3 The Simpsons Episodes That Need a Sequel in the New Season

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Although The Simpsons doesn’t usually revisit old storylines, the show’s upcoming 38th season would be a perfect time to wrap up three classic episodes that deserve proper conclusions. The Simpsons is a television landmark, holding the record as the longest-running scripted primetime show in American history with over 800 episodes and 27 seasons already aired. Plus, with a theatrical spinoff and a sequel to The Simpsons Movie planned, the show’s legacy continues to grow.

Beyond its groundbreaking history, The Simpsons also pioneered the first live animated segment on television a decade ago. Since then, it’s become the longest-running animated comedy series and has consistently broken records. However, despite its success, the show isn’t without flaws. Its unpredictable and fast-paced style often leaves storylines unresolved, leaving viewers hoping for follow-up episodes to tie up loose ends.

“Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?”

As a lifelong Simpsons fan, I always felt like Herb Powell, Danny DeVito’s character, deserved another appearance. When he was first introduced in “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?”, it was heartbreaking to see Homer essentially ruin his half-brother’s financial security. Thankfully, the season 2 finale, “Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?”, gave Herb a lovely redemption arc with Homer’s help. But honestly, after waiting for over thirty years, it’s fantastic news that Herb is finally coming back in season 38 to reconnect with his family. It feels like a long-awaited reunion, and I can’t wait to see it!

“Irrational Treasure”

Considering the show has over 800 episodes, it’s unexpected to suggest revisiting a story from the previous season. However, the 800th episode introduced several interesting ideas that weren’t fully developed, likely because the show was juggling so much. While Marge’s connection with Santa’s Little Helper was sweet, it unfortunately meant that Quinta Brunson, from Abbott Elementary, didn’t have much time to shine as the dog trainer, Adrienne.

The episode featured a funny parody of the movie National Treasure, but it felt rushed in the second half. It was one of the show’s best spoofs in a long time, and revisiting this storyline—especially after such a hilarious introduction to their version of Philadelphia—would be a great idea. The sketch could really be developed further with more time.

“Bart to the Future”

The Simpsons episode “Bart to the Future” (season 11, episode 17) is well-known, but unfortunately not for its humor. It’s become famous because it accurately predicted Donald Trump’s presidential victories in 2016 and 2024 – over fifteen years before he even started campaigning. Despite being known for this prediction, the episode has a strong story that deserves to be continued with a sequel.

Of all the glimpses into the family’s future shown on the series, the episode “Bart to the Future” presents the most interesting look at what happens to Bart and Lisa as adults. The idea that Lisa becomes President – and isn’t necessarily very good at it – has a lot of story possibilities that haven’t been fully explored, and the dynamic between her and Bart, who both helps and annoys her, could create many more engaging storylines.

Over the years, The Simpsons has often shown glimpses of what the future holds for its characters, like in the popular episode “Holidays of Future Passed” and the debated series finale where Marge dies. But of all these future-set episodes, the 2000 installment “Bart to the Future” deserves a follow-up. A new episode in season 38 could really build on the interesting ideas presented in that earlier story.

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2026-05-29 22:13