Season Analysis

The Simpsons

Season 32 Analysis

Season Woke Score

out of 10

Season Overview

No specific overview for this season.

Season Review

Season 32 of "The Simpsons" maintains the modern trend of the series by explicitly engaging with contemporary social and political themes, often sacrificing narrative subtlety for topical commentary. The core of the wokeness is concentrated in two areas: the show’s institutional shift towards identity-based casting and several episodes that directly satirize religion and Western institutions. The narrative relies heavily on deconstructing established power structures, including wealth and historical heritage. Homer is frequently positioned as incompetent, providing a foil for the moral and politically engaged female characters, Marge and Lisa. While some episodes attempt to satirize corporate 'woke' signaling, the overall thematic focus remains on progressive social messages and critique of traditional American institutions, resulting in a noticeable shift from the classic era's universal-absurdity-based humor to moralizing fables.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics8/10

A key voice actor change occurred within the season's timeframe as part of a move to replace white actors with non-white actors for non-white characters, demonstrating a reliance on race/immutable characteristics over character merit. The anthology episode 'Now Museum, Now You Don't' includes the character Lisa imagining herself as 'Lisanardo da Vinci,' representing historical gender and race-swapping of a white male icon.

Oikophobia6/10

The episode 'I, Carumbus' features a plot that deconstructs the history and ambition of Ancient Rome, framing the pursuit of power and a career as fundamentally corrupt and destructive to the family unit. The story uses an allegory of a foundational Western civilization to teach a lesson on greed and self-destruction.

Feminism6/10

Marge takes on the role of the moral crusader in the episode 'Wad Goals,' successfully using online activism to pressure a wealthy, male-dominated institution. The Roman analogue in 'I, Carumbus' features a powerful female character who pushes her husband to political murder, which, while a negative portrayal of ambition, centers a powerful female figure who emasculates the male lead.

LGBTQ+6/10

The season directly references queer theory concepts through humor. One episode features a satirical promotion of an 'LGBTQBLT' sandwich, a clear acknowledgment and centering of alternative sexualities. Another episode features a brief arc about Bart's 'gender neutrality' while playing a fantasy character, introducing gender ideology into the narrative structure.

Anti-Theism8/10

The episode 'Wad Goals' is centered on the satirical premise of making a golf club into a religion ('First Church of the Blessed Mulligan') purely to avoid taxes, framing organized religion as a corrupt legal loophole. The scheme ultimately collapses into a 'sex cult,' casting a profoundly negative light on the motivations and outcomes of a new faith structure.