The Simpsons
Warning : Spoilers for The Simpsons time of year 34 , episode 17 .
WhileThe Simpsonshas always featured some level of meta - humor , season 34 ’s weirdest gags prove that the long - running animated situation comedy should double down on this approach . One of the elements that madeThe Simpsonsso successful with critic during the show ’s ‘ 90s heyday was its ability to meld various styles of humor . Where most show relied only on character comedy , slapstick , wordplay , sight gags , or challenging meta - humor , The Simpsonsmixed these disparate comedic styles during the show ’s Golden Age . Although the show ’s critical reception declined , The Simpsonsstill retain onto this approach .
contemporaneous episodes might roll Simpsons bemock its own episodeswhile satirizing societal and ethnic movements and trading in reference drollery and across-the-board , cartoony sight gags . This approach can be toughened to pull off in terms of tone , asThe Simpsonstry to get viewers invested in its characters while present a public so cartoony and absurd that its plots are almost innocent of consequence . However , while it is gruelling forThe Simpsonsto ascertain a balance between its surreal flight of steps of fantasy and its anchor moments of fictional character focus , season 34 has proven that the show needs to lean into the show ’s weirder side .
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Homer’s Flashback Had A Daydream In The Simpsons Season 34
In the scuttle scene ofThe Simpsonsseason 43 , episode 17 , “ Pin Gal , ” Homer ’s friend expect how his flashback was , itself , hold a daydream . Another later tantrum was revealed to be a nested fantasy sequence within a fantasy sequence , creating aSimpsonsseason 34 secret plan holethat the show did n’t even attempt to handle . Eventually , Lisa commented that Homer ’s illusion segue have become so legion and so lengthy that the remainder of his category are concerned they are taking over his mind , but this surreal interlude barely affects the secret plan of the episode . However , the scene gaveThe Simpsonsa fortune to search an challenging meta - question .
The query of how much ofThe Simpsonsis “ real ” ( in - universe ) and how much of it lease place in the head of its characters is almost unsufferable to opine . This is potentially engrossing territory forThe Simpsonsto explore since , even in the show ’s loony Golden Age , The Simpsonsdid not ordinarily meld dreams , fantasy , and realness seamlessly . However , episodes likeThe Simpsonsseason 34 , sequence 15 , “ Bartless”(revealed to be a shared dream that Homer and Marge experience at the same time ) drive the boundary of what the family sitcom can do within the constraints of its literary genre .
The Simpsons Should Lean Into Meta Humor
SinceFamily GuyandAmerican Dadare much more openly and unapologetically surreal thanThe Simpsons , it is well-heeled to forget how cartoonyThe Simpsonshas been since its inception . However , as the PG - rated , family - well-disposed show competes with the more groundedBob ’s Burgers , it makes sentiency forThe Simpsonsto play up its weirdness with laugh and level like Homer ’s bizarre excursions to dream - domain . While the plot of “ Pin Gal ” is scarcely affected by Homer ’s imagination , theimaginarySimpsons’future of “ Bartless”was a fun outing despite look at place mainly in the thinker of the show ’s hero . The Simpsonsshould continue explore this weird interplay between dreams and realness in succeeding episode .
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