The Simpsons Season 36’s Dig At Pharmaceutical Companies Honors A Long-Running Tradition Of The Show
The following contains spoilers for The Simpsons season 36 episode 13, “The Last Man Expanding,” now streaming on HuluThe Simpsons season 36 has the show take another dig at the pharmaceutical industry, which has been a long-standing target of the animated show’s satire. One of the best things about The Simpsons is that it has developed a truly unique versatility. The adaptable nature of the show allows for scary Halloween specials, moving explorations of faith in holiday specials, or just being silly for the sake of being silly. Some of the most memorable episodes of The Simpsons are the ones that lean into societal satire.
The Simpsons has been openly political in recent seasons, which is continued in “The Last Mand Expanding.” The episode, which focuses on a new weight-loss drug that quickly becomes an addiction for much of Springfield, includes a lot of clear commentary on the current state of the health industry in America. It’s a long-standing element of the show going back decades, with the show’s repeated explorations of that concept underscoring the enduring challenges of repairing that broken system.
The Simpsons Season 36 Takes Aim At Pharmaceutical Companies
Othinquic Is A Handy Way To Talk About The Way Medicines Are Marketed, Sold, And Abused In America
The Simpsons season 36 episode “The Last Man Expanding” is rooted in satirizing the pharmaceutical industry and their impact on the citizens of small towns like Springfield. The plot of the episode is focused on Othinquic, a new glucose-regulating medicine that also causes extreme weight loss. While much of the episode is focused on characters like Homer and Marge debating the potential use of the medicine, a consistent undercurrent of the story is a harsh criticism of the Othinquic (and its clear inspiration, Ozempic).
Marge frequently talks with an imagined mascot for the company, who badgers her into convincing Homer to take the medicine for superficial reasons. Othinquic tries to brush off any potential health risks, instead framing the ways citizens of Springfield abuse the drug as a healthy lifestyle. The facade finally falls apart for Othinquic late in the episode when it reveals that the entire purpose behind the medicine is to make money, with Othinquic laughing at Marge and Springfield’s pain. Notably, the company faces no consequences for spreading the medicine, a harsh edge of satire that the episode reinforces.
The Simpsons Has Been Poking Fun At The Medical Industry For Years
The Simpsons Has Satirized Different Parts Of The Medical Industry
This is far from the only time The Simpsons has gone after the pharmaceutical companies and their predatory practices. While “The Last Man Expanding” doesn’t focus too much time on this theme, the use of Othinquic as a character in the episode highlights the deceptive kindness and empathy of the medicine’s ad campaign, which is a front for the company’s attempts to get people stuck using the drug every month or risk regaining their weight. Other episodes of The Simpsons have tackled similar themes, often shifting to reflect the current state of medicine in America when they were produced.
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Episodes Of The Simpsons About The Medical Industry |
Season |
|
“Brother’s Little Helper” |
11 |
|
“Midnight RX” |
16 |
|
“The Good, The Sad, And The Drugly” |
20 |
|
“The Scorpion’s Tale” |
22 |
|
“The Last Man Expanding” |
36 |
Characters like Dr. Nick and Dr. Hibbert are frequently overprescribing prescription drugs to their patients, with episodes like season 16’s “Midnight RX” having Hibbert openly note in a commercial that he’s being paid by the companies to push medicines. Season 11’s “Brother’s Little Helper” and season 20’s “The Good, the Sad and the Drugly” highlight the negative impact unnecessary prescription drugs can have on Bart and Lisa, placating their mental issues instead of resolving them. Season 22’s “The Scorpion’s Tale” leans heavily into this theme, with a pharmaceutical company’s attempts to replicate Lisa’s medical discovery causing chaos for Springfield’s elderly.
Why Ozempic Is The Perfect Central Drug For The Simpsons Season 36, Episode 13
Othinquic Repersents The Current State Of Health In America
“The Last Man Expanding” doesn’t try very hard to hide its satire about ozempic, even overtly name-dropping the medicine in the climax of the episode. Ozempic has faced scrutiny since it hit the market, with other shows like South Park also highlighting the dangers and downsides of the medicine. The Simpsons reserves much of its criticism about the use of the drug on the citizens of Springfield, with Marge calling them all out for how quickly they ignore ethics if it means more of the medicine that keeps them thin.
The Othinquic storyline highlights how The Simpsons can approach enduring societal problems from different perspectives.
As the health care crisis in America grows, health insurance companies earn record profits while average citizens are left without adequate care. Instead, they take surface-level “medicines” that require them to return to the pharmaceutical companies again and again. The Simpsons has been a benchmark of American culture for nearly four decades, tracking and commenting on the ways society evolves. In that time, The Simpsons has grown more brazen with its political themes and storylines. The Othinquic storyline highlights how The Simpsons can approach enduring societal problems from different perspectives.
The Simpsons
9/10
Release Date
December 17, 1989
Network
FOX
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