Since The Simpsons season 36 may try to ignore this inconvenient fact, season 35 has mined it for humor. In episode 14, “Night of the Living Wage,” Lisa accidentally incurs a costly vet bill that forces Marge to work because, as she and Homer note, the family’s unclear class status makes it impossible to tell precisely how financially stable they are in 2024. This set up a surprising riff on a classic outing.

The Simpsons Season 35 Episode 14 Reverses “Last Exit to Springfield”

Homer Is Against A Strike In This Outing

The Simpsons season 4, episode 17, “Last Exit to Springfield,” has been heralded as one of the show’s best episodes ever, but this did not stop season 35 from reversing its premise in "Night of the Living Wage.” In “Last Exit to Springfield,” Homer led the power plant workers on a strike to keep their dental plan whereas in, ”Night of the Living Wage,” he represented the Silicon Valley food delivery start-up that Marge led a strike against. The Simpsons season 35’s surprising Marge focus worked well here, allowing the show’s underrated ing star to occupy the spotlight.

Giving Homer a villainous role lets The Simpsons explore his darker side whereas, in contrast, “Last Exit to Springfield” posited him as an oafish antihero. “Last Exit to Springfield” was a canny satire of labor conditions in the '90s, but the gig economy has transformed the landscape of work since then. In "Night of the Living Wage,” Marge's newly formed union needed to win over the public by fighting Homer's smug PR blitz, with Homer’s fear-mongering about food deliveries discouraging Springfield’s citizens from ing the striking workers. This clever plot proved that the long-running series can update its older storylines.

"Night of the Living Wage” Successfully Inverts This Famous Simpsons Plot

Homer’s Villainous Role And Eventual Redemption Work In Season 35

Pitting Homer against Marge always results in tense, compelling stories, since theirs is one of the oldest successful relationships in TV history. However, "Night of the Living Wage” also excelled because Homer’s villainous turn resulted in a redemptive ending. Homer has more of a character arc in season 35's episode than he did in “Last Exit to Springfield” as he moves from self-centered villainy to reluctant heroism. This shot at redemption proves that Homer still values Marge over his own selfish desires, enabling The Simpsons to add a sweet twist to this update of an iconic episode’s storyline.

The Simpsons

Animation

Comedy

9/10

160

8.6/10

Release Date

December 17, 1989

9/10

160

8.6/10

Cast

Tress MacNeille, Yeardley Smith

Franchise(s)

The Simpsons

Seasons

36

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