Although the first Thanksgiving episode ofThe Simpsonsis fun, the season 2 outing unintentionally highlights the tonal disparity between the show’s early years and its Golden Age. The future ofThe Simpsonsis uncertain.The Simpsonsseason 37’s renewalhas not yet been announced and its ratings have dwindled in recent years, although the show has enjoyed a critical resurgence since season 34. Online commentators fromVulturetoYouTubeagree thatThe Simpsonsis “Good again,” although the general consensus is that the series will never replicate the once-in-a-generation success of its Golden Age from approximately seasons 3-11.
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Whilethe Simpsons never age, the show itself has gone through several distinct eras. There are its early years, its Golden Age, the so-called “Zombie Simpsons” era, and its recent critical renaissance. Theworst Thanksgiving episode ofThe Simpsonshelped usher in the “Zombie Simpsons” era as the show’s Golden Age gave away to gag-heavier humor, edgy attempts to compete withFamily GuyandSouth Park, and less character-centric writing. However, the first Thanksgiving special proves that the early years ofThe Simpsonsare almost as different from the show’s Golden Age as its much-maligned later seasons.
The Simpsons’ First Thanksgiving Special Is Surprisingly Sad
The Simpsons' Early Seasons Featured A Lot Of Darker Storylines
As surprising as it may sound, season 2, episode 7,“Bart Vs Thanksgiving,” proves that The Simpsonswas a sadder, more grounded show than many viewers remember in seasons 1-3. The episode sees Bart accidentally destroy Lisa’s centerpiece and refuse to apologize while Marge and Homer handle the fallout terribly. Although the siblings make up in the end, it is a surprisingly poignant story wherein Bart isn’t particularly sympathetic, Marge and Homer’s shortcomings as parents take center stage, and the family’s dysfunction is less comedic and more dramatic than in later seasons.
Upon a re-watch, the outing feels as much like an animated episode ofMalcolm in the Middleas it does a classicSimpsonsepisode. While theGolden Age ofThe Simpsonsis notable for its mile-a-minute gag rate and the zany absurdity of its humor, “Bart Vs Thanksgiving” proves that the show’s early years were much more rooted in reality. There are plenty of silly moments in the episode, like Bart imagining Maggie blaming him for her inability to speak and Uncle Sam blaming him for America’s loss of soul. However, its tone as a whole is undeniably darker.
“Lisa’s Substitute” and “Bart Gets An F” Were Similarly Downbeat
The cynical edge ofThe Simpsonswas toned down after season 3, but there was a good reason for this tonal shift. When the series began,The Simpsonswas part of a new wave of family sitcoms written in response to the schmaltzy sentimentality of hits likeThe Cosby ShowandFull House.Roseanne,Married… With Children, andThe Simpsonssubverted the twee, saccharine style of these shows with dark humor, witless father figures, and episodes where no one learned a valuable lesson.The Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror Halloween specialswere a particularly pointed jab at network censorship norms.
In response to the sunny idealism of ‘80s family sitcoms,The Simpsonsneeded to feel more grounded in reality.
This inevitably meant that, in response to the sunny idealism of ‘80s family sitcoms,The Simpsonsneeded to feel more grounded in reality. As a result,The Simpsonsseason 1-3 featured a lot of surprisingly sad outings, like season 2, episode 19, “Lisa’s Substitute,” season 3, episode 8, “Lisa’s Pony,” and season 2, episode 1, “Bart Gets an “F”.” Compared to an episode from the anarchic and fast-paced Golden Age ofThe Simpsons, like season 5, episode 17, “Bart Gets An Elephant,” these episodes were far slower, more realistic, and more moving.
When The Simpsons Became More Playful And Less Poignant
Season 3, Episode 17, “Homer At The Bat,” Was A Major Turning Point
The Simpsonsalways had a wild sense of humor, but the turn toward prioritizing gags and zaniness over emotional resonance arrived in earnest around season 3, episode 17, “Homer at the Bat.” It is telling that one of thescariest Treehouse of Horror stories everarrived before this hinge point, where the series began to focus on absurd and over-the-top humor more than emotional resonance. This approach lasted throughout the Golden Age until seasons 11 and 12 took things too far, abandoning any connection to reality with storylines that could have appeared onSouth ParkorFamily Guy.
The Golden Age ofThe Simpsonsmaintained an almost impossible balance.
The Golden Age ofThe Simpsonsmaintained an almost impossible balance. In season 4, episode 16, “Duffless,” the same episode featured Homer encountering a giant spider under the nuclear plant and later taking Marge for a romantic bike ride instead of having a beer at Moe’s. The mundane and the surreal, a grounded depiction of working-class Americana and an absurd cartoon parody of the same, comfortably co-existed during this era.The downfall ofThe Simpsonswas inevitable, and looking back on its early years proves this. After all,The Simpsonswas also almost too dark and realistic before it became too silly and unrealistic.
