While the darkest episodes ofThe Simpsonscan get shockingly bleak, I still wish that season 36 of the long-running series would take some inspiration from a particularly daring Golden Age classic. SinceThe Simpsonsis officially the longest-running scripted primetime American TV show in history, it makes sense that the series has changed in terms of tone and style over the decades. Themodern humor ofThe Simpsonsdoesn’t feel like the cynical humor from the show’s first few seasons, but that would be true for any show with over 780 episodes in its back catalog.
Not only that, but the influence ofThe Simpsonsitself has gone on to reshape the show’s tone. WhenThe Simpsonsbegan, it was both the most boundary-pushing adult cartoon on television and the sweetest animated family sitcom on the airwaves. 36 years later,Bob’s Burgershas borrowedThe Simpsons’ kid-friendly side, whileFamily Guy,American Dad,Rick and Morty, andSouth Parkhave all offered bawdier, crasser alternatives to the earlier show’s comparatively tame edginess.The Simpsonsisn’t the same show it once was because the series reshaped the TV landscape, ironically inspiring some successful competitors.
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“Bart Sells His Soul” Is A Dark, Poignant Comedy Classic
However, season 36’s best stories still remind me ofthe Golden Age ofThe Simpsons. During this halcyon era, the show proved uniquely capable at balancing sharp satire, sentimental family drama, and constant quick-fire comedy in a way few sitcoms can rival. Episodes like season 7, episode 8, “Mother Simpson,” and season 6, episode 22, “‘Round Springfield,” tackled heavy, dark issues like parental abandonment and death, but managed to handle these with grace while still providing a slew of genuinely fun punchlines.
However,there is no better encapsulation ofThe Simpsons’ Golden Age than season 7, episode 4, “Bart Sells His Soul,”a twenty-minute tale that is alternately funny, chilling, existentially hefty, and strangely inspiring. “Bart Sells His Soul” ends up becoming a genuinely tragic story as the seemingly goofy plot of Bart selling his soul to Milhouse results in something unexpectedly moving. “Bart Sells His Soul” goes to some surprisingly dark places as Bart copes with the “Loss” of his soul, butThe Simpsonsproves even existential angst can be funny in the process.
Bart’s struggle to understand why something feels ineffably empty inside him is truly chilling, but the sheer rate of gags ensures that things never feel suffocatingly dark.
WhileThe Simpsonsseason 36’s latest specialis also surprisingly sad, I don’t think that the show realized just how downbeat its ending was. In “Bart Sells His Soul,” the pathos is entirely intentional. Bart’s struggle to understand why something feels ineffably empty inside him is truly chilling but, asYoutubecreator SuperEyepatchWolf’s analysis of the episode proves, the sheer rate of gags ensures that things never feel suffocatingly dark. The B-story of “Bart Sells His Soul” highlights this strength as Moe’s failed family restaurant provides comedic relief and ensures an otherwise tense story doesn’t get too bleak.
The Simpsons Season 36 Needs Another “Bart Sells His Soul” Episode To Properly Utilize Bart
Bart Has Been Largely Ignored Since Season 36’s Premiere
Unfortunately,The Simpsonsseason 36 hasn’t recaptured the tone of “Bart Sells His Soul” yet, despite some stellar outings. Surprisingly, the main reason for this isn’t the show’s writing. Although seasons 30-33 were some of the weakest in the show’s long history, seasons 34, 35, and 36 have been a true comeback story forThe Simpsons. For all my issues withThe Simpsonsseason 36’s last Disney+ special, I can’t deny that the series has recaptured many of the character-centric storytelling elements that made the Golden Age sing.
The Simpsons Season 36’s New Special Brings Back An Unlikely (& Underrated) Character Pairing I’d Like To See More Of
The Simpsons season 36’s new special “The Past and the Furious” proves that the long-running series still has some novel character combinations.
No, the reason that season 36 doesn’t have a “Bart Sells His Soul” of its own is much more straightforward. Bart hasn’t played a major role in most of season 36’s episodes, instead spending the outing sidelined since the premiere. To be fair, season 36, episode 1, “Bart’s Birthday,” was a very fun, self-effacing episode that saw Bart struggle with the existential weight of his birthday as the world seemed to change around him. However, this was all in service of a meta-storyline aboutThe Simpsonsfinally ending with a corny, contrived series finale.
How The Simpsons Season 36 Can Give Bart Another Strong Episode Like In Season 7, Episode 4
Season 36 Has To Tap Into Bart’s Vulnerable Side Again
AlthoughThe Simpsonshas inspiredinnumerable shows and movies in the years that the show has spent on the air, the series itself struggles to get back to the tone of its strongest outings. Thus,The Simpsonsseason 36 must borrow the approach of “Bart Sells His Soul” by providing the family’s rebellious son with his share of the spotlight.
Season 35’s finale “Bart’s Brain” did bring back some of the offbeat poignancy of “Bart Sells His Soul."
Although its plot was utterly bizarre, season 35’s finale “Bart’s Brain” did bring back some of the offbeat poignancy of “Bart Sells His Soul” in its strange story of Bart befriending a human brain in a jar.The Simpsonsseason 36 should revisit this sincere, surprisingly emotional storytelling with another Bart-centric plot.
