The Simpsons Season 35 Unveils an Epic Homer Trick: A Nostalgic Blast from the Past!

WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for The Simpsons season 35 premiere.

Summary

In its season 35 premiere, The Simpsons effectively depicted Homer as a character who is relatable yet also a villain, skillfully striking a balance that has resonated with the audience in the past.

Titled "Homer's Crossing," the episode provided a satirical perspective on the issue of police overspending by showcasing Homer's insatiable greed and abuse of authority in his role as a militarized crossing guard.

Episodes featuring Homer as the villain strike a unique balance between satirical critique and preserving his likability, resulting in a realistic and humorous portrayal of his descent into villainy.

Homer's relatable yet frustrating character flaws are evident throughout The Simpsons. However, in later seasons, he took on a more extreme and thoughtless persona, leading some online commentators to criticize the introduction of "Jerkass Homer." Fortunately, The Simpsons season 35 strikes a better balance between Homer's original characterization and his more exaggerated late-season self. In episode 1, "Homer's Crossing," Homer initially portrays himself as the show's hero but gradually transforms into the episode's villain, continuing a successful trend that originated in season 1 back in 1990.

The Simpsons Season 35 Episode 1 Made Homer Its Villain

In The Simpsons season 1, episode 4, titled "There's No Disgrace Like Home," Homer unintentionally becomes the antagonist of the show when he labels his own family as "Pathetic" after they embarrass him at a company picnic. Initially, this storyline generates sympathy towards Homer, as the rest of the family seems to purposely make him look bad. However, as the plot progresses and Homer starts berating and subjecting his family to electroshock therapy, it becomes evident that he is the actual issue. Similarly, the season 35 premiere portrays him as a villain, but only after eliciting sympathy from viewers by highlighting his predicament, a technique often employed in classic episodes.

The episode "Homer’s Crossing" initially faces a familiar challenge that frequently arises in later seasons of The Simpsons, as it revolves around Homer's professional shortcomings. However, the story takes a turn for the better when Homer becomes a crossing guard, and subsequently gains popularity after rescuing Ralph from a car accident, becoming a viral sensation. Shortly thereafter, Homer transforms into a corrupt and power-hungry individual, exploiting his newfound position to satirize excessive police spending by demanding more money and equipment for the militarized crossing guards. The strength of the episode lies in its focus on the show's primary character, Homer, rather than a minor character, in keeping with the formula of many beloved episodes of the series.

Homer’s Villainous Turn Let The Simpsons Satirize The Police

Homer’s financial mismanagement mirrored the excessive spending habits of the police force, a point repeatedly emphasized by Chief Wiggum. However, rather than portraying Homer as a mere caricature, "Homer’s Crossing," being centered around The Simpsons' main character, had the opportunity to delve into the reasoning behind his insatiable greed. In this episode, Homer perceived his job as a reference to classic action movies, treating the role of a crossing guard as if it required the use of surveillance satellites and machine guns to effectively manage crosswalks. Although this portrayal was a comedic exaggeration, it felt believable and aligned with Homer's character. Contrarily, satirical episodes of The Simpsons, such as "Hostile Kirk Place" from season 34, episode 16, failed to resonate as their main characters lacked relatability or humor.

Why Homer’s Villain Stories Work So Well

Starting from season 9, episode 22, titled "Trash of the Titans," up until season 5, episode 11, titled "Homer the Vigilante," The Simpsons featured episodes in which Homer takes on the role of the villain. Interestingly, these episodes manage to humanize the subjects of their satire while still criticizing their behavior. In both "Homer's Crossing" and "Homer the Vigilante," Homer transforms into a fascist bully overnight. Nevertheless, these storylines maintain the inherent likability of the character. By initially establishing the root of Homer's insecurities as his belief that he was worthless and incapable, these episodes provide a believable and amusing portrayal of his transition into villainy, even if it isn't entirely justified. The decision to revisit classic episodes in The Simpsons' season 35 was undoubtedly a risk, but it ultimately proved to be a successful endeavor.

The show's thirty-fifth episode needs to strike a delicate balance, where Homer is amusingly mean but not too off-putting for viewers to support him. "Homer's Crossing" succeeds in making a promising attempt at this. In the early stages of the episode, even the toughest fan would sympathize with Homer's plight. However, as the episode progresses, it becomes undeniable that he should be kept far away from any position of authority. It's a challenge to maintain Homer's comedic flaws while staying true to the lovable side that makes him a hero, but The Simpsons season 35 can achieve this. Catch new episodes of The Simpsons on Sundays, airing on Fox.