Although The Simpsons doesn’t radically alter the show’s formula every year, there is reason to think that season 36’s premiere could see the series enter a new era. The Simpsons season 36 will arrive later in 2024. Since the show has produced over 760 episodes at this point, it is fair to say that viewers have some idea what to expect from the outing. However, this doesn’t mean that The Simpsons can’t still sometimes surprise viewers. After hitting new critical lows between seasons 29 and 33, The Simpsons unexpectedly improved its standing during seasons 34 and 35.

Moreover, the formula of The Simpsons has changed numerous times throughout the show’s history. Early on, the humor of the series was more cynical and downbeat, its pacing was slower, and its sweet moments were sincerer. Throughout the Golden Age of The Simpsons, the show became much zanier and more cartoony, while subversive satire was prioritized over the poignancy of early seasons. Later seasons of the series saw the show become even wackier and further divorced from reality, resulting in an era that fans online derisively dubbed “Zombie Simpsons.” Now, The Simpsons seems set to change again.

Related

Bob’s Burgers Season 14’s Best Episode Proves It's The Simpsons' True Replacement Show

In Bob's Burgers season 14, the long-running family comedy proves that it is the perfect successor to The Simpsons thanks to one pivotal quality.

4

The Simpsons Season 36 Premiere Centers On Bart’s Birthday

Bart's Birthday Could Finally See A Simpson Age

The Simpsons has always played fast and loose with its continuity, with executive producer Matt Selman explaining that the show has an “Elastic canon” on more than one occasion. However, after the show’s twentieth season, the sheer longevity of The Simpsons resulted in the series getting more and more brazen about its inconsistencies. Homer even admits that he doesn't know if he was born in the ‘60s or the ‘80s during season 34. Season 33’s premiere revealed that Marge and Homer attended high school in the late ‘90s, while earlier episodes portrayed them at this life stage during the ‘70s.

Despite this commitment to rewriting history, one member of the Simpson family may finally grow up in season 36, judging by the synopsis of the show’s premiere. According to the season 36 premiere’s synopsis (via Comicbook.com), Bart will experience “The most shocking birthday party of his entire life” in the episode, and this event is one that “Might just change everyone in Springfield forever.” Even though this would derail The Simpsons’ future-set episodes, it sounds a lot like the show’s characters will finally start aging in season 36. Thus, Bart is likely to finally turn 11 instead of remaining 10.

The Simpsons Have Never Aged Before

The Heroes Of The Simpsons Remained The Same Age Since 1989

Bart Simpson has never aged before, with the character being 10 years old ever since the show began 35 years ago, in 1989. Although The Simpsons has altered its formula a lot as a show since then, the family themselves have been slower to grow and change. Homer, Marge, Maggie, Bart, and Lisa’s ages have all remained constant throughout the 760 episodes of The Simpsons and this element has been instrumental in the show’s appeal. Unlike traditional live-action sitcoms, The Simpsons can constantly keep its characters the same age and thus explore more stories that relate to their life stages.

This formula proved so successful that South Park, Family Guy, American Dad, and Bob’s Burgers all follow the same setup, and even shows like Rick and Morty are slow to address their character’s changing ages. The many retcons of The Simpsons would be impossible, or at least much less defensible, if the characters aged like ordinary people. However, the fact that Bart and Lisa have remained the same age for decades makes it easier to ignore Dr. Nick and Dr. Marvin Monroe’s respective returns from the dead. Now, The Simpsons season 36 may change all of this.

The Simpsons Aging Offers Huge Story Opportunities

Bart And Lisa Could Finally Enter High School And Maggie Might Talk

While it would be strange to see the Simpson family start to age, this could also be a major storytelling opportunity for the series. The Simpsons has never been able to properly address Marge and Homer’s aging, Bart and Lisa’s puberty, or even Maggie’s early learning, since the characters are perpetually frozen in time. Netflix’s raucous comedy Big Mouth centered on the growing pains of its young characters, with their show’s heroes getting older as the show continued. This didn’t stop the series from being as zany as The Simpsons, proving that the classic family sitcom could adopt a similar style.

Admittedly, The Simpsons is unlikely to become as R-rated and raunchy as Big Mouth. However, from where Lisa Simpson goes to college to when Maggie learns to speak, there is a lot The Simpsons could explore by aging its main characters. The Simpsons has changed the family’s future numerous times, resulting in some complicated timeline problems. In season 29, episode 8, “Mr. Lisa's Opus,” Lisa is depicted as a baby back in 2010, whereas, in season 6, episode 19, “Lisa’s Wedding,” she was a college student in 2010. If the characters aged, this could finally solidify the show’s timeline.

The Simpsons Season 36’s Big Promise May Be A Misdirection

The Long-Running Show Finally Aging One Character May Not Mean Much

That said, viewers should not get their hopes up around The Simpsons season 36 clarifying the show’s timeline. The premiere’s birthday surprise for Bart could be something unrelated to his age, or Bart might turn 11, but the show may keep him at that age for another three decades. The Simpsons relies on the varied ages of its main characters to anchor most of its plots. Storylines that focus on adult life, centering on themes like jobs, politics, or social movements, can utilize Marge and Homer as their heroes. In contrast, Bart and Lisa’s episodes can be family-friendly adventures that center on childhood.

One of Lisa’s best episodes of The Simpsons worked precisely because she was a precocious eight-year-old who the town vilified, but this plot would have been very different if the characters aged realistically. By the time season 9, episode 8, “Lisa The Skeptic” aired, the eight-year-old Lisa from season 1 would have been 17 already. The tone of The Simpsons and the content of its storylines would be irreversibly altered if the series started aging its characters according to real-time. While this could work, it is still unlikely that The Simpsons will make such a radical change.

Source: Comicbook.com

The Simpsons

Animation

Comedy

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

Not available

Not available

*Availability in US

Cast

Tress MacNeille , Julie Kavner , Harry Shearer , Pamela Hayden , Nancy Cartwright , Hank Azaria , Dan Castellaneta , Yeardley Smith

Release Date

December 17, 1989

Seasons

35

Network

FOX

Franchise(s)

The Simpsons