You have used all your credits for this month. Please add more credits to continue.

by

Despite the fact that “The Simpsons” has always been known for its unexpected plot turns, the darkest episode ending in season 36 seems to reflect an unusual pattern emerging lately. Given that “The Simpsons” holds the record as the longest-running scripted primetime American TV series, it’s hardly surprising that the show’s continuity isn’t flawless. As Matt Selman, the executive producer, stated in a recent post on X, “The Simpsons” operates under an “elastic canon,” which means that the origin stories, birthdates, abilities, and personalities of any character can be altered at a moment’s notice to fit a joke.

In other words, even though the season 36 finale of “The Simpsons” depicted Marge’s death, the creators of the show won’t find it difficult to resurrect her in season 37 without providing an explanation for what happened during that gap. This is because the town of Springfield often has self-contained stories where anything can occur without these events affecting or influencing future episodes. However, this isn’t a rule that has always been followed, as earlier seasons of “The Simpsons” had more consistent continuity between episodes.

The Simpsons Season 36 Episode 13 Ended With Marge Losing Her Vision

The Simpsons Season 36’s Ozempic Parody Cost Marge Her Eyesight

Prior to season 10, it was usual for significant and dramatic events to happen within the show, like Bleeding Gums Murphy’s death adding drama or Mr. Burns forgetting Homer’s existence having long-term consequences. However, when The Simpsons reached its 36th season, it began to make fun of its own old jokes. From this point onwards, the series introduced events that were implausible and outlandish even within the absurd and humorous world of The Simpsons, seemingly testing the limits of its fantastical reality.

In more casual language: “The final episode of The Simpsons’ 36th season, titled ‘The Last Man Expanding,’ showcases the show’s increasingly strange and unexpected storylines. The Ozempic satire in this episode takes a shockingly dark turn when Marge, after using the show’s fictional version of Ozempic, loses her sight without any explanation as to what happens next. This sudden, grim twist might have been surprising just a few seasons back, but by season 36, such unexpected darkness has become almost routine.

The Ending of “The Last Man Expanding” Is The Simpsons Season 36’s Darkest Moment

The Scene Comes After A Sweet Ending For Homer and Marge

The surprising turn in “The Last Man Expanding” is intensified by its underlying theme, since it was Marge who dissuaded Homer from using the drug “Othinquic”. Most of Springfield continued using Othinquic with minimal severe side effects, but they all stopped once they recognized that their concern for slimness wasn’t as significant as they initially believed.

Inconsistencies in how The Simpsons portrayed Marge’s character have been prevalent throughout the show, but it was odd to witness her giving in to temptation so swiftly following her aid in helping Homer conquer the same insecurity. Surprisingly, the same season also included an episode that concluded with Bart and Lisa bickering childishly, leading to Kang and Kodos destroying the world. Notably, the series finale depicted Marge’s unexpected demise as well.

The Simpsons Ignored Marge’s Plight After “The Last Man Expanding”

Marge’s Medical Malady Went Unmentioned In Later Episodes

It appears reasonable to propose that in season 36, The Simpsons seems to have given up on maintaining any semblance of continuity, which might be unexpected given how frequently they refer back to events from earlier episodes. Instead, it seems like their new running joke is to ignore one episode’s wild twist before moving on to the next, yet they continue to reintroduce obscure characters from past decades or specific plot points from episodes that originally aired in the ’90s.

In the 36th season of “The Simpsons,” Jill Sobule’s tribute underscores the show’s continued connection to its past, but the series as a whole deliberately disregards consistency within more recent episodes. Each episode can feature unrelated events that don’t influence the subsequent one, allowing “The Simpsons” to explore a wide range of bizarre storylines freely.

📺 Love keeping up with ScreenRant’s prime-time coverage? Click here to subscribe to our weekly Network TV newsletter! You’ll receive exclusive behind-the-scenes insights directly from actors and producers of your beloved shows. Don’t forget to select “Network TV” in your preferences when you sign up!

Read More

2025-05-28 18:00