Difference between revisions of "Wikisimpsons:Canon"

Latest revision as of 07:43, October 1, 2024

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Canon is the official story of The Simpsons universe. Due to the episodic nature of The Simpsons and a floating timeline, some episodes are considered non-canon because they do not match up with the existing and future story and lore.

Floating timeline

A floating timeline is often used in media where the characters do not age. The floating timeline is used to keep stories relevant for modern times without having the characters age up. Since The Simpsons has been airing since 1989 without the characters aging, the timeline adjusts to keep up with the current year. As such, characters have been different ages in different time periods. For example, Homer has been a young adult in the 1990s, as seen in the season 19 episode "That '90s Show" and a teenager in the 1990s, as seen in the season 32 episode "Do PizzaBots Dream of Electric Guitars?". These episodes are considered canon, just canon at different time periods.

Separate canons

The Simpsons executive producer Matt Selman has said that he considers episodes to take place in "its own little universe". This allows them to write about an "aspect of Springfield that hasn’t been examined before."^[1] This means that there's no official canon within the show.

However, some events from episodes do carry forward to other episodes. Major changes happen in the show that continue to other episodes. Big examples include Maude Flanders' death in the season 11 episode "Alone Again, Natura-Diddily", the Ned Flanders and Edna Krabappel relationship in the season 22 episode "The Ned-liest Catch", and Comic Book Guy's marriage to Kumiko Albertson in the season 25 episode "Married to the Blob". These permanent changes imply that there is a canon to The Simpsons.

Anthology episodes

Anthology episodes are episodes made up of multiple mini-stories. An example of these is the long-running Treehouse of Horror series. Most anthology episodes have a framing device used for the characters to tell the stories. These parts of the episodes are considered canon whilst the stories are considered fictional within the universe. Anthology episodes without a framing device, such as a majority of the Treehouse of Horror episodes, and the season 31 episode "Thanksgiving of Horror", should all be considered non-canon.

Comic stories and books

A majority of comic stories and books fit in with The Simpsons universe. However, episode canon comes before comic and book canon, so if an episode contradicts a comic story or book, the episode is considered canon but the comic or book isn't.

Video games

All video games should be considered non-canon to the franchise.

Matt Selman's statement

Regarding episode's canonicity, in an interview with Digital Spy, Matt Selman stated: "The Simpsons is a 32-year-old series where the characters do not age, so the 'canon' must be elastic / contradictory / silly. This does not mean other beloved classic The Simpsons flashback shows didn't happen. None of this happened. It's all made up. Every episode is its own Groundhog Day that only has make sense for that story (if that). There is no The Simpsons 'canon' or 'non-canon'. There are only stories. If all these crazy things really happened to one family the characters would be in a mental hospital. If you love, hate or are completely indifferent to our Silly Putty paradoxical continuity, thank you so much for watching / caring about TheSimpsons at any point in its 100000 years of existence".^[2]

List of non-canon media

Episodes

• The Treehouse of Horror series
  • "Treehouse of Horror"
  • "Treehouse of Horror II"
  • "Treehouse of Horror III"
  • "Treehouse of Horror IV"
  • "Treehouse of Horror V"
  • "Treehouse of Horror VI"
  • "Treehouse of Horror VII"
  • "Treehouse of Horror VIII"
  • "Treehouse of Horror IX"
  • "Treehouse of Horror X"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XI"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XII"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XIII"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XIV"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XV"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XVI"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XVII"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XVIII"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XIX"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XX"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XXI"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XXII"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XXIII"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XXIV"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XXV"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XXVI"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XXVII"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XXVIII"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XXIX"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XXX"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XXXI"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XXXII"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XXXIII"
  • "Treehouse of Horror XXXIV"
• "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular"
• "The Principal and the Pauper"
• "Simpsons Bible Stories"
• "Behind the Laughter"
• "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase"
• "I, (Annoyed Grunt)-bot"
• "24 Minutes"
• "Donnie Fatso"
• "Replaceable You"
• "The Man Who Came to Be Dinner"
• "Every Man's Dream"
• "The Serfsons"
• "My Way or the Highway to Heaven"
• "Thanksgiving of Horror"
• "Uncut Femmes"
• "A Serious Flanders (Part 1)" and "A Serious Flanders (Part 2)"
• "Poorhouse Rock"
• "Lisa the Boy Scout"
• "Not It"
• "Bart's Birthday"
• All scenes and episodes showing predicted futures:
  • Parts of "Bart Gets an "F""
  • The end of "Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie"
  • Parts of "Rosebud"
  • "Lisa's Wedding"
  • "Bart to the Future"
  • "Future-Drama"
  • Parts of "The Father, the Son and the Holy Guest Star"
  • Parts of "Ice Cream of Margie (with the Light Blue Hair)"
  • Parts of "The Boys of Bummer"
  • "Holidays of Future Passed"
  • "Days of Future Future"
  • "Barthood"
  • "Mr. Lisa's Opus"
  • The end of "Flanders' Ladder"
  • Parts of "Daddicus Finch"
  • The credits of "Hail to the Teeth"
  • Parts of "Sorry Not Sorry"
  • "Mother and Child Reunion"
  • "When Nelson Met Lisa"
  • "McMansion & Wife"
  • "It's a Blunderful Life"

Specials

• "The Simpsons Guy"

Shorts

• The Good, the Bart, and the Loki
• Plusaversary
• Welcome to the Club

Games

All video games featuring Treehouse of Horror or other non-canon characters are considered non-canon.

• Bart vs. the Space Mutants
• Bart's House of Weirdness
• Bart vs. The Juggernauts
• Krusty's Fun House
• Bart's Nightmare
• Bart & the Beanstalk
• Virtual Bart
• The Simpsons Cartoon Studio
• The Simpsons Night of the Living Treehouse of Horror
• The Simpsons: Hit & Run
• The Simpsons Game
• The Simpsons: Tapped Out

Comic stories

• The Amazing Colossal Homer
• Bart Simpson's Creepy Crawly Tales: "The Collector"
• Bart Simpson's Bible Stories
• Greek to Me
• Clip Clip Hooray!
• The "X" Men
• The Simpsons Comics Internationale!
• 1001 Arabian Nuts
• Simpson Family Robinson Crusoe
• Maximum Bart!
• Otto's Gnarly Snowboarder's Glossary
• Not a (Green, Slimy) Creature Was Stirring
• Somewhere Over the Brain-bow!
• Liquid Diamond Is Forever!

References