Let's be real for a second. Most people claiming The Simpsons "died" in 2003 haven't actually watched a new episode in a decade. If you're one of those people, you're genuinely missing out on the creative renaissance happening right now. Specifically, The Simpsons Season 36 Episode 10—titled "The Beautiful Shame"—is proof that the writers have finally figured out how to make Springfield feel relevant in an era of TikTok trends and crippling digital anxiety. This isn't just another "Homer gets a wacky job" plot. It’s a sharp, slightly mean, and surprisingly tender look at how we project our lives online.
The episode centers on a dynamic we haven't seen explored with this much bite: the relationship between Marge and her social media presence. But it's not the "Old Man Yells at Cloud" version of tech satire you might expect. Instead, it dives into the "Sharenting" phenomenon. You know the one. Those parents who turn their kids' every move into content? That's the engine driving the plot here.
What Actually Happens in The Simpsons Season 36 Episode 10
The setup is pretty grounded. Marge discovers that she can get a massive dopamine hit (and some actual clout) by posting videos of her family’s "authentic" chaos. It starts small. A spilled bowl of cereal here, a funny comment from Maggie there. But as the algorithm starts demanding more, the episode turns into a minor psychological thriller about the death of privacy.
It's clever.
Honestly, the funniest part is how the show handles the concept of "The Beautiful Shame." It refers to that specific brand of aesthetic misery—making your life look like a mess, but a curated mess that makes other people feel better about themselves. Marge becomes an influencer by accident, then by choice, and finally by obsession.
The pacing is frantic. One minute we're watching Homer try to figure out if he's "allowed" to eat a sandwich because Marge hasn't photographed it yet, and the next, we're seeing a high-speed montage of the Simpson household being turned into a literal film set. It's a far cry from the sluggishness of the mid-2000s seasons. The jokes land because they're rooted in a reality we're all currently living through.
Why the Satire Hits Different This Time
The writers, led by showrunner Al Jean and the current crop of younger staff, seem to have realized that mocking "the internet" is too broad. They had to go deeper. In The Simpsons Season 36 Episode 10, the target isn't the phone itself; it's the way we use the phone to hide who we actually are.
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There's a scene where Marge is crying in the kitchen because she feels like a failure, and her first instinct isn't to talk to Homer—it's to check her notifications. It’s dark. It’s also arguably the most "human" Marge has felt in years. She's searching for community in a digital void. We’ve all been there, right? Refreshing the feed hoping for a notification that makes us feel seen?
Bart and Lisa’s reaction to this is where the episode gets its heart. Usually, the kids are the ones causing the trouble. Here, they are the victims of their mother's "success." They realize they’ve become props. Lisa, ever the voice of reason, tries to explain the ethical implications of "child-led content," while Bart just wants a cut of the ad revenue.
The Technical Brilliance of Season 36
Visually, the show looks better than ever. The animation in The Simpsons Season 36 Episode 10 uses these subtle shifts in color palette to distinguish between "Real Springfield" and "Instagram Springfield." When we're looking through Marge's lens, the colors are oversaturated. Everything glows. The house looks clean. But when the camera pulls back to the reality of the scene, the lighting goes flat and the clutter returns.
It’s a visual gag that doesn't need a punchline.
- Directed by: Steven Dean Moore
- Key Theme: The commodification of the domestic sphere.
- Standout Guest Star: While there aren't massive celebrity cameos distracting from the plot, the voice work from the core cast—especially Julie Kavner—is remarkably emotive given how long they've been playing these roles.
Is it the best episode ever? No. "Marge vs. the Monorail" still holds that crown. But is it a top-tier modern episode? Absolutely. It avoids the "zombie Simpsons" trope by actually having something to say about 2026.
Breaking Down the "Sharenting" Critique
Most TV shows handle social media satire with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. They make "Funtouch" phones and "MyFace" jokes that feel dated before the episode even airs. The Simpsons Season 36 Episode 10 avoids this by focusing on the emotional cost.
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Marge isn't trying to be a tech mogul. She’s trying to feel relevant. As the kids grow up (even though they never actually age), Marge often finds herself in a vacuum. The episode highlights her loneliness. The "Shame" in the title is two-fold: the shame of her messy life and the shame of using that mess for likes.
There's a specific subplot involving Ned Flanders that perfectly foils Marge’s arc. Ned, being Ned, uses his platform for wholesome, boring, soul-crushing sincerity. The contrast between Marge’s "aesthetic" struggle and Ned’s genuine (and unpopular) goodness provides some of the biggest laughs.
Common Misconceptions About Modern Simpsons
People think the show is just "liberal lecturing" now. Or they think it’s just filler. The Simpsons Season 36 Episode 10 proves both of those notions wrong.
First off, it’s pretty cynical about everyone involved. It doesn't take a moral high ground. It just observes. Secondly, the joke density is incredibly high. You have to watch it twice to catch the background gags on the "Insta-Snap" feed. The fake handles and hashtags are a goldmine of Easter eggs for long-time fans.
Another misconception is that the characters have been flattened into caricatures. While that happened for a while (the "Jerkass Homer" era), Season 36 continues the trend of returning to the characters' emotional roots. Homer in this episode is actually supportive. He’s confused, sure, but he wants Marge to be happy. That version of Homer is much more interesting than the one who just screams and breaks things.
The Impact of Season 36 on the Legacy
We are currently in a weird spot with legacy media. Everything is getting rebooted or cancelled. The Simpsons just keeps moving. By the time we reached The Simpsons Season 36 Episode 10, the show had already secured its place as the longest-running scripted primetime series in history. But longevity doesn't mean much if the quality isn't there.
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Fortunately, the quality is there.
There is a specific energy in this season that feels like the writers are trying to prove they still belong. They aren't resting on their laurels. They're taking risks with the format. We’ve seen "prestige TV" parodies and experimental horror segments earlier this season, but "The Beautiful Shame" is a return to the classic family-centric sitcom structure, updated for a digital-first world.
Why You Should Care About "The Beautiful Shame"
If you’ve skipped the last few seasons, this is your entry point. It’s a standalone story that doesn’t require you to know thirty years of lore, yet it rewards you if you do. It’s a commentary on the "perfection" we see on our screens every day.
The ending of the episode—without giving away the specific spoilers—doesn't offer a clean resolution. Marge doesn't just "delete the app" and everything goes back to 1990. That's not how the world works anymore. Instead, the family finds a way to exist within the new reality while clawing back a little bit of their privacy. It’s a bittersweet, realistic conclusion that feels earned.
Essential Takeaways from Season 36 Episode 10:
- The Algorithm is the Antagonist: The episode correctly identifies that the "villain" isn't a person, but the system that rewards our worst impulses for engagement.
- Marge's Agency: It’s great to see an episode where Marge is the driver of the plot and her motivations are more complex than just "stopping Homer from being dumb."
- Modern Satire: The show has moved past parodizing movies and is now parodizing behaviors.
To get the most out of this episode, pay attention to the comments section shown on Marge’s phone. The writers clearly spent a lot of time lurking on Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) because the "fan" reactions to Marge’s videos are painfully accurate. From the "first!" comments to the deep-dive theorists who think a messy kitchen is a "coded message," it’s all there.
If you want to understand where The Simpsons is headed in the late 2020s, this is the episode to study. It shows a series that is comfortable in its own skin but still hungry enough to bite the hand that feeds it.
The next logical step for any fan is to go back and watch the first nine episodes of Season 36. There is a subtle through-line regarding the family's changing financial status and their desperation to stay "middle class" in a world that is increasingly making that impossible. "The Beautiful Shame" isn't just a one-off; it's part of a larger, more sophisticated narrative arc that the show has been building all year. Catch it on Hulu or Disney+ to see the visual gags in high definition—they're worth the subscription alone.