AlthoughThe Simpsonsplays infamously fast and loose with its canon, one gag that was spread across two episodes seven years apart proved the show does have some consistent continuity.The Simpsonscan’t be expected to keep track of its own canon. After all, as of March 2025, the animated family sitcom is officially the longest-running scripted primetime American TV show in history. With over 780 episodes to its name, it is hard to imagine howThe Simpsonsseason 37could possibly verify not to contradict anything featured as far back as season 1, episode 1.
Moreover,The Simpsonsisn’t a serialized drama series where continuity is vital for building stakes and developing an overarching storyline. Instead,The Simpsonsis a traditional family sitcom where the show’s status quo resets at the end of every episode and almost no events permanently impact its characters. WhileBart’s best season 36 storylinesaw him worry about turning 11 after spending 35 years as a 10-year-old, the cheekily self-referential ending of season 36, episode 1, “Bart’s Birthday,” instead saw him turn 10 again asThe Simpsonscontinued to cycle through the same nonsensical timeline.
Homer Gets Attacked By A Bear At A Dump 7 Years After His Decision That Contributed To It
The Simpsons Season 15 Pays Off Season 7’s Bear Tax Gag
That said, this doesn’t mean that there is no canon or continuity in the world ofThe Simpsons. On the contrary, even thoughThe Simpsonsshowrunner Matt Selman mentioned the show’s “Elastic canon” in anXpost, the series does occasionally reference the events of earlier episodes in more recent outings. One great example of this came in season 15, episode 5, when Homer’s anger over the bear tax literally came back to bite him in a gag that paid off a setup from seven years earlier.
“The Fat and the Furriest” sees Homer attacked by a bear at the Springfield dump some seven years after he bemoaned the supposed pointlessness of a tax paying for bear patrols.
In season 7, episode 23, “Much Apu About Nothing,” Homer complains about having to pay a tax to keep bears out of Springfield. Much later, “The Fat and the Furriest” sees Homer attacked by a bear at the Springfield dump some seven years after he bemoaned the supposed pointlessness of this tax. WhileThe Simpsons’ humor isn’t flawless, this gag proves just how much thought the show puts into its delayed punchlines. The same clever technique can be seen in season 8, episode 3, “The Homer They Fall,” and season 9, episode 14, “Das Bus.”
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At the end of “The Homer They Fall,” Moe uses a paramotor to become an unlikely folk hero, saving civilians from peril by swooping in at the right moment. In the closing scenes of “Das Bus,” the narrator reassures viewers that the Springfield Elementary school children stranded on a deserted island were saved by “Oh, let’s say… Moe.” To the uninitiated, the gag seems like a bizarre non-sequitur. However, to those who recall the season 8 episode, it makes perfect sense.
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Some of thebest jokes inThe Simpsonsrely on clever wordplay or pure slapstick silliness, but these gags prove that long-term narrative setups can also contribute to the show’s success. Evidently, the long-running series has more connective tissue in its canon than it sometimes seems. Even thoughThe Simpsonsdoes contradict itself a lot, the show also pays off ancient jokes like this cleverly.
