Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Simpsons season 36, “The Past and the Furious”
One of the first gags inThe Simpsonsseason 36’s new special proves that the long-running animated sitcom has a sense of humor about its shortcomings. I loveThe Simpsons, but I’m under no illusions about its flaws. With over 780 episodes in its back catalog,The Simpsonsis officially the longest-running scripted primetime American TV show in history. As such, the future ofThe Simpsonsseason 37is likely to be safe even if viewers acknowledge that not everything about the series works.
The Simpsonsfeatures what executive producer Matt Selman called “Elastic canon” in anXpost and this can result in unclear timelines and inconsistent continuity.The Simpsonsseason 36’s surprisingly sad specialadmitted as much with a joke about certain episodes infuriating fans by rewriting the show’s history, and this wasn’t the only gag at the expense of the series. The opening sequence of season 36’s “The Past and the Furious” featured a fictional all-Simpsonsstreaming service whose categories took some self-aware swipes at the flaws of the show.
The Simpsons Season 36 Jokes About “Social Commentary 5 Years Too Late”
The Simpsons Knows Its Satire Is Often Old Hat
In the menu for “SimpFlix,” viewers could choose between variousThe Simpsonsepisode categories. “The Past and the Furious” was listed under “Alternate Realities” to ensure that viewers knewThe Simpsonsseason 36’s Disney+ specialtook place in a new timeline, but that wasn’t the only category highlighted. One of the categories listed was “Social Commentary 5 Years Too Late,” a good-natured joke that provedThe Simpsonsseason 36 knows the show is not particularly good at timely satire.
The Simpsonsspoofed July 2016’sPokemon Gocraze in an episode that first aired in April 2017.
This self-parodic nod makes it less frustrating when the show does attempt to cash in on a trend or craze that has thoroughly died down by the time the episode airs. This happens relatively often, withThe Simpsonsspoofing July 2016’sPokemon Gocraze in an episode that first aired in April 2017 or mentioning the mid-2022 NFT craze in season 35, episode 5, “Treehouse of Horror XXXIV,” which aired in November 2023. Perhaps the most striking instance of the show’s slow satire came in season 31, episode 10, “Bobby, It’s Cold Outside.”
The Simpsons’ Production Makes Out-of-Date Satire Inevitable
The Simpsons Doesn’t Have South Park’s Fast Turnaround Time
This festive special featured a scene where the Simpson family sang along to 2016’s hit song “Baby Shark” even though the episode aired in mid-December 2019. AlthoughThe Simpsonsseason 36’s new specialdidn’t feature any similarly dated references to fads or memes, “The Past and the Furious” did prove that the show’s creators are aware of this issue. Unfortunately,the production process ofThe Simpsonsmeans the show isn’t well suited to topical jokes, since each episode takes around eight months to produce.
The Simpsonscan incorporate references to major social, cultural, and political news stories since these tend to linger in the public’s consciousness after they have peaked. Season 34, episode 20, “The Very Hungry Caterpillars,” sawThe Simpsonsfinally address COVID-19 indirectly with an episode about remote learning, quarantines, and anti-science conspiracy theories. However, where shows likeSaturday Night LiveandSouth Parkcan parody specific news stories as they unfold due to their five-day turnaround times,The Simpsonsis much less suited to parodying minor events and passing phenomena.
“The Past and the Furious” didn’t need gimmicks to feel relevant.
Luckily, “The Past and the Furious” stuck to the show’s strong suits. After mocking its penchant for poorly-timed meme references, the special went on to focus on bigger themes that are perennially relevant.Pairing Mr. Burns and Lisain a time-traveling story about Springfield’s environmental downfall, “The Past and the Furious” didn’t need gimmicks to feel relevant.
“The Past and the Furious” Proves The Simpsons’ Social Commentary Still Works
The Season 36 Special Doesn’t Hold Back On Its Critiques
Rather than zeroing in on hot-button trends that would inevitably feel dated before the special aired,“The Past and the Furious” focused on bigger, more existential issues like climate catastrophe and environmental collapse. The special saw Lisa travel back in time to try and convince a young Monty Burns that he should preserve the Springfield Mini Moose instead of becoming a wealthy corporate overlord. Lisa ultimately fails but does manage to reap the small consolation prize of a flower garden from the callous villain.
The Simpsons Season 36’s Midseason Hiatus Could Signal The End Of An Era For TV’s Favorite Family
The Simpsons season 36 features its longest midseason hiatus yet with 12 consecutive weeks off the air, but what does this mean for the show’s future?
Compared to the zany, cartoonish plots of some recent episodes, “The Past and the Furious” is surprisingly downbeat. However, this feels truer to the spirit ofThe Simpsonsthan any number of outdated meme references.The Simpsons’ most divisive gagsare a reminder that the series has always had a dark sense of humor and a cynical outlook, which is part of the reason that its meme references feel so out of place and awkward.The Simpsonsseason 36’s new special, with its self-aware humor and darker tone, feels like a return to this comparatively timeless Golden Age approach.
