The Simpsons’ season 36 premiere: A playful nod to series finales

Season 36 of “The Simpsons” premiered with a twist, presenting what was humorously dubbed as the “series finale.”

A grand opening with Conan O’Brien

The episode, titled “Bart’s Birthday,” aired on September 29 and was hosted by an animated version of former “Simpsons” writer Conan O’Brien. The show opened with a grand event at the “Dolby-Mucinex Theatre,” a playful nod to the Dolby Theatre, where characters from “The Simpsons” and other notable figures gathered to celebrate the supposed end of the series.

“It’s such an honor to be with you all for the series finale of ‘The Simpsons,'” O’Brien began, adding a touch of humor by referencing his own experiences with show finales. He joked about Fox’s decision to end the show and reminisced about his early career with “The Simpsons,” even mentioning a sweater he left in the writer’s room back in 1993.

A star-studded farewell

O’Brien highlighted the presence of many celebrities who had appeared on “The Simpsons” over the years, as well as stars from Fox’s live-action hits. The camera humorously cut to Joel McHale, star of “Animal Control,” sitting alone, adding to the comedic tone of the episode.

O’Brien continued with a tongue-in-cheek commentary on Fox’s long-standing attempts to end the show, humorously suggesting that the network had been trying to cancel “The Simpsons” since its debut in 1989 due to mixed viewer reactions.

Revisiting classic episodes with a twist

The episode featured what O’Brien claimed were original cuts of famous “The Simpsons” episodes, such as “Bart the Daredevil” and “Little Big Mom,” where Homer actually died. These scenes were presented as if they were intended to be series finales, adding a layer of meta-humor to the episode.

In a surprising twist, O’Brien revealed that the show’s writers had used artificial intelligence to create the script for “Bart’s Birthday.” The episode parodied common series finale clichés, including major character arcs like Mr. Burns dying, Principal Skinner retiring, and Milhouse’s family moving to Atlanta. The episode also featured several characters getting married, Moe’s Tavern shutting down, and numerous proclamations of “I’m gonna miss this place!”

A clever prank on viewers

Throughout the episode, an on-screen bug proclaimed that viewers were watching “The Simpsons Series Finale,” likely confusing those who tuned in late. The storyline culminated with Bart becoming sentient and refusing to blow out his birthday candles, leading to a humorous reset where Bart reverted to being 10 years old, effectively stopping all the changes and maintaining the status quo.

Guest stars and parodies

The episode featured a slew of guest stars, including John Cena, Danny DeVito, Seth Rogen, Mark Proksch, Amy Sedaris, and Tom Hanks, who humorously expressed his disappointment upon learning that this wasn’t the actual series finale.

The episode concluded with “The Simpsons” characters parodying famous series finales from shows like “The Sopranos,” “MAS*H,” “Mad Men,” “Mary Tyler Moore,” “Breaking Bad,” “Frasier,” “Succession,” and “Newhart,” showcasing the show’s ability to blend humor with cultural references.

Looking ahead: More “Simpsons” to come

Despite the playful nod to a series finale, fans knew that “The Simpsons” wasn’t actually ending. Upcoming episodes, previously announced at San Diego Comic-Con, include the 35th “Treehouse of Horror” episode, featuring a collaboration with Stoopid Buddy (“Robot Chicken”) to parody “Venom.” Additionally, a “second scary trilogy” inspired by Ray Bradbury, titled “Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes,” is set to air in November. Next week’s episode, “Yellow Lotus,” will parody “The White Lotus.”

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