The Simpsons Season 36 improves on one of the most iconic jokes of the Golden Age after 31 years.

The following contains spoilers for The Simpsons Season 36 Episode 2, “Yellow Lotus,” now streaming on Hulu.The Simpsonshave brought back one of their classic jokes with a hilarious modern remix. The animated show has produced many memorable jokes over the years, and “Yellow Lotus” calls back to many jokes from past seasons. Nominally a parody of White Lotus which uses the concept of optimal humor, “The Yellow Lotus” includes new takes on Homer hiding behind a hedge and jokes about Mr. Burns’ evil hounds.

The best answer in this episode has to do with Bob. Played by Kelsey Grammer (and not noticeably aged), Bob has become one of the The Simpsons‘The most memorable and permanent guest stars. A frequent enemy of Bart and the rest of the family, Sideshow Bob returns. The Simpsons‘ White Lotus parody with a new spouse. This gives him the opportunity to repeat one of the show’s most famous moments.albeit in a new, new way reminiscent of another classic Golden Age joke.

The Simpsons Season 36 has some great news about Bob’s rake joke.

Folding rake explained

The SimpsonsThe second episode of Season 36, “Yellow Lotus,” includes a pretty clever update of a Sideshow Bob joke. Now more or less synonymous with the character, the sight of Bob stepping on a rake and hitting himself in the face was one of the most iconic gags in season five of Cape Fear. It has been referenced and recreated several times since then, including in Season 36. “Yellow Lotus” brings back Bob as the husband of wealthy Tasha.and reveals that he made a small fortune from his rake design.

Folding rakes are specially designed to make it harder to step on and hit yourself in the head. It’s a clever design that apparently brought Bob his own wealth. However, it still has its flaws, as Bob points out when he tries to show that he can’t reach your head by stepping on it. Instead of, The broken rake handle is now at the perfect height to hit someone square in the groin. It’s a big, sweeping physical joke that works well thanks to the smooth animation and nature of the physical comedy.

Why Bob’s Rake joke is still one of the most iconic jokes on The Simpsons

Rake Gag was born out of desperation

The rake gag remains one of the best gags in the world. The Simpsonspotentially running for 37 seasons. Originally added to “Cape Fear” as a means of ensuring the episode reached the minimum length for broadcast, the gag rake saw a tormented Sideshow Bob unwittingly enter a rake circle. Taking a few steps forward, he threw it up and hit himself in the face. Turning to leave, grumbling, Bob stepped on another rake, repeating the joke. This continued in the same spirit for a long period of time. the length of the joke serves as the real punchline.

The idea was to create a funny joke and repeat it so often that it stopped being funny and the repetition returned to normal and became even more humorous. Events take place during the “golden age” of the series. the rake gag stands the test of time thanks to the show’s clear commitment to the craft. It’s a quietly absurd joke that also gives the ever-intelligent Sideshow Bob a bit of slapstick directed at him. This has since become a running gag of the series and is often referenced in other episodes of Sideshow Bob.

Season 36 of Sideshow Bob’s Rake Gag is a reminder of another classic Simpsons gag.

Latest rake prank joins gag with another Golden Age favorite

There’s actually another gag from the episode “The Golden Age” that recalls Bob’s latest slat-related accident. Bob, who took a blow to the groin, remembers the sixth season of A Star Is Burning, which starred Jay Sherman from Critic moving to Springfield to help judge a film festival. One of the best jokes in the episode came from Hans Moleman’s festival entry of a short film called “The Man Hit by a Football,” which consisted entirely of Moleman hitting a soccer ball in the crotch. Like Bob getting hit with a miniature rake, it’s a moment of pure farce..

“The Man Who Gets Knocked Down” becomes a surprise festival finalist thanks to Homer’s perpetually amused character, and later becomes the inspiration for an Academy Award-winning film adaptation starring George C. Scott. This is such a simple stupid joke taken to an artistic extreme.. And football jokes and rake jokes The Simpsons” has a long-standing balance of broad humor and smart writing that has been maintained throughout the show’s decades. The SimpsonsThe last joke about the robbers is a great reflection of the approach to comedy that has always been created. The Simpsons special.