The Simpsons Season 36 Episode Treehouse Of Horror Creates A New Reality

The following contains spoilers for The Simpsons Season 36 Episode 5, 'Treehouse of Horror XXXV,' now streaming on HuluThe thirty-fifth iteration of The Simpsons The Halloween tradition creates a new version of Springfield with a key difference from the regular show. Starting in Season 2, episodes of the "Treehouse of Horror" anthology became an annual tradition for The Simpsons. Each episode contains at least three segments that thrust the cast of Springfield into a horror-filled version of their world. Although many of these shorts take place in a reality similar to the central reality of The Simpsons'family, others adopt greater tonal variations.

This is true of “Treehouse of Horror XXXV,” which changes period and style with each short. The third segment, “Denim,” features a major shift in the show’s status quo. Thanks to the non-canonical nature of the segment, "Denim" is able to examine one of the series' most fundamental relationships from a new perspective. It's an interesting trend that the episode continues, as it's not uncommon to see The SimpsonsThe "Treehouse of Horror" episodes unravel one of the series' most important relationships.

The Simpsons Season 36 Creates Another World Where Homer and Marge Never Met

'Denim' features Marge and Homer who didn't date until long after high school

The "Denim" segment of season 36's "Treehouse of Horror XXXV" is the most recent example of The Simpsons' Halloween specials imagining worlds where Homer and Marge never got together. "Denim" is largely a parody of Poisonwith an alien life form forming a bond with Homer by becoming his jeans. This timeline is quickly established as a unique world compared to the primary version of Springfield.with an adult Homer pining for Marge from afar. It appears that in this timeline, Homer and Marge never bonded in high school, negating their marriage (and later the births of Bart, Lisa, and Maggie).

"Denim" focuses on the growing relationship between the pair, which is complicated by Homer's bond with the Denim symbiote. Ultimately, Denim tries to kill Marge, forcing Homer to choose between them. Choosing Denim leads the alien to spare Marge, but destroys his romance with Marge. It's a surprisingly blunt and quietly dark twist, with a lonely Homer playing video games with Denim and admitting that he still follows Marge's Facebook from afar. It's an interesting exploration of a timeline where Homer and Marge never got together.and it's far from the first time Halloween specials have done this.

Treehouse Of Horror Loves To Imagine Worlds Where Homer Never Married Marge

Previous Treehouse Of Horror segments separated Homer and Marge

Due in part to its non-canonical nature, The Simpsons always been able to experience the "Treehouse of Horror" episodes. The annual Halloween specials have only become more ambitious and engaging over time, including in their willingness to bend the canon. In most segments, Homer and Marge are together normally. However, some revealed Marge's affair with an alien, such as the season 10 short, "Starship Poopers", or unraveled her entire marriage through the use of time travel, such as the season 24 segment, "Bart and Homer's Excellent Adventure".

The most extensive of these changes came with season 34's “Not It.” A parody of a Stephen King episode Thisthe story diverged from the typical The Simpsons story when a young comic book guy tricked Marge into believing that Homer's profession of love was his. This created a world where Marge married him, giving rise to variants of Lisa and Bart, while Homer remained in Springfield and opened a tavern. The 'Treehouse of Horror' specials found a lot of storytelling potential by exploring worlds where Homer and Marge were never togetherwith season 36's "Denim" segment following suit.

Why Treehouse Of Horror Can Split Homer And Marge So Easily

How can non-canonical stories reflect one of The Simpsons'More fundamental plots

The "Treehouse of Horror" episodes are non-canon, making its decision to liberally kill off characters for the sake of scary stories effective without ruining the main series. However, the frequent decision to separate Homer and Marge or to create realities where they were never reunited speaks to one of the The Simpsons' top stories. Homer and Marge's romance and enduring love in the face of their bittersweet and bizarre lives are key elements of the series. By putting this relationship at risk, The Simpsons is capable of bringing thematic risks to a non-canonical short with no impact on the series.

By exploring realities where Homer and Marge have never been together, The Simpsons is able to show how the pair would function if they were alone and highlights how their lives feel incomplete without each other. Almost all of these shorts (except “Denim”) end with the duo reunitedmeeting even though the circumstances of their romance have changed radically. By imagining worlds where the series' main romance never existed, The Simpsons is able to bring an additional layer of emotional stakes to scary shorts.