Warning: Spoilers for The Simpsons season 34, episode 16.
While The Simpsons admitted that Homer’s ever-changing age is a persistent plot hole in the series, season 34 did not come closer to solving this issue. The Simpsons is not a realistic series. However, even the goofiest cartoon comedy needs to have some level of internal logic. It is hard for a story to establish its stakes when it is unclear whether its characters are immortal, what age they are, what part of the world they live in, or whether they ever age. As such, The Simpsons has occasionally needed to address the mysteries surrounding its central characters.
Recently, The Simpsons season 34 suggested Marge doesn’t work outside the home because Bart was such a challenging child to raise. This flew in the face of what earlier episodes depicted but provided an answer to the question of Marge’s decision to remain a homemaker. Similarly, The Simpsons season 34, episode 16, “Hostile Kirk Place,” acknowledged that it is impossible to keep track of what age the Simpson family members are. However, The Simpsons outing did not proceed to explain or justify this plot hole, instead addressing the issue with a quick meta-gag and then moving on.
The Simpsons Season 34 Admitted Homer’s Age Makes No Sense
In an early scene from “Hostile Kirk Place,” Homer is watching late-night TV when he mentions that 1986 is the year when he was "2... Or was it thirty?" This Simpsons meta-joke drew attention to the fact that, according to different series episodes, the lead characters were born at radically different times. For example, in season 4, episode 16, “Duffless,” a glimpse at Homer’s driving license reveals he was born in 1956. However, in season 19, episode 11, “That '90s Show,” Homer and Marge are depicted as young adults in the 1990s rather than the late ‘70s.
In “Hostile Kirk Place,” Homer acknowledges both of these possibilities. He claims he was either 2 or 30 in 1986, which would be correct in the canon of “That '90s Show” or “Duffless,” respectively. Recent episodes of The Simpsons seemingly reinforce the former option, with season 33 depicting Marge and Homer as teens in 1999. However, while The Simpsons season 34 hinted at the future of some major characters, the show still has not firmly placed its heroes in any specific period. As frustrating as this might be for longtime viewers, there is a reason for this decision.
Why The Simpsons Can’t Fix This Infamous Canon Plot Hole
Fans of The Simpsons have gotten heated online about this inconsistency for over a decade. However, if Marge and Homer’s ages were consistent, Bart and Lisa’s would need to be clear, too, and they would unavoidably be in their 40s. The Simpsons began airing in 1989. Lisa and Bart were 8 and 10 years old at that time, respectively. As such, Bart should be 44, and Lisa should be 42. While this would allow the show to return to its original Bart focus (since he would likely be a married father by then), it is hardly what most viewers want. As such, The Simpsons can never solve this plot hole.