The worst episode of The Simpsons Season 35 has a valuable lesson for Season 36

While The Simpsons Season 36 could stop the show’s critical hot streak, which will require the series to learn a lesson from Season 35’s weakest outing. The Simpsons It’s been on the air for over 35 years, so it’s no surprise that the show’s critical fortunes have fluctuated during that time. at its peak, The Simpsons It is considered one of the best shows in the history of television as a medium. the so-called “Golden Age“From The Simpsons Started around seasons 2 and 3 and continued until seasons 8, 9 or 10, depending on the critic.

While The Simpsons Season 36 can’t hope to recapture the critical success of the innovative early seasons, the show has enjoyed something of a revival in recent years. The Simpsons Seasons 34 and 35 were both considered a big improvement on their predecessors after the outings, seasons 30-33, were written off as the critical peak of the show. The Simpsons Season 36’s competitors may struggle to top the series as the show is doubling down on many of the tricks that made seasons 34 and 35 so popular. Season 34 featured two Halloween specials, so season 36 will include three.

The Simpsons season 35 episode 17 proved that Homer’s family stories need Marge

“The Tipping Point” focused too much on Homer’s antics

Admittedly, the third special Halloween special season 36 will be a Disney + short, but the approach still proves that The Simpsons Is learning from its recent successes. however, The Simpsons Season 36 must learn from the show’s failuresAlso if the critical hot streak is to continue. Season 35, episode 17, “The Tipping Point,” was the weakest episode of the outing and the episode brought back many of the issues that plagued the series for years. It was a long sequence parodying an outdated meme, a seemingly topical plot that bore no relation to observable reality, and a lack of stakes.

These issues combined to make “The Tipping Point” boring. The episode begins with Homer accidentally tipping a waitress $10,000 and asking the townspeople to celebrate his generosity. Homer then develops an addiction to giving absurdly high amounts, which is a stupid premise to begin with. However, what makes this episode a chore is its failure to portray the impact of Homer’s actions on Marge. The finances of the Simpson family do not need to be believable, but it is difficult to care about characters whose actions have no consequences. Marge’s concerns about the family’s looming bankruptcy are ignored in favor of Homer’s perspective.

The Simpsons Season 35 finally highlighted the role of Marge

Various episodes centered on the most underrated Simpson

So far back The Simpsons‘The first episode, the show has always walked a tricky line when it comes to Homer’s immaturity. Homer is an impulsive, childish character, but his heart is in the right place. After so many years, stories about Homer and the eponymous family ignoring the inner world of Marge become tiresome. Viewers can only hear Homer worry that he doesn’t deserve Marge’s love after his latest stupid scheme repeated so many times before wondering how she feels about him. This is where the strongest episodes of season 35 shine, as they put a spotlight on an underdeveloped character.

Episode 13, “Clan of the Cave Mom,” episode 14, “Night of the Living Wage,” and episode 2, “A Mid-Childhood Night’s Dream” are all stronger for centering Marge’s perspective. What made the episode so striking is the realization that Marge’s world does not revolve around Homer. The heroine of The Simpsons spent most of her season 35 outings concerned about her children growing up too fast, Bart’s reputation, her own career, worker’s rights, and other important issues. Homer only gets Marge’s attention when he inserts himself into the story. For example, he took a job against Marge’s union in “Night of the Living Wage.”

The sweetest moment of The Simpsons Season 35 avoided this issue

Homer’s appreciation of Marge Shawn in season 35 episode 17

This twist was really surprising as it proved that Homer’s rash immaturity can cause real problems for Marge. for all The Simpsons‘ Reckons, perhaps the most risky choice of season 35 was depicting Homer as a really thoughtful, self-centered man. He was more focused on getting cheap fast food than improving his wife’s working conditions and, for a moment, “Night of the Living Wage” portrayed Homer as a truly odious figure. Similarly, episode 16, “The Tell-Tale Pants” showed Homer’s dark side again, and this subplot again centered on Marge. As a result, this excursion was stronger than “the tipping point.”

In “The Tell-Tale Pants,” Marge allows herself a little financial treat after years of Homer’s inherent self-indulgence. Homer is initially outraged, a response that once again makes the show’s protagonist daringly unlikable. However, as Homer considers confronting Marge, he is suddenly faced with all the thankless domestic work she does as a wife and mother every day, and he reconciles with her instead. This plot works much better than “The Tipping Point” since the episode proved that Homer’s actions had a material impact on Marge, whereas “The Tipping Point” only focused on how Homer’s outrageous tipping made him feel.

The Simpsons Season 36 needs more Marge storylines

Homer’s plots work best as standalone stories

The Simpsons Season 36 would benefit from more storylines that focus on Marge, And the episodes that are centered on Homer should focus on him alone rather than the family. In episode 1, “Homer’s Crossing” or episode 15, “Cremains of the Day,” Homer’s antics impact him more than the family and his plot is more engaging as a result. In contrast, “The Tipping Point” focuses on the family’s finances, but only views the story through Homer’s myopic, self-centered view. Homer’s self-involved worldview is a big part of what makes him such a funny character, and his thoughtlessness leads to some hilarious stories.

However, “The Tipping Point” takes this approach too far with a plot that sees Homer squander thousands of dollars on a tipping habit without examining how it impacts his wife. The stakes of Homer’s unhealthy hobby never feel as heavy as they should, since The Simpsons Episode doesn’t explore their impact on Marge in any real depth. As a result, this episode proves that Homer needs solo adventures and Marge needs more screen time, somewhat the best episodes of the 35th season. with any luck, The Simpsons The upcoming episodes of Season 36 will learn the lessons of Season 35’s weakest outing.