Happy Musings Thursday my friends! After a 1 week hiatus, I have some thoughts for you. Now that we’re nearing the end of the Flanders Family Reunion I thought I’d spend today musing about the splen-didilly iddly-reffic mini-event. You know I’ve got some thoughts, so let’s get to ’em…
-I’ve noticed that this was a big event for a lot of you. And I don’t mean big in terms of content, I mean big in terms of..it was a big deal. It was good. Y’all were raving on and on about how great this one was. Despite it’s “mini” size, it was a big hit! Is it the characters? Is it the buildings? Personally, I think it’s a combination of both mixed with the old Flanders charm that has made this mini-event a smashing success.
-Part of that Flanders charm is the character storylines. The writers of the show, and EA, basically took these small blips on the show and expanded them into several interesting, and hilarious, storylines!
It felt as though the writers basically wrote a Flanders spin-off version of The Simpsons. They played with storylines that likely were cut for time or just ideas that never made it onto the show for this event. It’s really awesome to see some of these ideas come to life.
-Let’s talk about Ted Flanders for a minute and his Herbal Spinach cart. What an interesting twist of events for Ted in this event, huh?! The only time we’ve seen him on the show, he was basically a Ned Flanders clone. We really had no information about Ted, other than he was Ned’s cousin, was moving into the Brown House, and has two daughters (Connie and Bonnie).
So it’s interesting to me that he showed up in Springfield with the Herbal Spinach Cart…and even has a task to Sell the Spinach and take a Lunch break. Even more interesting that, if you read the dialogue…we still know nothing about Ted Flanders! The questline is really focused on Ned’s parents more than Ted, in fact, Ted barely speaks during the questline. Aside from the tasks at the cart, the Herbal Spinach cart is really more about Nedward in Capri than Ted.
I also think EA missed a golden opportunity to add Connie and Bonnie Flanders!
-Canadian Flanders, the one with the true taste for the reefer-ino, isn’t even a Flanders! He’s just the Canadian version of Ned. While I love this character, I think it’s funny that he’s not a true Flanders..and his questline explores more of his Flanders side than Ted’s does!
-Lord Thistlewick, a true Flanders, is another character that was barely a blip on the show and they really went to down with his questline for this event! It was fun to see him cozying up with Burns, and nice to see a blip character given a little more depth in TSTO!
-And finally…am I the only one who thinks they totally could have made this a major event in TSTO? Despite the reunion only lasting about a minute in the world of The Simpsons, there was a TON of content they could have added. Where’s the Flanders band?
And I can’t be the only one upset that we didn’t get Jose Flanders…
But I guess this is the sign of a great event. It was so good it left us wanting more of the themed content! Hopefully, EA will have another Flanders Family Reunion in the near future where we’ll get Jose, Bonnie, Connie, the Flanders Family Band, and human Maude!
Until then, I’m just grateful we were given the AWESOME, VOICED, crowd of Flanders Family members! Because everyone needs more of this in their life…
I’m really tempted to make this my ringtone…
-Overall I’d give this mini-event a solid A. It was a great mini-event. Awesome dialogue, great prizes, fantastic characters, and really great voices! And I’d probably have given it an A+ if Jose was included…
And that’s it, guys my wrap up on the latest event in TSTO. More of this please EA! And, please don’t make us wait 6 weeks before the next event again!
Thoughts? Care to share your own musings on the Flanders Family Reunion? Sound off below, you know we love hearing from you!
For me, it was the characters. There’s just something amusing about alternate versions of main characters, as if EVERYONE in a particular family tree would have the same mannerisms, attitudes, etc. Exaggerating this notion, just as the Simpsons universe exaggerates pretty much everything, just entertains me to no end.
It also helped that the ‘tapping schedule’ for this event was less intensive, allowing a more relaxed pace. Sure, you could do the ‘every four hours like clockwork’ thing, but you didn’t NEED to.
The only Flanders question I’m curious to know the answer to now is if we know from the episode “viva ned Flanders” that ned is 60 then how old must his parents be? They must be at least touching 100.
Yes Jose and the band! Connie, Bonnie, human Maude. Would be nice to make our Flanders collection complete.
🎵everyone who counts loves Ned Flanders!🎶
When is whacking day?
Tbh I don’t even read 90% of the dialogue. I simply have the attention span of an amoeba. Can’t talk about the sounds ever, sound is never on, But i did really like the event. And it was due to the characters ánd the buildings. Sometimes the buildings are either too generic (another 6×4 store) or they are too far out (alien buildings that don’t fit anywhere). This one was nice, and everybody loves Flanders or they love to hate Flanders, so we can always have more flanderserses or whatever is the plural.
I believe the plural form is Flanderini
Not flanderino?
My favorite event, for a long time. If too brief. Great characters and dialogue. Did indeed leave room for another family reunion for next year? one hopes…
Jose Flanders
Human Maude Flanders
Yes, EA truly needs to deliver at least these two to make it a complete Flanders reunion (why this didn’t turn into a major multi-week Event with the Flanders versus The Simpsons competing for the best family reunion? I don’t know, but I wouldn’t have minded 3 Weeks / 3 Acts filled with that and some more “herbal spinach” social commentary / lampooning).
I will say thank you EA for what was great, and hope there will be better things to come this year Event-wise (besides Halloween, Christmas). 😀
I think this was a great event. Solid content and I loved the pacing – given that it is summer and I tend to spend a lot more time outdoors and still finished early. Nice and relaxed the way summer should be…
I agree that the writers of EA missed an opportunity to bring the rest of the Flanders into play. I do think the writers are stepping up their game. In fact, this was the most honest balanced writing I’ve witnessed, so for the dialogue in the game an “A” is warrented. Content gets a “C+” from me. The two buildings had nothing to do with the event and the three decorations were underwhelming. All in all, it was a decent filler event and hopefully a main event is around the corner.
Me too me too…..Big A for the event!!! Agree 100% with u about missing Jose Flanders…a VOICED Jose Flanders. I’d tap that guy all day (Thats what she said…).
I am storing the 2 buidings but all the Flander folk are out and about! Color me tickled pink yet again😋
Back to the 12hr shift rotation and tapping twice a day very disappointed 😶.
We both know it could be worse! Its not so bad! Lol
I always do 4hours except for at night. Might change that when my xp collider is out though
I agree with the A for the event. Only issue was that it was too short. Loved the dialogue. Hope something equal or greater arrives not too long from now. Mmmmmmmm…….spinach? Oh….spinach…
Flanders has an amish cousin, Jacob (Lisa with an S). And what about Grandma Flanders?? (Lisa’s first word and The kids are all fight) Hello Joe!!!
Loved this event a lot more than the recent Gaming one, that’s for sure. Hopefully they will have a nice, long summer one for us before TOH season kicks in!
Only a B+ for me. Need land tokens.
Yes, great event with great quests. More Flanderses please
It was a fun event! I hope we get the rest of the characters soon!
My only complaint: wish the event had multiple events.
Thanks for your musings Alissa! This is a solid A for me too, because of dialogues, two full characters, Flanders’ crowds etc 😄
and also: more Flanders crowds can be bought with money, not donuts. Very unusual 🙂
True! I must have bought a thousand, just in case 😂