Summary

Marge's death in 'The Simpsons' season finale was an emotional twist.
The show is making bold decisions even after 35 years to keep fans engaged.
Killing major characters like Marge will create buzz and attract new viewers.

The Simpsons has now been running for 36 seasons, and coming up with new and creative ways to tell stories from the world of Springfield after that no long is no easy feat. However, in the season finale of the latest season, 'Estranger Things,' the iconic animated show proved that it still has some tricks up its sleeve to shock fans.

That came in the form of showcasing how Marge Simpson's fate, which was a wild turn that few people were expecting, given that she's one of the lead characters. While she hasn't been killed off from The Simpsons forever, the moment itself was decisive enough to prove that the show still has life.

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By Matthew Wilkinson

How Did The Simpsons Kill Marge In Season 36?

This Provided A Genuinely Emotional Episode Of The Comedy Show

Homer and Marge ride a motorcycle in The Simpsons Movie

The idea of killing Marge Simpson might seem completely shocking, but the show handled it in a beautiful and engaging way. The episode focused on Bart and Lisa Simpson and their sibling bond, as Marge worried about whether they would be close when they grow up due to how often they fight. The show ended up flashing forward 35 years to showcase where the two children end up, with Lisa expectedly thriving while Bart becomes the owner of a retirement home. That's where they talk about their "late mother," and fans learn that Marge has died by this point in their lives, while Homer surprisingly outlives her. The episode then takes an emotional turn as Lisa finds a letter from Marge that pleads with the family to stay close. This leads to the siblings busting Homer out of his Florida retirement home to be together as Marge watches on from heaven.

It was an unexpected twist for the show to take, and while there were plenty of funny moments throughout, it was also an emotional episode of The Simpsons at the same time. Fans were stunned by the situation, and even though the creators did this in a flash forward so that Marge can be brought back for season 37, it was still an interesting decision to take. It proves that there's a lot of life left in the show because there are so many storyline ideas that can be explored simply by looking forward.

The Simpsons Is Still Making Bold Decisions After 35 Years

It Proves The Creators Have Not Run Out Of Ideas Just Yet

marge simpson stage — marge-simpson-stage

While The Simpsons was never known for being too outrageous in the way that South Park or Family Guy might have been, the show has always made bold calls with its storylines. Whether it's making wild predictions about the future or gambling on making The Simpsons Movie, the showrunners have had no problem taking risks that could have backfired. It made The Simpsons genuinely fun to watch, as audiences were never sure where each episode would go. One could be making fans laugh; the other might have a musical number, and the next would provide an emotional hook and lesson that people weren't expecting to be dealing with. Over the years, there have been some deaths, too, with some being permanent and others lasting for just an episode.

Characters such as Dr. Nick have died and returned, yet others such as Bleeding Gums Murphy, Edna Krabappel, and Maude Flanders ended up dying and not being brought back. Those were bold calls even though they were only supporting characters, as a show like The Simpsons could easily have avoided doing that due to the way the timeline works, with characters not aging from season to season. Over the years, The Simpsons has dropped in viewership, and taking fewer risks contributes to that. However, killing Marge, even for just one episode, is a sign that the show still has that edge to it. Fans were taken on an emotional rollercoaster, and the idea of a character who has been beloved for multiple decades dying was something that had everyone talking about the show. It highlights that the creators aren't scared of making big decisions, which should continue into the next season.

More Shocking Decisions Like Killing Marge Simpson Will Help The Show

It Will Provide Word Of Mouth About The Simpsons Once Again

Scene from We're on the Road to D'ohwhere

While it's unlikely that The Simpsons would ever kill one of the prominent family members off on a long-term basis, more decisions like that would help the show moving forward. It isn't easy to remain relevant as a television show after over 30 years simply because so much ground has been covered. Therefore, The Simpsons has to make big decisions and create episodes that everyone is talking about in a bid to bring back lapsed fans or to create new ones altogether. Finding out how Marge dies is something that would have attracted a lot of older fans back to the show, simply so that they could find out for themselves how that happens. Some of them may stick around and try the show's current version, and that's how The Simpsons can move forward.

Significant risks can often lead to big rewards, and given how many people are talking about The Simpsons following this particular episode, it would be in the show's best interest to keep making bold decisions. Obviously, not all of them need to be death-related, but showcasing major life events for some of the main characters or tackling some big topics in today's pop culture would make a positive impact on The Simpsons.

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