AlthoughThe Simpsonsseason 36 finale featured a shocking character death, this leaves season 37’s premiere in a tricky position.The Simpsonsis the longest-running scripted primetime American TV show in history, so, with over 790 episodes to its name, the show has a somewhat complicated relationship with canon and continuity.
Executive producer Matt Selman said in anXpost thatThe Simpsonshas an “Elastic canon” wherein events, character details, and backstories can all be retconned for the sake of a single storyline or gag. This approach was out in force inThe Simpsons season 36 finale “Estranger Things,”wherein the show flashed forward over three decades into the future to offer viewers an insight into Lisa and Bart’s relationship as adults.
“Estranger Things” revealed that, much to everyone’s shock, Marge died before Homer, and Bart and Lisa remained distant at the time of her death. AlthoughThe Simpsonsseason 37is almost certainly not going to kill Marge off permanently, the question whether its premiere will address season 36’s ending at all remains open.
The Simpsons Season 37 Episode 1 Can’t Ignore Season 36’s Finale
“Estranger Things” Saw Marge Die Before Homer
Marge dies midway through the events of “Estranger Things,”and this sets Bart and Lisa’s growing distance in stone. Although the pair used to be close when they shared a love ofItchy & Scratchyas children, the show’s falling out of fashion with their age demographic led them to pursue divergent interests and resulted in the end of their friendship.
Marge’s death was mostly used to lend more gravitas and stakes to this story, making the pair’s eventual reunion as adult friends more satisfying. However, seeing Marge die might have been a striking surprise for longtime viewers who aren’t familiar with the show’s recent outings.Marge’s death inThe Simpsonsseason 36 finaleis part of a larger series trend.
In recent seasons,The Simpsonshas played fast and loose with its continuity by killing off minor characters permanently and major characters temporarily. In season 35, episode 7, “It’s a Blunderful Life,” Bart died of boredom while Lisa told the family a story in another future-set flash-forward episode.
The Simpsons Season 36 Premiere Already Mocked The Show’s Inconsistency
“Bart’s Birthday” Was All About The Changing Canon of The Simpsons
Similarly, season 36’s premiere,“Bart’s Birthday,” was all about the strange approachThe Simpsonstakes to canon. “Bart’s Birthday” saw Bart worry about turning eleven, since nothing ever changes in his life and his hometown. This was a meta allusion to the show’s unchanging status quo that allowed the series to mock its own writing style.
“Bart’s Birthday” sawThe Simpsonsdirectly address the show’s lack of consistent continuity.
Complete with comebacks for forgotten characters, unlikely endings for supporting stars, and even the death of Mr. Burns, “Bart’s Birthday” sawThe Simpsonsdirectly address the show’s lack of consistent continuity. WhileThe Simpsonsnever addressed Apu’s controversial exit, this premiere finally acknowledged the fact that the main characters never age and no one knows exactly where Springfield is.
The Simpsons Season 37 Premiere Should Undo Marge’s Season 36 Death
The Simpsons Has Changed The Futures of Its Characters Before
Every future-set episode ofThe Simpsonsseemingly establishes a new timeline separate from the last, soseason 37 should start by confirming that Marge doesn’t always die first in the show’s universe. This would mean setting up another story set in the future, but this isn’t necessarily a bad idea for the series.
The Simpsonscan afford to explore the ever-shifting future of its main characters more often now that the show has been on the air for so long. SinceThe Simpsons Movie 2isn’t happeningany time soon, new episodes of the series need real, substantial stakes. Jumping ahead into the future of the show’s titular family provides that.
Episodes set in the future allow viewers to see new eras in the family’s lives without necessarily setting their fates in stone.
Bart, Lisa, Maggie, Marge, and Homer have been on screens for almost four decades now, and they’ve maintained the same age and personality throughout this entire time. Episodes set in the future allow viewers to see new eras in their lives without necessarily setting their fates in stone. As such,The Simpsonsseason 37 should be quick to offer Marge a more optimistic future.
