'The Simpsons' Take on True Crime With Coen Brothers-Inspired 2-Part Episode and Fans Can't Get Enough

Michael Hein

11/09/2021 12:38 am EST

The Simpsons is staying topical with this week's new episode, which is a parody of the expanding true crime genre. The first installment of a two-part story features send-ups of Fargo, No Country for Old Men, Blood Simple, A Simple Man and Raising Arizona, among others. It is titled "A Simple Flanders."

The Simpsons' new episode had fans howling over its wide-ranging references to America's obsession with violent crime. It took on some movies which are over a decade old as well as the general true-crime phenomenon itself. It features guest stars Brian Cox, Cristin Milioti and Timothy Olyphant, among others, and gets Ned Flanders (Harry Shearer) tied up in criminal affairs.

This is only part one of the true-crime parody, with the other part premiering on Sunday on Fox. Judging by the reactions on social media, fans can hardly wait. Here's a look at what they're saying.

Counting References

Fans had a blast tallying up the references in the episode, both vague and specific. Some shared screenshots side by side with their inspiration.

Barb

Guest star Cristin Milioti was an instant fan favorite, and some hoped she'd be there to stay.

Graphic

For some fans, this week's episode was too graphic and violent, while for others it was an exciting change of pace.

Fat Tony

When actor Joe Mantegna teased his appearance on the show this weekend, that was enough to draw some lapsed viewers in. His fan-favorite character was an obvious choice for this crime-themed episode.

Swifties

The episode also caught the attention of Taylor Swift's die-hard fandom, although some were surprisingly out of touch with the animation world.

Guest Stars

Some fans criticized the show for relying on guest stars in more and more episodes over the years.

Hidden Jokes

Finally, fans hurried to be the first to point out subtle, hidden jokes in the episode, including several visual gags. The Simpsons returns on Sunday, Nov. 14 at 8 p.m. ET for "A Simple Flanders Part 2."

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