Summary
- The Simpsons is known for its consistent characters, but the show’s town inhabitants are oddly inconsistent in season 9’s dark Christmas episode.
- The ninth season of The Simpsons is considered the end of its “Golden Age,” but the episode “Miracle on Evergreen Terrace” received criticism for its bleak and grim storyline.
- The episode revolves around Bart’s relatively harmless lie and the town’s harsh reaction, making Springfield appear crueler than in previous episodes.
Most episodes of The Simpsons are set in Springfield, but the show’s darkest Christmas outing proved just how little viewers know about the town’s citizens. The Simpsons is not always consistent, with its showrunner Matt Selman even addressing its “elastic canon” on Twitter from time to time. However, the show’s characters are pretty reliable. Homer is always a well-meaning buffoon, Lisa is always smart but naive, and Bart is always a rebel with a secret sweet side. That said, the rest of their hometown’s inhabitants aren’t quite so consistent from episode to episode, as evidenced by one contentious holiday special.
While The Simpsons’ season 36 renewal proves that the show is consistently bringing in viewers, that doesn’t mean the family sitcom has always earned critical acclaim. The Simpsons has been battling increased criticism since its ninth season, which is viewed by many critics and fans alike as the end of the show’s so-called “Golden Age.” The Simpsons season 9, episode 10, “Miracle on Evergreen Terrace,” didn’t help this reputation with a shockingly grim festive outing that eschewed the warmth most viewers expect from Christmas specials. This bleak Simpsons episode is arguably one of the show’s darkest outings ever, and it is all thanks to the people of Springfield.
“Miracle On Evergreen Terrace” Made Springfield Inconsistent In The Simpsons
Springfield’s townspeople are inconsistent in their support of the Simpson family, as evidenced by the events of “Miracle on Evergreen Terrace.” In later Simpsons holiday episodes like season 35’s acclaimed Thanksgiving outing, Springfield turned on the family en masse because they believed a Simpson family member had wronged them. However, in this earlier Christmas episode, the town’s citizens and even close friends of the Simpsons turn on them for utilizing their charity. The Simpsons rely on the kindness of their neighbors when they find out their presents have been burgled, but Springfield’s citizens take back all their assistance when they discover a fire caused the damage.
The episode falls flat because the family’s misfortunes are too numerous to be funny. However, it is primarily the revelation that Springfield’s angry townspeople robbed the Simpsons to get back the debt the family owed that made the outing far too bleak. Bizarrely, it’s never clear why their neighbors would sympathize over a burglary but not a fire. While Bart isn’t always the most sympathetic Simpsons character, he genuinely didn’t mean to start the fire that destroyed the presents and damaged the house. As such, the town’s reaction to his panicked dishonesty jars with the depictions of Springfield citizens in earlier episodes.
The Bleakest Simpsons Christmas Episode Centered On Bart’s Lies
Like the earlier Simpsons Christmas episode “Marge Be Not Proud,” season 9’s “Miracle on Evergreen Terrace” centers on Bart committing a minor infraction that balloons out of proportion. In this instance, he accidentally started a fire that destroyed the family’s gifts before blaming an imaginary burglar. However, “Miracle on Evergreen Terrace” fails where the earlier outing succeeded because it is hard to see what Bart did wrong. His lie might hurt his family’s trust, but shouldn’t have affected the town’s willingness to help out the Simpsons. By depicting Springfield ransacking the family’s home, The Simpsons made the show’s hometown crueler than it ever seemed in earlier outings.
Source: Twitter
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The Simpsons
- Release Date:
- 1989-12-17
- Cast:
- Array
- Genres:
- Array
- Seasons:
- 34
- Season List:
- Array
- Story By:
- Matt Groening and James L. Brooks
- Writers:
- Array
- Network:
- Array
- Streaming Service(s):
- Array
- Franchise(s):
- Array
- Directors:
- Array
- Showrunner:
- Array
