Review: The Simpsons “Simpsley”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

A crafty Marge cons her way into wealth, intrigue, and murder.

Our Take:

If you’re lacking any big plans to celebrate the Fourth of July or even America’s 250th birthday, you could spend the holiday watching “Independence Day”.  Not the sequel, though.  Avoid that one if you can.  If that’s not in your cards, don’t you fret, because the Simpson family has got you covered with something in mind.  Continuing the season’s trend of streaming-exclusive episodes, The Simpsons maintains its parodic nature with an episode that highlights the noir vibes of yesteryear.  With this format, it explores Marge as a manipulative con woman seeking her way to the top.  While tasked with bringing Seymour back from Italy, she and Homer Simpsley ended up in a partnership that has them attempting to stay on the wealthy side of life, even if it means resorting to murder to keep the con going.

Unsurprisingly, “Simpsley” is another Simpsons episode that parodies classic cinematic tropes and stories that have shaped Hollywood, following “Extreme Makeover: Homer Edition”.  However, out of the two that have been released so far, I would prefer “Simpsley” over the other, mainly due to it not resorting to another “Marge’s doubt over Homer” moment.  Along with some humorous gags like Homer’s “art junk” and Seymour’s “death”, the episode offers another compelling yet brief reflection of the class system and the dangers of maintaining a rich lifestyle.  While it’s nice to live a life of wealth and luxury, it can also lead to choices that make it harder to maintain, especially when it results in betrayal or worse.  The animation was also decent in blending its traditional Simpsons vibe with a noir-like presentation.  Overall, I would say this exclusive noir episode is a step in the right direction for the season’s short streaming-exclusive lineup.