Warning: Spoilers for The Simpsons season 34, episode 8.
Whereas The Simpsons season 34 options numerous nods to the present’s Golden Age, these references could be a double-edged sword for the sequence. It isn’t simple for The Simpsons to reckon with the present’s outsized cultural influence. The Simpsons is without doubt one of the most profitable and influential TV exhibits of all time and, at its peak, was probably the most acclaimed sequence on tv. Nevertheless, that peak was a very long time in the past now.
There are main points with fashionable Simpsons episodes, and fan nostalgia for the present’s earlier years does not make these points simpler to navigate. As seen in The Simpsons season 34, episode 8 “Stepbrother From the Similar Planet,” the present doesn’t make issues simpler for itself. The episode references two basic outings from the Golden Age of The Simpsons, with one throwaway gag and yet one more substantial nod. This tendency, nevertheless enjoyable for long-time viewers, attracts consideration to the most important downside with The Simpsons. The success of The Simpsons means the present can endlessly reference itself, however this self-referential humor dangers changing into unoriginal self-cannibalizing.
The Simpsons Season 34 Episode 8 References Defined
The title “Stepbrother From the Similar Planet” is a reference to The Simpsons season 4, episode 14, “Brother From the Similar Planet” (each titles play on the 1984 sci-fi film Brother from One other Planet). Nevertheless, in a recurring Simpsons mistake, this reference isn’t restricted to the title. The plot of “Stepbrother From the Similar Planet” is surprisingly much like that of “Brother From the Similar Planet,” save for the truth that Homer is the son who’s jealous of his father’s affectionate relationship with a surrogate within the former episode whereas Bart fulfills the identical function within the latter outing.
In the meantime, the subtler of the episode’s references to basic episodes of The Simpsons got here when Homer’s rivalry along with his new brother turned harmful. When Homer’s new step-brother Calvin sabotaged his automotive, this leads Homer to crash right into a chestnut tree in a recreation of a well-known shot from The Simpsons season 4, episode 12 “Marge Vs the Monorail.” Just like the basic Treehouse of Horror reference in season 34’s IT parody, this was extra of a momentary nod for eagle-eyed viewers than a considerable, whole-plot reference. Nevertheless, the moments nonetheless relied on viewers smiling with recognition as an alternative of providing a brand new, contemporary joke.
Why Too Many Simpsons Self-References Create A Present Danger
Not each new episode of The Simpsons could be a basic however, for the sequence to justify its continued existence, the present must not less than provide viewers one thing new with every outing. Revisiting story particulars or replaying basic moments is one factor, however doing each in a single episode comes throughout much less like a loving homage and extra like a failure of creativeness. The Simpsons season 34’s Duffman-centric episode was removed from good, however the outing did see the present observe an totally sudden, unexplored solid member. To succeed going ahead, The Simpsons season 34 should depart its reliance on references to beloved Golden Age outings behind and provide you with new concepts.
New episodes of The Simpsons air on Fox on Sundays.
