The Simpsons government producer Matt Selman has stated {that a} latest episode of the long-running animated collection that showcased the aftermath of a key character’s demise shouldn’t be thought-about canon — because the present truly has “no canon”.
Certainly, Selman said that the occasions of The Simpsons’ Season 36 finale episode Estranger Issues would doubtless by no means be referenced once more.
Warning! Spoilers for The Simpsons’ Season 36 finale comply with.
As famous by IGN earlier this week, The Simpsons followers had been left surprised when latest flashforward episode Estranger Issues took the unprecedented step of that includes the occasions that adopted the demise of a core member of the family: Marge Simpson.
The Simpsons has a unfastened, floating timeline and has aired quite a few flashforward episodes over time (a few of which now contradict one another, because the present’s decades-long run has continued).
However the collection does characteristic one thing of a constant narrative. Previous occasions are regularly talked about (do not forget that time Homer went to area?), and the uncommon occasions a serious character does die — corresponding to Maude Flanders, and Edna Krabappel — these deaths are everlasting.
Current seasons have even featured two flashforward episodes that had been related, and none have delved as far into the long run as Estranger Issues, which units itself 35 years later.
“Clearly because the The Simpsons’ future episodes are all speculative fantasies, they’re all completely different each time,” Selman instructed Selection, in response to the episode frightening headlines.
“Marge will in all probability by no means be useless ever once more. The one place Marge is useless is in a single future episode that aired six weeks in the past.”
As IGN famous on the time, followers have been debating whether or not Estranger Issues was canon. The collection’ fan wiki, for instance, at the moment features a warning that the episode is probably going non-canon, as it’s set exterior The Simpsons’ common time setting. Maybe followers will now have to rethink whether or not this warning is even mandatory, if the present’s personal makers are stating that The Simpsons’ canon doesn’t exist.
“There is no such thing as a canon,” Selman concluded. “The Simpsons would not even have canon!”
The Simpsons has at the moment been renewed till its 40 season, set to debut in 2028-2029.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s Information Editor. You may attain Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or discover him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
