Summary
AlthoughThe Simpsonshas been on the air for a long time, season 36 of the animated comedy series still risks alienating fans with a big change.The Simpsonssometimes seem too big to fail. Admittedly,The Simpsonshas undoubtedly lost a lot of the critical acclaim and cultural relevance that it maintained during the ‘90s in its so-called Golden Age. However, the sheer longevity ofThe Simpsonsmeans that the show has become a pop culture mainstay. It is tough to imagine a world withoutThe Simpsonseven if the show’s relevance peaked decades ago at this stage.
Thus,The Simpsonsseason 36seems set up for success. If the show fails to do anything new, it will remain a part of TV history regardless. If season 36 does try something new, like seasons 34 and 35, the show will be rewarded with better reviews and critics proclaiming thatThe Simpsonsis finally good again. The show can now highlight tricky questions likewhy The Simpsons never agesince the series has been around long enough to make fun of its own inconsistencies without feeling solipsistic. That said, not every new idea is a good one.
The Simpsons Season 36 Teases An Answer To Its Oldest Mystery (That Changes The Show Forever)
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 Have Episodes Exclusive To Disney+
The Simpsons Is Releasing New Episodes Straight To The Streaming Service
In a divisive move,The Simpsonsseason 36 will feature four episodes that are exclusive to the Disney+ streaming service.The Simpsonsseason 36’s two-part Christmas special “O C’mon All Ye Faithful,” a parody ofThe White Lotus, and an episode titled “The Past and the Furious” will all be released on the streaming service instead of airing on Fox. A Halloween-themed short will also be released during season 36, although this is more in line with the show’s earlier Disney+ exclusives. Until now,The Simpsonsonly released non-canon shorts on Disney’s streaming service, rather than full unaired new episodes.
Season 36 will see that approach change as this quartet of episodes land on the streaming service throughout the year.The Simpsonsseason 36’s Christmas specialis arguably the most exciting of these titles since it is the show’s first two-part episode since 2021 and the first festive outing in three years. However, bothThe Simpsonsseason 36’sWhite Lotusparody and “The Past and the Furious” are also entire episodes of the show that viewers won’t see without a subscription to Disney+. For longtime fans, this might be a bitter pill to swallow.
The Simpsons' Disney+ Exclusive Episodes Are Unfair On Longtime Fox Viewers
Disney+ Exclusive Episodes Limit Who Can Watch The Simpsons
Ever since Disney+ first launched,The Simpsonshas been one of the brands that was used to promote the service. To this end,The Simpsonshave starred in exclusive shorts that parody theStar Warsuniverse and met MCU characters in outings like “The Good, The Bart, and The Loki.” However, these were all shorts that, while diverting, weren’t part of the show’s canon. Now,viewers who have watchedThe Simpsonson television since 1989 risk missing out on new episodessolely because they haven’t paid for a subscription service. Thus, this move could be read as insulting.
The revelation that viewers need to pay for a subscription service to watch new episodes of a show that is still airing on TV could rub viewers up the wrong way.
Fans who enjoyThe Simpsonsbut aren’t interested in paying for Disney’s content more broadly may find this development concerning. Until recently,The Simpsonsseason 36’s many retconslooked like they would be the most controversial aspect of the upcoming outing. Now, this news has complicated that perception. The revelation that viewers need to pay for a subscription service to watch new episodes of a show that is still airing on TV could rub viewers up the wrong way, particularly when many of the show’s longstanding fans aren’t necessarily invested in Disney more broadly.
Could The Simpsons Increasingly Move to Disney+?
Disney+ Taking Over The Simpsons Isn’t A Good Idea
The Simpsonsseason 36 is not exclusive to Disney+, and it would be unfair to claim that the streaming service is attempting to take over the brand’s offerings. However,The Simpsonswas an expensive purchase for Disney. Despite the show’s ratings dwindling since its historic peak,The Simpsonsremains an incredibly popular intellectual property.The Simpsonsseason 36’s tricksmight convince more viewers to tune in as the show airs on TV, but it would not be surprising if the long-term plan is to transfer the series as a whole onto Disney+.
It would make sense for the streaming service to rely increasingly on one of the most influential and popular TV shows of all time.
