Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Simpsons season 36, episode 13, “The Last Man Expanding." It also references alcoholism and sobriety struggles.

Although The Simpsons season 37 may change this, the show is not currently known for its consistency when it comes to canon details. In some ways, this makes sense. After all, The Simpsons is both a cartoon and the longest-running scripted primetime American TV show in history. It doesn't need consistency, and its canon is already tough to keep track of.

However, some longtime viewers have still been known to bristle when The Simpsons changes Homer’s birthdate or other major character details. Although Milhouse’s The Simpsons voice actor will likely be replaced soon due to Pamela Hayden’s 2024 retirement, these viewers still expect the series to maintain a relatively consistent internal reality. Executive producer Matt Selman took to X (formerly Twitter) to explain that The Simpsons has an “Elastic canon” that changes from episode to episode, but some of the show’s recent inconsistencies can be explained with more straightforward, surprisingly realistic, logic.

The Simpsons Season 36 Episode 13 Made Barney Gumble Sober (Again)

A Weight-Loss Drug Eradicated His Interest In Drinking

In season 36, episode 13, “The Last Man Expanding,” Homer’s friend and fellow barfly Barney Gumble sobered up when he began using the experimental wonder drug “Othinquik.” An obvious parody of the divisive drug Ozempic, this medication not only cut Barney’s weight but also resulted in him losing any interest in drinking alcohol overnight. However, this is far from the first time that the famously heavy drinker has sworn off drinking. Barney has sobered up and relapsed within season 36 alone, with episode 12, “The Man Who Flew Too Much," depicting him as a sober helicopter pilot.

Barney first sobered up in season 11, episode 18, “Days of Wine and D’oh’ses,” when his embarrassing behavior led him to quit drinking and become a helicopter pilot.

The stress of surviving a crash and becoming stranded in freezing conditions resulted in Barney relapsing, which may explain why Moe expected him to continue drinking heavily in season 36, episode 13. Barney first sobered up in season 11, episode 18, “Days of Wine and D’oh’ses,” when his behavior led him to quit drinking and become a helicopter pilot. His sobriety lasted until he was pressured by Homer into drinking in season 13, episode 19, “The Sweetest Apu,” and Barney was revealed to have relapsed in season 14, episode 12, “I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can.”

Barney’s Journey Highlights The Painful Reality Of Sobriety Challenges

The Simpsons Constantly Complicates Barney’s Sobriety Journey

Since then, The Simpsons has bounced between both the sober and drunk versions of Barney. Although the character has been through this process countless times since he first sobered up, Barney’s journey in The Simpsons isn’t entirely unrealistic. The Simpsons paying off this setup over the years reflects the challenges of sobriety and how recovery is an ongoing lifelong commitment rather than a singular achievement.

Barney’s shifting sobriety status reflects a broader change, as The Simpsons stopped prioritizing a consistent status quo years ago. This is understandable, considering the series now has over 780 episodes to its name. However, whether this was intentional or not, depicting Barney repeatedly sobering up, relapsing, and getting back to his recovery journey is an unexpectedly grounded, poignant depiction of alcoholism from the usually wacky world of The Simpsons.

Source: X

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