AlthoughThe Simpsonshas never been consistent with one supporting character’s personal journey, the show used this to its advantage in season 36.The Simpsonsis, at the very least, consistent in its inconsistency. The long-running series has changed the main character’s ages countless times, retconned basic story elements like where the family lives and the existence of some supporting stars, and never prioritized keeping its canon clear. To quote current showrunner Matt Selman (viaX, formerlyTwitter),The Simpsonshas an “Elastic" canon wherein every element of the show’s reality can change without warning in service of a gag.
9 The Simpsons 2024 Holiday Special Easter Eggs & References To Previous Christmas Episodes Explained
The Simpsons season 36’s Christmas special might focus on an original story, but it still included a slew of nods to earlier classic festive episodes.
It is not yet clear whetherThe Simpsonsseason 37will continue this approach, but season 36 has gotten a lot of mileage out of the show’s constant canon changes.The Simpsons may never age, but the prospect of Bart turning eleven after 35 years as a perpetual 10-year-old gave the season premiere “Bart’s Birthday” a hilarious meta storyline. Similarly,The Simpsonsseason 36’s Christmas specialtook the largely forgotten deaths of Ned Flanders’ two wives and turned these incidental canon details into the conduit for major growth in an otherwise stagnant, predictable character.
The Simpsons Season 36 Episode 12 Pointed Out Barney’s Inconsistent Sobriety
Barney’s Big Character Change Has Repeatedly Been Undone Over The Years
Season 36, episode 12, “The Man Who Flew Too Much,” utilized the show’s ever-shifting canon in a similarly inventive way. After years of inconsistent depictions,Barney’s ever-changing sobriety became pivotal when he piloted a helicopter and said that a crash was the worst ”Time to be sober.” This gag reminded viewers that Barney’s alcoholism has been depicted inconsistently for the past 36 years, but there is a reason behind this. Unlike many ofThe Simpsons’ unexpected canon changes, Barney’s slips between sobriety and alcoholism make sense for his character and ironically render his story more consistent with reality.
Barney was revealed to have relapsed in season 14, episode 12, “I’m Spelling as Fast as I Can.”
Barney first sobered up in season 11, episode 18, “Days of Wine and D’oh’ses.” In that outing, Barney’s embarrassing behavior at a party led him to quit drinking seemingly for good and become a helicopter pilot. His sobriety lasted until he was pressured by Homer to drink in season 13, episode 19, “The Sweetest Apu.” Barney was revealed to have relapsed in season 14, episode 12, “I’m Spelling as Fast as I Can,” but that wasn’t the end of his journey. Instead,The Simpsonsbounced between both the sober and drunk versions of Barney in the twenty years since season 14.
Why The Simpsons Keeps Changing Barney’s Sobriety Status
The Show’s “Elastic Canon” Is Oddly Realistic
While funny, the inconsistent canon ofThe Simpsonscan sometimes be frustrating for long-time fans.The Simpsonsbreaks its own rulesall the time, so it can be tough for viewers to know what to expect and frustrating to find out that beloved character details have been unceremoniously abandoned. However, in Barney’s case, inconsistency is a clever approach. It is not unusual for recovering alcoholics to relapse, meaning Barney’s switching between alcoholism and sobriety is an atypically sympathetic and grounded representation of the condition considering the show’s cartoony, absurd tone. In this instance,The Simpsonsis right to constantly change the record.
