The Simpsons: A New Era for Springfield
Rick and Morty | S7 Finale Cold Open: Fear No Mort | adult swim
The Simpsons, the longest-running American animated sitcom, has seen its characters remain the same age for over 35 seasons. With the show's continuity suffering over time, a time skip could have helped it develop further. The release of The Simpsons Movie in July 2007 marked an interesting time for a time jump, especially after Springfield was almost destroyed. The movie could have been a great final story that heavily involved each character, with a new era starting in season 19. This would have allowed for new stories to be told, especially for Bart, Lisa, and their friends, as hypothetical flash-forward scenes have always seen great character development for them.
Homer talking to a sad Bart without pants outside Krusty Burger in the Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons has notably seen its characters remain the same age for over 35 seasons. With it being the longest-running American animated sitcom ever, it's not surprising that the show's continuity suffered over time, which caused some plot holes in The Simpsons. Even though Springfield always seems to be living in the present, a time skip could have helped the show develop further. In July 2007, The Simpsons Movie was released, just two months after season 18 finished airing, and the finale, 'You Kent Always Say What You Want,' marked the 400th episode of the show.
Homer, Marge, Lisa and Bart balancing on a wooden board in The Simpsons Movie
The Big Bang Theory: A Logical Time Jump
The hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory could have benefited from a jump in its timeline after Season 11. Season 11 saw Sheldon get married to Amy, and their wedding day was also the moment they came up with the asymmetry theory, which awarded them the Nobel Prize in the finale. Inserting a time skip at the end of Season 11 would have made more logical sense, giving the show a good few years for them to finish their paper and allowing for some character development for Sheldon as a married man.
Mark Hamill officiating Amy and Sheldon's wedding in The Big Bang Theory
Rick and Morty: Missed Opportunity for Change
Following the announcement that Justin Roiland was no longer going to be part of the show, Rick and Morty recast Roiland's characters from season 7, missing an opportunity for a time skip. With Space Beth making more appearances in season 6, a time skip could have seen a possible future for the characters, allowing the children to move on to the next stage of their lives and providing character development for Morty.
Rick and Morty singing and playing musical instruments in Get Schwifty
Modern Family: A Glimpse Into the Future
When Modern Family ended with season 11, a time skip could have made it even better. Skipping ahead to see Haley as a Super Mom and street-smart Luke's life would have been a fascinating piece of character development. It would have also been great to see how the Pritchett brood had grown with the addition of Joe, and what Lily would have been like as a teen.
Everyone gathering around Haley after she gives birth to twins in Modern Family
Two and a Half Men: Making Room for Change
Two and a Half Men season 9 saw Charlie Sheen be replaced by Ashton Kutcher, and episode 3 could have been a great place to insert a time skip. This would have made Walden's permanent fixture more natural and explained Jake's gradual disappearance from the show. A time jump to make him an adult would have made his storylines more appropriate.
Jon Cryer as Alan Harper looking at a soaking wet Ashton Kutcher as Walden Schmidt in Two and a Half Men
You: A Chance for Transformation
You season 4 saw Joe up to his same tricks once again, except this time, in London. The main issue with You season 4 is that Joe's character hasn't changed, and his behavior starts to feel repetitive. A time skip would have made sense for Joe to be lying low for a while, given that he murdered Love. It would have also been interesting to see Joe living a normal, quiet life, only to be eventually overwhelmed by his temptations and pulled back into his obsessive ways.
Penn Badgley as Joe Goldberg in Netflix's You
The Mandalorian: Pacing and Character Development
The Mandalorian's timeline essentially broke the Star Wars universe, especially when considering the events of the show. A time skip would have made a lot of sense, as it would have allowed for a more natural separation between Grogu and Din and a lot more character development. If season 2 had begun with Grogu and Din having been apart for a decent amount of time, the events may not have felt as rushed.
Baby Yoda/Grogu in the Star Wars spinoff The Mandalorian
