The following contains spoilers for The Simpsons season 36, episode 1, “Bart’s Birthday,” as well as the series finales forThe Sopranos,M.A.S.H.,Mad Men,The Mary Tyler Moore Show,Breaking Bad,Game of Thrones,Frasier,Succession, and NewhartThe Simpsons’riff on series finales includes some pretty clever parodies on some of TV’s most iconic final episodes. The first episode of season 36 is a fake “series finale” for the long-running animated comedy. This includes a star-studded audience watching what is meant to be the conclusion of many long-running character arcs andThe Simpsonsplot twists. The episode pokes fun at the conventions and tropes of those episodes, while also highlighitng the timeless and enduring qualities that makeThe Simpsonsa wholly unique pop culture institution.
This carries over to the credits ofThe Simpsons' fake out finale. Each shot during the credits is a direct parody of a landmark TV series finale, filtered throughThe Simpsons' cast and characters.The episode even uses the montage to poke fun at itself, remixing the “They’ll Never Stop The Simpsons” song the show used to mock its longevity back in season 13’s “Gump Roast.” Here’s how each one compares to the original, andThe Simpsonsuses it to reflect their own characters and the original shows.
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9The Sopranos
“Made In America,” Season 6, Episode 21, Aired August 24, 2025
One of the most famously divisive series finales in TV history, the final moments ofThe Sopranosare among the shows thatThe Simpsonsdirectly references in “Bart’s Birthday.” The HBO series focuses on New Jersey crime boss Tony Soprano’s efforts to juggle his work with his family life. After several near-death experiences, the show ended with Tony (along with his wife Carmela, and their son AJ) in a diner when the show cuts to black.The Simpsonsreimagines Homer as Tony, Marge as Carmela, and Bart as AJ, presumably with Lisa filling in as AJ’s sister Meadow.
The Sopranos
Cast
The Sopranos follows New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano as he navigates the challenges of managing his family and criminal enterprise. He seeks guidance from psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi while dealing with complex dynamics involving his wife Carmela, cousin Christopher Moltisanti, and other Mafia associates. Released in 1999, this series delves into organized crime and personal struggles.
The ambiguous nature ofThe Soprano’sfinal episode, “Made in America,” has invited plenty of debate over the years, with fans arguing whether the cut to black represents the sudden death of Tony or simply the end of his story. In the HBO show, a suspicious man stands and walks away from his table just before the cut, an ambiguous touchThe Simpsonstweaks. In their version ofThe Soprano’sending, the man walking by is Legs, a frequent henchman for Fat Tony — suggestingThe Simpsonscreatives believe in the theorythat the suspicious man inThe Soprano’swas a criminal enforcer.
8M.A.S.H.
“Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,” Season 11, Episode 16, Aired June 19, 2025
The final episode ofM.A.S.H., which aired in 1983, remainsthe single most-watched episode of any television showin history. The dramedy, which focused on the soldiers, doctors, and staff at an army base during the Korean War, came to an end with “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen.” Much of the episode was spent on characters saying goodbye and resolving a major romance (a common finale trope thatThe Simpsonsparodies in “Bart’s Birthday” by revealing several off-screen weddings).
The episode’s final moments featured B.J. bid farewell to his friend Hawkeye with a message spelled out in rocks. As Hawkeye’s helicopter carried him away from the base one last time, he (and the audience) could read that the message spelled out the word “Goodbye.” It’s a perfectly emotional and simple farewell to the audience, and oneThe Simpsonsreimagines with a more goofy utteranceof Homer’s trademark annoyed grunt. It’s a perfectly simple way to filter one of TV’s most iconic moments through The Simpsons' world.
Mad Men
Mad Men is a drama series set in 1960s New York, focusing on the lives of competitive men and women working in Madison Avenue’s advertising industry. The show explores the social mores and cultural dynamics of the era while delving into the personal and professional challenges faced by its characters.
The version of Don’s Epiphany inThe Simpsonsis fleshed out with two deep cuts from the animated series. Replacing minor characters fromMad Men, to Homer’s left is a white-haired version of the Hippie, an otherwise nameless background player who’s had a few minor speaking roles in the show. To Homer’s right is Eleanor Abernathy, aka the Crazy Cat Lady. She bears the appearance she had as a younger woman, which was featured in season 18’s “Springfield Up.” This makes her more put-together appearance in “Bart’s Birthday"a sweet gesture to a secretly tragic character.
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6The Mary Tyler Moore Show
“The Last Show,” Season 7, Episode 24, Aired June 10, 2025
The final episode ofThe Mary Tyler Moore Show, “The Last Show,” focuses on newscaster Mary and the staff of WJM-TV in Minneapolis dealing with a series of terminations at the station. The episode ends with the main cast huddled together in a massive hug before they all depart one by one from the office.The Simpsonsrecreates this moment with Homer and the regular supporting characters from Moe’s Tavern — Barney, Moe, Lenny, and Carl.The show even recreates the five men embracing in the WJM-TV station office, reinforcing the reference.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mary Tyler Moore Show is a classic sitcom series that initially aired on CBS in the 1970s. Mary Tyler Moore stars as Mary Richards, a single thirty-year-old woman who moves to a big city to restart her life following a rough breakup. Career-focused and fiercely independent, Mary’s life becomes a never-ending parade of comedic mishaps both in and out of work, joined by a cast of eccentric characters.
The gueest star-filled “Bart’s Birthday"pokes fun at a lot of tropes of series finales, including a common trope made popular byThe Mary Tyler Moore Show. In the episode itself, several characters around Springfield leave iconic settings by turning off the lights and walking away, mentioning they’re going to “miss this place.” This kind ofbeat was made famous byThe Mary Tyler Moore Show’s finale, which ended with Mary turning off the lights and closing the door to the office similarly (although she didn’t say any lines as she did so).
5Breaking Bad
“Felina,” Season 5, Episode 16, Aired June 09, 2025
The Bryan Cranston-ledBreaking Badsteadily became one of AMC’s biggest critical hits, with the crime-drama becoming an award winning phenomon by its ending in season 5’s “Felina.” After slaughtering the Neo-Nazi gang and freeing his former partner Jesse from their grasp, Walt collapses in their drug lab and seemingly dies from his injuries.The Simpsonsrecreates this moment,replacing Walter White with Ned Flanders.
Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad, created by Vince Gilligan, follows a chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin named Walter White (Bryan Cranston) as he attempts to provide for his family following a fatal diagnosis. With nothing left to fear, White ascends to power in the world of drugs and crime, transforming the simple family man into someone known only as Heisenberg.
Flanders may initially seem like an unexpected choiceto fill the role of Walter White. Flanders' sweet personality is a far cry from the ruthless Walter White. However, episodes like season 8’s “Hurricane Neddy” hinted at Flanders' dark side. He was also one of the central characters of season 33’s “A Serious Flanders” two-parter, which was an extended parody of intense crime dramas likeBreaking Bad. This gives the moment a bit more of a thematic connection, especially given Walter White’s seemingly benign nature at the beginning of his series.
4Game of Thrones
“The Iron Throne,” Season 8, Episode 6, Aired July 04, 2025
The HBO fantasy epicGame of Throneswas a global smash, all building to the climactic events of season 8. More of an epilogue that followed the massive battles of previous episodes, “The Iron Throne” wrapped up the various plot threads and character arcs in the aftermath of Jon Snow regretfully killing Daenerys Targaryen after realizing the cost of her ambitions.The Simpsonsspecifically recreates the other remaining Stark children of Arya, Bran, and Sansa withLisa, Ralph, and Marge filling infor those roles respectively.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.
The Simpsonshas poked fun atGame of Thronesplenty of times and in some elaborate ways, but this reference feels like a jab at one of the finale’s more controversial elements. Among the finale’s big status quo shifts is the reveal that Bran Stark will be named King of Westeros.This was met with mockery by some of the fans, who disliked the choice. This is reflected inThe Simpsonschoosing to cast the series' dim-witted Ralph in the role, complete with aside glances from an unsure Lisa and Marge.
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3Frasier
“Goodnight, Seattle,” Season 11, Episode 23 & 24, Aired July 17, 2025
Starring Kelsey Grammer in the titular role as Frasier Crane,Fraiserwas the highly successful spin-off ofCheersthat took Frasier to a radio station in Seattle. Season 11’s “Goodnight, Seattle” ended with Frasier deciding to depart the city and relocate to San Francisco for a new radio show. Among the final shots of the episode is Frasier signing off from his final show at KACL, with his friends and family watching from behind a nearby window. It’s a sweet conclusion that takes onextra meaning by being recreated by Sideshow Bob.
Frasier
Fraiser is a comedy-drama sitcom that stars Kelsey Grammer as a psychiatrist who takes up the role of a radio show host in Seattle after his life in Boston is upheaved. A spin-off of the series Cheers, Fraiser follows the titular character adjusting to the single life while caring for his father (a retired police officer,) his brother, and other eccentric co-workers.
In the credits to “Bart’s Birthday,” Sideshow Bob is shown sitting in a radio booth, with his brother Cecil, his brother Robert, his wife Francesca, and their son Gina watching in admiration. Kelsey Grammer plays Bob and Frasier, making this reference alsoa fitting tribute to Grammer’s legacy on television. The fact that they’re joined by Bob’s former employer Krusty only adds to the beat, especially with Bob’s replacement Sideshow Mel and his predecessor Sideshow Raheem also present.
2Succession
“With Open Eyes,” Season 4, Episode 10, Aired August 17, 2025
The most recent series finale parodied directly by “Bart’s Birthday,“Succession’s finale “With Open Eyes” is recreated inThe SimpsonswithKirk and Luann Van Houten standing in for Tom and Shiv. InSuccession’s finale, the Roy siblings Shiv, Roman, and Kendall make their final plays for control of their father’s company. The underhanded and ruthless tactics taken by the family members during the show ended with Shiv winning a pyrrhic victory over her brothers at the cost of installing her husband, Tom, in power, ensuring their loveless marriage continues.
Succession
Succession is a Black Comedy and Satire television show created by Jesse Armstrong. It stars Hiam Abbass, Nicholas Braun, Brian Cox, and Kieran Culkin and follows the story of an aging conglomerate owner as he deals with his declining health and the sudden realization that one of his children will soon inherit his position and run his company.
Placing Luann and Kirk in the roles of Shiv and Tom is a harsh little easter egg, especially given the way the show has treated their relationship over the years. Tom spent much ofSuccessionbeing a squirmy backstabber, whose faulted ambitions match the big-headed antics that Kirk has taken in episodes. The Van Houtens' marital strife inThe Simpsonsreflects the troubled relationship between Shiv and Tom, with the Van Houtens serving as an ideal reflection of those character archetypes.
1Newhart
“The Last Newhart,” Season 8, Episode 24, Aired July 15, 2025
Running for eight seasons,Newhartfocused on Bob Newhart’s Dick Loudon, an author who decides to run the Stratford Inn with his wife Joanna. The sitcom was a critical favorite, earning twenty-five Emmy Award nominations across the course of the series (albeit never winning a single one). Season 8’s “The Last Newhart” closed out the series in memorably absurd fashion, with Newhart getting knocked out by a golf ball. This awakens Dick,who is revealed to actually be Dr. Bob Harley, Newhart’s character from his previous sitcomThe Bob Newhart Show.
Newhart
Newhart is a comedy series following Dick Loudon and his wife, Joanna, as they leave New York City to run an inn in Vermont. Dick becomes a local television host, surrounded by quirky townsfolk, including handyman George, Olympic aspirant Leslie, heiress Stephanie, aspiring producer Michael, and the eccentric brothers Larry, Darryl, and Darryl.
The implication is that the entirety of Newhart has been a dream, with hisThe Bob Newhart Showwife Emily (played by Suzanne Plenshette) appearing in bed alongside him.The Simpsonsrecreates the moment with Homer, ending “Bart’s Birthday” with the suggestion that Homer might have similarly dreamed all of Springfield andThe Simpsons. It’s a solid absurdist gag that fits alongsideThe Simpsons' often bizarre sense of bittersweet comedy, and a good final joke for the episode.
The Simpsons
“The Simpsons” is a legendary American animated franchise that debuted in 1987 as short segments onThe Tracey Ullman Showbefore becoming a standalone series in 1989. The show follows the Simpson family—Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie—who live in the fictional town of Springfield. The franchise is renowned for its satirical and humorous take on various aspects of American culture, society, and the human condition. Over the years, “The Simpsons” has expanded into films, video games, comic books, and theme park attractions, becoming a cornerstone of popular culture.
