Warning: This artlce contains SPOILERS for The Simpsons season 36, episode 1
Although Bart Simpson’s age did technically change inThe Simpsonsseason 36, episode 1, viewers expecting a knock-on effect in the show’s universe shouldn’t hold their breath. WhileThe Simpsonsseason 37renewal has not yet been announced, fans of the series can breathe a sigh of relief.The Simpsonsseason 36, episode 1, “Bart’s Birthday,” might begin with Conan O’Brien announcing that the episode is the show’s series finale, but this soon proves to be just another meta gag from the creators of the series. In reality,The Simpsonswill continue.
The Simpsons' Series Finale Explained: Was That Really The Last Episode?
The Simpsons season 36 episode 1 began by revealing that the outing was the long-awaited Simpsons series finale, but was this announcement real?
Furthermore,The Simpsonsseason 36’s promised character agingmight not be the show-shaking change that it was advertised as. In the promotional materials for “Bart’s Birthday,” the episode was touted as one that would fundamentally alter the reality of the series. This makes sense, since Bart having a birthday at all is a major departure for the show. Famously,characters don’t age inThe Simpsons, so acknowledging Bart’s birthday forced the show to face this fact and either double down or change it.The Simpsonssomehowopted to do both, and neither, simultaneously.
How & Why Bart Simpson Turned 11 Years Old In The Simpsons Season 36 Premiere
Bart’s Birthday Was The Simpsons Series Finale (Sort Of)
Bart does turn 11 inThe Simpsonsseason 36, episode 1, but this only takes place in an in-universe series finale written by an AI, and it only lasts for a minute or so. The premise of “Bart’s Birthday” is thatThe Simpsonsis ending and the show’s creators have fed “Hack GPT” both the show’s scripts and the finales of countless earlier TV shows. The AI technology spat out a script that saw everything change in Springfield when Bart turned 11, thus fundamentally altering the world of the series, setting up numerous potential spinoffs, and ending the show’s story.
However, Bart wasn’t happy with the way things were going in “Bart’s Birthday.” Whether it was Lisa winning a MacArthur Genius Grant, Mr. Burns dying in a nuclear power plant accident, or Moe closing his eponymous tavern, too much of Springfield was changing too radically and too fast for Bart’s liking. As such, he forced the AI’s storyline to fall apart when Homer began choking him at his birthday party. This broke the simulation, reset the show’s timeline, and made Bart 10 all over again. Thus,The Simpsonsguaranteed a few more years of its familiar status quo.
Is Bart Going To Be 11-Years-Old On The Simpsons Going Forward?
Bart’s Age Reverted To 10 In Season 36 Episode 1’s Ending
Judging by the events of “Bart’s Birthday,”Bart Simpson will remain 10 years old for the foreseeable future. LikeThe Simpsonsseason 36’s Treehouse of Horror special, the premiere was a non-canon outing whose events won’t have much, if any, bearing on future episodes. Furthermore, the “Elastic canon” ofThe Simpsonsmeans it is unlikely that the show would have acknowledged Bart turning 11 even if the event wasn’t retconned in the episode’s ending. Showrunner Matt Selman explained onX(formerlyTwitter) thatThe Simpsonschanges its continuity constantly and without recourse to earlier episodes.
Bart was never going to start aging normally in season 36.
As a result of this policy, Bart was never going to start aging normally in season 36. This would have meant that Maggie would need to become a toddler and eventually a child, Bart and Lisa would have entered high school and eventually college, and the show would have needed to clarify exactly what age Homer and Marge currently are. Instead,The Simpsonsseason 36’s storytelling tricksmeant the show could have its cake and eat it too, pointing out the problems with aging its cast of characters without committing to this twist for good.
Why Don’t The Characters Really Age In The Simpsons?
The Simpsons Wouldn’t Work If Its Characters Aged Normally
There are numerous theories about why the characters ofThe Simpsonsdon’t age, from the belief that they age incrementally slower than real-life people to the claim that they are caught in a stable time loop. However, the simplest solution is likely to be the correct one.The Simpsonsnever age because this would make it impossible for a family show to remain on the air for over thirty years without changing its cast.
InThe Simpsonsseason 34, episode 16, “Hostile Kirk Place,” Homer claims he was either “2, or 30” years old in 1986.
IfThe Simpsonsaged its characters normally, Bart would be 45 years old and Lisa would be 43 by 2024.The Simpsonsseason 36’s challengesare numerous enough without the series also taking its central family through high school, retirement, kindergarten, and other major life stages depending on the character.The Simpsonsaims to satirize contemporary American life but has been on the air for over thirty years, so keeping the cast’s ages static is the only way for the show to maintain the same status quo it had over three decades ago.
