The Simpsons Season 35 Reimagines the Couch Gag Formula (Taking It to New Heights)
The Simpsons Season 35 revolutionizes couch gags by seamlessly incorporating Episode 3's captivating Couch Gag, showcasing their innovative approach to storytelling A refreshing departure from their traditional format
Warning: spoilers ahead for The Simpsons season 35, episode 3.
Summary
The Simpsons season 35, episode 3 deviates from the usual couch gag formula, which is a refreshing change that highlights the show's creativity and adaptability. This successful integration of the couch gag into the episode's narrative showcases The Simpsons' ability to constantly evolve and captivate its audience.
Deviating from the typical couch gag format, The Simpsons season 35, episode 3 explores more experimental storytelling techniques and injects new life into the show after 35 seasons. This demonstrates that the show still has something fresh and exciting to offer, revitalizing its longstanding presence. Beginning as one of the riskiest and most innovative shows on television, The Simpsons has lately been stuck in a critical rut. While there have been occasional standout episodes in later seasons, they lack the anarchic spark that defined the show's Golden Age, which ended around seasons 9 to 12.
The Simpsons Season 35 Episode 3’s Couch Gag Runs Into The Episode
Despite that, The Simpsons is determined to maintain its creativity. Season 34 marked a resurgence for the show, with its best critical reception in years. Season 35 of The Simpsons has successfully continued this positive trend. In order to achieve this, the show has been actively challenging its familiar structure, even going so far as to change the iconic couch gags.
The Simpsons typically begins each episode with a standalone couch gag that has no connection to the main storyline. This tradition started in season 1 and has remained a consistent element throughout the show's extensive run, which now spans over 750 episodes. However, in episode 3 of the 35th season titled "McMansion and Wife," the series breaks the mold by incorporating the couch gag into the actual plot. In this episode, Homer's daydream of owning a luxurious sports car begins during the couch gag but ends up impacting the storyline, diverging from the usual practice where couch gags exist in a separate storyline within each episode.
Why The Simpsons Season 35 Could Integrate This Couch Gag
Once the couch gag comes to an end and the actual episode begins, Homer encounters his new neighbor, who happens to be a high-end car salesman. Right away, Homer remarks, "I just envisioned owning this car," cleverly referencing the episode's opening sequence. This serves as an effective tactic, as the lengthy couch gag also acts as a scene that sets up the story for the episode. Remarkably, The Simpsons has never attempted this approach throughout its extensive history. This unexpected twist further demonstrates The Simpsons' remarkable and long-lasting ability to play with a familiar formula, even in its 35th year.
Couch gags in The Simpsons often showcase fantastical scenarios that would be impossible in the actual show, such as the couch gaining consciousness or the Simpson family transforming into underwater aquatic creatures. Consequently, these imaginative introductions rarely have any bearing on the storyline of the main series. While the more outrageous humor in recent seasons of The Simpsons has faced criticism, the seamless incorporation of this couch gag into the narrative of the episode demonstrates how the show can explore unconventional ideas by embracing a goofier tone.
Such a deviation might complicate the delivery of emotional moments, but it does grant The Simpsons the ability to employ unconventional storytelling techniques like seamlessly incorporating couch gags into the main narrative of an episode. This particular move may not have been viable, or at least not as successful, during The Simpsons' Golden Age. The fact that The Simpsons manages to introduce fresh elements to the couch gag gimmick after 35 seasons is a remarkable accomplishment that solidifies the show's ongoing contribution.
The Simpsons Has Rarely Blended Its Couch Gags Before
The integration of the couch gag into the main storyline of a Simpsons episode has been a rare occurrence. Only once or twice has the show incorporated the events of the couch gag into the actual episode itself. In the 18th episode of season 34 titled "Fan-ily Feud," the entire episode culminated in the revelation that it was all leading up to the couch gag. Additionally, after the release of The Simpsons Movie, the first couch gag featured the reunion of Homer and Spider-Pig. However, it wasn't until "McMansion & Wife" that The Simpsons utilized the couch gag as a part of a regular episode's narrative. The execution of this trick is notably well done in this particular instance.
Continuing to innovate its formula is crucial for The Simpsons to sustain the recent acclaim it has received. In a television landscape where even imitators like Family Guy and American Dad have established themselves as iconic shows, The Simpsons runs the risk of appearing outdated. Therefore, The Simpsons must creatively challenge traditional norms in order to retain their audience. Season 35 has demonstrated a renewed dedication to this approach by introducing a fresh take on the couch gag in episode 3.
