Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Simpsons season 36’s Disney+ special, “Yellow Planet.”
WhileThe Simpsonshas spoofed Disney movies a few times before, season 36’s new Disney+ special goes further than ever with a macabre spoof of an animated classic.The Simpsonsis now the longest-running scripted primetime American TV show in history, so it makes sense that the subversive cartoon comedy has parodied Disney movies more than once.The Simpsons Moviesaw Bart dub Mickey Mouse “The mascot of an evil corporation,” while season 33, episode 3, “Treehouse of Horror XXXII,” began with a segment titled “Barti” that gorily parodiedBambi.
Since Disney is synonymous with family-friendly sentimentality andThe Simpsonsis known for its cynical anarchy, it makes sense for the show to spoof the corporation’s output. WhileThe Simpsonsseason 37might change this trend, season 36 shows no sign of slowing down when it comes to mocking Disney properties. Ironically, the most recent Disney parody from the series is notable for appearing in a special, “Yellow Planet,” that airs exclusively on the streaming service Disney+.
The Simpsons Season 36’s “Yellow Planet” Parodies The Little Mermaid
Marge and Homer Play Whales Who Feed Off The Ocean Floor
For the runtime of “Yellow Planet,”The Simpsonsseason 36 ignores its human castto focus on their animal counterparts. “Yellow Planet” spoofsBlue Planet, the legendary British nature documentary series that was narrated by David Attenborough and co-produced by the BBC andNational Geographic. Marge and Homer are re-imagined as a beluga whale and a narwhal respectively, and the Disney spoof arrives when they forage for food on the ocean floor. When they encounter Ursula fromThe Little Mermaid, Marge and Homer’s whale counterparts proceed to tear her in half and feast on her innards.
Marge and Homer’s animal selves eatThe Little Mermaid’s Ursula alivebut, somehow, this isn’t the only audacious parody of beloved children’s media in the sequence. “Yellow Planet” also spoofs another iconic cartoon when Marge and Homer eat sponges and starfish that look suspiciously similar to Spongebob and Patrick Star fromSpongeBob SquarePants. Although they also come across a lobster that resembles Zoidberg fromFuturama, the duo notably doesn’t eat him. Still, even afterMarge’s darkThe Simpsonsseason 36 story, these gory parodies of beloved children’s media are pretty brutal and unexpected.
The Simpsons Season 36’s “Yellow Planet” Takes Aim At Disney+ Too
The Disney+ Special Parodies The Streaming Service
The Simpsonsmight mockThe Little Mermaidwith Ursula’s cameo, but that is not the first time that “Yellow Planet” took aim at Disney+’s offerings. When the unseen viewer is choosing what to watch, they select “Nat-Gee-D’Oh” and get a prompt asking if they are sure, noting that it is “All nature stuff.” Even when the viewer insists that they still want to watch thisNational Geographicparody, the streaming service isn’t satisfied until they admit that they are just leaving the TV on for their dog while out.
Whether the series is mockingNational Geographicprograms for their perceived dullness or turning a classic Disney movie into a bloodbath,The Simpsonsstill bites the hand that feeds the show even in its Disney+ specials.
AlthoughMarge’sThe Simpsonsseason 36 storyhad a sweet ending, this plot highlights just how much the show hasn’t dulled its dark edge in recent years. Whether the series is mockingNational Geographicprograms for their perceived dullness or turning a classic Disney movie into a bloodbath,The Simpsonsstill bites the hand that feeds the show even in its Disney+ specials.
