In the Loop cynicism will test the demand for political satire in an Obama-infatuated America." Michael Phillips of the "Chicago Tribune" put the film as #9 on his top ten list of 2009. The film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 94% of the reviews they tallied for the film were positive, based on 166 reviews. "In The Loop" was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2010. In the Loop In the Loop is a 2009 British satirical black comedy film directed by Armando Iannucci. The film is a spin-off from his BBC Television series "The Thick of It"
The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase "22 Short Films About Springfield" sparked the idea amongst the staff for a spin-off series entitled "Tales from Springfield". The proposed show would focus on the town in general, rather than the Simpson family. Every week would be a different scenario: three short stories, an adventure with young Homer or a story about a background character that was not tied into the Simpson family at all. The idea never came to anything, as Groening realized that the staff did not have the manpower to produce another show as well as "The Simpsons". The staff believe it is something that they