrible episode that made up season 12. After this episode though, I called it quits. I still watch Simpsons quite a bit, but only the first 10 seasons. I've tried watching the newer ones just to see if there was anything good that I was missing, but they are just so awful. I can watch an entire episode and not laugh once. Such a shame that the team destroyed one of the greatest shows in television history in exchange for money. They really did desecrate a work of art.