A Beloved Modern Simpsons Episode Parodies One Of The Best Crime TV Shows Of All Time

"The Simpsons" is still good, you guys. Sure, it may no longer be the most innovative, influential show on TV, but it is still doing some experimenting like it used to. Recent seasons have given us plenty of entertaining, fresh, hilarious, poignant episodes that feel not like echoes of the Golden Era of "The Simpsons," but rather a new, modern Golden Era. In the last couple of years, we've had horror episodes outside of "Treehouse of Horror," a Thanksgiving horror anthology, actually dramatic episodes, and more. But arguably the biggest experiment "The Simpsons" has done in recent years came in 2021, when a season 33 episode parodied one of the best crime TV shows of modern times, and prestige TV in general.

The episode is "A Serious Flanders," a two-parter episode telling a non-canon story clearly inspired by Noah Hawley's "Fargo" TV show. In the episode, Flanders finds a duffel bag full of cash and donates it, which causes a ruthless, gruesome debt collector to hunt him down to get his money back — killing a whole bunch of known Springfield residents along the way. Mr. Burns has his head blown up, Disco Stu is shot to death, and Fat Tony's head is turned into a donut — covered in flour, then deep fried.

As a parody of "Fargo," the episode is very on point, capturing the split-screen, choice of music, and themes of that show, but it also just serves as a fantastic homage to the Prestige TV Era, the overly serious tones, slow pacing, hyper-violence, sudden flashbacks about seemingly random characters, lengthy monologues, and poignant characters with dark arcs. The best of the episodes' many references lies in the casting. "The Simpsons" has always had guest stars, but the episode specifically casts stars with prestige TV credits, like Brian Cox, Chris O'Dowd, Jessica Paré, Cristin Milioti, and even Timothy Olyphant playing a virtuous sheriff.

Like the best parodies, "A Serious Flanders" works because it is just a very good crime story in and of itself. Flanders' arc as he breaks bad due to greed and ego is poignant and tragic. The violence is shocking, the action well-animated, and the many twists and turns add to the story. The two-parter has something seldom seen in the animated show — actual tension and character development beyond just learning one lesson at the end of an episode.

The episode even brings back an aspect of the show that hasn't been relevant in years — the predictions. Speaking to Cracked, "Fargo" creator, Noah Hawley, pointed out that "A Serious Flanders" did a "Fargo" story about money and debt before the release of season 5 (which is about money and debt). "I was already planning season 5 of Fargo when I saw 'A Serious Flanders, and Season Five revolves around the theme of debt," Hawley said. "There was a part of me that did think, 'Oh no, now people will think I'm copying The Simpsons.' But of course, on 'The Simpsons,' it was a very literal thing about money, whereas, for me, it was a way into a conversation about morality."

"A Serious Flanders" was not just widely praised and acclaimed, but it is the only episode of the modern era of "The Simpsons" to be included in /Film's official list of best episodes of the show ever.