The following contains spoilers for The Simpsons season 36 holiday special, “O C’Mon All Ye Faithful,” now streaming on Disney+The Simpsons’new holiday special is the best Ned Flanders story in years, and a powerful exploration of faith.The Simpsonshas always been at its best when it juggles genuine emotion and goofy comedy. Those core elements are both on display in “O C’mon All Ye Faithful,” which balances Homer’s newfound ability to inspire hope as Santa juxtaposed by Ned Flanders' deeply somber crisis of faith. Ned has been a fixture ofThe Simpsonsthe early seasons, gradually evolving into one of the show’s more deceptively nuanced characters.
Ned usually has his faith to fall back on, which makes his deeply personal crisis in the latestChristmas episode ofThe Simpsonsall the more impactful. While the special does restore Ned’s faith by the end, it’s only through some impressive self-discovery and interactions with others that he works through it. The result is a highlight of recent Simpsons storylines, and one of the best Ned-centric stories in the show’s entire run.
Ned Flanders' Crisis Of Faith In The Simpsons Season 36, Explained
Ned’s Two Biggest Losses Have Quietly Eaten Away At His Faith In A Higher Power
Ned’s crisis of faith is the big emotional throughline of “O C’Mon All Ye Faithful,” and is one of the show’s most effective Flanders' stories in years. The second half of the season 36 holiday special is focused on Ned contending with a crisis of faith that is spurred on by his own disbelief in Santa. Ned reveals to Marge that this been building, and thathis grief over the loss of both Maude and Edna have left him questioning God’s existence. It’s a particularly powerful theme to explore with Springfield’s most religious character, given how grounded the story proves.
It’s a heartbreakingly human storyline, especially given the goofy elements thatThe Simpsonsleans into. While the story maintains plenty of good jokes, it’s a genuinely somber storyline that sees Ned doing his best to remain a positive father and a good man, even as his newfound lack of faith clearly weighs on him. It makes Ned feel very human, in the way the best episodes centered around the character always have. While the show’s status quo does set in by the end of the episode and Ned regains his faith, it feels earned by Ned’s arc throughout the episode.
How The Simpsons Impact Ned’s Evolution In “C’Mon All Ye Faithful”
Marge, Lisa, And Bart Try To Help Flanders In Their Own Way
Although Homer’s plot with Ralph shifts into the episode’s B-Story, the rest of the family do their best to help Ned work through his inner turmoil. Marge speaks repeatedly with Flanders, sharing her own resilient faith and doing her best to help him work through his troubles.Lisa speaks with Flanders about the meaning she’s found in Buddhism, highlighting how faith can come in different forms. Bart tries to prank Flanders into believing again, specifically in a bid to make Marge feel better about her friend’s crisis of faith.
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It’s a quietly perfect showcase for all three characters, keeping the titular family front and center even while allowing Ned to remain at the core of the story. Marge gets to be the helpful neighbor and confidant to Ned, a role she’s filled many times in the past. Lisa gets an opportunity to share her deep wealth of knowledge, all in the name of spreading empathy and happiness. Bart may be a jerk. but he’s also a well-meaning son who genuinely wants to help.It allows all three of them showcase the kinds of kindness that Ned’s faith encourages.
Ned’s World View Has Been Shaken Before Season 36
Ned Flanders has had his faith tested before, with some of the character’s best episodes focusing on his efforts to stay true to his beliefs even when the frequently bittersweet world ofThe Simpsonspushes him to the brink. The most infamous is perhaps season 8’s “Hurricane Neddy,” which focused on Flanders giving into his long-repressed rage after his home was destroyed by a hurricane. Other episodes like season 11’s “Alone Again, Natura-Diddily” touched on the difficulties Ned faced as a new widower and the impact it had on his typically unshakable faith in a higher power.
The holiday special leans into the very human grief at the core of Ned’s character, and highlights how Flanders questioning his faith works best when it’s rooted in real emotions.
“O C’mon All Ye Faithful” has the room to really expand on these themes, highlighting the genuine grief a typically cartoonish character has endured through two separate instances of losing his wife. Ned has been able to maintain his faith that both Edna and Maude could still be with him in some way, but his efforts to stay true to that have grown increasingly distant and bittersweet.The holiday special leans into the very human grief at the core of Ned’s character, and highlights how Flanders questioning his faith works best when it’s rooted in real emotions.
Why Frink Is The Perfect Person To Reinspire Ned
An Unexpected Contrast To Flanders Is The Perfect Person To Reinspire Him
An unexpected but perfectly welcome element of “O C’mon All Ye Faithful” is the inclusion of Prof. Frink. Springfield’s resident super-scientist has never been shown to be a religious character, and past episodes like season 17’s “The Monkey Suit” have positioned him as a critic of religion. However, the new holiday special sees Frink embarking on an undersea mission that he convinces Ned to join him on. Under the sea, Frink reveals he has faith, just not in the same way Ned does.Frink sees God in the natural order of the world, a quietly perfect worldview for him.
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Although Frink is later revealed to have been part of a plan to reinspire Ned’s faith, there’s no indication that his speech to Ned about faith was less than truthful. It highlights how the pair may see the world in different lights,but ultimately share a belief that there is something beyond them. Frink’s wacky sci-fi hijinx and mechanical failures serve as the jokes in this section of the special, but also underscore Flanders' learning from people of all sorts to hold onto his belief and that God can be found in more than just one person’s personal views on existence.
The True Meaning Of Ned’s Crisis Of Faith
Ned Finding Faith Is More Than Beliving In God
One of the things that makes “O C’mon n All Ye Faithful” such an effective story about faith is the way it focuses on a very Christian character without necessarily being about Christianity. Ned doesn’t suddenly rush to back to Church and finds meaning there, but rather shares his renewed faith with his friends and his sons. It was apparently an act of God that saved Ned with the yoke of an ox plow,connecting Ned’s faith directly with Lisa’s own interpretation of the world.
Screen Rant’sBen Gibbons gave “O C’mon All Ye Faithful” a glowing review, calling the episode an “unforgettable masterclass in animated comedy storytelling.”
The Simpsonshas always quietly had a clear view on the importance of religionand faith, with many episodes highlighting the virtues and benefits of faith (while also calling out the negative qualities they can encourage, such as the cult that emerges around Homer in the episode’s first half).It’s a very poignant way to tackle religion and faith, especially around the holidays, without making it a ringing endorsement for any one approach to life. As Springfield proves, the purpose of faith means more than the actual specifics, and it givesThe Simpsons' latest special a truly meaningful core.
The Simpsons
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The Simpsons is an animated series set in the fictional town of Springfield, following the daily lives of the Simpson family—Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. Premiering in 1989, the show is renowned for its satirical commentary on politics, media, and American culture, featuring numerous celebrity guest appearances.
