The Simpsons season 36 is a great time to use one storytelling trick the show has surprisingly never done before

Although The Simpsons Season 36 has the chance to get a surprising series first, that would require the show’s creators to take a big creative risk. The Simpsons may get a lot of flak for its perceived critical decline, but the show can’t be faulted for its reinvention. One 2017 two-parter was a two-part parody of The Great Gatsby Narrated by hip-hop, while the premiere of the show’s 29th season took place entirely in a fantasyland reimagining The Simpsons Universe. Judging by seasons 34 and 35, The Simpsons Season 36 will continue this experimental streak with aplomb.

Unfortunately, not all of these ambitious experiments pay off. Some of the worst episodes of The Simpsons Are outings that try to do something really new and different with the formula of the show, like season 23, episode 12, “Moe Goes from Rags to Riches.” On paper, the idea of ​​an entire episode about Moe’s sentient dishrag sounds surreal and hilarious, but, in practice, the episode earned largely negative reviews. Fortunately, these missteps haven’t stopped the show from making bold, weird choices. As such, it is surprising that The Simpsons Has never attempted a single experiment that would be truly daring.

The Simpsons has never done a silent episode

No episode of The Simpsons is silent from start to finish

In its 25 seasons, The Simpsons Never did a completely silent episode. The show repeatedly messed with its format, with a part “Live” improvised episode in 2016, an episode animated by Lego in 2014, and an earlier Treehouse of Horror segment that ended in the real world of live action. however, The Simpsons didn’t attempt a silent episode even though one of the most acclaimed shorts ever, 2012’s “The Longest Daycare,” was dialogue-free. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film, “The Longest Daycare” was deservedly adored by critics and fans upon its release.

Of course, this short film is only four minutes long, while a typical episode of the series lasts around twenty minutes. However, given the strange experiments that later seasons of The Simpsons Have tried, it still seems like a striking oversight to realize that The Simpsons Has no silent episodes. The Simpsons Season 36’s problem with declining ratings could be helped by an attention-grabbing stunt like this, and the success of 2024’s latest indie hit Hundreds of beavers Proves that silent comedy is more than a gimmick. The Simpsons Can really surprise viewers with this approach.

The Simpsons have tried their hand at most television experiments

The Simpsons has musical episodes, anthology episodes and two-parters

Since the series began, The Simpsons Has rarely met a television experiment that the show did not try. The Simpsons Has many clip shows in its early seasons, and the earliest anthology episodes date back to season 2, episode 3, “Treehouse of Horror.” The Simpsons The multi-story experiment immediately turned into a beloved annual tradition, resulting in other anthology episodes that refer to everything from Bible stories to the tall tales of American folklore to Shakespeare. The Simpsons Also staged many musical episodes, such as season 9, episode 11, “All Singing, All Dancing,” and some bold meta outings.

The Simpsons Season 11 finale “Behind the Laughter” purported to be a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the show and the dysfunctional relationship shared by its stars. Previously, both season 8, episode 24, “The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase,” and season 7, episode 10, “The Simpsons 138 Episode Spectacular,” confirmed the show’s existence as a fictional series in its own universe. This list does not even mention the many Simpsons Episodes told out of chronological order or weird one-off experiments like season 7, episode 21, “22 Short Films About Springfield.” All these prove that a silent episode would not be out of his purview.

It’s not too late for a quiet Simpsons episode

The Simpsons Season 36 could try this risky experiment

Although The Simpsons Bringing back beloved supporting stars smacks of desperation, the show’s penchant for experimental episodes has had the opposite effect on its reputation. The outings may not always be successful, but they always prove that The Simpsons is still irrelevant. The Simpsons Can still surprise viewers after 36 years on airAs proven by acclaimed outings like season 34, episode 3, “Lisa the Boy Scout.” A completely silent episode might be the perfect way to double down on that approach, paying homage to an earlier era of entertainment and simultaneously, ironically, proving The Simpsons is not old news.

Admittedly, silent episodes are a rarity in television history. Although The bearSeason 3 premiere brought this idea back into the mainstream, Michael Hogan’s article on the subject for TheGuardian Proves that, although silence is golden, silent episodes are a great creative risk in the medium. Many of the most famous examples, such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 4, Episode 10, “Hush,” or Bojack Horseman Season 3, episode 4, “Fish Out of Water,” is only partially silent. However, this only makes the idea of ​​a television staple like The Simpsons Breaking this rule all the more intriguing.

Why The Simpsons Needs a Silent Episode

The Simpsons should try a quiet exit for two reasons

There are two main reasons why The Simpsons Season 36 should include a silent episodeOne practical and one artistic. In practical terms, The Simpsons is one of the few shows on the air with enough uncancellable cultural clout to do something as risky and weird as a completely silent episode. The Simpsons Has lasted for over 760 outings, so there is no fear of one negatively received episode killing the series. The other reason is more concerned with the creative side of the show. The Simpsons owes his unique comedic style to influences from cinema’s entire history, including the silent era.

The Simpsons was created by every type of comedy that came before it, from the Marx Brothers to the Zucker Brothers. There are countless movies viewers can’t watch without The Simpsons Come to mind since the show spoofed, paid homage to, and borrowed from countless classics since its inception. how so The Simpsons should acknowledge his creative debt to Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, and the rest of the Silent Era’s stars. The Simpsons Season 36 has a chance to pull this off with a quiet episode or, more likely, one in which Homer utters a single”Oh!” just before the credits roll.

Source: TheGuardian