This The Simpsons review contains spoilers.
The Simpsons Season 34 Episode 7
Duffman is under serious competition in the mascot contest, including a Woketopus who pushes every button on diversity appeal, and Helen Mirren, clueless to she’s endorsing and still a favorite to win. The segment where Duffman tries to shore up support is a mixed bag of obvious reveals, such as dousing the women’s legal diversity initiative meeting, and subtle visual gags, like getting Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s book thrown at him.
The support group of fathers-of-estranged-daughters, including Kent Brockman, Rainier Wolfcastle, Superintendent Chalmers, and Mr. Hibbert, make a few very good points, and move on thankfully fast. The most cautionary tale comes from Krusty, who explains why a self-published rebuttal book is a clownish legal strategy. The calls to “ignore us,” however, prove recycled gags still produce energy. Chick magnets aren’t just prop comic toys in this episode, except when they are. There is just enough foreshadowing that the audience knows what is coming before we get pulled in, and it still provides a quick giggle, if you don’t think about it too long.
Duffman learns many lessons in “From Beer to Paternity.” The most obvious being how Kombucha is now classified as an adult beverage, which he can never hawk. He also learns not all Duffocrats are doves, some tote guns to mascot conventions. He is brutally reminded he can no longer compete with the Mucinex Loogie. And while his biggest takeaway from the “all chicks are somebody’s daughter” revelation is that some chicks are guys, he does come to terms with the times.
“From Beer to Eternity” is an effective character expanding episode, which mixes the rush of a popularity downfall with the sadness of the climb to the top. It suffers from a lack of Bart, who only brings one line of abrasive counterpoint. Marge’s commentary is concise, perceptive, and cutting. But the only truly new wrinkle in the father-daughter dynamic is the “prop daughter” and how it is mirrored by the two fathers. The Simpsons consistently finds the easiest place to land, but leaves enough bruises so make them think twice about doing it again. At least until the next time.
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