One Of The Best Simpsons Christmas Episodes Comes From The Show’s Worst Season

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Although some seasons of The Simpsons aren’t very strong, they still often include good episodes – like “A Springfield Summer Christmas For Christmas” from season 32. With over 800 episodes across 37 seasons, The Simpsons is a long-running show that also has a movie and another sequel planned.

Despite any criticism, The Simpsons remains a hugely important part of American television history. It’s understandable that the show’s quality has varied over its many years – as the longest-running scripted prime-time series in the US, some inconsistency is to be expected.

Most fans and critics agree that The Simpsons had a promising start, but really found its footing around seasons 3 and 4. This period, lasting until roughly seasons 11 and 12, is considered the show’s Golden Age and delivered some of the greatest comedy ever seen on television. After that, the show began a decline often referred to as the “Zombie Simpsons” era.

A Springfield Summer Christmas For Christmas Is A Great Simpsons Christmas Episode

Simpsons fans constantly debate when the show began to decline, but most agree that season 13 wasn’t nearly as good as earlier seasons like season 6. By the time the show reached its teenage years (season 13 and beyond), it had largely fallen into a predictable pattern, even if a few episodes still stood out.

While The Simpsons may have had a dip in quality between seasons 10 and 30, it still produced excellent episodes. A great example is “Holidays of Future Passed” from season 23, which stands out as one of the show’s best Christmas installments.

By season 32, The Simpsons had reached a low point creatively. However, that season still featured one of the show’s strongest holiday episodes ever. Episode 10, “A Springfield Summer Christmas For Christmas,” was a fun, lighthearted, and star-packed installment that rivals some of the show’s classic episodes.

Okay, so the title “A Springfield Summer Christmas For Christmas” is deliberately cheesy, and that’s the point! It’s a hilarious send-up of those classic Hallmark Christmas movies. The episode is really clever because it’s about making one of those movies, but with a twist. Ellie Kemper plays Mary Tannenbaum, a big-shot executive at Hallmark, and she’s sent to Springfield to supervise a Christmas film, even though she actually hates Christmas. It’s a really fun meta-commentary on the whole genre.

The Simpsons Season 32 Was One of the Show’s Weakest Seasons Ever

This summary might worry longtime viewers of the show, as it contains elements that have hurt past episodes of The Simpsons. It includes a celebrity guest, a storyline that doesn’t focus much on the Simpson family themselves, and yet another new character added to the show’s already large group of characters.

Similar to the successful Simpsons specials on Disney+, this Christmas episode was a surprisingly delightful win. The central joke – a Hallmark executive actually living in a Hallmark movie – is genuinely funny, and it’s a smart move to cast the usually strict and serious Principal Skinner as the dry-witted local who helps Mary relax and enjoy herself.

Chris Parnell and Richard Kind are reliably funny in their supporting roles, and the Simpsons themselves contribute nicely by letting the production team stay with them – essentially turning their house into a temporary Airbnb. Ultimately, “A Springfield Summer Christmas For Christmas” works well as both a playful send-up of Hallmark holiday movies and a genuinely heartwarming Christmas story.

Season 32 Episode 10 Predicted The Simpsons’ Huge Post-Season 32 Improvements

Although The Simpsons has achieved many milestones over the years, the episode “A Springfield Summer Christmas For Christmas” quietly signaled a positive turn for the show. It included familiar elements that have caused problems in recent seasons, but surprisingly, these elements actually improved the episode.

Starting with season 33, reviews of The Simpsons got much better. Critics at Vulture and online commentators like Super Eyepatch Wolf said the show was “good again,” noting that recent episodes felt like a return to its classic quality. The episode “A Springfield Summer Christmas For Christmas” is often credited with starting this positive change.

Recent seasons of The Simpsons haven’t forgotten the show’s past or its many memorable side characters. Instead, they’re using them in creative ways to tell new stories. When you look back at the Christmas episodes, it’s interesting how often they introduce new characters, like Jim Hope, played by Tim Robbins, or Don Brodka, played by Lawrence Tierney.

The show has always been willing to introduce new characters, and even as early as season 4, some of its more elaborate episodes shifted the focus away from the Simpson family. Many fans felt the quality dipped after season 12 due to more chaotic and unfocused writing, and season 33 seemed to acknowledge this issue.

Inspired by the episode “A Springfield Summer Christmas For Christmas,” recent seasons of The Simpsons have become more focused and critically well-received. This holiday special wasn’t just a highlight of its season, but also signaled even better episodes to come.

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2025-12-25 19:42