The unanticipated Simpsons finale that is not actually a finale. All the details here.
The Simpsons showrunners are arguably the best at playing pranks on their fans. The globally acclaimed yellow family, with over three decades of absurd and hilarious tales, determined that the best way to kick off Season 36 was by making everyone wonder if they were finally bidding adieu. Yet, given it’s The Simpsons, it’s not surprising that it was all a cunning ruse.
Join us as we delve into how the premiere of Season 36 morphed into the most unexpected, hilarious, and absolutely fake “series finale” of all time.
The Massive Deception
The Simpsons, one of the longest-running animated series in television history, has once again pulled a fast one. The launch of its 36th season, titled Bart’s Birthday, was much hyped. The producers hinted that it was an episode fans simply couldn’t miss, leading all to believe it might signify the show’s end…or so we thought.
Instead of providing a real conclusion, The Simpsons seized the opportunity to offer an extravagant and nostalgic tribute to the entire series. In what was reminiscent of The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular from Season 7, the episode kicked off with Conan O’Brien returning to Springfield to host the supposed ‘series finale’ tribute. Filled with cameos by celebrities and recurring characters and references to iconic tv show finales, the episode was a wild ride of laughter and emotions.
The Actual End of The Simpsons? (Or so we were led to believe)
The episode explored an array of potential ends for the Springfield residents, displaying outrageous scenarios. Here’s a summary of the most bizarre situations:
Principal Skinner retires to become the new headmaster of a school in Sacramento, along with Willie as his roommate. This stirs a joke about a potential spin-off show based on the unusual pair.
Homer meets a fatal end in an acid pit via Mr. Burns and ends up leaving the Nuclear Plant and Burns’ riches to his co-workers.
Surprisingly, John Cena helps Comic Book Guy and Kumiko welcome their first child.
Kirk Van Houten strikes it rich with his hit single «Can I Borrow a Feeling», landing a record deal and sparking his move to Atlanta, allowing Milhouse to finally get rid of his huge glasses via LASIK surgery.
Springfield’s love stories also unfold: Duffman marries Ms. Hoover, Ned Flanders links up with Ruth Powers, Selma marries the eccentric Yes Guy, while Patty solidifies her relationship with Evelyn.
Moe closes his bar, the ever-burning Springfield tire fire is extinguished, and Nelson’s dad once again makes a return.
The Simpsons rounds off in surreal fashion with Lisa earning a scholarship to the Junior Juilliard Jazz, Bart celebrating his 11th birthday with a party attended by favorite and rarely seen characters. Herb Powell (voiced by Danny DeVito) makes a single line appearance.
If you were wondering about Homer and Marge, they manage to come to terms with their differences after undergoing couple’s counseling and decide to live in a trauma-free household. In her usual fashion, Maggie delivers her first words again, «So… that just happened».
Is This Truly the End of The Simpsons?
The start of the episode sees an AI (because even The Simpsons keeps up with tech advancements) compile all episodes of the show with the series finales of every known tv show. The result is an episode brimming with references, chaos, character closures, and a hilarious plot twist: nothing has changed.
The episode reaches a climax with Bart, witnessing these supposed character ends, deciding he isn’t ready to accept the changes. He wants everything to stay the same, pushing Homer to the brink and triggering a back-in-time moment where Homer resorts to choking Bart as opposed to improving his behaviour via couple’s therapy. This full-circle moment references the fans’ outcry over Homer’s behaviour and is nothing less than hilarious.
With Bart’s decision, life in Springfield returns to the usual Simpsons routine. Bart is again celebrating his tenth birthday and absolutely nothing has changed. The episode ends with celebrities like Tom Hanks berating Conan O’Brien for wasting their time with a fake farewell. It’s the perfect way to wind up the episode, reminding us that the end of The Simpsons is far from near.
Springfield is Still Alive and Kicking
After 36 seasons, one thing is clear about The Simpsons: they always find a way to keep us hooked. More than being a satirical reflection of our society, the show is an ingenious exercise in meta-narrative that challenges age-old genre conventions.
The pseudo «series finale» of The Simpsons is yet another testament to the show’s brilliant humor. Regardless of the number of years elapsed, the characters added or removed, or how many times the yellow family’s life has undergone changes, The Simpsons remains as beloved as ever.
A word of advice, don’t fall for the gag if you thought that the 36th season would be the last. The beloved series has indeed come to a «road’s end», but only in the ironic and amusing way The Simpsons knows best. After all, as long as Springfield exists, there will always be stories to tell.
The series is available for streaming on Disney Plus via this link.