AlthoughThe Simpsonsseason 36 premiere promises a big twist, this series-shaking revelation may just be a red herring from the show’s creators.The Simpsonsseason 36arrives at an interesting time within the show’s long history. The early seasons ofThe Simpsonswere hugely popular with audiences and displayed a lot of creative promise, but it was seasons 3-11 that saw the series enter its Golden Age. This era represents the peak of the show’s popularity and remains the seasons that critics and fans highlight as both the best years ofThe Simpsonsand some of the best TV ever.
The Simpsonsspent the decades since its Golden Age in critical decline, but seasons 34 and 35 changed this. Despite thedwindling ratings ofThe Simpsons, the series earned increasingly impressive reviews in these outings.The Simpsonsseasons 34 and 35 enjoyed the show’s best reception in years, so season 36 is now under more pressure than the face has faced in a long time. Rather than shying away from this challenge, season 36, episode 1 will face it head-on with a plot that tacklesone of the oldest unansweredSimpsonsmysteriesin the show’s multi-decade history.
The Simpsons Season 36 Premiere Plot Implies Bart Will Finally Grow Up
The Simpsons Family’s Ages Haven’t Changed Since 1989
The characters ofThe Simpsonshave not aged since the series began in 1989, and the show has even acknowledged this fact over the years. Homer admits that he was born in either “The ‘60s or the ‘80s,” in a season 34 episode, highlighting the fact that the inconsistent canon ofThe Simpsonshas implied both. Now, though, the synopsis for season 36, episode 1, “Bart’s Birthday,” promises to change this. Per the episode’s synopsis, the eldest child of the family will experience his “Most shocking birthday party,” and the events of this party “Might just change everyone in Springfield forever” (viaDeadline).
The obvious implication of this promise is thatThe Simpsonsmay age normally from the season 36 premiere onward. This would open up countless storytelling opportunities for the series, asThe Simpsonsseason 36’s episodesand subsequent outings of the series could now focus on Bart and Lisa entering high school and adolescence, Maggie entering pre-school, Homer retiring, and other major life stages.The Simpsonscould eventually even replace Homer and Marge as its main characters, a possibility that the static age of the show’s heroes precluded until now. However, this twist’s arrival still feels vanishingly unlikely.
The Simpsons Season 36 Episode 1 Is Unlikely To Use This Twist
The Simpsons Aging Normally Would Fundamentally Alter The Series
The Simpsonsare unlikely to age normally going forward, despite the show promising a series-shaking twist that occurs on Bart’s birthday.The Simpsonsrelies heavily on the show’s elastic canon and has done so for decades. In season 2, Marge and Homer were depicted attending high school in the early ‘70s whereas, by season 33, flashbacks portrayed them in high school around 1999.The Simpsonsseason 35’s worst episodesproved the show still struggles to ground its plots in anything resembling observable reality, soThe Simpsonsseason 36, episode 1 making this part of the show more realistic seems unlikely.
The Simpsonsseason 36 is set to premiere on July 10, 2025.
