The following contains spoilers for The Simpsons Season 36, Episode 1, “Bart’s Birthday,” as well as the series finale for The Sopranos, MASH, Crazy people, The Mary Taylor Moore Show, Breaking bad, Game of Thrones, Fraser, Successionand NewhartThe Simpsons‘ riff on series finales includes some pretty clever parodies of some of television’s most iconic final episodes. The first episode of season 36 is a fake “series finale” for the long-running animated comedy. This includes a star-studded audience watching what is meant to be the conclusion of many long-running character arcs and The Simpsons Plot twists. The episode pokes fun at the conventions and tropes of the episodes, while also highlighting the timeless and enduring qualities that make The Simpsons A completely unique pop culture institution.
This carries over to the credits of The Simpsons‘ Fake out finale. Every shot during the credits is a direct parody of a landmark TV series finale, filtered through The Simpsons‘ Shape and letters. The episode even uses the montage to poke fun at itselfRemixing the “They’ll Never Stop The Simpsons” song the show used to tease its longevity back in season 13’s “Gump Roast.” Here’s how each one compares to the original, and The Simpsons Uses it to reflect their own characters and the original shows.
Related
9
The Sopranos
“Made in America,” Season 6, Episode 21, aired June 10, 2007
One of the most famously divisive series finales in television history, the final moments of The Sopranos are among the points that The Simpsons Direct references in “Bart’s Birthday.” The HBO series focuses on New Jersey crime boss Tony Soprano’s efforts to juggle his work with his family life. After several near-death experiences, the show ended with Tony (along with his wife Carmela, and their son AJ) in a diner when the show cut to black. The Simpsons Imagine Homer as TonyMarge as Carmela, and Bart as AJ, presumably with Lisa filling in as AJ’s sister Meadow.
Considered to be a quintessential drama series to watch, The Sopranos is a crime-drama series that follows Tony Soprano, who tries to manage the expectations of an Italian-American patriarch while acting as the head of a prolific crime family in New Jersey. Burdened by the pressure of the expectations thrust upon him, Tony regularly visits a therapist during the series’ run. This helps give context to Tony’s actions as a ruthless boss with violent tendencies.
- Figure
-
James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Dominic Chianese, Steven Van Zandt, Tony Sirico, Robert Iler, Jamie-Lynn Sigler
- Release date
-
January 10, 1999
- Seasons
-
6
- Network
-
HBO Max
- streaming service(s)
-
Max
The ambiguous nature of The Soprano’s Last episode, “Made in America,” has invited much debate over the years, with fans arguing whether the cut to black represents the sudden death of Tony or simply the end of his story. In the HBO show, a suspicious man stands up and walks away from his table just before the cut, an ambiguous touch The Simpsons tweaks. In their version of The Soprano’s Finally, the man who walks by is Legs, a frequent henchman for Fat Tony – suggestively The Simpsons Creatives believe in the theory That the suspected person in The Soprano’s was a criminal leader.
8
MASH
“Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,” Season 11, Episode 16, aired February 28, 1983
The latest episode of MASHWhat was published in 1983 remains The single most watched episode of any TV show In history. The drama, which focused on the soldiers, doctors and staff at an army base during the Korean War, ended with “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen”. Much of the episode is spent on characters saying goodbye and resolving a major romance (a common finale trope that The Simpsons parodies in “Bart’s Birthday” by revealing several off-screen weddings).
MASH
The final moments of the episode featured BJ saying goodbye to his friend Hawkeye with a message spelled out in rocks. When Hawkeye’s helicopter took him away from the base one last time, he (and the audience) could read that the message spelled out the word “goodbye.” It is a perfectly emotional and simple farewell to the audience, and one The Simpsons Imagine with a more rude utterance of Homer’s trademark annoyed grunt. It’s a perfectly simple way to filter one of television’s most iconic moments through the world of The Simpsons.
7
Crazy people
“Man to Man,” Season 7, Episode 14, aired May 17, 2015
AMC’s Crazy people came to an end with season 7’s “Man to Man” in 2015. The series, which focused on the dramas surrounding the life of 1960s ad executive Don Draper, ended with Don heading to California in 1970 amid a new series of Personal crisis. While the episode also revealed the fate of Crazy peoples other characters, the final moments of the show focused on Don in a meditation class as he imagined what would become the iconic “Hilltop” Coca-Cola ad. The Simpsons Recreates the moment, with Homer replaced Don.
Mad Men is the award-winning show created by Matthew Wiener that stars Jon Hamm as Don Draper, a master ad man in the high-speed advertising world. Set between the 1960s and 70s; Crazy people explore the “Golden Age” of advertising, where everyone has something to sell, and those who don’t get a quick win are out of the game. The series also examines the world from a few other perspectives of characters, such as Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss), a young woman who starts as a secretary for Don despite the difficulty for women to be taken seriously in business during that time, rises to The series. Challenge to become your own ad woman.
- Release date
-
July 19, 2007
- Seasons
-
7
- streaming service(s)
-
AMC Plus
The version of Don’s Epiphany in The Simpsons is complete with two deep cuts from the animated series. replacing minor letters of Crazy peopleTo Homer’s left is a white-haired version of The Hippie, an otherwise named background player who has a few minor speaking roles in the show. To Homer’s right is Eleanor Abernathy, aka the Crazy Cat Lady. She bears the appearance she had as a younger woman, which was featured in season 18’s “Springfield Up.” This makes her look more put together in “Bart’s Birthday.” A sweet gesture to a secret tragic character.
Related
6
The Mary Taylor Moore Show
“The Last Show,” Season 7, Episode 24, aired March 19, 1977
The latest episode of The Mary Taylor Moore Show“The Last Show,” focuses on newscaster Mary and the staff of WJM-TV in Minneapolis who deal with a series of terminations at the station. The episode ends with the main cast huddled together in a massive hug before they all exit the office one by one. The Simpsons Recreate the moment with Homer and the regular supporting characters of Moe’s Tavern – Barney, Moe, Lenni and Carl. The show even recreates the five men hugging in the WJM-TV station officeReinforcing the reference.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show is a classic sitcom series that originally aired on CBS in the 1970s. Mary Tyler Moore stars as Mary Richards, a single thirty-year-old woman who moves to a big city to restart her life after a rough breakup. Career-focused and fairly independent, Mary’s life becomes a never-ending parade of comedic mishaps in and out of work, joined by a cast of eccentric characters.
- Figure
-
Mary Tyler Moore, Ed Asner, Gavin MacLeod, Ted Knight, Cloris Leachman, Valerie Harper, Georgia Engel, Betty White.
- Release date
-
September 19, 1970
- Seasons
-
7
The guest star-studded “Bart’s Birthday” pokes fun at a lot of tropes from series finales, including a common trope made popular by The Mary Taylor Moore Show. In the episode itself, several characters around Springfield leave iconic settings by turning off the lights and walking away, mentioning that they will “miss the place.” This kind of hit was famous by The Mary Taylor Moore Shows finaleWhich ended with Mary turning off the lights and similarly closing the door to the office (although she didn’t say any lines as she did so).
5
Breaking bad
“Felina,” Season 5, Episode 16, aired September 29, 2013
The Bryan Cranston-led Breaking bad Steadily became one of AMC’s biggest critical hits, with the crime-drama becoming an award-winning phenomenon by ending in season 5’s “Felina.” After slaughtering the neo-Nazi gang and freeing his former partner Jesse from their grasp, Walt collapses in their drug lab and seemingly dies from his injuries. The Simpsons recreate the moment, Replacing Walter White with Ned Flanders.
Flanders may initially seem like an unexpected choice To fill the role of Walter White. Flanders’ sweet personality is a far cry from the ruthless Walter White. However, episodes like season 8’s “Hurricane Nedi” hinted at the dark side of Flanders. He was also one of the central characters of season 33’s “A Serious Flanders” two-parter, which was an extended parody of deep crime dramas like Breaking bad. This gives the moment a bit more of a thematic connection, especially given Walter White’s seemingly good nature at the beginning of his series.
4
Game of Thrones
“The Iron Throne,” Season 8, Episode 6, airs May 19, 2019
The HBO fantasy epic Game of Thrones was a global smash, all building up to the climactic events of season 8. More of an epilogue that followed the massive battles of previous episodes, “The Iron Throne” wrapped up the various plot threads and character arcs in the aftermath of Jon Snow’s regrettable murder. Daenerys Targaryen still realizing the cost of her ambitions. The Simpsons Specifically recreates the other remaining Stark children of Arya, Bran and Sansa Lisa, Ralph and Marge filled in for the roles respectively.
The Simpsons He nodded Game of Thrones Many times and in some elaborate ways, but the reference feels like a jab at one of the finale’s more controversial elements. Among the big status quo shifts of the finale is the reveal that Bran Stark will be named King of Westeros. This was met with derision by some of the fansWho did not like the choice. This is reflected in The Simpsons choosing to cast the series’ dark-witted Ralph in the role, complete with a distinct look from an uncertain Lisa and Marge.
Related
3
Fraser
“Goodnight Seattle,” Season 11, Episodes 23 and 24, aired May 13, 2004
With Kelsey Grammer in the title role as Frasier Crane, Fraser was the highly successful spin-off of Good luck That took Fraser to a radio station in Seattle. Season 11 “Goodnight, Seattle” ended with Frasier deciding to leave town and relocate to San Francisco for a new radio show. Among the episode’s final shots is Frasier signing off from his final show at KACL, with his friends and family watching from behind a nearby window. It is a sweet conclusion that follows Extra meaning by recreated by Sideshow Bob.
Fraser is a comedy-drama sitcom that stars Kelsey Grammer as a psychiatrist who takes on the role of a radio show host in Seattle after his life in Boston is disrupted. A spin-off from the series Cheers, Fraiser follows the titular character adjusting to the single life while caring for his father (a retired police officer), his brother and other eccentric co-workers.
- Release date
-
September 16, 1993
- Seasons
-
11
In the credits to “Bart’s Birthday,” Sideshow Bob is shown sitting in a radio booth, with his brother Cecil, his brother Robert, his wife Francesca, and their son Gina watching in admiration. Kelsey Grammer plays Bob and Frasier, which also references A fitting tribute to Grammer’s legacy on television. The fact that they are joined by Bob’s former boss Krusty only adds to the hit, especially with Bob’s replacement Sideshow Mel and his predecessor Sideshow Raheem also present.
2
Succession
“With Eyes Open,” Season 4, Episode 10, airs May 28, 2023
The recent series finale parodied directly by “Bart’s Birthday,” Succession‘s finale “With Open Eyes” is recreated in The Simpsons with Kirk and Luann Van Houten stand in for Tom and Shiv. in Successions finale, the Roy siblings Shiv, Roman and Kendall make their final plays for control of their father’s company. The underhanded and cruel tactics adopted by the family members during the show ends with Shiv winning a pyrrhic victory over her brothers at the cost of installing her husband, Tom, in power, ensuring their loving marriage continues.
Succession is a black comedy and satire television show created by Jesse Armstrong. It stars Hiam Abbass, Nicholas Braun, Brian Cox and Kieran Culkin and follows the story of an aging conglomerate owner as he deals with his declining health and the sudden realization that one of his children will soon inherit his position and run his company.
- Figure
-
Hiam Abbass, Alan Ruck, Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin, Natalie Gold, Nicholas Braun, J. Smith-Cameron, Matthew Macfadyen, Peter Friedman, Brian Cox, Arian Moayed, Jeremy Strong, Rob Yang, Dagmara Dominczyk.
- Release date
-
June 3, 2018
- Seasons
-
4
- Network
-
HBO Max
Placing Luann and Kirk in the roles of Shiv and Tom is a harsh little Easter eggEspecially since the show has dealt with their relationship over the years. Tom spent much of Succession Being a sleazy backstabber, whose twisted ambitions match the big-headed antics Kirk has taken on in episodes. The Van Houtens’ marital feud in The Simpsons Reflects the troubled relationship between Shiv and Tom, with the Van Houtens serving as an ideal reflection of the character archetypes.
1
Newhart
“The Last Newhart,” Season 8, Episode 24, aired May 21, 1990
Running for eight seasons, Newhart Focused on Bob Newhart’s Dick Loudon, an author who decides to run the Stratford Inn with his wife Joanna. The sitcom was a critical favorite, earning twenty-five Emmy Award nominations over the course of the series (though never winning a single one). Season 8’s “The Last Newhart” closed the series in memorably wild fashion, with Newhart getting knocked out by a golf ball. This wakes up Dick, who is revealed to be Dr. Bob HarleyNewhart’s character from his previous sitcom The Bob Newhart Show.
The implication is that Newhart’s whole was a dream, with his The Bob Newhart Show Mrs. Emily (played by Suzanne Plenchette) appears in bed with him. The Simpsons Recreate the moment with Homerends “Bart’s Birthday” with the suggestion that Homer may have similarly dreamed all of Springfield and The Simpsons. It’s a solid absurdist gag that fits right in The Simpsons‘ Often weird sense of bittersweet comedy, and a good final joke for the episode.