“The Simpsons” is still good, people! Even 36 seasons in, the cultural phenomenon has proven to be the one truly reliable American institution left, a staple of television, a titan of pop culture, one of the most influential animated shows of all time.
In season 36 we saw great episodes featuring pairings we don’t see that often anymore, like an episode where Homer and his dad create a sport, or one where Bart and his grandpa bond over baseball, and an episode that parodied “The White Lotus” (and killed a character we hadn’t seen in decades). And yet, the best two episodes of the season were all about Marge Simpson (Julie Kavner). The first one is titled “P.S. I Hate You” and deals with Marge’s need to be liked and the chaos that ensues when her secret hate letters she’s been writing to everyone in Springfield for years are stolen. Then we have the season finale, “Estranger Things” which deals is all about how Bart (Nancy Cartwright) and Lisa (Yeardley Smith) bonded over “Itchy & Scratchy” and how they drift apart in a possible future where Marge dies before Homer (Dan Castellaneta).
Yes, you heard that right. Marge dies before Homer. Somehow.
It’s a big change to how “The Simpsons” had portrayed things in the past, leading to lazy writers and fans online who have not watched the show in years to jump to conclusions and speculate that Marge Simpson is officially and unequivocally dead for good. At least, the noise got loud enough that executive producer Matt Selman had to confirm to Variety that Marge Simpson is not actually dead.
“There is no canon,” Selman said, responding to a question about whether Marge’s death is canon for the future timeline of the show. ‘The Simpsons’ doesn’t even have canon!”
