The Simpsons Season 36’s Darkest Story Subverted A Classic Gag From 34 Years Ago
While The Simpsons left one early-season staple unmentioned for years, season 36 brought back this classic gag in the darkest way possible. The Simpsons season 37’s renewal has not yet been announced, but the long-running show certainly isn't afraid of taking risks despite its uncertain future. The Simpsons may never age but the series itself has undergone some big changes in recent years, moving from gag-centric writing to more character-focused plots and undertaking risky experiments when it comes to the show’s storytelling style. Season 36’s first few outings proved that this approach is paying off handsomely.
From an episode that barely featured any of the Simpsons other than Lisa to an ambitious, surreal “Series finale,” to an episode comprised of 13 interconnected short stories, The Simpsons season 36 was filled with narrative experimentation. Season 36’s Christmas special reimagined a trio of classic Christmas TV specials while also simultaneously providing an unexpectedly moving storyline of its own, and the show also somehow found time for a self-deprecating guest role from British mentalist Derren Brown in the process. All this makes it understandable if The Simpsons has little time to revisit classic gags from its early seasons.
The Simpsons Season 36 Episode 12 Made Bart’s Prank Calls Tragic
Moe Threw Away His Phone Upon Hearing Bart’s Voice
That said, season 36, episode 12, “The Man Who Flew Too Much,” proves that The Simpsons can use its own past to set up new punchlines. Bart’s prank calls to Moe’s tavern, first seen in season 1, episode 3, “Homer’s Odyssey,” reared their head again in this surprisingly dark outing. Moe, along with Homer and the rest of the Pin Pals bowling team, became trapped on an isolated mountainside when their helicopter crashed en route to a game. Bart tried to call the group and confirm their survival, but his habit of crank-calling Moe came back to haunt him.
This dark, funny twist on an old gag played a pivotal role in the episode’s story, explaining the group’s continued isolation.
Even though he was stranded on a remote mountain with Homer and Bart just wanted to contact his missing father, Moe threw away the group’s only working phone as soon as he recognized Bart’s voice. The Simpsons antihero Moe somehow never worked out that Bart has been the one calling him over the years, but he did immediately know the voice of his tormentor and ignored Bart’s pleas to check on the group and share their location with rescuers. This dark, funny twist on an old gag played a pivotal role in the episode’s story, explaining the group’s continued isolation.
The Simpsons Gave Bart’s Antics Consequences After Thirty Years
Bart’s Prank Calls Were An Early-Season Staple
Even a show as zany as The Simpsons needed to offer some explanation for Homer, Ned, Barney, Moe, Carl, and Fausto having no access to cellphones. A few calls could have saved the group from their lengthy post-crash ordeal, so the revelation that Moe threw away the lone working phone was a clever, funny callback to the show’s history that doubled as a vital plot point.The Simpsons season 36’s latest death was undone when Fausto’s demise was revealed to be a fake-out, but the episode’s dark story still worked thanks to Bart and Moe’s shared history in The Simpsons.
New episodes of The Simpsons air Sundays at 8pm on Fox.
- Network
- FOX
- Cast
- Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Pamela Hayden, Tress MacNeille, Gillian Anderson, Johnny Cash, Ed Asner, Betty White, Alex Rocco, Christina Ricci, Bret Hart, Joe Frazier, Ed Begley Jr., Helen Hunt, Bob Denver, Buzz Aldrin, Tom Kite, John Waters, Jack Lemmon
- Writers
- J. Stewart Burns, Michael Price, Brian Kelley, Bill Odenkirk, Dan Vebber, Kevin Curran, Stephanie Gillis, Dan Castellaneta, Deb Lacusta, Billy Kimball, Jessica Conrad, Cesar Mazariegos, Daniel Chun, Jennifer Crittenden, Conan O'Brien, Valentina Garza, Elisabeth Kiernan Averick, Christine Nangle, Broti Gupta, Loni Steele Sosthand, Megan Amram, Bob Kushell, David Isaacs, David Mandel
- Franchise(s)
- The Simpsons
- Seasons
- 37
