AlthoughThe Simpsonsseason 36’s ratings haven’t been entirely disastrous for the long-running show, the latest numbers do reveal a striking trend among the show’s most popular outings. WhileThe Simpsonsseason 37’s renewalhas not yet been announced, the show’s future seems relatively secure. Sites likeVulturehave noted that the series has been enjoying a critical renaissance since season 34, with recent episodes earning praise from reviewers and fans alike. AlthoughThe Simpsonshas told over 770 stories, the series still has some creative juice in the tank.
This longevity meansThe Simpsonsseason 36 has the space and freedom to explore more experimental storytelling styles and riskier plot twists.The Simpsonsseason 36’s darkest storytook the real-life “Miracle of the Andes” and managed to make the famous disaster into a genuinely funny, moving, and original storyline. Similarly, earlier episodes in season 36 took audacious risks by focusing on only one member of the titular family, bouncing between over a dozen shorter stories, and even staging an in-universe “Series finale” ofThe Simpsonsas the show’s season 36 premiere.
Episodes 5 and 7 Of The Simpsons Season 36 Earned Comparatively Huge Audiences
However, even pretending to endThe Simpsonsitself didn’t draw as much attention as the most popular series tradition. As usual,The Simpsonsseason 36’s ratings prove that Treehouse of Horror episodes perform incredibly well. The show needs more of these Halloween specials, which are split into three shorter self-contained segments that parody popular horror, sci-fi, and fantasy movies, books, and TV shows. While episodes that air around the holiday season, such as season 34, episode 11, “Top Goon,” and season 36, episode 13, “Bottle Episode,” tend to beat even the Halloween specials, Treehouse of Horror specials overperform more reliably.
In season 36, the difference between an ordinary episode’s ratings and those of the Treehouse of Horror specials was starker than ever. There was a jump from 0.98 million viewers for episode 4, “Shoddy Heat,” to 3.18 million for episode 5, “Treehouse of Horror XXXV.” Similarly, while episode 6, “Women in Shorts, earned only 0.83 million viewers, episode 7, “Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes,” earned a far higher 2.69 million. The only season 36 outing to bear either of these was “Bottle Episode,” which likely gained extra viewers thanks to its December 29 airdate.
The Simpsons Season 36’s Treehouse of Horror Ratings Don’t Extend To All Anthology Episodes
Season 36 Episode 6’s Anthology Story Was Its Least-Watched Outing
WhileThe Simpsonsseason 36’s darker storylinesprove that the show is incorporating one element of the Treehouse of Horror formula into its weekly outings, the series shouldn’t be too quick to change its format. “Women in Shorts” was an anthology episode that, like the Treehouse of Horror specials, focused on multiple shorter stories starring supporting characters fromThe Simpsons. However, “Women in Shorts” not only failed to replicate the success of Treehouse of Horror episodes, but the outing became one of the show’s least-watched episodes ever.
While The Simpsons doesn’t generally focus on canon, the Treehouse of Horror specials are still the only outings that can kill off major characters.
“Women in Shorts” earned roughly the same ratings as late season 33 and late season 34 episodes, which are among the lowest ratingsThe Simpsonshas faced throughout its four-decade history.“Women in Shorts” proves not all anthology episodes ofThe Simpsonssucceed in the ratings, meaning there is something unique to the Treehouse of Horror formula that resonates with viewers. One possibility is that, althoughThe Simpsonsdoesn’t generally focus on canon, the Treehouse of Horror specials are still the only outings that can kill off major characters without changing the series.
The Simpsons Should Include More Horror Anthology Episodes Going Forward
The Treehouse of Horror Series Allows The Show To Completely Ignore Canon
The Simpsonsrarely kills off characters permanentlyand, when the show does canonically drop a recurring character, they tend to be minor figures like Krusty the Clown’s aunt or Larry the Barfly. As such, only the Treehouse of Horror format offers the show’s creators the ability to go super-dark and kill off even the main characters. This makes these outings uniquely fun, as proven by their significantly higher ratings.The Simpsonsseason 36’s Mona Simpson storyproves that the series can’t simply kill off supporting stars without considering the impact this will have on the world of the series.
The Simpsons' Showrunner’s Idea On How To End The Show Sounds Like The Perfect Series Finale
The Simpsons showrunner Matt Selman recently explained his ideal ending for The Simpsons, and season 36 proves this proposed series finale could work.
The Simpsonsstrives to maintain an unchanging status quo wherein the main characters always remain the same age, nothing changes too dramatically in the town of Springfield, and even the family’s dates of birth or the town’s geographical location are kept a mystery. The Treehouse of Horror episodes, with their plentiful bloodshed and self-contained horror stories, offer a break from this familiar setup. As season 36 continues, it is clearer than ever that outings like “Treehouse of Horror XXXV,” and “Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes,” are central to its success.
The Simpsons Season 36’s Treehouse of Horror Trick Makes Non-Seasonal Episodes Easier
November’s Treehouse of Horror Outing Arrived Over Three Weeks After Halloween
Of season 36’s two Treehouse of Horror outings, it is “Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes” that offers the most exciting path forward forThe Simpsons. Since this outing was a Ray Bradbury tribute and not a normal holiday special,The Simpsonsmanaged to release a successful Halloween special in late November. The show pulled this feat off once before, with season 31, episode 8, “Thanksgiving of Horror.”
Like season 36’s Ray Bradbury tribute, “Thanksgiving of Horror” represented a substantial ratings increase from both the preceding and proceeding episodes. While “Thanksgiving of Horror” earned 5.42 million viewers, season 31, episode 7, “Levin La Pura Vida,” gained only 2.08 million viewers, while the next episode, “Todd, Todd, Why Has Thou Forsaken Me?” had an audience of only 1.99 million. This proves that the appeal of the Treehouse of Horror formula isn’t unique to October release dates.
Long-time fans and casual viewers alike know that a Treehouse of Horror episode will offer something different from the world of The Simpsons.
In the familiar world ofThe Simpsons, Treehouse of Horror episodes offer the show a chance to do something profoundly different. WhileThe Simpsonsseason 36’s darker storiesprove the show is always open to experimentation, the Treehouse of Horror series is the most well-established avenue for this stylistic playfulness. Long-time fans and casual viewers alike know that a Treehouse of Horror episode will offer something different from the world ofThe Simpsons, and season 36’s ratings prove that the show needs this novelty to succeed in a crowded network TV marketplace.
