※Warning: Spoilers for "The Simpsons" Season 36 finale below. Proceed with caution.※
※Warning: Spoilers for "The Simpsons" Season 36 finale below. Proceed with caution.※
※Warning: Spoilers for "The Simpsons" Season 36 finale below. Proceed with caution.※
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The "death" of Marge Simpson in "Estranger Things," the Season 36 finale of "The Simpsons," sparked a flurry of online discussion, prompting the production team to issue a clarification: Marge is not dead and will continue to appear in future episodes. Executive producer Matt Selman bluntly stated, "There is no canon whatsoever for 'The Simpsons.'"
The episode depicted a future timeline many years later where Marge had passed away, leading to a rift between Bart and Lisa. A video Marge recorded before her death ultimately helped the siblings mend their relationship. The episode concluded with Marge in heaven, even starting a romance with The Beatles drummer Ringo Starr.
Despite the clearly fantastical nature of the storyline, Selman noted that the "Marge's death" controversy only recently gained traction online. Although the episode originally aired on May 18, 2025, some media outlets reported on it out of context just recently, quickly fueling a wave of misinformed discussion.
He criticized certain media for deliberately crafting sensational headlines to chase traffic. "Every outlet reporting this knows Marge isn't dead. They just want to bait clicks with the headline and then casually clarify the facts at the end of the article," Selman explained. He emphasized that with nearly 800 episodes aired, "The Simpsons" has constantly reshaped its continuity through fast-forwards and flashbacks, urging viewers not to interpret the animated series through the lens of a strict canon.
In fact, "The Simpsons" has a long history of altering future storylines and changing established settings. The Season 36 premiere even playfully pretended the entire series was ending, a testament to its signature whimsical narrative style.
While the recent uproar stemmed from a misunderstanding, it also proves that audiences remain deeply invested in the fate of the animated family. Fox has already renewed the series through Season 40, with Julie Kavner continuing to lend her voice to Marge. Selman quipped, "From a business perspective, it's a good thing that everyone cares so much about Marge."
via： Variety