Instead of taking the high road, "The Simpsons" decided to address the controversy regarding one of their most infamous characters in a rather condescending way.
Ever since a documentary came out decrying the representation of Apu on "The Simpsons," fans and critics alike have been waiting for a response from the television show. On Sunday night, they finally got it in the form of a strange scene featuring Marge and Lisa Simpson. It did little to assuage a population that wanted answers, not mediocre laughs.
Apu addressed
The scene in question in Sunday night's episode of "The Simpsons" depicted Marge reading a bedtime story to Lisa.
Because of the changing world, however, the content of the bedtime story was no longer politically correct. So Marge re-wrote the story as she went, creating some narrative and characterization issues in the eyes of Lisa.
Lisa then goes on to say "Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect." While she says that, with her eyes clearly breaking the fourth wall of the screen, the camera glances over to a picture of Apu on her nightstand, with "don't have a cow" inscribed on the photo.
The segment ends with Marge stating that things may be addressed at a later date, before Lisa chimes in suggesting they may not be addressed at all. That ended the tepid response from "The Simpsons" surrounding a valid issue brought up by a documentarian who expected better from the show.
In “The Problem with Apu,” I used Apu & The Simpsons as an entry point into a larger conversation about the representation of marginalized groups & why this is important. The Simpsons response tonight is not a jab at me, but at what many of us consider progress.
— Hari Kondabolu (@harikondabolu) April 9, 2018
How 'The Simpsons' should've handled this
Look, first and foremost "The Simpsons" is a comedy.
They're a satire at that, a show that constantly pokes fun at stereotypes and the lives Americans lead. They were never going to take an approach to handling the Apu debate that didn't involve drawing more laughs at somebody's expense. Still, their response proved to further alienate the very people Hari Kondabolu advocated for in his documentary.
The writers of the show demonstrated a certain amount of indifference in the scene. But clearly they've taken heed, as Apu hasn't been featured much in recent episodes. What would've made sense is to bring him back into the fold as a character, but as someone more nuanced than a caricature who runs a convenience store and little more.
Another move could've been to replace Hank Azaria as the voice of Apu and have someone of South Asian descent take over the role. "The Simpsons" has enough leeway to do what they want, but they have a responsibility to understand that representation matters.