The Way of the Dog

"**The Way of the Dog**"
"The Way of the Dog"
The Simpsons episode
Episode no.	Season 31; Episode 22
Directed by	Matthew Faughnan
Written by	Carolyn Omine
Featured music	"The Way We Were" by Suzanne Waters
Production code	ZABF16
Original air date	May 17, 2020
Running time	21 minutes
Guest appearances
	Cate Blanchett as Elaine Wolff; Michael York as Clayton;
Episode chronology
← Previous; "The Hateful Eight-Year-Olds"	Next →; "Undercover Burns"
	The Simpsons season 31
	List of episodes

"The Way of the Dog" is the 22nd and final episode of the thirty-first season of the American animated sitcom The Simpsons, and the 684th episode overall. It debuted on Fox on May 17, 2020. The episode was directed by Matthew Faughnan and written by Carolyn Omine. In this episode, Santa's Little Helper bites matriarch Marge, causing the family to reflect on the difficult life that the dog led prior to being adopted by the family and they end up reuniting him with his mother to avoid having to euthanize him.

The episode is dedicated in memory of Little Richard, who previously appeared in the episode "Special Edna" and had died on May 9, 2020. It also includes footage from the series premiere "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire".

The episode has received positive reception from critics.

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