Has "The Simpsons" lost its magic?

This british guy says it has.

And as one who's been following the family's adventures since they were part of "The Tracey Ullman Show" in the late 1980s, I have to admit that they haven't been as sharp in recent years as they were, say, a decade ago.

But the show is still better than most of the dreck on TV, and I'm hopeful that the movie will be good. I'm bothered, however, by word from one of the producers that "if you've never heard of The Simpsons, you can enjoy the film." I would prefer that the movie key on the well-developed personalities of the supporting characters we've come to know and love over the years.

Oh, well. It isn't all that important, is it? It's only a TV show and a movie.