​Remember when Bruce Wayne was debating packing in the whole Batman thing in The Dark Knight and Harvey Dent suggested he might actually be on to something? “You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain,” he said, shortly before becoming a villain himself. While it’s usually not advised to take the advice of supervillains, The Simpsons might be able to learn something from this Rogue Gallery baddie. Especially following their recent fumbled response to accusations of cultural appropriation regarding Springfield regular and Kwik-E-Mart clerk Apu. 

Miss this? Here’s a quick recap: In late 2017 TruTV aired stand-up comic Hari Kondabolu’s documentary The Problem With Apu, a film that explored exactly what its title might suggest by inviting a handful of recognized names to discuss the subliminal negative impact Springfield’s solo Indian American character has had on modern popular culture. Reaction online was swift and soon enough the question was raised as to how The Simpsons’ creative team might counter these accusations. It was a tricky situation made trickier when you consider that Apu has been around for the long haul and that he’s voiced by caucasian actor and voice artist Hank Azaria. If this was an episode of the show, they’d probably throw an awkward collar tug in right about now. 

As America’s longest running sitcom - one that’s deftly handled its fair share of hot topics with a combination of comedy and wit in the past - expectation was high. However instead of serving up a smart, considered response, sensitive to the social expectations of the day, the show’s eyebrow-raising retort fell spectacularly flat, not only shying away from addressing the issue head on but sweeping the whole conversation under the rug altogether. To borrow a phrase of another Springfield resident, it was probably the worst handling of a topical issue, ever. 

Maybe the show’s writers were banking on using the speed at which social issues like these come and go, hoping to offer a brief note, wait out the storm and carry on as usual. However instead of just being a rubbish response, this comes across more like the final nail in the coffin for a show that’s been in a steady decline for almost as long as its Golden Age lasted. When The Simpsons arrived in 1989, it had the gift of being fresh and undoubtedly paved new ground. If it wasn’t for Matt Groening and The Simpson family, it’s unlikely that we’d now have South Park or Family Guy - shows that have arguably taken Springfield’s format and improved upon it for a new generation. 

With this in mind - and with new shows, for new demographics, tackling new, topical issues in new ways - it makes you wonder whether we really need to see the slow demise of a once-pioneering show that’s now old and struggling to keep up. The legacy of The Simpsons at its peak is too sharp and revered to be handled this carelessly by a revolving door troupe of new writers. Suddenly, Harvey Dent’s advice sounds all too apt. Maybe The Simpsons has survived long enough to see itself do more harm than good. Maybe audiences need a little vacation from Springfield. 

Do you think we've seen enough of The Simpsons? Let me know in the comments section below!

Game of Thrones will soon be dead. Proper dead. Deader than one of its beardy warriors or scantily clad ladies or grubby looking extras that met the fiery end of a pissed off dragon and its obliviously incestuous Queen. Winter has come and will soon be gone, leaving a massive hole in our telly social lives that not even an ice giant can fill. In short: we’ll all soon be in need a new TV show to watch. 

This isn’t the first time this has happened though. Remember how we all scrabbled around when Breaking Bad took a bow in 2013? Or what about when Mad Men smoked its last cigarette a couple of years back? The shows that become everyone’s new favourite shows never start off that way. They need precious time to attract the attention of a few telly-hipsters and build up a word-of-mouth rep. Considering that, it’s a very real possibility that the show you’ll soon be trying your hardest to avoid spoilers from is probably already on the air. How can you spot it? Well there are a few things to look out for….

First off, the shows everyone ends up obsessing over need a devilishly taboo hook. Whether it’s a high school teacher shooting people in the face to ensure the survival of his meth empire or a mystical realm full of dragons and tits, every hit TV show needs a rebellious streak. Then there’s the unnecessary obsession with sex, the more depraved the better. You know what we mean: You’re watching what on the surface is a perfectly harmless dialogue scene - but both parties are completely naked for some reason and an extra in the background is wanking into a flannel. Sex sells - even if it has absolutely nothing to do with plot, character development or taste.

Thirdly, any show worth its weight in sofa snacks needs someone for us to all hate. Some absolute shit-prick that allows us to all do what we do best: come together on Twitter and direct the entirety of our united venom at the poor actor that had to play that role. There’s a reason why Jack Gleeson said he probably wouldn’t act again after playing royal bell-end Joffrey in Game of Thrones. We armchair aficionados live vicariously through characters on screen and the need to drain ourselves from the pure hatred we feel on a weekly basis must be serviced. Watching someone with someone detestable in it? Hot dog! You may be onto a winner. 

And finally, the next big show needs incredibly long waits between series. If you’re watching something right now that seems to know where it’s going, ditch it. All the best shows have absolutely zero direction or plans currently in the bag. This makes us cherish each new episode when it finally arrives and ensures we’re just as surprised as the writers are when watching its plot unfold. Because if there’s one thing a show lives or dies on, it’s that panicked feeling of realising it’s a sleeper success. 

Have you found everyone's new favourite show? Let me know in the comments below!

Rick and Morty may have only been around for a few years but it’s already firmly established itself in today’s pop culture lexicon. You can thank Netflix for that. With just two seasons under its belt and a long-awaited third currently being drip-fed to audiences, Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon’s bizarro space comedy has so far churned out loads of quotable lines, a good indicator for any cult-show in the making. With that in mind, here’s a few of the best and a handy guide on how you can successfully utilize them in everyday conversation...

Where’s It From?
Season two’s Big Trouble in Little Sanchez saw Rick transport his brain into a high school version of himself, instantly becoming the coolest kid in town. Pretty soon though, his de-aged self turns into a minuscule threat.

How You Can Use It:
Throughout the episode Tiny Rick randomly shouts his own name whenever he’s excited or triumphant so that’s how this one should be used in everyday chit-chat. Won a quid on a scratch card? Bust out a ‘Tiny Rick!’ Bagged the last meat and potato pasty at Greggs? You better believe that’s a ‘Tiny Rick!’. Try it, it’s fun.

Where’s It From?
When family patriarch Jerry is rushed to an intergalactic hospital, Rick hooks up a multi-verse cable TV box to help kill time while he recovers. During a channel hopping spree the Sanchez family stumble on ad-libbed action epic Jan Quadrant Vincent 16, a show set in a world where it’s up to actor Jan Michael Vincent to maintain order… for some reason.

​How You Can Use It:
The episode Interdimensional Cable 2: Tempting Fate was catchphrase gold thanks to its clearly improvise-first-then-animate format. The line stands out due the determination in its delivery. Got to finish off that overdue dissertation? Well it looks like it’s time to Michael Down your Vincents, isn’t it?

Where’s It From?
This happy little line is the trademark sound of none other than Mr Poopy Butthole, a long yellow bloke who first popped up during season two’s paranoia-laced Total Rickall. This adventure sees Rick’s family plagued by a space parasite that inserts itself into people’s memories as a survival technique. You remember this one, right?

​How You Can Use It:
Despite experiencing a bit of a rough patch during his story arc, Mr Poopy Butthole remains incredibly optimistic and upbeat. Use this one whenever you’re in a good mood or about to eat something that looks especially delicious. The more exciting/tasty looking the task/food you’re about to undertake/gobble down, the longer you should drag out the ‘Oooh’’s and ‘Weee’’s.

Where’s It From?
Did we mention Total Rickall was catchphrase paradise? While there’s plenty of zingers we could have selected from this episode (a little ‘Real fake doors’, perhaps?) the catchphrase pinnacle of the story arrives in the form of a cutaway highlighting Rick’s many sayings. 

​How You Can Use It:
This one’s versatile. Try dusting it off during an awkward silence. It’s pure obscurity is guaranteed to ease the tension and raise a few eyebrows. Maybe you’d like to use it as more of a condolence when someone needs a ‘life must go on’ pick-me-up. In fact, don’t limit yourself to just this one - any of Rick’s lines from his catchphrase medley can (and should) be used on a regular basis. Go on, knock yourself out. 

Where’s It From?
This gem of a line was taken from season one’s closer Rick Potion #9. In an attempt to impress his high-school crush, Morty swipes an incredibly potent love potion during an adventure with Rick. The good news is, it works. The bad news is everyone falls head-over-heels for Morty and he accidentally destroys the world. Swings and roundabouts, eh?

​How You Can Use It:
This episode ended with Rick and Morty ditching their doomed universe, relocating to the nearest similar one, killing the local versions of themselves and taking their place. Dark stuff. As such, this line should be used with equal venom. Bust it out whenever someone’s ranting at you for the ultimate argument ender. 

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What's your favourite Rick and Morty quote? Should "Pickle Rick!" have made the cut? Let me know in the comments below!