I'm a huge fan of the old school Simpsons and haven't watched much of the new seasons due to that fact, but lockdown has me watching free to air so I caught the last half of this episode.
I can't really catch you up to date with the Bart v Milhouse storyline.
It didn't feel like a Simpsons episode to me, so maybe if you watch it more objectively. But I really enjoyed the rags storyline, it was a interesting way to tell the story of a somewhat irrelevant character.
Regardless, I thought the ending with Santa's Little helper cute, so that kicked it up a few notches for me.
9 Reviews
Bizarre rag
TheLittleSongbird27 November 2019
Absolutely loved 'The Simpsons' in its early years, where so much came together in great harmony. In its prime it was one of the best and most addictive shows on television in my opinion, with lots of hilarious moments and it handled the emotional moments brilliantly too. The characters are also iconic and still are. Sadly it has been nowhere near as good as it originally was for a while now and in recent years there have been some quite bad episodes.
"Moe Goes from Rags to Riches" is one of those bad episodes. Not quite as much as "Lisa Goes Gaga" for example, but there are many that consider it one of the worst 'The Simpsons' episodes and after finally seeing it, despite wanting so much to go against the grain, it pains me to say that they are correct here. Not even having Jeremy Irons as guest star or hearing his listen-to-for-hours voice can save it. The very worst episode? Maybe not quite but it is very close. The strangest? Oh yes, easily, haven't seen an episode for anything this bizarre in a long time. Am not saying that being bizarre is bad all the time, it's when it's overdone when it is and "Moe Goes from Rags to Riches" not just overdoes it but it abuses it. The title alone is misleading, nothing really is rich about this episode and Moe is barely in it. The only thing it has right is that a rag plays a big role in the episode.
Didn't think it was a complete abomination. The animation is as colourful and detailed as ever. The music at least fits with the action and sounds appealing, the theme song/tune is still iconic 30 or so years on and is one that nobody will forget or have trouble recognising.
Some of the voice acting is okay, though all have done better before and even since. So basically the good things are the things that have been consistently good from the get go since the show started, even when 'The Simpsons' lost its way.
There is so much wrong sadly though. One of the biggest problems being that it just isn't funny, none of the lines are remotely funny or memorable (although Homer has one that does bring a very half-smile to the face for a second or two) and it just feels tired. There is a lot of intended satire, ideally satire should be witty, sly and razor-sharp but that's not the case in "Moe Goes from Rag to Riches". Have not heard satire this tame or stale in a long time, it actually did start to lose me very early on with that Lionel Ritchie video recreation. And it is a real shame that the episode takes a premise so unlike anything 'The Simpsons' had done before and executed it so strangely and dully. Everything, even the regular characters, was so bland and went too far on the bizarre factor.
Any real jokes are not enough and they are rather stale, even those that are of the mocking kind (which are so overly-polite that it would impossible to offend anybody) while too much of the material goes nowhere. For example, the origins of the tapestry fails to really serving much relevance. The structure sounded promising but came over as disjointed and not as cohesive as it could have been. None of the three acts are interesting really, the least bad being the second one with Lisa and Nelson (for Nelson's reactions) but even that lacked irony. The first act was far too polite and tame with too little of the material being properly followed through and the last is so overly-sentimental to sickly sweet effect that it leaves an aftertaste that leaves one reaching for the sick bag. The Bart and Millhouse, who is also out of character to an insulting degree, subplot was far too rushed and random, the episode could have done without it too.
While saying that some of the voice acting is okay, the audio doesn't always do them many favours, Lisa sometimes sounds odd. Personally thought that there was too much of Bar Rag even for the premise and that he was a not particularly compelling or developed character, in all fairness it would have been quite a task in the first place in making a dish rag interesting. Not even Jeremy Irons can save this, he is one of my favourite actors but the writers don't give him particularly much to work with and what he has is weak and far too weird that any actor would have struggled to make sense of it. And it seemed that Irons knew this, because this was a very rare phoned in performance from him.
In conclusion, very disappointing episode. A generous 3/10
"Moe Goes from Rags to Riches" is one of those bad episodes. Not quite as much as "Lisa Goes Gaga" for example, but there are many that consider it one of the worst 'The Simpsons' episodes and after finally seeing it, despite wanting so much to go against the grain, it pains me to say that they are correct here. Not even having Jeremy Irons as guest star or hearing his listen-to-for-hours voice can save it. The very worst episode? Maybe not quite but it is very close. The strangest? Oh yes, easily, haven't seen an episode for anything this bizarre in a long time. Am not saying that being bizarre is bad all the time, it's when it's overdone when it is and "Moe Goes from Rags to Riches" not just overdoes it but it abuses it. The title alone is misleading, nothing really is rich about this episode and Moe is barely in it. The only thing it has right is that a rag plays a big role in the episode.
Didn't think it was a complete abomination. The animation is as colourful and detailed as ever. The music at least fits with the action and sounds appealing, the theme song/tune is still iconic 30 or so years on and is one that nobody will forget or have trouble recognising.
Some of the voice acting is okay, though all have done better before and even since. So basically the good things are the things that have been consistently good from the get go since the show started, even when 'The Simpsons' lost its way.
There is so much wrong sadly though. One of the biggest problems being that it just isn't funny, none of the lines are remotely funny or memorable (although Homer has one that does bring a very half-smile to the face for a second or two) and it just feels tired. There is a lot of intended satire, ideally satire should be witty, sly and razor-sharp but that's not the case in "Moe Goes from Rag to Riches". Have not heard satire this tame or stale in a long time, it actually did start to lose me very early on with that Lionel Ritchie video recreation. And it is a real shame that the episode takes a premise so unlike anything 'The Simpsons' had done before and executed it so strangely and dully. Everything, even the regular characters, was so bland and went too far on the bizarre factor.
Any real jokes are not enough and they are rather stale, even those that are of the mocking kind (which are so overly-polite that it would impossible to offend anybody) while too much of the material goes nowhere. For example, the origins of the tapestry fails to really serving much relevance. The structure sounded promising but came over as disjointed and not as cohesive as it could have been. None of the three acts are interesting really, the least bad being the second one with Lisa and Nelson (for Nelson's reactions) but even that lacked irony. The first act was far too polite and tame with too little of the material being properly followed through and the last is so overly-sentimental to sickly sweet effect that it leaves an aftertaste that leaves one reaching for the sick bag. The Bart and Millhouse, who is also out of character to an insulting degree, subplot was far too rushed and random, the episode could have done without it too.
While saying that some of the voice acting is okay, the audio doesn't always do them many favours, Lisa sometimes sounds odd. Personally thought that there was too much of Bar Rag even for the premise and that he was a not particularly compelling or developed character, in all fairness it would have been quite a task in the first place in making a dish rag interesting. Not even Jeremy Irons can save this, he is one of my favourite actors but the writers don't give him particularly much to work with and what he has is weak and far too weird that any actor would have struggled to make sense of it. And it seemed that Irons knew this, because this was a very rare phoned in performance from him.
In conclusion, very disappointing episode. A generous 3/10
Terrible episode
thahar17 April 2012
A talking dishrag, voiced by Jeremy Irons. How ridiculous. The main plot revolves around Moe's dishrag, who talks about its history before it became a dishrag. Characters of The Simpsons portray the people of the past. It's so pointless! Who cares about a damn dishrag! I know it's supposed to parody a film, but most people won't get it. I hate "special" episodes of The Simpsons like these. Most of the jokes just weren't funny. It was just so stupid. But episodes like this shouldn't be a surprise as late as season 23.
There's also a sub-plot with Bart and Milhouse set in current times, but it doesn't blend in at all with the main plot that shows long flashbacks of the dishrag. The sub-plot is very thin, but it's better than the main plot. Otherwise, this is one of the worst episodes of The Simpsons I've ever seen. It's definitely the worst episode of the season so far, as the season is pretty okay.
There's also a sub-plot with Bart and Milhouse set in current times, but it doesn't blend in at all with the main plot that shows long flashbacks of the dishrag. The sub-plot is very thin, but it's better than the main plot. Otherwise, this is one of the worst episodes of The Simpsons I've ever seen. It's definitely the worst episode of the season so far, as the season is pretty okay.
Great episode With A Different Storyline,
lesleyharris3015 August 2012
Moe Goes From Rags To Riches is a great Simpsons episode with a great storyline,humor and also a good sub-plot which I thought was going to happen eventually during the series,because Bart is not a great friend to Milhouse.Jeremy Irons did a great job as a lovable bar rag who Moe claims to be his best friend.Im guessing the story to this was meant to be a bit of a parody of a film,I don't no what film,but Id love to see it because I found they where doing with the rag in this episode interesting.
Everyone mocks Moe,saying that his best friend is his bar rag~(voiced by Jeremy Irons.The bar rag can come to life and tells use all the story of how he became a bar rag,it takes use through ancient history.Meanwhile,Milhouse ignores Bart because he is sick of him making fun of him.Bart feels bad and trys to win him back.
Everyone mocks Moe,saying that his best friend is his bar rag~(voiced by Jeremy Irons.The bar rag can come to life and tells use all the story of how he became a bar rag,it takes use through ancient history.Meanwhile,Milhouse ignores Bart because he is sick of him making fun of him.Bart feels bad and trys to win him back.
Entertaining enough, but was so ludicrous that it was embarrassing.
caitz_is_bored29 November 2012
I found the fact that the plot of the episode revolved almost entirely around a dish-rag to be highly perturbing; running out of ideas are we? The historical settings were actually quite creative, a nice change from the usual settings. Sadly, this episode was a big flop and the gags were few and far between.
Normally with this show, they manage to balance a few plots together, such as the Treehouse Of Horror episodes and Trilogy of Error. However, this episode failed miserably at it's attempt to create a sub-plot. At first, i was interested in that Milhouse had finally stood up to Bart but my interest didn't last because it was weak and unoriginal.
Normally with this show, they manage to balance a few plots together, such as the Treehouse Of Horror episodes and Trilogy of Error. However, this episode failed miserably at it's attempt to create a sub-plot. At first, i was interested in that Milhouse had finally stood up to Bart but my interest didn't last because it was weak and unoriginal.
It was interesting and decent
arielsiere15 August 2022
I love how the rag tells his story he was voiced by Jeremy Irons the voice actor of Scar (The Lion King) and during the ending the rag says i'm in hell when in reality he is not, he was on the laundry with Marge trying to clean him.
Extremely weird and boring at the exact same time?!
celiawatsonanime21 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Didn't know that's even possible but it is.
It doesn't make sense that a rag that's been around since the middle ages, that is used very often by Moe still looks like it's in that good shape.
Now it'd make sense if it looked great if it was sitting in a museum for hundreds of years.
It doesn't make sense that a rag that's been around since the middle ages, that is used very often by Moe still looks like it's in that good shape.
Now it'd make sense if it looked great if it was sitting in a museum for hundreds of years.
we deserve more moe centered episodes
Cinema2kMendoza27 November 2021
This episode is funny because we know more about moe, and moe after homer is one of the most funny and relatable characters of the simpsons. I hope he gets more special episodes because when the family dont get jokes, always moe and his stories could work.
Hilarious episode with great jokesa
hankstir-529465 February 2022
If you think a talking bar rag telling its story is stupid, what are you doing watching The Simpsons in the first place? This episode is packed with the usual somewhat crude and very satirical humor, but with a bar rag that's voice by.... Jeremy Irons, of all people. Enjoy!
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