Summary
AlthoughThe Simpsonsseason 35 continued to improve the critical standing of the long-running series, the outing did shortchange a pair of pivotal characters. In the 35 years thatThe Simpsonshas spent on the air, the show has broadcast over 760 episodes. As such, it is no surprise that the series has amassed a cast of thousands. AlthoughThe Simpsonsseason 36may somehow find a way to change this, most of the show’s outings can’t possibly give all of these figures the screen time that they deserve. Instead, the show typically centers on its eponymous family.
There are many episodes ofThe Simpsonsthat highlight supporting stars and minor characters but, for the most part, the show usually focuses on the Simpsons themselves. Sincethe Simpsons never age, the show can move between centering on Homer and Marge and highlighting their children, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. On occasion, an episode’s storyline will unite the entire family in one plot, but most of the show’s outings give the older and younger characters a main story or a B-story, depending on the week. However, this system fell out of balance inThe Simpsons’ shorter season 35.
The Simpsons Season 35’s Ending Finally Solved A 30-Year Old Homer Mystery
Although The Simpsons changed one vital aspect of Homer’s character over the years, the season 35 finale offered an explanation for this mystery.
Bart and Lisa Only Got 6 Of The Simpsons Season 35’s 18 Episodes
The Simpson Children Were Regularly Relegated To B-Stories
Bart and Lisa starred in some of the best episodes ofThe Simpsons’ Golden Age, so their comparative sidelining in season 35 was a wasted opportunity for the series.
Out of the 18 outings inThe Simpsonsseason 35,only six focus episodes centered on Bart and Lisa’s perspectives. Fortunately, season 35 saw the series improve its writing much like its predecessor, season 34, so critics remained largely impressed with the long-running series compared to the subpar outings of seasons 30-33. That said, it was still a shame to see the show’s younger heroes get dealt a bad hand. Bart and Lisa starred in some of the best episodes ofThe Simpsons’ Golden Age, so their comparative sidelining in season 35 was a wasted opportunity for the series.
Although episodes 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, and 18 did give Bart and Lisa’s perspective some story focus, the othertwo-thirds of the season prioritized Marge and Homer.This did result in some surprisingly strong outings, with episode 14, “Night of the Living Wage,” and episode 2, “A Mid-Childhood Night’s Dream” fleshing out Marge’s internal world. This ensured that Marge had thebest character arc inThe Simpsonsseason 35, but it also inevitably limited the screen time of her children. Even though they were present in most outings, their roles were rarely central to the plot.
The Simpsons Season 35’s Homer and Marge Focus Worked Well
The Show Succeeded By Centering The Simpson Parents
While “A Mid-Childhood Night’s Dream” and episode 13, “Clan of the Cave Mom,” were both ostensibly about Marge’s relationship with Bart, the two outings were much more concerned with Marge’s mind than Bart’s experience. Quite literally, both episodes used trippy dream sequences and striking fantasy segues to portray Marge’s internal anxieties. This was a daring aesthetic shift for the series, but Bart didn’t get as much focus until episode 18, “Bart’s Brain.”The Simpsonsseason 35 finale complicated Bart’s roleas a cheerful prankster, but the rest of the season was content to center on Marge and Homer.
This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially considering how much more story focus Marge received as a result.Season 35’s Marge got more character development than she has had in years, while Homer got to play a villainous or morally ambitious role in a surprising number of successful episodes. Although Homer is usually the de facto hero of the series, this role doesn’t make the most of the character’s relatable flaws. In numerous episodes of season 35, Homer’s arrogance, entitlement, ignorance, and hypocrisy were highlighted in storylines that proved his character was more complex than he appeared.
The Simpsons Season 36 Should Reverse This Approach
Bart and Lisa Deserve More Time In The Spotlight
“Bart’s Brain” and episode 12, “Lisa Gets An F1” proved that the duo deserves more storylines that focus on them individually.
While season 35 benefited from giving Lisa and Bart less story focus, season 36 should take the opposite approach.The Simpsonsneeds Bart and Lisa’s relationshipto succeed since the show can’t work by focusing on its adult characters alone. LikeBob’s Burgers, which was heavily influenced by the earlier series,The Simpsonsuses its child-centric storylines to offer viewers lighter plots with lower stakes.The Simpsonshas to center Bart and Lisa from time to timeor the show runs the risk of feeling less like a family comedy and more like a straightforward satire.
Although it is tempting for the series to pair off Bart and Lisa and give the characters more episodes that way, this isn’t necessarily an effective approach. Season 35 attempted to make Bart and Lisa the focus of one story, episode 9, “Murder She Boat,” and this didn’t pan out well. In contrast, the stronger “Bart’s Brain” and episode 12, “Lisa Gets An F1” proved that the duo deserves more main plots that focus on them individually.The Simpsonsseason 36 needs to prioritize this when the show returns to screens.
