10 Exact Moments The Simpsons Stopped Trying

If there is one thing even more insulting to a show's loyal fans than a clip show, it's the incredibly lazy 'it was all a dream' ending. This horrible trope is a trapdoor for having anything happen in an episode with no consequences, and it's simply infuriating.

This trope is generally used quite sparingly, as most writers take more pride in their work, yet in season 27, The Simpsons employed it to full effect. It was just as horrible as you would expect.

After Homer's problems with alcohol lead to he and Marge separating for a time, he begins dating a girl named Candace, while Marge dates Candace's father, bringing him into the Simpson family to be Bart, Lisa, and Maggie's new dad. However, the big reveal at the end of the episode was that it was all a figment of Marge's dream. It wasn't real.

Essentially, after spending 20 minutes watching the story play out, the audience is told that none of what they have just seen matters. It's like the writers never considered the intelligence or integrity of their viewers, instead opting to pump out a quick, easy episode and collect their pay checks.