Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Simpsons season 36, episode 3, “Desperately Seeking Lisa”
WhileThe Simpsonsseason 36, episode 1 isn’t the show’s weirdest episode ever, “Desperately Seeking Lisa” does take significant inspiration from director Martin Scorsese’s oddest outing. WhetherThe Simpsons’ season 37 renewalhappens or not, no one can accuse the long-running series of resting on its laurels. After seasons 30-33 earned some of the show’s worst reviews ever, seasons 34 and 35 sawThe Simpsonsradically revise its approach to writing.The Simpsonsstarted prioritizing character comedy over an onslaught of jokes and surreal wackiness, and the result was the show entering its most critically acclaimed era in years.
The Simpsons Season 36’s Lisa Episode Was A Huge Risk That Paid Off Brilliantly
The Simpsons season 36 episode 3 took a big risk in the way that it centered Lisa, and the outing proved that the show’s experiments pay off.
FromYouTubetoVulture, critical commentators began arguing thatThe Simpsonswas finally good again.The Simpsonsseason 36 premieremanaged to both acknowledge and mock this change with a wild, self-referential outing that posited itself as an in-universe “Series finale.” “Bart’s Birthday” threatened to upend the world of the series, only to reverse its entire story once things became too bizarre. Although season 36, episode 3, “Desperately Seeking Lisa,” wasn’t quite as ambitiously weird or meta, the episode was heavily influenced by an unlikely classic ’80s movie. This resulted in another inspired outing for the show.
The Simpsons Season 36 Episode 3 Remakes Martin Scorsese’s After Hours
After Hours Star Griffin Dunne Appears As A Stage Actor
“Desperately Seeking Lisa” is a bizarre re-imagining of 1985’s Martin Scorsese movieAfter Hoursas Lisa ventures into a parody of Soho, briefly befriends a group of pretentious local artists, and eventually ends up embroiled in an all-night chase when the community turns on her. As if the parallels weren’t clear enough,After Hoursstar Griffin Dunne even appears in the episode playing an actor in a stage re-imagining of Kafka’sThe Metamorphosisdirected by Tracy Letts. Not only did Dunne star inScorsese’s most underrated movie, butThe Metamorphosis’s original author, Franz Kafka, inspiredAfter Hours.
Both stories feature the same setting, the same time frame, a group of vaguely villainous, sinister artists, and an ending where the protagonist is magically transported back home to end their absurd ordeal.
The Simpsonstweaks many elements ofAfter Hoursto fit the plot of “Desperately Seeking Lisa,” meaning the outing is as much an homage as a direct parody. InAfter Hours, Dunne’s beleaguered office worker is pursued by angry alternative artists because he is incorrectly accused of murder while, in “Desperately Seeking Lisa,” a cohort of artists chases Lisa after she is framed for art theft. However, both stories feature the same setting, the same time frame, a group of vaguely villainous, sinister artists, and an ending where the protagonist is magically transported back home to end their absurd ordeal.
Why The Simpsons Season 36’s After Hours Tribute Worked
The Simpsons Didn’t Over-Rely On Direct References
Although the whole story of “Desperately Seeking Lisa” borrows fromAfter Hoursin visual and narrative terms, there are enough differences for the plot to feel fresh and original. LikeThe Simpsonsseason 36’sWhite Lotusparody, “Desperately Seeking Lisa” uses the source material as a jumping-off point instead of replicating the original movie beat for beat. This is a wise choice, since the unique tone ofAfter Hourswould have been too dark and creepy forThe Simpsons. Altering the plot allowedThe Simpsonsto pay homage to this forgotten gem while telling an all-new story in the process.
