WhileThe Simpsonsseason 36 finale’s Marge death is only temporary, the stunt does prove that the show can now pull off something it has held off on for four decades. With over 790 episodes to its name and a theatrical movie spinoff,The Simpsonsis the longest-running scripted primetime American TV show in history.
As such, it might seem like there are precious few stories the show hasn’t explored by now. Indeed, some 23 years beforeThe Simpsonsseason 37 arrived,South Parkalready parodied the show’s ubiquity. Season 6, episode 7, “Simpsons Already Did It,” saw the characters realize that the long-running show had told every available story under the sun.
Despite this, there are a few plots thatThe Simpsonshas never attempted.Apu’s disappearance fromThe Simpsonswas never addressed by an episode, as the show instead limited his exit to a throwaway joke about hiding mistakes in one outing. Similarly, the series has not yet risked a main character’s death.
The Simpsons Season 37 Could Explore Life After Homer’s Death
The Simpsons Hasn’t Killed Off The Show’s Everyman Hero (Yet)
Technically,The Simpsonsseason 36 finale “Estranger Things” killed off Marge, but the show’s executive producer was quick to tellVarietythat this twist would not last into the next season. “Estranger Things,” like over a dozen earlier episodes ofThe Simpsons, explored a potential future for Springfield’s most famous family. In the process, the episode killed off Marge.
Marge only died in “Estranger Things” to examine how this would impact Bart and Lisa’s relationship as adults, so she will be back to normal byThe Simpsonsseason 37 premiere.The Simpsonsseason 37 can’t keep Marge’s deathas part of the show’s canon, as intriguing as this prospect may seem, since the show has no permanent canon.
Instead,The Simpsonshas what executive producer Matt Selman dubbed an “Elastic canon,” where each episode takes place in a reality of its own. While this sometimes means the show’s dramatic stakes are low, as any event can be retconned swiftly, the format also allows for unique experimental opportunities. One of the most exciting would be Homer’s temporary death.
Homer’s Death Would Redefine Life For The Simpsons and Springfield
Homer Is The Character The Show’s Universe Revolves Around
Homer could die inThe Simpsonsseason 37, albeit only for an episode before the show then brings him back. This would be a fascinating development since, as noted by various earlier episodes, Homer has touched the lives of almost everyone in Springfield and led an extraordinary life. Not only that, but it is hard to imagine an episode without him.
An episode of the show focused on the aftermath of Homer’s death would requireThe Simpsonsto do a time jump, but this wouldn’t be an issue for a show that has explored the future of its characters numerous times before. The outcome would be an existentially interesting story for the show and one that could redefine Homer’s character.
Homer’s death would leave a vacuum at the heart of the series.
Throughout the series,The Simpsonshas been told largely through Homer’s eyes. Some classic episodes like season 8, episode 23, “Homer’s Enemy,” even draw attention to the fact that Homer could be the villain of another series, from an alternative perspective. As such, his death would leave a vacuum at the heart of the series.
The Simpsons Seemed Destined To End Without Exploring Life After Homer
One Popular Fan Theory Claimed The Show Would End With His Death
Since he is the show’s true hero,The Simpsonshas always seemed like it would end with or before Homer’s death. WhileThe Simpsonshas killed off characters in canonbefore, these were always minor background figures and supporting stars with small roles in the show’s overarching story. Killing off Homer would change everything.
Moreover, since the show could return to normal only a week later, it isn’t likeThe Simpsonswould need to rearrange its entire fictional universe to make this twist work. WhenFamily Guymade the mistake of killing off Brian, the show soon needed to reverse this twist as it became clear the sitcom’s format didn’t work without the sardonic family dog.
In contrast,The Simpsonscan explore the aftermath of Homer’s death for an episode, but then return to normal afterward and bring him back.The many storytelling tricks ofThe Simpsonsmean that the show has the unique opportunity to envision life after the death of its hero without committing to this permanently, and this would be a fascinating experiment for the series.
The Simpsonsseason 37 could depict life after Homer’s death and its impact on everyone, but then simply go back to normal with the next outing.
The elastic canon ofThe Simpsonsmakes anything possible in the series, and Homer’s death could be the best possible use of this technique. The Simpsonsseason 37 could depict life after Homer’s death and its impact on everyone, but then simply go back to normal with the next outing.
Homer’s Fate Could Last Only One Episode
After all, in any other series, killing off the hero is a straightforward route to cancellation. Even when this approach has worked in the past, as inRoseanne’s transformation intoThe Conners, the show has needed to spend a lot of time establishing its new format and character dynamics.
In contrast,The Simpsonscould kill off one of American fiction’s most enduringly popular characters, examine the impact this death has on his eponymous family and the world of the show, and then hit undo on the entire event. It’s the sort of audacious story that would work even better asthe plot ofThe Simpsons Movie 2.
However, since the show’s creators have no plans to create a sequel to the cult classic anytime soon, a standalone episode or a two-part special in season 37 would work just as well. Regardless of the format,The Simpsonsdirectly addressing Homer’s central role in the show and his immeasurable impact on real-life pop culture via his death would be an ingenious meta twist.
The show is blessed with a unique ability to change everything from episode to episode while still maintaining a cast of characters who are not only recognizable but iconic.
The Simpsonshas lasted longer than any of its critics could have imagined, and longer than even many of its fans wanted it to. The show is now blessed with a unique ability to change everything from episode to episode while still maintaining a cast of characters who are not only recognizable but iconic.
As such,The Simpsons’ recent critical successshould prompt its creators to try out this risky experiment. The show would explore what life after Homer is like for the central family and Springfield as a whole, thus proving thatThe Simpsonscan still shock viewers in the process.
