Lisa Simpson Character Development

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fatpendulum

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Does anyone here actually like Lisa's Character after the changes she went through do you think she's just changed into Brian, voicing the character's opinion? In an episode of the Simpson's she had told Homer to be preachy and talk about issues. I think it's ironic that her advice seemed to be the same way Family guy has been airing episodes recently.
 
But Lisa's always been preachy, at least in the actual show itself. Episodes such as Homer Vs. Lisa Vs. The Eighth Commandment and Lisa The Vegetarian demonstrate this well, although in episodes like Lisa The Vegetarian, Lisa does realize that she can push it too far. If you ask me, she really hasn't been speaking out against Homer's actions enough in recent years, compared to the classic years when she was quick to question Homer's bad decisions, therefore causing Homer to see the light, so to speak, and take the measures to make up his mistakes.
 
If we're talking about Lisa from the classic years, or Seasons 1-10, then she was always a feminist and out-spoken.

I can't speak for what Lisa is in Seasons 11-20, but in the first 10 seasons at least, she always wanted to do the right thing yet always wanted to be popular and well-received by others.

Look at the number of episodes where Lisa tries to make friends, or playing the saxophone in plays or trying to get Homer's love.
 
1-10 I could understand even when was a vegetarian I guess what I don't like is the fact is she tries to push her idea's on to everyone, although like snes says she realized that
 
I liked Lisa's character development up until "Lisa the Skeptic" in Season 9, when she became less of a voice of reason and more of an obnoxious brat who always has to be right. Fortunately, no Lisa episode since that one has taken her character to such an unlikeable extreme (i.e. calling people morons for being religious, complaining just for the sake of complaining, etc.), but few episodes since have been able to capture the innocent awkward genius that Lisa was in the classic era. "Lisa the Simpson" was probably her last hurrah (and a great end to the Oakley-Weinstein era, at that).
 
I never liked Lisa. Whilst i admire her intelligence and dedication to her schoolwork and her progressive streak i would also say she is more a feminist than an equalist, and is decidedly hippie and beatnikish and 'individualistic' as they say.

She rebels without reason, as is demonstrated in the scene involving her attempting to join the football team where after learning females are already on board she declines to sign up.

She is aggressively protestant without cause or well based reason, and her bhuddist vegetarian environmentalist messages just show one how much tv is in the hands of leftist weirdos these days.

HOWEVER- i did like her character in the shorts. In the shorts she is a fairly well rounded individual, and a normal little girl who makes a good friend to Bart and is a typical person. But when Season One ruined the show she fell further than most characters imo and Sam Simons apalling destruction of her character to make her appear like a know it all weirdo hippy sympathising rebel ruined much of the show.

If only the show had retained it's pre season one ways it might have been an allright decent cartoon, but for me at any rate i reckon Season One ruined The Simpsons and after that few episodes rose to the normalcy level of cartoons of our age.
 
Wait, what? Not this again...



So you honestly think the Simpsons haven't been good since the series itself started? That the series ruined the perfection that was the Tracy Ullmen shorts? Do you really mean this? Is this shtick? Because if it's not why have you been wasting your time watching this show for 20 years, let alone talking about it here?
 
I don't like Lisa. I don't know how to explain it... I just don't like her know-it-all, goody two shoes attitude all the time, always being the voice of reason.
 
I don't really understand how "like Bart, but a girl" counts as a well-rounded personality. (But then again, I've never understood why you think the Tracey Ullman shorts are vastly superior to the entire main run of the show, either.)
 
Hold the phone, I thought you were the one that liked season one, and thought everything after that was a disgrace. Now you're saying season one was also garbage, and the only thing worthwhile in the franchise were the Tracey Ullman shorts?

This is indeed a disturbing universe!
 
I like lisa back then she broke the monotonus in the Simpsons but ever since then she just seems to be doing it for attention and I also agree she always rebelled for no cause.
 
...To put my opinion simply:

I first started watching The Simpsons in 02 when i got to watch whatever i wanted on the tv (then a black and white set). The Simpsons fascinated me as it does with people of my age then (ten). Bart became my fav character and i aspired to him, and thus for many years i liked the series (in its entirety).

However learning more as one saw more tv shows/cartoons i began to reconsider this opinion and since 07 have had a fairly unwavering (but for a few exception episodes) opinion that

the shorts>season one>classic years>newer eps>scully years

I think the characters were best at the beginning and that the show devolved. I will not say the shorts had no faults, but i believe had the series retained it's early style it would be more realistic, less Family Guy-esque and a better show all round.

As to Lisa, and this thread, i believe she is one of the worst affected by the series downfall over time, unlike say Bart who at least retained his personality fairly intactly.
 
You already know that I disagree with you on almost everything you say about the show(as do most of the other users), so let's just leave it at that. I really don't want to go through this with you again, so yeah, goodbye.
 
I don't think Lisa's really that funny a character. But, I think she's often the most intelligent written, three dimensional person in the Simpsons universe. I kinda chuckle when people point out her faults or when she's being "unlikeable". It goes to show that many people probably wouldn't make good writers, because they'd try to keep everyone "sympathetic" and "likeable". That's not good writing. If you want to write a character with teeth, you have to push them into some pretty divisive territories.

I think the Simpsons writers knew very well that Lisa would come off unlikeable at times. But she's a character of great depth and humanity at times as well as being annoying and a pain at times. That's what good characterization is all about.

Of course, I'm talking about The Simpsons from seasons 1-11 here. I honestly haven't caught more than the odd episode the past decade or so.
 
To be honest I'm surprised when people say they don't like her.

Not only is Lisa the star of many great episodes, but she has a great dynamic with all Homer, Bart and Marge. Every family needs one voice of reason, and although Marge serves that purpose Lisa also does it well.

Plus, how can anyone not love the Bart/Lisa stories they used to do? I quite liked how Bart/Lisa would solve mysteries together and help people with their problems.
 
I'd just like there to be ONE subplot where she pulls a Ramona Quimby and throws up in the middle of class!

C'mon, can ANYONE here not tell me that it would be hysterical???
 
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