Although one of the best episodes ofThe Simpsonsarrived over a decade ago, there is a good chance that even die-hard fans of the series have never seen “Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind.” With over 790 episodes to its name and a theatrical movie spinoff,The Simpsonsis the longest-running scripted primetime American TV show in history.
As such, it makes sense that even long-time fans haven’t seen every outing of the series.The Simpsonsseason 37’s arrivalmeans that there will soon be new episodes getting added to that list, and the show is en route to breaking numerous other records thanks to the unprecedented longevity ofThe Simpsons.
The Simpsonshas been around for so long that even its critical reception has an entireWikipediaarticle dedicated to helpfully summarizing the topic. However, this longevity comes at a cost. While risky moves likeMarge’s death inThe Simpsonsseason 36 finalecan grab the attention of viewers, many episodes of the long-running show are lost to obscurity.
The Simpsons Season 19 Episode 9 Is An All-Time Classic For The Sitcom
The Outing Won The Show A Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program
With such a staggering number of outings to its name, it is inevitable that many episodes ofThe Simpsonsare largely forgotten. Even some entire seasons of the show are written off by critics as “Zombie Simpsons,” despite the fact that they may contain clever gags, moving moments, or great storylines amid otherwise underwhelming outings.
WhileMarge’sThe Simpsonsdeath does meanthat the show is likely to pick up some curious new viewers in season 37, season 19 was hardly a critical peak for the series. This outing landed squarely in what critics dubbed the “Zombie Simpsons” era, after the show’s Golden Age ended around season 10, 11, or 12, depending on the reviewer.
Season 19, episode 9, “Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind,” is a strange, sometimes shockingly sad, and deeply personal adventure for Homer that ends with a life-affirming twist and features some soul-searching along the way.
Although season 19 is not listed as a classic season by many critics, it does contain one of the show’s best episodes ever. Season 19, episode 9, “Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind,” is a strange, sometimes shockingly sad, and deeply personal adventure for Homer that ends with a life-affirming twist and features some soul-searching along the way.
Like its movie namesake,“Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind” has a surprisingly dark story. This late-season outing is a perfectEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mindhomage, and it truly is an homage since “Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind” is far too bleak and poignant to count as a parody. The outing boasts an ingenious story that borrows from various classic movies.
“Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind” begins with Homer waking up to find his memory erased. Alone, he wanders through Springfield and is met with unpleasant memories of something terrible that happened the night before. Whatever it was, the event was bad enough to lead Homer to erase his own memory via alcohol.
WhileMarge’sThe Simpsonsdeath proves the showcan get dark, “Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind” finally addresses one of the show’s oldest issues. Homer’s heavy drinking is treated as a real problem in the episode, as bothEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mindand 1997’s underratedThe Gameare influences on the twisty storyline of this outing.
Why It’s Unlikely That The Simpsons Season 19, Episode 9 Has Been Seen By Many
Season 19 Was Hardly A Critical Peak for The Simpsons
Since “Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind” is so cleverly constructed and unexpectedly touching, it might seem surprising that the episode is not often listed among the show’s greatest outings ever. However, I have a theory that could account for this. Even among obsessive fans of the show,The Simpsonsseason 19 isn’t seen as a goldmine of good episodes.
By season 19, the show’s viewership had declined dramatically from its peak but, arguably more importantly, its so-called “Golden Age” had been over a decade. For allThe Simpsons’ storytelling tricks,the show’s popularity had waned significantly by the time “Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind” aired.
SinceThe Simpsonsseasons 16-30 are seen as a low point by critics, almost no “Best of” lists include post-season 16 episodes like “Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind.” The rare exception to this rule, season 23, episode 9, “Holidays of Future Passed,” is notable primarily because it was originally written as a potential series finale.
The season 19 episode was viewed by around 10 million upon release, whereas season 5, episode 2, “Cape Feare” (often listed among the show’s best outings ever) was originally viewed by over 20 million.
Since “Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind” lacks this distinction, the episode is rarely cited in rundowns of the show’s finest half-hours. For a frame of reference, the season 19 episode was viewed by around 10 million upon release, whereas season 5, episode 2, “Cape Feare” (often listed among the show’s best outings ever) was originally viewed by over 20 million.
What The Simpsons Season 37 Can Learn From “Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind”
The Simpsons Season 37 Should Borrow Some of the Outing’s Poignancy
To be fair,“Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind” deservedly won an Emmywhen the episode was released, meaning its exceptionally smart storytelling didn’t go unrecognized. However, asthe creators ofThe Simpsonsvie to keep its recent critical resurgence alive, there is a lot for them to learn from this episode.
The Simpsonsis available to stream on Hulu.
“Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind” is unafraid of interrogating the darker side of the show’s history, re-contextualizing the light-hearted depiction of Homer’s drinking problem by treating it as something worthy of serious interrogation. That said, it isn’t all doom and gloom, either. One strength of the episode is its unexpectedly funny twist ending.
Even though “Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind” features one of Homer’s saddest stories ever, the twist proves that nothing is as dark or desperate as it seemed, and the plot turns out to be something of a shaggy dog story. WhileThe Simpsons Movie 2might needa truly emotionally resonant plot to succeed, average episodes can learn from this.
“Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind” initially seems tragic, but the episode turns into something lighter and funnier in its conclusion. Rather than coming across a cop-out, the twist is a welcome relief.
The Simpsonsseason 37’s creators could learn from the episode’s baalnced tone, ensuring the show always maintains a good sense of humor even when trying to tell more serious stories.
The episode proves thatThe Simpsonscan touch on serious themes, but the show’s strength lies in its levity.The Simpsonsseason 37’s creators could learn from the episode’s baalnced tone, ensuring the show always maintains a good sense of humor even when trying to tell more serious stories.
