I'm glad you are getting that same vibe. The show has been on the air for like 10 or 11 years at that point, so it's hard to tell if your tastes have changed or if you're just biased if you've been watching the show that long. haha. But sounds like you feel the same way even when binging the show for the first time.
On S7 of my rewatch... “The Anti-Social Network” might be one of the most underrated episodes. So many hilarious quotes. I lose it every time when Dee and Mac find the catfish lady and she’s trying to calm them down. “Don’t you shush me, god damn it!” Then Mac completely misrepresents the situation in his recap, “Dee banged a fat old black lady and sent her hair. I don’t know.”
Hero or Hate Crime was so fucking great, goddamn. actually made me a little emotional when Mac decided to stay out, even though he'll probably revert by next episode lol this is a stronger season so far but The Gang Turns Black was an all time low
off the top of my head season 11 is the best season all around from seasons 9 to 14. youre about to watch quite a few ineffectual episodes at this point. of course there will still be some gems scattered throughout.
s12 was a pretty good one, The Gang Tends Bar was my fav assuming Dennis comes back, but the way he left was surprisingly heartfelt and sweet (for a minute lol). feels like there's been a slight shift towards giving all of them actual emotional interior lives over the past few seasons, without losing the quintessential essence of them all being terrible people on the whole. I'm all for it, the show feels richer imo
another great season, they're on a real roll now. Time's Up, Escapes and Pride are instant classics. wasn't as fond of New Wheels as I was expecting to be; it felt a bit like a rehash of Misses the Boat, although Mac and Charlie just beating the shit out of the group of kids sent me I love that you can see Rob and Charlie kind of finding the tone of Mythic Quest in Pride, I absolutely adore that show and it's nice to see a bit of it's humanity leaking into Sunny, however briefly. the dance was beautiful but it was DeVito's reaction shots, and delivery of that last line that actually had me in tears. really reminds you what an incredible actor that man is the only off-putting thing about this season was how obviously the episodes were out of filming order, and how they had to keep papering over Glenn's absence with really awkward lines like "oh yeah he's just back there in the parade float, conveniently out of camera range but don't worry about it!" would have preferred they just let the emotion of the s12 finale stew a bit and sequence the episodes he was back for in the second half. (although then you'd be starting the season with Charlie's Home Alone, which is... a rough watch to put it nicely, so maybe I'm wrong)
wasn't a fan at all honestly. Day is a brilliant actor but they pretty much stuck him in one register the whole episode and kept cranking him up. feels like a waste of someone with his range imo. but I was already feeling sick when I put it on, so my timing was just wack lmao
To each their own, I can see that as valid criticism for Home Alone. I also agree the Super Bowl one sucked
I always appreciate their experimentations even when they aren't my favorite episodes. I like that they aren't just resting on their laurels this far into the show's run. Home Alone and the Superbowl episode aren't my favorite either, but I appreciate what they were going for.
was more indifferent to the Superbowl one that anything else, although I have never supported a sports team in my life or even really followed it, so it clearly wasn't an episode for me lol the real-life footage of Rob and Kaitlin cheering at the end was really sweet though. I love them
Ah you even liked the "bad" season, you're turning into a real fan lol I definitely agree and have said in the past that they should have just had Dennis' return be halfway through the season if Glenn was going to miss so many episodes, it feels really weird that he returns in the first episode but then is still awkwardly absent for half of the episodes
damn is that really the bad season? I guess I'm pretty insulated from the larger fanbase lol but I didn't feel that at all. thought it was stronger than 11 and at least equal to 12 honestly
This is one of those instances where I definitely felt my own bias. When you wait 2 years for that season to come out, it's even more obvious and apparent that they're trying to shoot around the casts' schedules and struggled getting it completed. It kind of takes you out of the moment. Dennis is either completely written out of some of the episodes, they do a clip show, or the episode takes place in one location. I can see it being a lot less noticeable or egregious on a binge watch.