Judging from the clip below, last night’s episodes of The Simpsons was largely about ennui: Bart appears to have become depressed by the repetitiveness of his life. And who can blame him after 25 seasons on the air? One assumes that the show’s writers and producers are partly expressing their own plight through their 10-year-old antihero. And as an answer to those doldrums this time out, The Simpsons turned to some unexpected music: “Boy from School” by the British electronic band Hot Chip.
The episode was titled “A Totally Fun Thing Bart Will Never Do Again,” an allusion to David Foster Wallace’s famous essay about going on a luxury cruise. In contrast to Wallace’s experience, however, Bart has fun on the ocean liner; he’s just bummed out by its ephemeral nature. Later, Lisa cheers him up with help from some penguins—and more indie music: “Winter’s Love” by American experimental band Animal Collective. You can see that clip over at Stereogum. It’s a rather heavy-handed finish—but the music is excellent.
Previously: The Simpsons Tells Fox to Eat Its Shorts
