Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Simpsons season 36, episode 6, “Women in Shorts”
WhileThe Simpsonsseason 36, episode 6, was technically a sequel to a classic Golden Age outing, its original premise ensured that the episode felt like more than a mere retread. It is tough forThe Simpsonsto keep coming up with fresh ideas. The show has been on the air since 1989 and has aired over 750 episodes, so, althoughThe Simpsons’ season 37 renewalhas not yet been confirmed, it is no surprise the show is working hard on creating new stories. After all, it’s been two decades sinceSouth Parkfamously complained “The Simpsons did it.”
The Simpsons Season 36 Just Mocked The Show’s Oldest Plot Hole
The Simpsons season 36 episode 6 drew attention to an infamous issue with the show’s canon and continuity, but the gag was a funny, self-aware joke.
The Simpsonsseason 36 began with a bizarre, self-referential“Series finale” that mocked the show’s longevity while also directly addressing the unchanging ages of its heroes. This was followed by numerous other experimental efforts, includingThe Simpsonsseason 36’s Scorsese parody, which sidelined the rest of the family to focus on Lisa alone. Evenseason 36’s Treehouse of Horror specialincluded stop-motion animation from Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, once again underlining the show’s commitment to trying new things in its 36th year. Meanwhile, season 36, episode 6, “Women In Shorts,” was simultaneously both original and a throwback.
The Simpsons Season 36 Episode 6 Revisits “22 Short Films About Springfield”
“Women In Shorts” Features Segments About Springfield’s Women
While “Women In Shorts” is a sequel of sorts to season 7, episode 21, “22 Short Films About Springfield,” the episode’s unique approach makes its many interesting plots feel fresh.“Women In Shorts” focuses only on Springfield’s underserved female characters, whereas “22 Short Films About Springfield” took a stab at illustrating the unseen lives of the entire town’s inhabitants. Thanks to this fresh perspective shift, “Women In Shorts” is a fun follow-up to “22 Short Films About Springfield,” but never feels like a direct continuation or a mere retread.
Where “22 Short Films About Springfield” focused on side characters like Chief Wiggum, Herman, Apu, Superintendent Chalmers, Cletus, and Moe, “Women In Shorts” is more concerned with Nelson’s mother, Bart’s teacher Rayshelle Peyton, Shauna Chalmers, andseason 36’s unlikely breakout character Agnes Skinner. The preceding episode, season 36, episode 5, “Treehouse of Horror XXXV” saw Agnes play Mr. Burns’ love interest in an Edgar Allan Poe parody, while the episode before that, episode 4, “Shoddy Heat,” featured another unlikely affair between the pair in a ‘80s-set story that parodied famous film noir tropes.
The Simpsons Season 36’s Golden Age Sequel Recaptured The Original’s Magic
The Episode Highlighted Numerous Minor Supporting Stars
It would be tough for any sequel to do justice to “22 Short Films About Springfield”28 years later, as the episode went on to spawn numerous legendary moments fromThe Simpsons. Principal Skinner’s infamous attempts to serve Superintendent Chalmers “Steamed hams” became an iconic meme, while many other moments from the original outing are often quoted by fans. However, “Women In Shorts” is a surprisingly tight, funny follow-up. LikeThe Simpsonsseason 36’s Edgar Allan Poe parody, the episode builds on existing lore from earlier episodes to make the world of the series feel more fully realized.
Helen Lovejoy’s freakout upon hearing about Springfield’s imminent destruction fit her character perfectly.
Long-time viewers know that Nelson’s mother works at a strip club, but few would have expected her to regale him with romanticized tales from her day job at bedtime. Rayshelle Peyton has proven to be a good influence on Bart in numerous outings, but her teaming up with Lisa to fleece the rest of the teachers out of their betting money was a genuinely surprising twist. Even Helen Lovejoy’s freakout upon hearing about Springfield’s imminent destruction, which prompted her to destroy her husband’s model train set and impulsively kiss Moe, fit her character perfectly.
The Simpsons Season 36’s Female-Centric Episode Proves Gimmicks Aren’t Bad
The Simpsons Seasons 36 Benefited From Prioritizing Novelty
SinceThe Simpsonshas been around for so long, it is no surprise that the show feels the need to come up with fresh ways to keep viewers invested. Some of these, likereleasing a Treehouse of Horror Halloween specialin late November, seem foolhardy at first glance. However,season 36 has so far proven to be a surprising critical revival forThe Simpsonsand this is due in large part to the show’s reliance on experimentation. “Women In Shorts” is an ambitious anthology episode, while episode 3, “Desperately Seeking Lisa,” only featured Lisa for almost its entire runtime.
Writer Christine Nangle toldVariety"Women In Shorts" was “An episode that feels a little bit like a sketch show.”
The season 36 premiere, “Bart’s Birthday,” was a self-aware in-universe series finale, while “Shoddy Heat” was a bizarre mixture of murder mystery, noir, andMiami Viceparodies. All of these could have been tiresome, but instead landed in the perfect intersection between fresh and fun.The Simpsonsseason 36 is proving, despite the odds, that the show still has something new to offer viewers after decades on the air.
