The Simpsons Season 35 Brought Back A Tired Show Trend & I’m Over It

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Simpsons season 35, episode 16.

While The Simpsons season 35 has been an improvement on recent outings, the long-running series did keep one unwelcome trend alive in episode 16. The Simpsons has been around for a long time, so, understandably, the show’s formula can sometimes feel tired for longtime viewers. After over 35 years and 760 episodes, The Simpsons has become somewhat predictable since its Golden Age ended. However, The Simpsons season 36 may end up changing this trend if season 35 is any indication. So far, the first episodes of season 35 have been an unusually inventive, original outing for the animated comedy.

Although these outings have hardly replicated the critical acclaim of the Golden Age of The Simpsons, they are a major step up from the critically abhorred seasons 30—32. Since the Simpsons never age, the main characters themselves don’t seem to have changed since those maligned outings. The show’s approach to its title characters is what has undergone the most meaningful transformation, with season 35 focusing less on zany, random humor and more on the dynamics between the eponymous family members. Stories rooted in the family’s interactions ground the show’s action and give these new episodes stakes.

The Simpsons Season 35 Episode 16 Featured 2 Pointless Songs

These Superfluous Songs Wasted Screen Time

Despite these improvements, season 35, episode 16, “The Tell-Tale Pants,” proves the show still falls back on some unwelcome late-season traditions. The Simpsons still features way too many superfluous musical numbers, with “The Tell-Tale Pants” including an ode to Homer’s torn trousers and a bizarre Dr. Seuss parody wherein Moe warns Homer about losing Marge. This was particularly galling since the rest of the episode focused on a pretty low-key story, centering on Marge and Homer’s marriage. As such, these musical flights of fancy felt tonally jarring and unnecessary, breaking the established reality of the scene without much purpose.

This is reminiscent of how post-Golden Age Simpsons seasons used anthology episodes to tell a trio of shorter stories instead of providing viewers with one substantial, emotionally engaging plot. The musical numbers in “The Tell-Tale Pants“ weren’t particularly amusing or vital to the story’s success, but they filled air time and were distracting enough to keep viewers paying attention. Adding songs to pad out a thin plot is a late-season Simpsons staple that can be seen throughout the show’s lesser outings. It’s disappointing to see season 35 rely on this when the episode’s core conflict was solid.

The Simpsons Season 35 Struggled With This Issue Already

Season 35 Episode 11 Featured Another Aimless Musical Interlude

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time that season 35 wasted screen time on musical numbers the show didn’t need. While Larry the Barfly’s Simpsons season 35 death set up a spoof of “Eleanor Rigby,” this was a genuinely sad moment that proved to be a melancholy highlight of the underappreciated character’s long-overdue episode. Instead, it was Lisa’s lament about Homer’s new job in season 35, episode 11, “Frinkenstein’s Monster,” that could have been cut. This segment wasted valuable screen time that could have gone to fleshing out Amanda Seyfried’s guest character, proving The Simpsons season 35 still has some bad habits it can’t shake.

The Simpsons

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

Writers

Matt Groening , James L. Brooks , Sam Simon

Expand