Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Simpsons season 36, episode 13, “The Last Man Expanding”
Homer considers taking a parody of Ozempic inThe Simpsonsseason 36, episode 13, but this satirical story could feel familiar to fans of another adult animated comedy series,South Park. Over the years,The Simpsonshas occasionally been accused of borrowing gags and storylines from other adult animated comedy shows likeFamily Guy,Bob’s Burgers, andSouth Park. However, sinceThe Simpsonsis the longest-running scripted primetime American TV show in history, none of these borrowed jokes have caused any major controversy. After all, every show mentioned above countsThe Simpsonsas a formative influence.
WhileThe Simpsonsseason 37may change this, the show’s longevity and massive cultural import means few viewers or creators care when the series features an homage to another show’s episode. Of all the above-mentioned shows,South Parkmay have the least opprobrium toward the earlier, more family-friendly series. AlthoughThe Simpsonsseason 36 sidelined Bartin favor of other characters,South Park’s entire premise still owes a debt to the show’s initial focus on a foulmouthed, badly-behaved 10-year-old, andSouth Parkhas never hidden this fact.
The Simpsons Season 36 Episode 13 Borrows From South Park: The End of Obesity
Both Episodes Feature Fathers Using Ozempic and Their Hometowns Running Out Of The Drug
Over 20 years ago,South Parkacknowledged and parodied their reliance onThe Simpsonsfor inspiration with season 6, episode 7, “Simpsons Already Did It.”South ParkandThe Simpsonshave a long history of borrowing from each other, so it should come as no surprise thatThe Simpsonsseason 36, episode 13, “The Last Man Expanding,” replicated the plot of 2024’s loneSouth Parkouting, the feature-length specialThe End of Obesity. In that special, Stan’s father, Randy Marsh, began using the controversial weight-loss drug Ozempic.
The Simpsons Season 36, Episode 12 Continues A New Character Trend, And I’m Unexpectedly Thrilled About It
The Simpsons season 36 episode 12 continued a recent trend in the series that has reinvigorated one character’s stagnant story after 36 years.
In “The Last Man Expanding,” fellow bumbling suburban American fatherHomer Simpson was pushed to use “Othinkquik” by Marge and Bart, who were convinced it would improve his health outcomes and appearance. BothSouth ParkandThe Simpsonsdepicted the divisive drug as a potentially useful medication that was frequently abused, offering a broader critique of America’s for-profit healthcare system in the process. However, whileThe Simpsonsseason 36 solved a Homer mysteryone episode earlier, the show did not commit to this story as much asSouth Park: The End of Obesity’s comparable plot.
How The Simpsons Season 36 Episode 13 Puts Its Spin On South Park’s Ozempic Plot
Homer’s Weight-Loss Journey Never Actually Happens
Although he came incredibly close, Homer never actually took Othinkquik in “The Last Man Expanding,” whereasSouth Park’s Randy very much used Ozempic. In a gruesome touch,South Park’s creators even provided the real-life injection sound effect, whereas Homer’s first injection was stopped by Marge’s last-second intervention. As the only overweight person left in Springfield, Homer was soon taken hostage by the townspeople who wanted to harvest his fat and inject it into themselves to regain a youthful appearance.
Randy’s absurd adventure is even more surreal than Homer’s ordeal.
In contrast,South Park: The End of Obesity’s storyline saw Randy join aSpring Breakers-style mob of mothers robbing drugstores to access Ozempic before he ran afoul of the sugary cereal mascots who were desperate to disrupt the drug’s supply chain. WhileThe Simpsonsoften makes Homerthe subject of mockery, Randy’s absurd adventure is even more surreal than Homer’s ordeal. Thus,The Simpsonsseason 36, episode 13 didn’t borrow too heavily fromSouth Park’s similar setup.
