The Simpsons has stuck to certain familiar patterns over the years. Regardless of whether Homer Simpson (voiced by Dan Castellaneta) gets fired or stumbles into a new job, he continues working at the Springfield nuclear power plant.
Lisa (Yeardley Smith) remains the intelligent and responsible one, while Bart (Nancy Cartwright) never stops being the troublemaker.
Fans of The Simpsons have often tried, without success, to figure out where Springfield is located in the USA. Eventually, series creator Matt Groening revealed that he named it after Springfield, Oregon.
The biggest thing that stands out about The Simpsons is that the characters have not aged much during the 35 years the show has been on air.
This fact has led to many fan theories. Some believe Homer is in a coma, while others suggest that Springfield is stuck in a time loop. However, the most straightforward explanation is that The Simpsons uses something called a “floating timeline.”
This approach allows the show to keep updating itself while maintaining its key elements. Comic books, especially from Marvel and DC, have used this method for years.
The Simpsons was the first animated sitcom to adopt this tradition. While the floating timeline has helped the series stay relevant by addressing current trends, it has also created some inconsistencies in the storyline — but this might be coming to an end.
The Floating Timeline of ‘The Simpsons’ Has Created Some Conflicts
The floating timeline in The Simpsons allows the show to keep up with current pop culture trends. It also plays a part in the show’s strange habit of predicting events that later come true in real life. Since the characters do not age, anything is possible when it comes to comedy.
However, this floating timeline has caused the show to contradict itself, especially regarding Homer and Marge (Julie Kavner)’s relationship.
In Season 2’s episode “The Way We Was,” we see their first meeting in high school, with other episodes covering the early days of their marriage and the births of Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. However, newer episodes have changed this history.
For instance, Season 19’s “That ’90’s Show” (which is unrelated to the Netflix spinoff) alters the details of Bart’s conception. Season 29’s “3 Scenes Plus a Tag from a Marriage” takes it even further, showing that Homer and Marge lived in a different city from Springfield at one point.
These changes have upset some fans, but producer Matt Selman told IGN that the show was never meant to follow a strict timeline.
“We don’t have the pressures that other shows have — like needing to be serialized or having a season-long arc.
We’re a classic ’90s show where every episode could be the first or last episode of The Simpsons. We’re not really tied to continuity, even though some people love it. Each episode is like its own mini-movie.”
That approach, however, could change with Season 36.
‘The Simpsons’ Latest Season Might Introduce Real-Time Aging
Season 36 of The Simpsons is set to begin with an episode titled “Bart’s Birthday.” This will be the first time one of the Simpsons family members has an on-screen birthday.
Bart has always been shown as a 10-year-old, but now The Simpsons seems open to the idea of moving away from its floating timeline by aging Bart.
The show has experimented with glimpses of the future before, such as in the episodes “Lisa’s Wedding” and “Holidays of Future Passed,” where older versions of Bart, Lisa, and Maggie are shown.
However, Bart growing up became a real possibility in Season 35’s episode “A Mid-Childhood Night’s Dream.”
In this episode, Marge realizes that Bart is almost ready for fifth grade, making her come to terms with the fact that her “special little guy” is growing up.
This episode was praised for its emotional approach and may also have hinted that after 35 years, the creative team behind The Simpsons is ready to head in a new direction.
It remains to be seen whether “Bart’s Birthday” will truly mark a shift in the show or if the residents of Springfield will continue to live without aging.
The Simpsons can be streamed on Disney+, and Season 36 premieres on September 29, 2024.
