"Holidays of Future Passed" | |
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The Simpsons episode | |
Episode no. | Season 23 Episode 9 |
Directed by | Rob Oliver |
Written by | J. Stewart Burns |
Production code | NABF18 |
Original air date | December 11, 2011 |
Episode features | |
Chalkboard gag | "Cafeteria trays are not toboggans" |
Couch gag | The Simpson family, as gingerbread people, jumps on a plate for Santa Claus, and Homer eats his own arm. |
"Holidays of Future Passed" is the ninth episode of the twenty-third season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 11, 2011. Most of the episode is set thirty years (2041) into the future, when Bart and Lisa take their children with them to Homer and Marge's house over Christmas, while a pregnant Maggie goes into labor. Bart has divorced his wife, Jenda, and is struggling to become a better father for his two boys, while Lisa has trouble connecting with her rebellious teenage daughter, Zia. The Simpsons creator Matt Groening made a minor uncredited cameo appearance as a sports commentator shouting "goal!" during a soccer game.
Originally written as a potential series finale, the episode has received highly positive reception from television critics who often cited it as the best episode of the season. It has been particularly praised for its humor and for its emotional scenes, such as one where Bart and Lisa sit in their old treehouse and talk about how difficult parenting is.
During the original broadcast, "Holidays of Future Passed" was watched by about 6.43 million people.