Hello!
I like to look through The Simpsons episode ratings here while I'm watching the show. It always seemed to be pretty much on par with what you'd expect ratings-wise if you're a fan. However, lately this has not been the case.
Recently, there has been a drastic ratings fluctuation on certain episodes.
I found it funny that now, all of a sudden, some of the most widely-accepted "best episodes" are rated quite poorly (Or at least very 'average.'). Additionally, I've been seeing certain episodes that have been widely panned, rated very highly.
RATINGS DROP
Let's start with the episode "Marge Vs. The Monorail."
This is one of the most universally acclaimed Simpsons episodes of all time, and it's a rarity to not see it on anyone's top 10 list.
This used to be rated a 9+. Now it's a 6.9.
As I started to investigate, I checked the ratings breakdown graphs. [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701173/ratings?ref_=tt_ov_rt]
If you look at the second graph, with the red and blue, you'll notice that most of the female age groups voted very low, around 2.5 average. If you look at the episode ratings graph immediately before or after the "Monorail" episode, you'll see the male and female groups are more in line with each other and much less lopsided.
I would bet that if an admin were to investigate this, you would find a point in time where this episode rating got flooded with "1" and "2" ratings in a short amount of time.
RATINGS SPIKE
I've also noticed this tampering for episodes with previously low ratings. Let's use "The Principal And The Pauper" for this example.
Previously, this was rated a low "6." Now it's an 8.4. Once again, if you look at the second graph on the ratings breakdown page, [[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701257/ratings?ref_=tt_ov_rt]] you'll see that the female age groups all rated very highly, a 9.6 average. (Much higher than the male average) And also, once again, if you look at the breakdown for the episode immediately before or immediately after this one, the ratings breakdown is more even and less lopsided between genders.
And again, I would bet that if an admin were to investigate this, you would find a point in time where this episode rating got flooded with "9" and "10" ratings in a short amount of time.
It probably goes without saying that most of these episodes that have been tampered with also seem to have 400-500 more "votes" than most episodes.
LIST OF (Possibly) TAMPERED EPISODES
Here is a list of just some of the episodes that seem to have something fishy going on.
DROP IN RATINGS:
El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Homer - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701094/
Sunday Cruddy Sunday - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701220/
Homer At The Bat - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701114/
Marge Vs. The Monorail - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701173/
You Only Move Twice - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701298/
Homer The Great - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701115/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2
SPIKE IN RATINGS
Alone Again, Natura-Diddly - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701052/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Two Bad Neighbors - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0779680/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
The Principal And The Pauper - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701257/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Homer Defined - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701110/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Homer The Smithers - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0779667/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
For the record; I don't 'hate' the Principal And The Pauper episode, and surely don't consider it the 'worst episode ever.' I do however, find it hard to believe that it's rated a whole point and a half higher than a classic such as "Marge Vs. The Monorail," when it used to be the other way around just a short time ago.
This post isn't about which episodes are the best or the worst. I've just noticed some suspicious things lately while going through them. I could be completely crazy for bringing this up, and everything really is how it should be. I don't think I AM crazy though, because I've noticed these drastic changes without even looking for them. Maybe it's worth someone looking into; this is all I'm saying. Thanks for your time.
I like to look through The Simpsons episode ratings here while I'm watching the show. It always seemed to be pretty much on par with what you'd expect ratings-wise if you're a fan. However, lately this has not been the case.
Recently, there has been a drastic ratings fluctuation on certain episodes.
I found it funny that now, all of a sudden, some of the most widely-accepted "best episodes" are rated quite poorly (Or at least very 'average.'). Additionally, I've been seeing certain episodes that have been widely panned, rated very highly.
RATINGS DROP
Let's start with the episode "Marge Vs. The Monorail."
This is one of the most universally acclaimed Simpsons episodes of all time, and it's a rarity to not see it on anyone's top 10 list.
This used to be rated a 9+. Now it's a 6.9.
As I started to investigate, I checked the ratings breakdown graphs. [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701173/ratings?ref_=tt_ov_rt]
If you look at the second graph, with the red and blue, you'll notice that most of the female age groups voted very low, around 2.5 average. If you look at the episode ratings graph immediately before or after the "Monorail" episode, you'll see the male and female groups are more in line with each other and much less lopsided.
I would bet that if an admin were to investigate this, you would find a point in time where this episode rating got flooded with "1" and "2" ratings in a short amount of time.
RATINGS SPIKE
I've also noticed this tampering for episodes with previously low ratings. Let's use "The Principal And The Pauper" for this example.
Previously, this was rated a low "6." Now it's an 8.4. Once again, if you look at the second graph on the ratings breakdown page, [[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701257/ratings?ref_=tt_ov_rt]] you'll see that the female age groups all rated very highly, a 9.6 average. (Much higher than the male average) And also, once again, if you look at the breakdown for the episode immediately before or immediately after this one, the ratings breakdown is more even and less lopsided between genders.
And again, I would bet that if an admin were to investigate this, you would find a point in time where this episode rating got flooded with "9" and "10" ratings in a short amount of time.
It probably goes without saying that most of these episodes that have been tampered with also seem to have 400-500 more "votes" than most episodes.
LIST OF (Possibly) TAMPERED EPISODES
Here is a list of just some of the episodes that seem to have something fishy going on.
DROP IN RATINGS:
El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Homer - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701094/
Sunday Cruddy Sunday - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701220/
Homer At The Bat - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701114/
Marge Vs. The Monorail - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701173/
You Only Move Twice - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701298/
Homer The Great - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701115/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2
SPIKE IN RATINGS
Alone Again, Natura-Diddly - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701052/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Two Bad Neighbors - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0779680/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
The Principal And The Pauper - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701257/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Homer Defined - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701110/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Homer The Smithers - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0779667/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
For the record; I don't 'hate' the Principal And The Pauper episode, and surely don't consider it the 'worst episode ever.' I do however, find it hard to believe that it's rated a whole point and a half higher than a classic such as "Marge Vs. The Monorail," when it used to be the other way around just a short time ago.
This post isn't about which episodes are the best or the worst. I've just noticed some suspicious things lately while going through them. I could be completely crazy for bringing this up, and everything really is how it should be. I don't think I AM crazy though, because I've noticed these drastic changes without even looking for them. Maybe it's worth someone looking into; this is all I'm saying. Thanks for your time.