Though in the past, The Simpsons' couch gags could be pointless or clearly thrown together at last minute, but, as of late, they've actually been pretty on point — in fact, the whole show has been, if ratings are any indication. Could it be that The Simpsons, after 25 seasons, is returning to cultural relevancy? If this newest couch gag is any indication, possibly: For this week's The Simpsons couch gag, Homer plays the board game of "Life," and manages to see his whole life turn from promising when he's young with a full head of hair to depressing and bald all due to one major life decision.
Dark? Yes. Realistic? Also, yes.
Sure, it's depressing to think that every decision we make on a day to day basis could have ripple effects that dictate where we'll be at the end of things, but that's chaos theory, and the butterfly effect: The idea that small changes in initial conditions — say, leaving your home ten minutes later than you initially planned on, for instance — can yield astronomically different outcomes in the extended long run. The Simpsons has really delved into some deep, depressing stuff when you think about it.
...or, you know, it's supposed to just be a joke. Should The Simpsons make anyone think this philosophically about life? Just go to college, kids.
Check out the clip below.
Image: Fox
